The clearing by the lake

Kira sat down on the edge of the lake, and looked down at her reflection. She dipped her feet into the water and began to splash around. She paused, remembering she might be caught by an enemy. Kira grew gills on the sides of her neck, and dived underwater, enjoying the cool feeling against her skin.

Shodryn crouched in the bushes, eyes locked on the elf. He almost yelped in surprise as gills grew from her neck. He could tell this was no elf. Elves didn't GROW gills. He emerged from the undergrowth, ruffling his wings as she dived. He sat at the bank, watching her with interest.
What was she?

Kira saw a shadow fall across the lake bottom. Out of curiousity, she surfaced in the middle of the pond. "Hello." she said to the winged creature nearby. Who's that? She thought as the creature watched her.

Shodryn bowed his head. "Hello," he rumbled. Raising his head, he said, "I've not seen a creature like you before. What are you?"

"I'm a shapeshifter." Kira replied, "What are you?"

Shodryn puffed out his chest proudly. "I," he woofed, "am a winged wolf." he unfurled his huge wings, flapping them gently a few times. The sunlight filtering through his feathers made his black wing look a dark shade of grey.

Darcia rolled his eyes. "She could be a winged wolf if she wanted you fool." He growled, emerging from the shadows. "Che, she is Erno. She can be anything."

Kira looked as another wolf came out of the shadows. "Erno?" she asked, "What's that?" Is that what winged wolves call my kind? She wondered as she waited for a reply.

Shodryn narrowed his eyes. What the heck was an Erno? He folded his wings and sighed. "You always appear and ruin great moments, don't you, wolvern?" he turned his head toward the other wolf. "I'm trying to make a friend."

Kira looked on in confusion at the two wolves.

Kira dived back underwater, her gills still working.

"Erno is my speak for Shapeshifter you bafoons. Not all winged wolves speek how I do though." Darcia rolled his eyes.

Kira barely heard what the winged wolf said. It's not our fault... She thought, diving deeper.

Shodryn narrowed his eyes. "Well, sorry we're not as...." he spat. "...superior as you."

"Superior? Bah I belive not in those things." He laughed and then looked streight at the winged wolf. "You seem surprised. Tell me what bothers you."

"Surprised at...?"

"How should I know? Its your body." Darcia sighed and watched the winged wolf. "I dispare of others sometimes."