It had been fortuitous she'd run across Vliss and Brais in the hall. Though she'd almost fled, and over nothing more than a bitter comment about her shoes not being laced properly. Personally she felt they were unnecessary. She preferred the feel of snow under her bare feet. An invitation to the commons, a place she dreaded, had been graciously extended, by Vliss of course, and she'd grudgingly accepted. All the while she wanted nothing more than to bolt back to her retreat and immerse herself in a book. Something told her Brais would not mourn the loss of her company had she done just that.

But she didn't.

Instead she followed, joined them at a table and eventually was drawn into discourse. At least it was interesting, at first. Magic, discipline, but then it had turned upon her nature, and she'd felt hurt when her condition was referred to as a disease. She was no disease, not ill. Was it a crime to be part Lycan? She'd been thankful when the subject had changed yet again, turning to elementalism, something she truly had passion for. Though she'd admitted her aversion to fire. Both Brais and Vliss had agreed it might be wise for her to learn to control it, rather than to fear it.

Though Vliss had departed abruptly to make a class, Brais had stayed and talked further with her. It came to pass she told him why she was so afraid of fire. She had good reason. But his point was only made further by her own misfortune. 'Seek to control it. twist it, bend it to your will, and none will harm you with it again.' The logic was indisputable. Finally she agreed. She would seek out Xera, and ask her to teach her basic defensive fire elementalism. For some odd reason he had found it important enough to tell her also, she might wish to tell her instructor when the time came, that she had often extinguished fire as well.

Though she of course thought it was merely because her affinity for cold had overcome it. The girl still had no idea the dormant power that lay locked away within her, in an icy tomb she had unwittingly created herself. The power to manipulate all the elements was inherently there. and she unconsciously used some of them to such minuscule degrees it had gone quite unnoticed for a long time. Something as simple as reheating a drink gone cold, or a warm wind to dry her fur. She never even thought about these things, willingly oblivious to her own talent.

If only she would realize.

She had power. It was there, staring her in the face. And she had been afraid for so long, it was like looking into the face of a stranger, what should have been her most intimate friend. Things were going to change. She and Brais had excused themselves from one another, he to do some chore or such, she to seek Xera.

It was time to choose.
She was choosing to take control of her life. Take power.