Page 3 of The Witch & the Tiger

Martin attempted a smile, hoping he didn’t appear scary. He was somewhat taller than her, and she currently looked like a deer in the headlights.

“Hey,” he said before clearing his throat since it came out a little too raspy. “I couldn’t help but notice your display of water magic.” He gestured to the fountain.

She smiled, giving a slightly less alarmed expression in return. He took that to be a good sign. “Yeah, my schtick is water magic. I’m not the best at it; that’s why the professors tell me to get some extra practice. The fountain here is a slightly more scenic way of being able to practice the magic, so I come here from time to time.”

He nodded, though his emotions still churned. He had no way to possibly express to her how much he needed that magic. Doing so from the start most likely would scare her the hell away, so he needed to figure out a better approach.

That might be easier than anticipated, given that there was something about her that he liked: her energy, her smile, and the way her eyebrows lifted in abject curiosity.

“Honestly, I’ve envied people who can do that type of elemental magic. You know, fire, wind, water. People might consider them classics, but there’s always something incredibly useful about them.”

Her lips twitched upward. “I’ve never thought about it that way. I always saw it as a bit basic.”

“Uh… magic is not basic,” he snorted. “We might be in a school where everyone has magic, but out there in the world, only a tiny number of people will ever have that ability. So, I think it’s cool.”

“Ha.” Her cheeks reddened slightly, and she looked suddenly shy. “Well, thank you, I guess. It didn’t feel that special since most people in my own family have some form of magic that is a bit more interesting. What about you? What’s your magic? Actually, what’s your name while we’re at it?”

He grinned, knowing it displayed perfectly pointed canines, almost too perfect for a human. He reached out a hand to shake, and she grasped it, hesitantly at first, then with more strength and warmth. “I’m Martin Gallagher. You?”

“Willow Colson.” She folded her arms, one eyebrow firmly raised. “What kind of magic do you have?”

He matched her expression. “I have enhanced senses, strength, and speed. Also, I’m a shapeshifter.”

Though a few people were standing around, people shapeshifting on the school grounds wasn’t exactly an uncommon occurrence. Before Willow’s eyes, his form rippled in a strange, not exactly painful, but itchy transition into a tiger. The orange hair matched his orange stripes. He had that powerful binocular vision that tigers had, with even more enhanced ability at night. It wasn’t night right now, however. His muscles flexed as he stretched, his tail flicking upward, and he yawned to bare huge fangs.

Willow let out a chuckle. “This is the first time I’ve seen a tiger shifter! Whoa.” She reached out a tentative hand. “Can I pet you?”

He let out a low, rumbling purr, which she took to mean yes. While Martin could, with some effort, speak, he preferred to avoid it except in an emergency. Plus, his accent needed serious work anyway. His purring intensified when her fingers started scratching behind his ears.

“My cat at home really likes it when I do this, so I was wondering if it might be similar for you…?”

He let the purring do the talking. After a minute of pleasant scratching, he backed away and shifted back into human form. Before he got too distracted, he said, “I can’t do the changes back and forth between forms too often. It can get exhausting, and sometimes I’ll end up stuck in a form for a bit.”

“Fair.” She smiled. “Well, Martin Gallagher. It was nice to meet you. I haven’t seen you around at the academy before. Are you a first-year?”

At this, his smile faded slightly. “I used to be a student at the academy, but right now, I’m taking a break. There were… some matters that I had to attend to. The professors did say that I was allowed to visit, as any student or former student would, unless that student was expelled. I wasn’t expelled before you ask.”

“Oh.” Her brow crinkled. “I guess that explains why I haven’t really seen you around. I… hope that whatever you’re dealing with works out well in the end.” She rubbed the back of her neck. “I do need to go to my next lesson now. Perhaps I’ll see you around sometime?”

“Perhaps,” he said, silently cursing himself for not asking for her number before she disappeared into the academy. He also wondered if he might have scared her away with the mention that he was not exactly a student right then.

Though he hadn’t lied – he also hadn’t been forthcoming about everything. He spent a few more minutes in the gardens, going to a spot he once remembered as a source of happier memories and happier times.

Though that time had passed, a part of him still wanted to honor those memories somehow.

As he headed toward the exit to make it back into the village of Oakwend, Professor Umber spotted him and approached him with a hurried air.

“You,” Umber said. “Since you still like to hang out on the school grounds so much, why don’t you just complete the rest of your years here? Why the need to keep avoiding school?”

At this, Martin froze, though he didn’t quite turn to face his former professor. “I… I need more time.”

“You shouldn’t wait too long, Martin. Some of what you have learned will be forgotten if you don’t use your mind. And…” He paused. “You know it wasn’t your fault.”

“I know it wasn’t. But not everyone in the village believes I had nothing to do with it.”

“Village people,” Umber said with some irritation. “You shouldn’t put stock in what others think of you. It’s no way to live your life.”

“It is the life I currently live,” Martin replied before leaving the professor behind and taking the scenic route toward Oakwend.

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