Thanks so much for your reviews guys! You've given me a great idea :D !
Alayna turned, her hair blowing in the breeze. Her hazel eyes looked across the mountains with happiness. Pushing black hairs out of her face, she walked back towards the castle. Greenhaven Castle.
Almost subconsciously, she looked down at her calf and bent to rub it. Alayna had been doing this a lot in the past months, just to check that Ninani's tattoo was there and she wasn't dreaming. The elegant swan had her gorgeous wings spread around the whole of Alayna's lower leg, like a bandage of wings.
When the Greencloaks had found that she'd summoned Ninani, they'd whisked her away to the castle pronto and they seemed delighted at seeing the swan. Not just because she was returned, but because they nectar was back. They didn't know how I'd bonded without it.
It was natural, and bonding sickness kinda couldn't happen, so...
"Alayna, hey! I've got someone I'd like you to meet!" Lu called. Lu had been her friend since she'd arrived. Tall and pretty with black Zhongese curls, Lu was aged twenty four and looked about sixteen. She smiled constantly, but beneath that she was a total warrioress. Alayna kicked out her calf and, with a dazzling light, Ninani was at her side. Although she was much smaller than she used to be, the swan was still huge. At a stretch, her head reached Alayna's shoulder, and she was tall for her age.
"I'm coming!" She turned and ran back towards her friend.
"Alayna, this is Meilin. Meilin this is Alayna." Lu was standing beside a very beautiful woman. She looked Zhongese too, with long black hair and deep brown eyes, but there was something about her, that seemed like she had been elsewhere all her life.
"Nice to meet you." Alayna said politely.
"Same here. You summoned Ninani, that's quite a feat." Meilin smiled.
"You summoned Jhi, that was no less important." At first Meilin seemed surprised, but then she calmed,
"You recognise me then."
"Of course! I've heard so much about you! And I saw your tattoo." She blushed. Meilin chuckled.
"Such a give-away!" With a flash, Jhi stood beside her, looking fluffy as ever. Alayna had to resist the urge to hug the cute panda. Ninani stared intently at Jhi. It was almost like she was... Remembering. Meilin exchanged a glance with her. She nodded. Their thoughts were completely identical.
"Well, umm, sorry to interrupt but..." A voice said, nervously. They turned to see a man, Euran looking, leading a boy over to them.
"Jackson, this is Alayna." Lu pointed to Alayna. Jackson nodded, still looking nervous and slightly... unsure.
"Dax, umm, summoned Mulop." He said slowly. Well he certainly isn't a warrior, Alayna thought with disgust.
"He did?" Meilin asked, looking at the boy behind him. He wasn't that tall, with tanned skin and dark eyes that stared into everything like lasers. Despite this, he didn't seem like a mean kind of person. Alayna had found that when Ninani was around she could read emotiona nd feelings. Dax was very curious (like her) and generally amzed about who he'd summoned. He ran a hand through his tousled dark hair nervously as Meilin inspected him. He turned so his right shoulder was facing them. Sure enough, there was the tattoo of an orange octopus, with its purplish tentacles snaking out. There was no way they could doubt it.
The great beasts were returning.