May 15, 1907 - If I lose control I feed the beast within

Mia meets Waya

“So… deeze Brown Mountain Lights, what are dey?”
Their horses continued down the Mountain View Road through the humidity as the cicadas echoed out from the trees through the evening air.
“Well, that is very difficult,” Daniel Black said, “Some say their spirits of Cherokee women loking for their fallen husbands, others say their wisps…” “Que?” She furrowed her brow. “Fairies,” Daniel raised his brow and smiled. “Ah…”
In that moment the horses began to bray and came to an abrupt stop and stamp their feet. A crashing from the trees erupted into a colossal figure of black fur in their path. Their horses reared, Daniel was unseated; it was only when the great black bear swiped at hers did she follow onto the hard dirt road.
The beast stood and roared which seemed to shake the trees. It was feet from Daniel who lay prostrate in awe. In seconds she was on her feet and rushing at the creature tearing her gloves off. It rose up and swiped again.
She no longer hampered her movements. The bear could not catch her – she ducked under its swinging paw and reached, buried her hands into its thick black fur til she felt skin and did what came natural.
It was a mad attempt – the alternative was to leave a poor defenseless man to his fate as she escaped.
The effect was immediate – but time stood still for a moment.
Gooseflesh ripple over her skin. There was a crack before she went soaring through the air. She landed prone, her hair about her face. The convulsions began – she was forced to her hands and knees as her back arched, her organs and limbs shifted along with the sound of ripping fabric. She wanted to cry out – not in pain. A young woman’s blood curdling scream did not pierce the humid atmosphere but the guttural roar of a bear escaped her lips.
Massive claws retracted into her finger tips as chestnut fur fell away from her skin. She looked for a bear expecting to find it breathing its last – there was a man breathing rapidly on his back with his raven black hair braided with feathers in disarray, his terrified eyes fixed on her with the clear red prints of her fingers on his tawny abdomen.

Related Historical Events

• 1907
  Mia meets Waya