Shift
@ofmorgana
Gwen loathed being forced to go into towns and cities to lure in the audiences for her mistress’ caravan. She hated it.
And yet...
It was the only time she could be free, be herself. The only time she could almost ignore the collar that rested so snug around her throat, cleverly disguised as a pretty black choker with an emerald pendant.
Mary Collins--the Lady Helen, self-proclaimed Keeper of Fantastic Creatures and Oddities--kept her on a tight leash. Gwen could leave the caravan, but only when she went with Mary’s son Tommy to attract an audience wherever they’d stopped. Trying to run or leave without him by her side was out of the question.
Dancing and using her natural abilities--marked clearly for anyone who knew what the golden “tattoo” signified to see--to attract audiences was the only way she could pretend she had a life of her own.
And so...she danced, shifting forms in a whirl of colour every time Tommy snapped his fingers.
Snap!
A mahogany brown fox with markings akin to gold flames on its neck and shoulder leapt and snapped its sharp little teeth at droplets of water from the nearby fountain.
Snap!
A peacock with the same colour and markings flared its tail to show the eyes on its feathers were also golden.
Snap!
Now a panther prowled around the edge of the crowd.
Snap!
The dusky-complexioned dancer was back once more.