Ch. 1 New Life

(No one's POV)

A black-haired girl crouches on the rafters of an old barn, watching the two men beneath her. Her eyes flicker gold, like fire, in a way that makes her look like she has cat eyes. The men are carrying a stained bag that is now covered in red blotches, but looks like it could've at one point been white, between them. It was actually about the same size as the black-haired girl. Whatever it was, it was bulky and heavy. The men strained and argued about what to do with the 'other one.' The black haired girl watched them in confusion, and then slipped down the wall.

She wears a black vest with a dark blue inside, a pair of blue jeans, dark brown moccasins, a camouflage tank top, her hair is tied back in a Katniss braid, except for the messy bangs that end right above her eyebrows, and she has a fire-colored headband wrapped around her forehead. That girl is me.

(Cloudfire's POV)

Darkness is the first thing I remember. Darkness and a sense of urgency, that I need to do something. I finally stir, climbing to my feet in a few seconds. I watch the men for a few minutes, trying to piece together what was going on.

It is midnight dark in the barn, and the only light source is a small hole in the roof where I can just barely see a sliver of orange. The phrase 'lunar eclipse' appears in my mind, and I am seriously annoyed. I can figure out random moon phrases, but I can't remember my own name? I look around, trying to get my bearings.

I take a step forward and I feel something hard through my moccasin. I bend down quickly, picking up a small circular object. As soon as my hand touches it, it explodes into flame. I drop it almost instantly, but in its light, I see another. I carefully pick them both up, this time holding them despite the flames. They don't feel even slightly warm in my hands, but they help me find small brown purse with a fire-colored peace sign on it. I instinctively pick it up, putting it on, and notice that the circular things are twisting in my hands.

Any normal person would be running at this point, but, as I'm sure you've noticed, I'm not exactly normal.

I carefully let go of the golden circles and they form themselves around my
wrists as another word flickers through my head 'bracelets.' Okay, well that's great, now who is going to tell me what in StarClan's name is going on here? I think to myself, not understanding my automatic reference to StarClan. I think for a few seconds, and when I come up with nothing, I just push it to the back of my mind with my other three million questions.

I'm about to walk outside when I hear someone crying. I instinctively follow the sound to where a small girl is chained, sobbing uncontrollably. Through her tears, I manage to understand a name 'Steph,' and again I am clueless. I gently reach over and touch her shoulder and she jumps up, staring at me with wide eyes. She looks at me for a few seconds, and then starts to shrink away.

"No, no, stay away. I want to go home. I want my sister back. I want to go home." She mutters different phrases to herself, only two of them making sense to me. I gently explain that I'm here to help, and she glares at me suspiciously.

"Why should I trust you?" her inquiring tone leaves me clueless.

"Because, even though I have no idea what's going on, I swear, I'll get you home." That's all I can think to tell the poor girl, and she finally nods. I melt her chains, using the fire powers that I have purely by instinct, and gently pick her up, trying to figure out what the heck to do now. "Where do you live?" I ask softly, trying to break the awkward silence. She squirms in my grasp, so I carefully loosen my grip just enough that she can adjust without me dropping her.

"I'm from another time period. I'm from the future." Okay, well that one was a little unexpected. I think, unable to speak. How in StarClan's name am I going to get her home now? The younger girl finally speaks.

"My name's Skylar, what's yours?" I'm paying just enough attention to her that I hear her question. I sighed sadly.

"I actually don't know, but if I figure it out, you'll be the second to know." I answer easily. Suddenly the men come back. They burst inside, and look straight through us.

"WHERE IS THE LITTLE RAT?!" Yells the first one, a big, burly, tattooed, maniac. "ROB, WHERE IS IT?!"

"I honestly couldn't say there Jim," the other, Rob, squeaks so much with terror that Skylar and I burst out laughing. They apparently can't see or hear us, which is most definitely a relief. I whisper, though, purely on instinct.

"Has Jim looked at Rob, because I think he's confused about who is the rat." I burst into giggles as Skylar laughs, and then I follow them out to their car. It was fancy, and I hope it can take us where we need to go. (A/N it's a like a Delorian, or however the heck you spell it, but she doesn't know that!) Skylar and I slip into the backseat, and I made sure to keep a tight grip on her as we go hurtling through time.

We finally stop and the instant we get out, Skylar looks more relaxed. I know instinctively that this is her time period and I easily ask which way her house is. She points me in a direction and I instantly, acting fully on instinct, jump and seem to land on a ray of moonlight. Whatever works I think, surfing the beam of light.

Skylar stops me a few hours later, pointing out her house. All the lights are on. I quickly land on the porch and she knocks. Within a few seconds, a woman comes out, breaking into a forced smile. I glance at her nervously, not sure what to think.

Skylar ignores me as she goes inside, walking straight past me as she goes, telling the woman that she's okay. Her face is thoughtful, and I feel like something is going to happen. I shrug it off, and decide to leave.

I jump off the porch and since it's warmer here than at the barn, I catch a weak thermal instead of a moonbeam. I fly/surf back to the barn, not really knowing what else to do. I hop inside the car, liking the halfway familiar feeling of being in a place I'd seen before. I relax, knowing that no one can see me; therefore I'm not going to get arrested for being in someone else's car. I close my eyes, probably not the best idea, but I have a headache and I'm exhausted.

When the two men come back, I'm asleep in the back. By the time I wake up, we're flashing through time again, and the instant the car slows, I jump out. I instantly try to process where I'm at, when I'm at.

I can't figure anything out so I just lay down next to a tree, staring at the moon. It's still a light orangey color from the eclipse, and as it seems to dim back to normal, I hear a voice both outside my head, and inside

Your name is Cloudfire, and you control fire, and anything related to it. Use your skills well, little spark.

I jump when I first hear anything, then my brain shuts down. Finally, I manage a short, soft squeak.

"Who are you exactly? And why should I listen to a word anyone says right now?" I hear the voice laugh softly.

I am the Man in the Moon, and I am the reason you're speaking today. If it weren't for me, you wouldn't be here.

I'm probably not being as polite as I should be. I think to myself as the Man in the Moon's voice stops. I have a strange feeling I won't be hearing from him for a long time to come.