The cat slipped through the shadows, her white body hidden completely within them though she should have been noticeable. She entered a small inn and slipped into the kitchen. The room was bright and warm, the fires burning over for the practically full inn, a rarity, she knew. The cook leaned over the board in front of her, cutting up some lamb. The cat's mouth watered. She was starving. Two serving girls came into the kitchen then, the cat closed her ears quickly not wanting to hurt them. The common room was certainly loud this night.

The serving girls picked up some mugs and a platter of food each and left just as quickly as they had come in. The cook threw the lamb in the stew pot on the fire. The cat watched helplessly but then saw a small piece laying on the floor just in front of the fire pit. She began to slink along the wall to reach the piece of meat. She darted out to grab hold of it and had it in her mouth when all of a sudden something grabbed hold of the back of her neck and she was forced to drop the piece of mouth-watering lamb.

She wheezed and coughed and turned around just enough to see the heavy and cruel-looking innkeeper holding onto the back of her neck. She attempted to get away but he held onto her too tight. He moved out into the common room, holding tightly onto her. Just as he was about to drop and then kick her out the door, a tan hand grabbed his wrist. He turned, just enough so the cat could see the person. His eyes narrowed as he looked at the young woman, but recognizing her as a guest he stopped himself before he bit her head off. The cat surveyed this newcomer carefully.

She was two inches under five and a half feet. Her shoulder length black hair was pulled back into a ponytail. Her dark brown eyes glared at the innkeeper. She was dressed oddly, at least oddly to the cat's eyes. She wore a blue vest, with a black tank top, a short blue skirt, black leggings and black shin high boots. Around her neck were three necklaces, one a yin and yang, one of a blue crescent moon and star, and the third a crystal on a black string. A sword hung at her waist. The cat guessed her to be about 16.

"Why do you treat my cat so?" the young woman asked, her voice full of scorn.

"She was stealing meat," the innkeeper replied, his voice hard.

"I will pay for the meat, now let my cat free."

He hesitated just a moment, but then let the cat down gently. The white cat immediately leaped up onto the girl's shoulder and started licking her neck where he had placed his filthy hands. The girl dug into the pouch at her belt and handed him a small copper.

"Now have me brought some milk for my cat."

The innkeeper nodded and turned away to go get a saucer of milk. The cat dug her nails into the girl's shoulder. The girl shrieked. The innkeeper turned back.

"Have it brought to my room," she said, glaring at the cat.

The cat seemed to nod in approval.

The innkeeper sent a girl up with the saucer of milk, and set it down on the floor for the cat. The cat began to lap silently at it. The girl shook her head. She could not believe the nerve of this cat. She had absolutely NO idea why she had saved this cat. She didn't really care for cats and could not understand why this one seemed so different. She watched the cat finish her milk.

When the cat was done she looked up at the girl.

"I offer you my thanks. I did not expect to be saved by someone who knows me not," the cat said, her voice a soft, sophisticated one.

The girl blinked. "Did you just talk?"

The cat glanced at herself. "Oh, yes, I forgot. I apologize."

A white mist engulfed the cat and when it dissipated, a young looking woman stood there. She looked about 16, but that was only her looks, for she had an air of experience about her. Her eyes were the same gold-flecked green they had been while she had been in cat form. Her hair was white, as white as snow. It was braided and then wrapped about her head to form a crown, a forest green ribbon was braided into it. She was pale, as if she had never seen the light of the sun before. Her dress was a gold-flecked forest green velvet, with spaghetti straps and a tight bodice, the skirt was semi tight and the girl caught just a glimpse of a slit on either side, obviously to allow movement in battle. Her boots were gold-flecked forest green leather. Her cloak was the same as her dress. The inner lining was a white velvet though, and it clasped at her throat with a gold clasp. Her sword belt and sheath were white leather, the hilt of the sword was wrapped in a forest green leather. She had various pouches hanging off her belt, obviously pouches for money and the like. She smiled softly.

"I am sorry to have startled you. I am the Lady Tiara de'Tokiet of Corin, but you may call me Tiara."

"You are a shape shifter?" the girl asked, still not offering her name.

Tiara's eyes narrowed. "I am no shape shifter. If it were not for the likes of the Wizard Norridt, I would not be on this other world."

"You are from another world?"

"Yes. There are things Wizards upon my world can do. This is one of them. Upon my world, I am no magician, sorceress, wizard, etc. I am a Talent-Possessing Form-Changer. I do not wish to get into the details, it is a rather unheard of thing on this world. I do not mention it. I have used all my money, for things here are so expensive. But I have been doing well as a thief, I suppose you would call me one. Your name?"

"Oh, yes, of course, I almost forgot. I am Alissa Windsyra. Where is your world?"

Tiara shook her head sadly. "I do not know." She moved to the window and looked out. "Somewhere up there. When I get my hands on that foul Wizard, he will wish he had never been born." She was practically growling. She shook her head again. "But I am forgetting myself. The Wizard Norridt is far from here, my thoughts should be on the present not the future. I thank you for your help. I appreciate it, Lady Windsyra."

Alissa laughed softly. "I am not a lady, maybe upon your world I would be, but not here. Just call me Alissa, m'Lady."

"It is my turn to tell you that I am far from a lady. Call me Tiara or call me naught at all."

"Your title is Lady."

"My proper title is Princess, but I changed that when I left my kingdom, for it was never my kingdom, never my home. I have found home, and it was not Corin that was home to me. Now, why should a young girl such as yourself, be alone in an inn?"

Alissa laughed. "I am a Warrior Mage, Tiara."

"That means nothing to me. Upon my world warriors are different from mages. Mages are weaker Wizards, below Wizards. And no woman can be a Wizard or anything of the like."

"Oh, well I can use magic, and I can fight, basically."

"I suppose you would call my Talent, magic. And well, as you can see, I don't always rely on my other forms."

"Well, I hope not. I mean, one can't always just use a sword I suppose."

"No, one can't always rely upon the blade to win a battle. I have three other forms, one of which you've seen. Cat form; snow leopard form, which is my main battle form; and dragon form, and in that form I have healing powers." Tiara smiled again.

"And you are a Form-Changer? Here, form-changers are different. They can be anything."

"Well I do come from another world." She sighed and looked out the window again. "Why my sister has not come yet, I wish I knew. She would follow me into death itself, if either of us could die."

"You are immortal?" Alissa asked, somewhat shocked.

"Yes. I don't like admitting it though. Talent-Possessing Form-Changers have about a century more of life than any other human being. If Alith, my sister-changer, was not a vampire, she would die before me. I am only immortal because my mother is the Goddess Corina, Creator of the Corina Isles, Mother of George the Halfling, Bryce the Human, Heshept the Dwarf, Christian the Elf, and Corin the Dragon, Mother of Karen and Lan de'Tokiet, those who have made the Kingdom of Corin what it is now. They were not immortal, they are my brother and sister I guess I would call them. Corina decided I would bear the surname of her Son and Daughter, therefore I was born to an 8th generation de'Tokiet and his wife, making me a princess." Her voice was full of scorn at the word. "I am a 9th generation de'Tokiet, I suppose. I just recently learned of my immortality."

"The people of your world worship Corina?"

"No, just the people of the Corina Isles. There are many gods and goddesses upon my world. I worship none, not even my own, er, mother. She is glad of that."

"You have an interesting pa-"

She was cut off by a large crash downstairs. The white mist immediately enveloped Tiara and she was back in cat form. Alissa opened the door and Tiara bolted through the door, Alissa on her heels.

Tiara skidded to a stop just before she ran right into the five armed men dressed in black. She hissed as she noticed that one of the men held the innkeeper still while another held his sword to the man's throat. Alissa stopped and waited. She placed her hand on the hilt of her sword and upon muttering an arcane word a change came over her. She now wore black, blue and silver armor. A black headband was around her forehead. Her boots were black and came just above her ankles. Tiara noted that this must be her warrior form.

"Why are you here?" Alissa's voice was cold and hard.

"Ah, if it isn't Alissa Windsyra." The man's voice was almost cooing. He was obviously the leader.

"Who else would it be, Dorchav?" Alissa asked, her eyes narrowed.

Dorchav noticed Tiara, who was still in cat form, just then. He motioned for one of his men to grab the cat by the back of the neck. It was done. Tiara hissed and scratched at him. "Yours, I presume?"

Suddenly the white mist enveloped Tiara and a scream was heard from within the mist. A large form rushed past Dorchav, and the mist dissipated. Dorchav almost fell over at Tiara's passing. She was in snow leopard form, larger than normal snow leopards, and with the same gold-flecked green eyes.

"Ah, a Form-Changer. Lourv," he said, motioning forth the man who had stayed hidden behind them.

The man moved forward, a wicked grin playing across his face. "I have ways of dealing with form-changers."

Tiara cringed, knowing the pain of being forced back into human form all too well. Lourv made a motion with his hand and waited. His faced was one of shock. "This can not be! She is different. She is odd. Why did it not work?"

"Perhaps, Wizard, because I am not of your world," Tiara growled, low in her throat.

She lunged forward and knocked him down. As she moved to tear his throat out, he dissipated into nothingness. Alissa moved forward quickly, lunging for the men who held the innkeeper, her sword in her hand. She slashed and took the hand from the man who held the sword. The other held up his hands in ultimate terror.

"Out now!" Dorchav yelled.

And in a flash of bright light the three were gone. Alissa wiped the blood from her sword, sheathed it and keeping her hand on the hilt of her sword, muttered another arcane word, and she was back in her normal form as quickly as she had changed into her warrior form. Tiara watched her and shook her head slightly, white mist enveloping her and she stood in human form.

"Who were those men?" she demanded.

"Men who wish to destroy me. Particularly Dorchav." She sighed. "I know not how to explain it. It is a long and difficult tale. Please do not ask me."

"I will not ask you again." Tiara smiled softly. "Come, my new friend, I'm starving."

They laughed slightly and turned to the innkeeper who was still rather shocked by the appearance of these men.

"Innkeeper," Tiara began, "have your stable boys dispose of the body and the hand. You owe us your life."

"Yes, I do. You may stay here forever after free of charge. For as long as I live."

"A noble statement, innkeeper," Alissa said. "We will be sure to use this facility often. Now fetch us some food. Tiara is hungry."

The innkeeper nodded and scurried off. The men who had been in the common room, began their talking and drinking again, having been too frightened of the five men, and especially the wizard, to have helped at all. Tiara and Alissa went to sit at a table in the corner and waited for their meal.

The next morning Tiara and Alissa left the inn, Alissa having decided to make use of Tiara as her companion. As they walked down the street, they noticed a beggar in a grey cloak moving towards them. Deciding it would probably be best to be careful, considering there were always thieves pretending to be beggars, Alissa crossed the dirt road and Tiara continued to walk forward. Tiara had no money, therefore the beggar, if indeed a thief, could not steal any of their travelling money. The beggar moved towards Tiara and stopped in front of her, putting her hand on Tiara's arm and stopping Tiara as well.





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