FAGE 10: Reborn

Title: Starlight

Written for: JM Shaw

Written By: Everleigh Allen

Beta'd: Tammy Vlcek (Thank you, kindly!) All other mistakes are mine.

Rating: M

Summary/Prompt used: Mating connection

If you would like to see all the stories that are a part of this exchange visit the facebook group: Fanficaholics Anon: Where Obsession Never Sleeps, or add the C2 to get all the stories direct to your inbox.

A/N: The first chapter is in 1st person, all else is in 3rd. Enjoy.

Starlight
By: Everleigh Allen

Chapter 1

I wondered how I got here.

I was sitting within a bunch of pine needles and other forest debris, hiding inside an old mother tree that had a large scar big enough to crawl into and held my breath when I saw the glare of their flashlights, whirling around like a lighthouse flood lamp in the foggy night, searching for any kind of movement.

A man, whose face was hidden by the hood of his jacket, held tightly onto the leash of a dog that was eager to be let loose. The teeth bared for a moment as it passed my tree but its handler didn't seem to notice and he didn't seem to be alerted by my presence, or so I thought.

"Status?" A masculine voice called out within the fog and the man who was standing by my tree gave a quick once over with his light into the depths of my tree.

"Clear," He called out to the group but remained standing in his spot.

Several other voices called out the same and the shuffling of movement in the distance seemed to make their way over a new perimeter of the forest.

Overhead the call of the dragons circling but hidden within the clouds echoed over the forest floor. To everyone else it would sound like thunder, but I knew better. Their cries made me antsy, but I knew they would be safer where they were for the time being.

"Cull!" A voice yelled out in the distance. There was shift in his movement and a trudging sound for a slight moment before it stopped just outside my tree, blocking the small entrance. The dog whimpered in protest, but sat blocking the sight fully.

A shuffle of feet moved closer and then stilled as muffled voices spoke quietly.

Goosebumps flared over my whole body as I shook, not knowing what was going to happen or why this guy was trying to hide me.

Maybe he didn't know I was there?

Several minutes- or what seemed like forever- the other footsteps fled farther away and I relaxed for a moment.

I knew the one guy was still there, though, and that was still troubling.

"Ten-three," He whispered into the shoulder mic and turned his head toward the base of the tree, again laying his pack on the forest floor.

I knew enough that he was asking for the line to be cleared, to stop transmitting, and it made my skin crawl just knowing that at any moment he could come after me.

"Cull" they called him. His nickname grit at my nerves, Cull, and I wondered if he was a scrapper or did he collect?

A chill went up my spine at the latter. I would rather die than be collected.

I watched him pull out a small device, tapping at it for several moments before placing it into the pocket of his shirt that covered the ballistic vest.

My nails bit into the flaking, brittle bark as he moved closer to the tree. He'd have to drag me out of this tree fighting, which was for sure, if it came to that. I could see his hands moving around and then watched in amazement when his dog moved forward and I held my breath as it moved into the small entrance of the tree. It stopped at my feet before laying over my toes, as the pine needles bit into my skin.

"I know you're in there," The man said calmly but I remained unmoved. "Luna already alerted me of your presence. You have two choices on how you want to do this but neither helps your circumstance. Make any move to run and Luna will turn on you faster than you can blink. Stay calm and where you are and things may fare better."

There were a number of clicks which I didn't really know what he could be doing but I remained hiding, waiting.

"Answer three questions and then I will leave you here."

Licking my lips before gulping, I worried that there would be others like him out there, but I didn't have much choice other than to cooperate.

"First, are you tattooed?"

My shoulders dropped. "No." I whispered into the darkness. It was so telling and I hated it.

"Age?"

"Twenty-five."

There were several moments of silence as if he was contemplating what to do next.

"I need proof that you are not branded or tattooed."

Moving slowly, I lifted my arm up and out of the opening of the tree. The dog whimpered with the movement, not liking being jostled as I tried to maneuver enough room for my arm to reach him.

I felt a slight prickling which burned from the spot on the arm. It seemed to seep into my skin and throughout my blood and the slight stinging went straight up my spine like an adrenaline rush when you slam on the brakes.

"What did you do?" I gasped, pulling my arm back towards my chest. I tried to look at my arm but it was too dark.

"Which one is yours?"

I glared into the darkness. "I don't understand your meaning."

"I think you do. Should I flare the sky or are you going to tell me your protector?"

"Asking about something that you already know the answer to is a little redundant don't you think, Cull?"

All of a sudden I felt a tight grip on my arm and I was pulled out of the tree. Every stick and pine needle bit at my skin as the dog lay there waiting for the command. I couldn't see him well, but I could feel his hot breath over my skin and the cold air whipping around me, but I refused to scream. I knew the minute I did, Blitz would be blowing her cover in the clouds and all would be lost.

"My name," he hissed, "Isn't Cull… it's Cullen. It would do you well to remember it since it you will be hearing it again… soon."

A large bolt of lightning cracked overhead and he ducked and just like that, he let me go with a glare as he walked away into the trees.

But the dog remained.

His footsteps through the forest quickly disappeared and the noises of the forest soon declared all was clear.

With the help of the lightning, I looked down at the dog that sat at my feet and just let the tears fall.

"What the Hell just happened?" I asked her, but she just huffed and looked toward the way Cullen had left pleadingly but obeyed whatever command he had given her.

I could still see the others wandering around so I decided it was best to just stay there for the night and leave by sunrise since they would surely send another round of scrappers to make rounds at daybreak. I moved away from her and back into my tree but she quickly followed, even though there was barely enough room for both of us. Luna circled the small space three times before she finally lay down and fell asleep. I wasn't far behind her, petting her soft fur was soothing. I don't know if it was her or something else, but it was like a small, warm feeling suddenly washed over me and I felt my eyes grow heavier.

The last thing I heard was the caw of Blitz before exhaustion finally took its course.

Birds chirped in the trees as the soft morning light moved through the trees in long streaks of gold and pinks. The ground was sprinkled with dew, catching the rising sun and glittered like rainbow colored orbs of stars.

Everything was still quiet, though, and I just sat and watched the tree line for any kind of movement or disturbance. There hadn't been in a while, though I knew better.

I looked down at the dog that spooned my stretched out legs that just barely fit inside the tree. She remain unmoved, though her breathing changed and was a bit more coherent. Any sharp movement would easily startle Luna and I knew that that wasn't a good idea. One command from the man and the dog would no doubt obey him and not listen to me.

A band of light moved over my arm and I was instantly reminded of the small area where he had touched me and it felt like a burn.

I looked, but there wasn't anything I could tell, just a small area that seemed to shimmer in the light. I gasped when I saw it, a pearl-like orb that was made of rainbow moonstone sat on the floor next to the entrance.

I picked it up, seeing how the flash caught the beam of light and shimmered. Black flecks of tourmaline shined when the light hit just right and I couldn't help the smirk. He had come back when I had probably dozed off and left it. Again, he must have left his dog and me, though I had conflicting feelings about him being around while I was unaware.

Waking up crouched in a tree after sleeping in fetal position was not ideal, nor comfortable. But a crack of thunder woke me up in a start and I couldn't help but notice the sun would be up soon.

I maneuvered around the dog which was still dutifully guarding me and moved around trying not to wake Luna. But as soon as the warmth of my body left her she was wide awake and watching.

"Hey, Luna is it? How about we leave here, hmm?"

I didn't wait for an answer and moved out of the tree with the dog at my heels and looked up at the sky. There was an instant crack of lighting overhead and I smiled with a nod of thanks.

Then I ran.

I ran right towards where the lightning cracked and didn't stop, even though everything in me protested. My legs were burning, my chest tightening, trying to get enough of the cool, crispy morning air.

The trees waved on, their leaves fluttering in excitement as I ran by, the dog easily running right along my side.

When I came closer to my house, I stood just within the tree-line with Luna and watched it for several moments, chests heaving as we caught our breaths.

When there didn't seem to be any movement, I looked to the sky before bolting through the yard and to the back door. Fumbling for the key underneath a large potted plant, I cried out for a slight second when I smashed my fingers. I needed to find a better, easier hiding place for the key. I unlocked the door and quickly moved inside, flipping the lock and then the light, washing the room in light.

Then I saw him.