Chapter 2: Smoother days

Things seemed to pass by smoother now that Sarafina was able to look at things with a clearer mind, instead of one that wasn't being tossed around in anger, irritation, and other distracting feelings. Sarafina slept on what all her mother had said to her on the way to their new home yesterday, and all of last night. It all seemed to make sense to her and why her mother left, how she felt, and how things could be better here than there. She knew that she would miss all that she had back at home, but…this was home now, and for now on Sarafina was going to be supportive and helpful in all ways she knew how. But that would have to be right after her jog, Sarafina woke up early that morning wanting to take one, she felt like that it would be the best way to think clearer than trapped in her bedroom looking at the canopy of her bed.

She started at the beginning of her driveway and then ended, or was trying to keep going when she reached the highway. She knew it was dangerous to jog by yourself around there, but she wasn't worried, not at all. Its as if along with this new understanding, her back bone seemed to harden more and she had found some kind of courage to do a little more that she couldn't do back home. It puzzled her, she wanted to know where it came from but…she didn't know, maybe it had to do with the new friends that she had just recently made. Boys, all three of them, flashed inside her head and she let out a laugh as she came to a stop to take a breath. Her breathing and heartbeat high and came in quick breath paces, she was strangely happy even though it was painful to breath at the moment. She reached into the pouch she had on strapped around her waist and pulled out a small water bottle, she drank deeply from it, before putting it away. A smile still on her face as she thought about Embry, Jacob, and Quil, they had made her feel at home on the reserve and she didn't know how she was going to be able to thank them for it. Without them being there yesterday, she probable would have been bitter today and for the rest of the weeks to come, and she couldn't wait to see them again.

Sarafina looked around and noticed that this area had more trees than anywhere else she had seen so far, they were more close together, as if to hide something important away from prying eyes. Sarafina wanted to check it out but she remembered what Charlie had told her before he left yesterday, 'be sure to stay on the paths provided and not to go off trail' she though his words in her head. She wanted to ask why but he was in a hurry to get home before it got too late, Sarafina looked around and noticed that there was no paths provided. So instead of going like she wanted, she kept walking on the highway. Sarafina didn't know it but she had stepped over the boundary line, that divided two very deadly clans that had been at a shaky treaty for years. The line was to keep the two apart, but, that never meant that they didn't cross each others paths when they where else were. Sarafina kept walking and as she did so, she neared a very close location to one of the Clans houses, Sarafina though since that she was outside and no one was around, why not do a little gymnastics.

She started with a few exercises, then once done with that she started doing backbends. Backbends turned into back flips, as Sarafina focused on her workout, she paid very little attention to where she was going and that she had just flipped in front of someone's home. Still on the highway, she flipped, bended, and did perfect cartwheels. As she progressed, so did all the pairs of eyes that came to the window to see who it was that they had sensed, when they reached the window, they were all shocked to see what or who it was.

"It's one of those Indians!" snarled a male.

"Yes, and she seems to be unaware of us?" said another male with curiosity.

"That's not being unaware…it's stupidity!" snarled a female.

"I don't know…Alice, what do you think?" asked the curious male voice.

A small teenage girl with a pixy haircut looked out the window, "She is unknowing about us and what we have going on, she is the most innocent of them all and it seems that she is unknowing at what she really is. Strange though, she doesn't smell like them, and the vibe she gives off could almost be…fully human?!" Alice said shocked.

"Amazing!" said the curious male voice.

"Who cares, she needs to be back where she belongs, on her side and back with the pack!" said the snarling female voice.

"Now calm down Rose" said the curious male voice.

"But Carliele-" Rose started to protest but was cut short.

"She isn't doing anything wrong, and until she does you and everyone else will leave her be!" Carliele with a genteel command but still a stern voice, he was the curious one who had spoken before. Rose growled and walked away in irritation, and the snarling male voice went with her he didn't see it quite far either that he had to let one of them stay on their side.

Alice smiled, "She isn't a threat, but she is quiet the flexible little thing, isn't she?" she giggled.

Carliele gave his daughter a knowing smile before he went off to find his wife, Alice stood there and watched her before she, herself, left to find her boyfriend. But, one unparticular who hadn't talk while standing there watching, and who hadn't left. Remained watching and wondering to himself who this girl was that would come around near her enemies house, and who didn't know about her true self.

Sarafina ended with a front flip before taking a breather, just then her cell phone rang. She reached in to her pocket and pulled it out, " 'Ello?" she answered.

That's when a loud angry voice answered from the other end, "Where are you young lady?!"

"Mom, relax, I went for a run" Sarafina said exasperated.

She heard her mother huff angrily before answering again, "are you close to home?"

"No, I'm miles away at the airport!" Sarafina snapped, "Of course I'm close I wouldn't go that far."

Kathrin sighted "alright then, I'll see you when you get back, Love you."

"Ditto…mom?" Sarafina asked to see if her mother was still on. But her mother had already hung up, Sarafina sighed and snapped her phone shut. She ran her hands through her long black-bronze streaked hair, she let out a whimper, she could feel tears starting to build in her eyes, just then her phone range again. She snapped it open, "Ello?…Daddy?…I'll tell you what's wrong, its mom, she and I have been fighting non stop, I hate it here, I wish I could see you. I want to be back home in California with grandma and grandpa, and my friends!" Sarafina finally let her tears go, everything she was saying as out of anger because of her mother but she didn't mean any of it. "….What do you mean? are you really planning to come and see me?…..Dad, that would be great, I can't wait," she said wiping her tears away and smiling. "….Okay…okay, talk to you soon bye,…I love you too daddy" Sarafina said before hanging up her phone, with a brand new feeling of happiness, she tucked her phone back into her pocket and took off at a jog before she broke into a run.

Inside the house, the teenage boy had watched her till she left, he heard a pair of footsteps come up behind him to stand at his left side. "So, the Indians have feelings after all" said a male voice with a southern accent.

the teenage boy turned to look at his brother, "and what is that suppose to mean, Jasper?" he asked.

"Nothing really, I just haven't seen one cry is all" Jasper said in a bored sort of voice. "Come on Edward, Esme is waiting for us to get back with the others, we are all going on the family hunting trip now, seeing how Carliele can't trust Rose not to hurt the girl while she is still on our side of the boundary line" he said nudging his brothers arm.

"This should be enjoyable!" Edward with fake excitement that was laced with heavy sarcasm, Jasper laughed before they both headed to the door to leave for their family hunting trip.

Sarafina made it home with time to spare to take a shower before the boys came over with Billy, When she opened the door to go inside the first thing she heard was, "Sara? Is that you?!"

'Damn!' Sarafina thought running up the stairs to her room. She quickly grabbed all the things she needed, and dashed to the bathroom, she locked the door just in time as she heard her mother stomping up the steps.

"Sarafina Artemis Rebecca Uley! You know better than leaving the house without leaving a note! I have half a mind not to let the boys to come over" Kathrin threatened. Kathrin heard the shower turn on and the sound of music being turned up, "Ugh! Why must you be so difficult!" Kathrin shouted.

Down stairs the boys could hear the shouting of Ms. Uley as she scolded her daughter, they slowly backed away and out the door. "Uh, dad, I don't think that going in there would be a good idea" Jacob said hesitantly.

"And why is that?" Billy asked curiously.

Quil snicked and Embry laughed, "Ms. U and Sara are at it again!" the two laughed.

Jacob growled at the two, "It's not right to be making fun of others problems like that you guys!" they both jumped at his outburst.

"Sorry Jake" they both said at the same time looking shocked, just then the front door opened and they heard a slam that made all three boys jump.

Ms. Uley came walking up to them with a forced smile on her face, "Hello boys, Billy!" she said crisply.

"Kathrin" Billy greeted.

"Mrs. U" all three boys said as they stood side by side, there was a short silence but that didn't last long.

"ok, well she is inside getting ready. would you boys like something to drink?" she asked.

The boys looked to Billy, he nodded giving the okay before the answered. "We'd love to have something Ms. Uley" Jacob said as he walked with her to the door, he opened it for her so she could go inside.

"well, thank you Jacob" Kathrin said with a kind smile. Jacob nodded his head, he held it open for his father as Embry pushed him through and Quil following behind them and Jacob. They all sat around the table drinking Orange juice when they all heard the sound of bare feet padding on the floor, the sound hesitant to leave the room. then they heard them slowly creeping around and across the floor to another room. Kathrin stood from her chair and walked quietly to the staircase and cried loudly up them, "I'm down here!"

they heard the bare feet jump and let out a cuss, "really mom you're going to scare me like that!" Sarafina shouted heatedly down the stairs.

"Well serves you right for leaving this morning!" Kathrin called after her daughter, she heard the bare feet cross the hall, not in light patterns but in loud heavy stomps. They all heard a loud slamming sound indicating that Sarafina had just gone to her room, Kathrin sighed, "I'm going to have to give her a good talking to later" she said then turned back around to sit down at the table.

"Wow, Sara has a worse temper than Paul" Quil said in a low voice to his two buddies, the two nodded then turned their attention back to their drinks. As they kept themselves busy waiting for Sarafina, she was having a hard time keeping her anger and tongue in cheek as she swore loudly in her room. She flung clothes on to her bed to see what she was going to wear, she decided to wear skinny jeans and a purple tank top with clear spaghetti straps. After putting all of her clothes on, she went down stairs, after entering the kitchen she looked around and saw Billy and the boys.

Then her eyes fell upon her mother, her light brown eyes flashed at her and she let out a growl of irritation, "For your information, I went for a jog. I was expecting to get back before you got up! But as usual you have to be nosy and see what I'm up too" Sarafina accused her mother.

Kathrin looked at her daughters eyes they were no longer a light brown, but a dark brown almost black. 'It's happening…my sweet little girl' Kathrin thought watching her daughter get irritated with her with every second she stood in her percents.

"Oh, by the way, dad says hi and that he'll be here sometime during this week" Sarafina said smuggle looking at her mother with her still changed eyes, the boys watched Ms. Uley stand with anger on her face.

"What did you tell him?" she said with a deathly anger in her voice.

"Oh, nothing really, I just told him that you're more annoying than ever" Sarafina said preening her nails. The boys scooted their chairs back so that they were against the sink, they had never seen anyone look that angry, except for Paul. "Dad only wants so see me, he says he has a surprise for me. I know you won't let him come here, so I'm meeting him in town. I also know that if you don't let me see dad, because I'm old enough to make that decision, he can take you to court for it" Sarafina said finally looking up at her mother. Her eyes never wavered when she looked up to see how close her mother had gotten to her, Kathrin had been slowly walking towards her daughter, and had only stopped when she heard the ending of her words. "Really, do you plan to go through with what you were thinking? Can you really do that to me, to yourself?" Sarafina said as she watched her mother.

Kathrin sank back a little, "No, what would be the point? You're just like him, manipulative, angry, and evil!" she growled the last part.

"Why, thank you, I do try!" Sarafina with a mischievous gleam in her eye and a growl.

"Sarafina, calm down now, you don't look to well" Billy said moving around the table and taking her hand.

Sarafina's eyes changed and she felt herself take a breath and close her eyes, "I need air or else I'm going to be sick" she said to Billy in a more calm manner as she let it take her over. He moved his wheel chair aside and lead her to the door, she opened her eyes and opened the door, right when she was about to walk outside, a very stern looking face stood in the doorway.

"Sam, what brings you hear?" Billy said surprised, Sam's eyes never left Sarafina as he looked down at her.

"Sam?" Kathrin said curiously as she walked up to her daughter's side.

Sam turned to look at Kathrin, a smile came to his face "Kathrin" he said taking her hands and kissing her on her cheek, "It's good to see you" he said.

"You too, but what is the matter?" she asked, she watched as his eyes flicked back to Sarafina, all the anger and negative feelings seemed to drain out of the room as Sam came into the picture. It was almost like magic as Karthines and Sarafina's anger seemed to be forgotten.

They all watched Sarafina's chest rise and fall rapidly, her eyes widened in fear, and she seemed to be losing color as he watched her with his intense stare. 'She already knows who Alfa is, impressive' he thought.

'And she has only been here for a day? Cool!' thought another voice inside Sam's head.

"Kathrin, I must warn you. Sarafina had crossed the line the separates are rivaling families, and she was out in front of one of their houses. I'm under that impression from one of our family members, and he told me that she had no clue that she was, at the time she seemed to be having a great tough a time with her emotions. She seemed to be having an argument?" he questioned to his cousins.

Kathrin turned to her daughter yet again with anger, "So, that's where you went, the Cullens!" Sarafina tore her gaze Sam's intense one before answering.

"The who? I told you I went for a jog, and that was all. I didn't know that I was standing in front of someone's home, I never even saw a house out where I was, there was way too many trees around where I was. They all looked like they were on purposefully clumped together to hid something, true I was tempted to go look and see why they were, but Charlie said not to wonder in the woods if there was no provided path. So, I didn't" Sarafina said truthfully.

'I bet that's a crock of bull' snorted a voice inside Sam's head.

'Paul she isn't lying, plus if she was then i would be lying too!' snarled a male voice inside Sam's head at the other voice named Paul.

'Enough you two!' Sam said warningly to them.

Kathrin looked at her daughter with a piercing glare, "I'm having a hard time believing you" she said. Sam felt anger build up inside Sarafina, he could hear her thoughts, she wanted to lash out at her mother but she held her tongue. Instead she pushed past Sam and out the door, and instead of walking off and heading towards the road, she turned and headed for the woods.

'What is she doing?!' Paul thought watching her from the trees as Sarafina took off for the woods, 'Jared! Look out she is heading your way, man!' Paul shouted his thoughts to his friend.

Jared took off just in time as Sarafina ran past him 'Wow! She's fast, Sam do you know where she is going?' Jared asked.

'No and don't go after her, she needs someone else to talk to her. I'll try but I doubt it will work' Sam thought to Paul, and Jared.

"I'm going to go after her, everyone else stay-" he started but was cut short.

"Sam let me go with-" he cut Kathrin off.

"I'm sorry Kathrin, but from what I've seen you and her are having some kind of falling out, and you being there will only make it worse" Sam said to her right before he walked out the door to go after his cousin.

Sarafina ran till the trees started thinning out and she could hear the sound of waves, and the smell of salt in the air. She stopped at a cliffs edge and she paced the side of the cliff with anger boiling inside her, anger that she had never felt before, her body felt like it was going to explode. "Why am I so angry, I've never been this angry before, I've never acted like this before!" she said to herself in a panic whisper as she paced the ledge. Sarafina looked down at the water, it was black and the waves were rough as they slapped against the cliffs wall, the sound of the water was calming. "What do I do Damien? I've never had it this bad out with mom, dad wants to see me, and…I don't know what is happening to me!" she said the last part with a whisper as tears fell down her face. Sarafina felt the wind pick up around the cliff, she felt it wrap itself around her body, as if hugging her, She closed her eyes and breathed in deeply.

"the wind is my brother, the earth is my mother,

the sea is my sister and the sky is my father.

I'm protected and watched over by all,

animals are my eyes, insects are my ears,

the world is my journey that I must follow.

I must choose my path and live my life,

this is the prayer, the lullaby of life, my destiny."

Sarafina said as she half sung half spoken the words of a song she had been working on for a while. she opened her eyes as the wind died down, 'No don't leave me, Damien!' she thought as the wind moved out to the ocean. tears continued down her face but her anger and all the trouble feelings she felt had gone, almost as if the wind had taken them with it.

Sam finally caught up with Sarafina, he saw her and she looked calm, normal almost. He sensed no hostility from her, no anger, it was as if it just disappeared like…magic. "Sara, are you alright?" he asked her, he watched Sarafina jump 5 feet into the air before she growled at him.

"you could try to make your presents known before talking!" she snapped at her older cousin.

He chuckled at her, "I see you have your mothers temper, and her easy fright" Sarafina just huffed before she turned around to look out over the water once more. her arms folded across her chest in a display of annoyance but not anger. He walked up beside her and watched the water with her, they stood like this for a few minutes before he spoke, "So, about the Cullens."

"Ugh! I didn't know that I wasn't aloud over some invisible boundary line, okay!" she said getting irritated now, "i didn't even know we were having a family feud with people that i have never heard of before or have seen yet" she said with a sigh.

"I know, but I must warn you little cousin, they are no force to recon with unless you have the strength to do so" she looked at him.

"What do you mean?" she asked, not understanding what he truly meant.

he chuckled and placed a hand on her shoulder, "you'll find out soon enough, I can sense that the family blood is strong with you!" he said smiling, she had to laugh at that, he gave a slight frown.

"Sorry, I just haven't heard that from anyone before, 'the family blood' all that I can guess is heritage. Well, I don't know much about this family, but…" she said seeing Sam's face harden a little and his brows form together. "That doesn't mean I'm not willing to learn, I have to ask…can I call you uncle Sam instead of cousin?" she asked innocently.

That brought a smile back to his face, "Of course you can" he said, his hand gently squeezed her shoulder, he pulled her to his side. "Come on, you seem to be having a really rough day, and I'm sure you're more than tired" he said leading her back to the house.

Sarafina sighed, "I've had smoother days, this just seems to be one big hell pitch after another!" she said growling with disdain at how her day went, Sam laughed.

"I'm definitely going to enjoy having you around Lil' one!" he said hugging her. Sam's laugh was contagious, she couldn't help but laugh with him and feel the irritation that she had felt towards him vanish completely, they met up with everyone outside and there she met Paul Lahote and Jared Cameron.

Not far from where Sam and Sarafina were, the Cullen family had overheard all that was going on over on their side of the line. "Well, it also seems that they have a sense of humor too" Jasper said as he lifted Alice up with one arm on to a small rocky ledge to stand beside him.

Alice giggled, "I can feel them changing. They are all falling for this new Wolf" she said to her family.

"I can't see what is so special about her anyways!" Rose said with a huff of irritation at the fact they were back onto this topic again.

"Like I said she isn't like the others, and I would get used to having her around" Alice said in a matter-of-fact-tone.

"Oh yeah, and why would that be?" Edward asked as he looked at his tiny sister.

"Because, she is going to be going to school with us" Alice said with a smile and getting everyone's attention.

"What!" shouted all the Cullen children, except Alice, her parents didn't seem so surprised.

"Oh, this is going to be lovely!" Alice said with a giggle at her sibling and boyfriends reactions.