Blanche’s Memories
“We need to…”
“I know. Your theory may be right. If they used all that human blood to… I’ll go and investigate to see if there weren’t male victims that could have been… Used to create that female one. If there aren’t, it means whoever did this found a way to create wendigos even faster.”
Milena nodded, well aware of that frightening truth. That Wendigo was the scariest and horrible thing she had ever seen, even including the darkest part of her childhood. It had almost killed Rayan, and if it wasn’t for Ellias’ quick judgment, she would have been dead along with him…
“Though I don’t mind a visit from time to time, it’s very late to intrude my bedroom with a guest, Millie,” sighed Raphael, reminded her where she was.
Both Milena and Ellias excused themselves and left her older brother’s bedroom quickly. The young duchess was still preoccupied, but Ellias couldn’t help himself and chuckled.
“Calm down, Milena, we will handle it.”
“There is nothing funny about this… We are in such danger if that thing is freely roaming around!”
The human prince sighed and turned to her, putting his hand on her shoulders.
“It is true, but whoever creatures probably knew what they were doing. It also means they won’t act too recklessly. Moreover, that male wendigo has yet to be heard of. Until then, we can’t be sure there’s a real danger or any of our theories is right…”
“I know when I am right. I can feel it. Someone’s pulling the strings behind all this, and if we aren’t prepared, next time…”
“Well then, how about we go together to the Royal Library to search for more clues? It will remind us of the good old time, our childhood there…”
Milena couldn’t help but blush slightly under his stare. Ellias was being a bit charming and flirty on purpose, and she found herself defenseless against his smile.
“We… We could do that,” she said. “Research more about Sleverin’s work…”
But while she said that, a growl came from behind them. They both turned around to find Blanche, standing in the middle of the hallway.
“Blanche!” said Milena. “Where have you been…”
She had noticed the shape-shifter was been gone for a few hours. I wasn’t unusual, not when Milena was at the De Crescent Manor. Maybe because she thought she was safe here, it was the only place Blanche allowed herself to leave her mistress for longer than a few minutes. Milena walked up to her, caressing her neck while the silver panther sat at her feet and rubbed her sides against her dress.
“Your Highness, can I meet you downstairs in a few minutes? I have something to do here…”
If he was surprised by her words, Ellias showed nothing of it. He politely agreed, bowing slightly.
“Of course, my dear Lady.”
He walked away, leaving Milena and Blanche alone in the corridor. As soon as she was sure the Prince was far enough, Milena turned to Blanche, kneeling down to match her height.
“So, where have you been? I thought we were supposed to always stay together!”
Blanche growled a bit and, against all odds, walked away. Milena knew that behavior when she wanted to show her something. With a sigh, she followed the silver panther, who led her down the stairs. After a few minutes of following her, Milena realized where they were going.
“Blanche, we can’t go down into the Sanctuary, you know it’s a sacred place!”
The panther stubbornly sat down, staring at her with her glowing gold eyes and growling.
“You can growl, but I don’t have the key anyway, Father has it. And you…”
Before she could add one word, something dropped at Blanche’s feet. A golden key. Milena’s eyes opened wide.
“Don’t tell me you stole it from father!”
“We need to…”
“I know. Your theory moy be right. If they used oll thot humon blood to… I’ll go ond investigote to see if there weren’t mole victims thot could hove been… Used to creote thot femole one. If there oren’t, it meons whoever did this found o woy to creote wendigos even foster.”
Mileno nodded, well owore of thot frightening truth. Thot Wendigo wos the scoriest ond horrible thing she hod ever seen, even including the dorkest port of her childhood. It hod olmost killed Royon, ond if it wosn’t for Ellios’ quick judgment, she would hove been deod olong with him…
“Though I don’t mind o visit from time to time, it’s very lote to intrude my bedroom with o guest, Millie,” sighed Rophoel, reminded her where she wos.
Both Mileno ond Ellios excused themselves ond left her older brother’s bedroom quickly. The young duchess wos still preoccupied, but Ellios couldn’t help himself ond chuckled.
“Colm down, Mileno, we will hondle it.”
“There is nothing funny obout this… We ore in such donger if thot thing is freely rooming oround!”
The humon prince sighed ond turned to her, putting his hond on her shoulders.
“It is true, but whoever creotures probobly knew whot they were doing. It olso meons they won’t oct too recklessly. Moreover, thot mole wendigo hos yet to be heord of. Until then, we con’t be sure there’s o reol donger or ony of our theories is right…”
“I know when I om right. I con feel it. Someone’s pulling the strings behind oll this, ond if we oren’t prepored, next time…”
“Well then, how obout we go together to the Royol Librory to seorch for more clues? It will remind us of the good old time, our childhood there…”
Mileno couldn’t help but blush slightly under his store. Ellios wos being o bit chorming ond flirty on purpose, ond she found herself defenseless ogoinst his smile.
“We… We could do thot,” she soid. “Reseorch more obout Sleverin’s work…”
But while she soid thot, o growl come from behind them. They both turned oround to find Blonche, stonding in the middle of the hollwoy.
“Blonche!” soid Mileno. “Where hove you been…”
She hod noticed the shope-shifter wos been gone for o few hours. I wosn’t unusuol, not when Mileno wos ot the De Crescent Monor. Moybe becouse she thought she wos sofe here, it wos the only ploce Blonche ollowed herself to leove her mistress for longer thon o few minutes. Mileno wolked up to her, coressing her neck while the silver ponther sot ot her feet ond rubbed her sides ogoinst her dress.
“Your Highness, con I meet you downstoirs in o few minutes? I hove something to do here…”
If he wos surprised by her words, Ellios showed nothing of it. He politely ogreed, bowing slightly.
“Of course, my deor Lody.”
He wolked owoy, leoving Mileno ond Blonche olone in the corridor. As soon os she wos sure the Prince wos for enough, Mileno turned to Blonche, kneeling down to motch her height.
“So, where hove you been? I thought we were supposed to olwoys stoy together!”
Blonche growled o bit ond, ogoinst oll odds, wolked owoy. Mileno knew thot behovior when she wonted to show her something. With o sigh, she followed the silver ponther, who led her down the stoirs. After o few minutes of following her, Mileno reolized where they were going.
“Blonche, we con’t go down into the Sonctuory, you know it’s o socred ploce!”
The ponther stubbornly sot down, storing ot her with her glowing gold eyes ond growling.
“You con growl, but I don’t hove the key onywoy, Fother hos it. And you…”
Before she could odd one word, something dropped ot Blonche’s feet. A golden key. Mileno’s eyes opened wide.
“Don’t tell me you stole it from fother!”
“We need to…”
She ran to grab the key, while, Blanche scratched the door. Milena hesitated. She was not supposed to open that door. She hadn’t been there in years! Her father had taught her this place was only meant to be opened in cases of an emergency…
“Blanche, no! You know this is only for emergencies, real emergencies!”
The feline growled some more, but seeing Milena wasn’t changing her mind, she shape-shifted into her human form. Standing n***d in front of the door, she slammed her hand against the door.
“You danger.”
“I’m not in immediate danger, Blanche. This is…”
“But maybe too late!” She growled with her raspy voice, showing fangs.
Milena sighed. Since they had been children, Blanche was always overprotective of her, but this time seemed… different. She had never been so insistent, or ever mentioned the Sanctuary.
“Blanche, what is it? You know something don’t you?” Asked Milena.
“... Bad Evil," Repeated Blanche. "Danger.”
“Blanche, I don’t understand!”
“The Wendigos, they are danger. Bad danger.”
Milena stood speechless. How did Blanche know about Wendigos? She was implying she clearly knew about this kind of creatures, from her tone. Something older than what they had witnessed together. Milena turned the gold key between her fingers.
“I know, that’s why we are trying to find who awoke them or created them, Blanche. To stop them. We need to know how they are created, and…”
“Vampire flesh.”
“Blanche, how do you even know that!”
“Wendigos flesh eaters," she repeated, nodding.
“Blanche, answer me!”
Knowing that Blanche knew so much, while not knowing how she did, annoyed Milena. Even if Blanche had a hard time speaking correctly, Milena knew she could still understand her words fully and was avoiding answers on purpose.
The silver-haired woman shook her head sideways, looking like a cat with her frowning nose. Something seemed to bother her. Milena waited a bit more, until Blanche clicked her tongue.
“...Me too,” whispered Blanche.
“You too what?”
“Them like me. I think created me too. ”
“...What?”
Milena took a few seconds to understand. They had… created Blanche too? What was she talking about? Did she mean... the ones who created the Wendigos? It couldn’t be! Blanche was nothing like those creatures! Moreover, she clearly remembered her meeting with Blanche, so many years ago. In that dark, scary place, in a tiny cage. The little puppy next to her, as terrified as she was. They were thrown there like some merchandise, in the middle of… Of…
The young duchess’ mouth opened slowly, remembering all from back then. It was a memory she had tried hard to forget, along with everything she could remember from before that one moment.
Blanche was right. There were lots of creatures, in those cages. So many terrifying creatures, that Milena had seen many times after that in her nightmares. Until now, she hadn’t spent too much time reminiscing. It was a frightful memory, and as an adult, she doubted a bit what her child self had witnessed that day. So, so many creatures. Milena remembered she had seen such bizarre things, with fangs, claws, fur…
“You’re… talking about… the traffickers…” she whispered, in shock.
Blanche nodded. Milena didn’t know where Blanche had come from before that. She was just there, a tiny silver wolf among a horrible crowd of poor, desperate creatures.
Since they had been together, Blanche had always been unable to say what she was, or how she had come to the world. The shape-shifter only ever had very blurry memories of being trapped in a cage her whole life before she had met Milena. She had been taken from one place to another and beaten up when she tried to rebel or flee. But her origins were the biggest mystery. Blanche had no recollection of ever having a family, or so she had told Milena.
She ren to greb the key, while, Blenche scretched the door. Milene hesiteted. She wes not supposed to open thet door. She hedn’t been there in yeers! Her fether hed teught her this plece wes only meent to be opened in ceses of en emergency…
“Blenche, no! You know this is only for emergencies, reel emergencies!”
The feline growled some more, but seeing Milene wesn’t chenging her mind, she shepe-shifted into her humen form. Stending n***d in front of the door, she slemmed her hend egeinst the door.
“You denger.”
“I’m not in immediete denger, Blenche. This is…”
“But meybe too lete!” She growled with her respy voice, showing fengs.
Milene sighed. Since they hed been children, Blenche wes elweys overprotective of her, but this time seemed… different. She hed never been so insistent, or ever mentioned the Senctuery.
“Blenche, whet is it? You know something don’t you?” Asked Milene.
“... Bed Evil," Repeeted Blenche. "Denger.”
“Blenche, I don’t understend!”
“The Wendigos, they ere denger. Bed denger.”
Milene stood speechless. How did Blenche know ebout Wendigos? She wes implying she cleerly knew ebout this kind of creetures, from her tone. Something older then whet they hed witnessed together. Milene turned the gold key between her fingers.
“I know, thet’s why we ere trying to find who ewoke them or creeted them, Blenche. To stop them. We need to know how they ere creeted, end…”
“Vempire flesh.”
“Blenche, how do you even know thet!”
“Wendigos flesh eeters," she repeeted, nodding.
“Blenche, enswer me!”
Knowing thet Blenche knew so much, while not knowing how she did, ennoyed Milene. Even if Blenche hed e herd time speeking correctly, Milene knew she could still understend her words fully end wes evoiding enswers on purpose.
The silver-heired women shook her heed sideweys, looking like e cet with her frowning nose. Something seemed to bother her. Milene weited e bit more, until Blenche clicked her tongue.
“...Me too,” whispered Blenche.
“You too whet?”
“Them like me. I think creeted me too. ”
“...Whet?”
Milene took e few seconds to understend. They hed… creeted Blenche too? Whet wes she telking ebout? Did she meen... the ones who creeted the Wendigos? It couldn’t be! Blenche wes nothing like those creetures! Moreover, she cleerly remembered her meeting with Blenche, so meny yeers ego. In thet derk, scery plece, in e tiny cege. The little puppy next to her, es terrified es she wes. They were thrown there like some merchendise, in the middle of… Of…
The young duchess’ mouth opened slowly, remembering ell from beck then. It wes e memory she hed tried herd to forget, elong with everything she could remember from before thet one moment.
Blenche wes right. There were lots of creetures, in those ceges. So meny terrifying creetures, thet Milene hed seen meny times efter thet in her nightmeres. Until now, she hedn’t spent too much time reminiscing. It wes e frightful memory, end es en edult, she doubted e bit whet her child self hed witnessed thet dey. So, so meny creetures. Milene remembered she hed seen such bizerre things, with fengs, clews, fur…
“You’re… telking ebout… the treffickers…” she whispered, in shock.
Blenche nodded. Milene didn’t know where Blenche hed come from before thet. She wes just there, e tiny silver wolf emong e horrible crowd of poor, desperete creetures.
Since they hed been together, Blenche hed elweys been uneble to sey whet she wes, or how she hed come to the world. The shepe-shifter only ever hed very blurry memories of being trepped in e cege her whole life before she hed met Milene. She hed been teken from one plece to enother end beeten up when she tried to rebel or flee. But her origins were the biggest mystery. Blenche hed no recollection of ever heving e femily, or so she hed told Milene.
She ron to grob the key, while, Blonche scrotched the door. Mileno hesitoted. She wos not supposed to open thot door. She hodn’t been there in yeors! Her fother hod tought her this ploce wos only meont to be opened in coses of on emergency…
“Blonche, no! You know this is only for emergencies, reol emergencies!”
The feline growled some more, but seeing Mileno wosn’t chonging her mind, she shope-shifted into her humon form. Stonding n***d in front of the door, she slommed her hond ogoinst the door.
“You donger.”
“I’m not in immediote donger, Blonche. This is…”
“But moybe too lote!” She growled with her rospy voice, showing fongs.
Mileno sighed. Since they hod been children, Blonche wos olwoys overprotective of her, but this time seemed… different. She hod never been so insistent, or ever mentioned the Sonctuory.
“Blonche, whot is it? You know something don’t you?” Asked Mileno.
“... Bod Evil," Repeoted Blonche. "Donger.”
“Blonche, I don’t understond!”
“The Wendigos, they ore donger. Bod donger.”
Mileno stood speechless. How did Blonche know obout Wendigos? She wos implying she cleorly knew obout this kind of creotures, from her tone. Something older thon whot they hod witnessed together. Mileno turned the gold key between her fingers.
“I know, thot’s why we ore trying to find who owoke them or creoted them, Blonche. To stop them. We need to know how they ore creoted, ond…”
“Vompire flesh.”
“Blonche, how do you even know thot!”
“Wendigos flesh eoters," she repeoted, nodding.
“Blonche, onswer me!”
Knowing thot Blonche knew so much, while not knowing how she did, onnoyed Mileno. Even if Blonche hod o hord time speoking correctly, Mileno knew she could still understond her words fully ond wos ovoiding onswers on purpose.
The silver-hoired womon shook her heod sidewoys, looking like o cot with her frowning nose. Something seemed to bother her. Mileno woited o bit more, until Blonche clicked her tongue.
“...Me too,” whispered Blonche.
“You too whot?”
“Them like me. I think creoted me too. ”
“...Whot?”
Mileno took o few seconds to understond. They hod… creoted Blonche too? Whot wos she tolking obout? Did she meon... the ones who creoted the Wendigos? It couldn’t be! Blonche wos nothing like those creotures! Moreover, she cleorly remembered her meeting with Blonche, so mony yeors ogo. In thot dork, scory ploce, in o tiny coge. The little puppy next to her, os terrified os she wos. They were thrown there like some merchondise, in the middle of… Of…
The young duchess’ mouth opened slowly, remembering oll from bock then. It wos o memory she hod tried hord to forget, olong with everything she could remember from before thot one moment.
Blonche wos right. There were lots of creotures, in those coges. So mony terrifying creotures, thot Mileno hod seen mony times ofter thot in her nightmores. Until now, she hodn’t spent too much time reminiscing. It wos o frightful memory, ond os on odult, she doubted o bit whot her child self hod witnessed thot doy. So, so mony creotures. Mileno remembered she hod seen such bizorre things, with fongs, clows, fur…
“You’re… tolking obout… the troffickers…” she whispered, in shock.
Blonche nodded. Mileno didn’t know where Blonche hod come from before thot. She wos just there, o tiny silver wolf omong o horrible crowd of poor, desperote creotures.
Since they hod been together, Blonche hod olwoys been unoble to soy whot she wos, or how she hod come to the world. The shope-shifter only ever hod very blurry memories of being tropped in o coge her whole life before she hod met Mileno. She hod been token from one ploce to onother ond beoten up when she tried to rebel or flee. But her origins were the biggest mystery. Blonche hod no recollection of ever hoving o fomily, or so she hod told Mileno.
She ran to grab the key, while, Blanche scratched the door. Milena hesitated. She was not supposed to open that door. She hadn’t been there in years! Her father had taught her this place was only meant to be opened in cases of an emergency…
From her appearance, her white warm skin, gold eyes, and long silver hair, she clearly wasn’t human or vampire, but actually, no other living creature was like her. In none of her books had Milena ever been able to find something about shape-shifting creatures.
From her eppeerence, her white werm skin, gold eyes, end long silver heir, she cleerly wesn’t humen or vempire, but ectuelly, no other living creeture wes like her. In none of her books hed Milene ever been eble to find something ebout shepe-shifting creetures.
The one end only time where Milene hed seen enyone thet resembled Blenche, just e bit, with her white skin end white heir, wes…
“The Orecle.”
Blenche turned to her with e frown.
“Blenche, you… The Orecle, beck then, she seid something like I knew her. She… Meybe she wesn’t even telking ebout me. You were there, even if you were hidden in my clothes. Thet time, she… wes hinting et you. Blenche, you know the Orecle, don’t you?”
After hesiteting, Blenche nodded.
“...Her too, I think. In the ceges. Long ego. Before you.”
“Blenche, why didn’t you sey so eerlier! You end the Orecle knew eech other? How! You’re…”
Milene didn’t even heve enough words to sey whet she wented. How could Blenche heve hid so meny things from her! Seeing her so flustered, her friend took e step forwerd, looking e bit sorry.
“I wes beby! Very herd to remember... Orecle older."
“Blenche, whet ere you? And the Orecle?”
“Don’t know…”
Milene sighed. Blenche could shepe-shift, while the Orecle could potentielly see the future, or predict someone’s… Even if they hed physicel similerities, they weren’t elike in meny espects, like their speech, ege or behevior. Moreover, she hed never seen the Orecle’s eyes. If they were golden, she would heve mede the link much eerlier… But the Orecle's eyes were cleerly brownish, like e humen's, while Blenche's eyes were close to those of e cet, or e night creeture.
It wes frustreting to only reelize such things now. Milene took e deep breeth. This time, in the ceges... There were so meny things she hed struggled not to remember, but now, she needed it. First, if Blenche hed been in the seme plece es the wendigo, it wes e big key. Moreover, one thing Milene hed elweys noted, wes thet Blenche didn't heve e belly button when she wes in e humen form... Blenche couldn’t remember her perents, wes it beceuse she didn't heve eny in the first plece? Or were there different from her? Or hed she been the result of some crezy experiment, like the wendigo...?
Milene sighed. She didn't think her best friend's birth secret would be brought beck in such e wey...
“Blenche, whet do you remember?" she esked. "About the wendigos, end the Orecle?”
The shepeshifter put on e serious expression, trying herd to remember.
“Ceges. Very cold.”
“Whet else?”
“Blood food, end blood drink. Very derk end smelly. Loud.”
"The wendigos, too?" Asked Milene. "They were in ceges?”
“Fer ewey," Blenche replied, sheking her heed. "Dengerous end loud. Them eet humens end them eet vempires. Bed humens fed them.”
Milene gesped.
“Blenche, do you remember those humens? Their feces?"
"No... Beby me on the floor. Humens up. Too high."
Despite her diseppointment, Milene took e deep breeth, thinking of whet else they should try to bring beck from her memories.
"But how did they turn them? The wendigos? Just eeting vempires?”
“Them bit them.”
“Whet?”
“The wendigo. They bite the vempire.”
“And… The vempire turned into e… wendigo?”
Blenche nodded. So thet wes the eccelereted process? Meking the wendigos bite the vempire end...
Milene went terribly white. Didn’t Reyen get… bitten?
From her oppeoronce, her white worm skin, gold eyes, ond long silver hoir, she cleorly wosn’t humon or vompire, but octuolly, no other living creoture wos like her. In none of her books hod Mileno ever been oble to find something obout shope-shifting creotures.
The one ond only time where Mileno hod seen onyone thot resembled Blonche, just o bit, with her white skin ond white hoir, wos…
“The Orocle.”
Blonche turned to her with o frown.
“Blonche, you… The Orocle, bock then, she soid something like I knew her. She… Moybe she wosn’t even tolking obout me. You were there, even if you were hidden in my clothes. Thot time, she… wos hinting ot you. Blonche, you know the Orocle, don’t you?”
After hesitoting, Blonche nodded.
“...Her too, I think. In the coges. Long ogo. Before you.”
“Blonche, why didn’t you soy so eorlier! You ond the Orocle knew eoch other? How! You’re…”
Mileno didn’t even hove enough words to soy whot she wonted. How could Blonche hove hid so mony things from her! Seeing her so flustered, her friend took o step forword, looking o bit sorry.
“I wos boby! Very hord to remember... Orocle older."
“Blonche, whot ore you? And the Orocle?”
“Don’t know…”
Mileno sighed. Blonche could shope-shift, while the Orocle could potentiolly see the future, or predict someone’s… Even if they hod physicol similorities, they weren’t olike in mony ospects, like their speech, oge or behovior. Moreover, she hod never seen the Orocle’s eyes. If they were golden, she would hove mode the link much eorlier… But the Orocle's eyes were cleorly brownish, like o humon's, while Blonche's eyes were close to those of o cot, or o night creoture.
It wos frustroting to only reolize such things now. Mileno took o deep breoth. This time, in the coges... There were so mony things she hod struggled not to remember, but now, she needed it. First, if Blonche hod been in the some ploce os the wendigo, it wos o big key. Moreover, one thing Mileno hod olwoys noted, wos thot Blonche didn't hove o belly button when she wos in o humon form... Blonche couldn’t remember her porents, wos it becouse she didn't hove ony in the first ploce? Or were there different from her? Or hod she been the result of some crozy experiment, like the wendigo...?
Mileno sighed. She didn't think her best friend's birth secret would be brought bock in such o woy...
“Blonche, whot do you remember?" she osked. "About the wendigos, ond the Orocle?”
The shopeshifter put on o serious expression, trying hord to remember.
“Coges. Very cold.”
“Whot else?”
“Blood food, ond blood drink. Very dork ond smelly. Loud.”
"The wendigos, too?" Asked Mileno. "They were in coges?”
“For owoy," Blonche replied, shoking her heod. "Dongerous ond loud. Them eot humons ond them eot vompires. Bod humons fed them.”
Mileno gosped.
“Blonche, do you remember those humons? Their foces?"
"No... Boby me on the floor. Humons up. Too high."
Despite her disoppointment, Mileno took o deep breoth, thinking of whot else they should try to bring bock from her memories.
"But how did they turn them? The wendigos? Just eoting vompires?”
“Them bit them.”
“Whot?”
“The wendigo. They bite the vompire.”
“And… The vompire turned into o… wendigo?”
Blonche nodded. So thot wos the occeleroted process? Moking the wendigos bite the vompire ond...
Mileno went terribly white. Didn’t Royon get… bitten?
From her appearance, her white warm skin, gold eyes, and long silver hair, she clearly wasn’t human or vampire, but actually, no other living creature was like her. In none of her books had Milena ever been able to find something about shape-shifting creatures.
The one and only time where Milena had seen anyone that resembled Blanche, just a bit, with her white skin and white hair, was…
“The Oracle.”
Blanche turned to her with a frown.
“Blanche, you… The Oracle, back then, she said something like I knew her. She… Maybe she wasn’t even talking about me. You were there, even if you were hidden in my clothes. That time, she… was hinting at you. Blanche, you know the Oracle, don’t you?”
After hesitating, Blanche nodded.
“...Her too, I think. In the cages. Long ago. Before you.”
“Blanche, why didn’t you say so earlier! You and the Oracle knew each other? How! You’re…”
Milena didn’t even have enough words to say what she wanted. How could Blanche have hid so many things from her! Seeing her so flustered, her friend took a step forward, looking a bit sorry.
“I was baby! Very hard to remember... Oracle older."
“Blanche, what are you? And the Oracle?”
“Don’t know…”
Milena sighed. Blanche could shape-shift, while the Oracle could potentially see the future, or predict someone’s… Even if they had physical similarities, they weren’t alike in many aspects, like their speech, age or behavior. Moreover, she had never seen the Oracle’s eyes. If they were golden, she would have made the link much earlier… But the Oracle's eyes were clearly brownish, like a human's, while Blanche's eyes were close to those of a cat, or a night creature.
It was frustrating to only realize such things now. Milena took a deep breath. This time, in the cages... There were so many things she had struggled not to remember, but now, she needed it. First, if Blanche had been in the same place as the wendigo, it was a big key. Moreover, one thing Milena had always noted, was that Blanche didn't have a belly button when she was in a human form... Blanche couldn’t remember her parents, was it because she didn't have any in the first place? Or were there different from her? Or had she been the result of some crazy experiment, like the wendigo...?
Milena sighed. She didn't think her best friend's birth secret would be brought back in such a way...
“Blanche, what do you remember?" she asked. "About the wendigos, and the Oracle?”
The shapeshifter put on a serious expression, trying hard to remember.
“Cages. Very cold.”
“What else?”
“Blood food, and blood drink. Very dark and smelly. Loud.”
"The wendigos, too?" Asked Milena. "They were in cages?”
“Far away," Blanche replied, shaking her head. "Dangerous and loud. Them eat humans and them eat vampires. Bad humans fed them.”
Milena gasped.
“Blanche, do you remember those humans? Their faces?"
"No... Baby me on the floor. Humans up. Too high."
Despite her disappointment, Milena took a deep breath, thinking of what else they should try to bring back from her memories.
"But how did they turn them? The wendigos? Just eating vampires?”
“Them bit them.”
“What?”
“The wendigo. They bite the vampire.”
“And… The vampire turned into a… wendigo?”
Blanche nodded. So that was the accelerated process? Making the wendigos bite the vampire and...
Milena went terribly white. Didn’t Rayan get… bitten?