In the Shadows
By Princess Ali
Jamie sat cross legged on the roof of her home in Alaska in the crisp night air. All though it was spring, the roof was covered with a thick coat of ice and the chilly breeze caused Jamie to shiver. A dark curl fell over her face as she pulled up the hood on her coat, shielding her ears from the cold air. A raven seemed to appear out of nowhere, flapping its wings and traveling with the pattern of the swirling snow, approaching the young girl quickly. Once the raven had drawn nearer, it landed on the peak of the roof, clutching the tiles with its sharp claws. The bird ruffled its oily feathers, rearranging them to a more warming position. Jamie held out her hand as though she were offering the raven food, but her palm was empty. The bird pecked at one of Jamie's long slender fingers, seemingly observing the skin that had grown tough from the many years of harsh cold. Jamie's spine began to tingle as the bird reached a taloned foot forward and latched onto her hand, followed by its other foot. The black raven grasped firmly to her hand as she lifted it to eye level.
"You are a thing of beauty." Jamie whispered, and stroked the bird's head. The raven opened its beak, and began to chatter. This is where you will discover that Jamie was not your everyday ordinary girl. She was very, very special.
She understood each sound the raven uttered, "As are you, dear.. Why have you called me?"
Jamie's ruby red lips curled into a smile and she replied, "I'm glad to know that you received my message, Myron... I've been hearing whispered rumors from other animals, talk about another girl, a girl with the power to converse with animals other than humans. Can you confirm these theories?"
The raven, Myron, bobbed his head, "I have heard of such a girl. Her name is Eliza. She has no solid home, but travels around the world with her family."
"Interesting..." Jamie's right eyebrow arched and she gazed off into the snow-covered forest that spread out for as far as the eye could see.
"There is more, Jamie." Myron continued, "It is said that she will be arriving here, in Alaska tomorrow. Her family seeks a family of polar bears. I believe they will not be far from here, within 5 miles. Perhaps they will choose to study Sasha and her two cubs. They have chosen to live in the wilderness that you are so intrigued in." The raven had followed Jamie's line of sight to the woodland ahead of the home.
Jamie reached into her thick coat's pocket and pulledout a dead mouse with her free hand, offering it to Myron. "You've earned this. Don't take it for granted though, you know I don't enjoying killing any animal, big or small. Now be off." After the raven had clamped the dead rodent tightly in his beak, he rose from Jamie's hand and floated off through the wind into the icy forest. Jamie clammered down the roof and rushed into her house. She had much to do before morning arrived.
By Princess Ali
Jamie sat cross legged on the roof of her home in Alaska in the crisp night air. All though it was spring, the roof was covered with a thick coat of ice and the chilly breeze caused Jamie to shiver. A dark curl fell over her face as she pulled up the hood on her coat, shielding her ears from the cold air. A raven seemed to appear out of nowhere, flapping its wings and traveling with the pattern of the swirling snow, approaching the young girl quickly. Once the raven had drawn nearer, it landed on the peak of the roof, clutching the tiles with its sharp claws. The bird ruffled its oily feathers, rearranging them to a more warming position. Jamie held out her hand as though she were offering the raven food, but her palm was empty. The bird pecked at one of Jamie's long slender fingers, seemingly observing the skin that had grown tough from the many years of harsh cold. Jamie's spine began to tingle as the bird reached a taloned foot forward and latched onto her hand, followed by its other foot. The black raven grasped firmly to her hand as she lifted it to eye level.
"You are a thing of beauty." Jamie whispered, and stroked the bird's head. The raven opened its beak, and began to chatter. This is where you will discover that Jamie was not your everyday ordinary girl. She was very, very special.
She understood each sound the raven uttered, "As are you, dear.. Why have you called me?"
Jamie's ruby red lips curled into a smile and she replied, "I'm glad to know that you received my message, Myron... I've been hearing whispered rumors from other animals, talk about another girl, a girl with the power to converse with animals other than humans. Can you confirm these theories?"
The raven, Myron, bobbed his head, "I have heard of such a girl. Her name is Eliza. She has no solid home, but travels around the world with her family."
"Interesting..." Jamie's right eyebrow arched and she gazed off into the snow-covered forest that spread out for as far as the eye could see.
"There is more, Jamie." Myron continued, "It is said that she will be arriving here, in Alaska tomorrow. Her family seeks a family of polar bears. I believe they will not be far from here, within 5 miles. Perhaps they will choose to study Sasha and her two cubs. They have chosen to live in the wilderness that you are so intrigued in." The raven had followed Jamie's line of sight to the woodland ahead of the home.
Jamie reached into her thick coat's pocket and pulledout a dead mouse with her free hand, offering it to Myron. "You've earned this. Don't take it for granted though, you know I don't enjoying killing any animal, big or small. Now be off." After the raven had clamped the dead rodent tightly in his beak, he rose from Jamie's hand and floated off through the wind into the icy forest. Jamie clammered down the roof and rushed into her house. She had much to do before morning arrived.