I looked into the dark, ominous cave. Shadows curled and nothing could be seen past the cave’s mouth. Torches lit with large, bright flames hung on either side of the entrance. The lights were bright but nothing could break through that perpetual darkness. I gulped, and turned toward my father.

His expression was stone cold and no emotions shone through his eyes. He glared down at me, angry that I was showing my fear with my expressions. He turned to the crowd behind us and raised his hand up in a gesture of authority.

“My people,” his voice boomed over the now silent crowd, “We are here to test my daughter, Fausta, and see if she is strong enough to be welcomed into our family!”

The crowd roared and hollered in response to their leader. They crowded around in the clearing near the cave’s entrance. Torches were lit and glowing eerily onto the cold faces of the others in our tribe. Their hollering and roars were interrupted by my father raising his hand again.

“Today we perform the coming of age ritual! My daughter, Fausta, must go into the depths of the cave and fight her worst fear, as is the way of our ancestors!” He explained.

The crowds murmured. I tried to control my breathing, grip my nerves into a small ball and choke it out with the courage of my people. As my father escorted me closer to the cave’s mouth, he leaned down and said lowly to me.

“In the cave lives a shapeshifter, they can see into your mind and find out what you fear most. It will try to kill you, so show no mercy. What’s the family saying?”

I took a deep, calming breath and clutched my hands into fists at my sides.

“There is nothing to fear, but fear itself.” I replied.

He patted my back and roughly pushed me into the darkness. It swallowed me up and the lights were completely gone. My eyes struggled to adjust in the thick darkness. Soft drops of water fell onto the hard ground beneath. I gulped and brought my trembling hand to the ornate dagger at my hip. I mumbles to myself trying to calm my bubbling nerves. Then a shadow dropped before me.

A startled gasp escaped my lips and I took a small step back. Before me was a small, hairless creature with large glowing eyes. It was clothed with an oversized shirt that probably belonged to it’s last meal. It grinned with sharp yellow fangs, while it observed me.

“It has been awhile since they sent me a human girl. Shall we get started then?” It spoke in an ancient, gravelly voice.

Its eyes shone even brighter, almost like a flashlight in the darkness, and stared me in the eyes. It’s bones popped and cracked in different angles. The skin stretched and molded into a different shape. Hair grew where it hadn't been before, and it grew taller right before my eyes. The creature reopened its eyes to reveal a pair of dark green ones.

The creature had shifted into a human. She has long, straight black hair with streaks of dark brown. Tan skin replaced the hairless one and was dressed in a ceremonial dress. Her dark green eyes showed mischief as she smirked with full, pink lips.

I gasped and stepped back in fear, away from the girl in horror.

“It’s me!”