Descendants of the Starnik

Chapter 12: Meet the Relatives

Jonah knew his task was to locate the family heirlooms and artefacts, but he didn't know if the den itself was one. For a burrow underneath a sand dune, it was more suited for a palace! It was enormous; it was like some underground network with separate tunnels leading to other rooms. It was incredible how these wolves made this. The first room they came into was the living room, sand and dirt spread everywhere as the walls, floor and ceiling, all compacted tightly and safe to be in. Well, it had to be for a very good reason. An archway in the left side of the room, supported with a few wooden beams for safety, led to a second room where meat and other foods were stored. To the right, the sleeping room where they all slept at night. Then there was a third tunnel right in the back that was a second way out should the main entrance become blocked. The odd human object was around this first room, a few blankets for comfort, water bowls for drinking.

A fourth room was later discovered through a short tunnel, this one was littered with both human and dog toys, specifically for children. It was big, nothing breakable in here. All for a very good reason. The family consisted of six wolves, just this family alone. There was Jackie, the descendant of Myka's bloodline, and her mate Dave. Then there was her, now, eldest, Rickie, Blake's identical twin brother. But recently, Jackie birthed a second litter of pups, two boys and a girl only one month old, Ted, Leon and Grace. So for that reason, the home needed extending, a fourth room was made for the pups to play in, the "playroom" it was called. It was appropriate and very much needed.

The pups were too young to understand what had happened to Blake, so all they needed to know was that he had gone to sleep and wouldn't wake up for a long time. They didn't understand, but of course they were a little upset because they weren't allowed to talk to him again, but the family assured them they still could after he was laid to rest. But until tomorrow, it was a subject they tried to stay off of. Right now, darkness has fallen completely outside, inside the den small lanterns were lit to keep things bright. They had just finished eating, Jonah now much more satisfied, he desperately needed it. "So Tarka, tell us a little about yourself." Henry said while looking across to him. They were all sat around the room, finding a comfortable place to talk while the pups and Rickie played in the playroom.

"Well, there's not really much to tell you really." He shrugged. "I live on my own, no brothers and sisters and my parents are travelling."

"Now, now dear, you're a Starnik descendant. There should be lots to say." Jackie added.

"Not really." Tarka shook his head. "I mean, I'm an art collector. I buy and sell on pieces of art and valuable artefacts for a living, so that's rather fun I guess."

"Ahh, hence how you came across the bow." Henry realised and looking back to it as it leaned against the side of the den in the corner.

"Yeah, I've been tracking it for months, first hearing about it when someone sold it from the truck of their car for fifty bucks."

"And you bought it for seven grand." Jonah chuckled.

"It was well worth it." Tarka chuckled back.

"This must be weird for you to hear." Jonah then added and turning to David who was curled up around Jackie's back. David was a rather unique looking wolf, his fur made out of three different colours. He had a dark brown at the tips of his ears and the tip of his tail, a grey going over most of his body and the rest of his tail and finally a black going over his paws. It's not a common thing.

"How did you react to meeting Jackie?" Tarka asked.

"I was surprised, that's for sure." He chuckled.

"How did you meet?" Aquila then asked.

"Ah, now that takes me back." He chuckled again and looking down to his mate who also giggled lightly and her tail wagged a little. "I used to work on a farm back then, working with the flocks and herds mostly. Miss here stupidly decided it would be fun to walk through the field and practise stalking the cattle." Jackie blushed and giggled nervously again. She was funny, she was nearly eleven years old yet she had the personality of a pup. "In the end, they got spooked and nearly trampled her. I just about tackled her out the way in time."

"Don't remind me, I'm defiantly not doing that again."

"I still remember looking into her eyes and couldn't break away from them."

"Or drooling on me." She added humorously, causing everyone else to laugh also.

"So love at first sight?" Tarka questioned.

"I think so; we had out first date the next day." Jackie nodded.

"It wasn't a date." Dave quickly added. "She came back to the farm while I was working, so I taught her how to really stalk and herd in the flocks."

"Aww, that's so sweet." Aquila responded.

"Rickie and Blake were our first blessing." Jackie soon added after they shared a brief kiss. "Although they weren't planned, it was an incredible day."

"Ha, I knew it!" Rickie exclaimed as he slithered out from the tunnel leading to the playroom. "I always knew it." Rickie was another like his father, a multicoloured wolf with a black body, a half white tail from the tip and half black the rest of the way, the white going around his ears like his mother along with the grey eyes and a grey underside. From what everyone else had gathered He and Blake were identical, only their parents could tell them apart.

"Sorry son, but it's true." Dave laughed.

"I don't care." He smiled and lying down beside them. "The trio are asleep; never ask me to pup-sit again."

"Do you have any choice?" Aquila asked.

"Nope, he doesn't." Jackie replied.

A second conversation was engaged, but Jonah needed to talk with Rickie, he hadn't had a chance until now. He shuffled across to his side, nudging him when he got there.

"I heard Blake was a Witch?" He question, wondering if Henry told him right.

"Yeah." He nodded "He was."

"So does that make you one?"

"Nope." He then shook his head. "The bastard was the only one; I don't have any kind of power." He chuckled lightly.

"He sounded a great guy; I wish I could have met him."

"Well look at me then, we're identical to each fur strand." A small laugh escaped each of them before silence then fell. It was a slight awkward moment between them, and Jonah was beginning to feel he had caused it. "Let's go outside, I don't want mom hearing this and getting upset."

"Sure." So he followed his distant cousin out and through the tunnel and into the dark sand dunes. The wind was a little heavy, so at first they both clenched their eyes to avoid getting sand in them. "You know, I bet the pups love playing up here. So many places to hide." Jonah wondered as he looked around.

"Yeah, they do, Blake taught them so many tricks to hide. He was always the best at hiding and me the finding."

"A good combination." Jonah added as they both turned right from the den entrance and taking a seat side by side on top of the sand dune their den was built under. Before them stretched the beach and sea, the moon almost at its fullest high in the sky. It was a rather beautiful sight to be honest, it could be romantic even. Once again, things were silent, and Jonah still had questions. "If you don't mind me asking…" He then continued. "What exactly happened?" Rickie took a shaky breath, somehow knowing this question was going to be asked at some point this night.

"It was a little under a month after the pups were born." He replied. "We all decided it would be fun to take a vacation to Idaho. They know all about the Starnik and that we're in their bloodline, but I just don't think they really understand how special that means. So anyway, we went there, staying for a week as we planned. After a few days, Blake had this crazy idea of going to find he temple the Starnik lived in, even though we all know it was destroyed, he thought it would be fun. I said no, so he went on his own; let's just say he never came home that night."

"Do you know what happened?"

"My guess was that he was followed and caught doing something he probably shouldn't. The stupid asshole just can't help himself sometimes." Jonah could see Rickie was in the verge of tears, but he was pulling through it. But he couldn't stop his eyes form at least watering. But Jonah knew the truth; he knew exactly what had happened. But the question was does he tell him? Does he bring him into something that could put his life in danger as well? No, he couldn't do that. "I sometimes wish…" Rickie then continued. "That if it was me with the powers, then it would have been me instead."

"Don't say things like that."

"Or if we both did, then I could try to talk to him again like Myka tried to." He ignored Jonah; this was beginning to take the plunge out of control. "She even resurrected her entire family; I could have done the same. Not for me, but for mom, for dad, for the others. It's not fair. If I had just gone with him then maybe…"

"Don't start that." Jonah interrupted. "Don't start that "it's all my fault" stuff." He was being serious, he wouldn't tolerate this."

"But it is." Rickie looked him right in the eye as a tear fell out of his. "If I had gone with them then maybe I could have done something to stop it from happening. It is all my fault."

"Look, the last thing you want to do is blame yourself." Jonah replied. "Trust me; you really don't want to do that. Things will only get worse."

"Have you ever lost anyone? Because if not you have no idea what I'm going through." He sniffed.

"My mom and dad." Jonah nodded. Instantly, Rickie now felt he had hit a rough subject. He fell silent for a moment, trying to understand how if Jonah had lost someone then why wasn't he in this state.

"But I thought Henry…Oh shit. Look, I'm sorry."

"It's fine." Jonah reassured. "It was along time ago, I miss them but I understood there's no point in trying to blame myself or that I'm never going to see them again."

"What happened?" Rickie asked. Jonah had no fear in talking about it. Like he said, he had overcome it and knew there was no point in getting upset.

"Just before I turned one, my dad came down with some kind of heart disease." He answered and looking back over the sea ahead of him. "We thought he was getting better, but he then suddenly got worse and never got better. He died in hospital with my mom, me and my uncle Henry, who was keeping me away, there. From then on, my mom started to act funny. She couldn't look after me that good so I was living with Henry most of the time. Only a few months later, she too was in the hospital for a damaged heart. As it turns out, it really is possible to die from heart break; a constant high amount of emotional stress can damage your heart strings and can eventually kill you if nothing is done. And that's exactly what happened, she couldn't live without my dad and she died after a week of being that sick. Since then I've been living with my uncle."

"I didn't know that was actually possible." Rickie sniffed again and wiping his cheek.

"I saw it, it's defiantly possible."

"But how do you cope?" Rickie then looked to him. "Each day I think of him and I can't not cry."

"It takes time." Jonah answered. "It didn't take me a week to get over it either, it took time. But trust me; you will get there as long as you have your family."

"It's just so hard." Rickie added after a moment. "We used to do everything together; we helped each other out all the time. It's just so hard I can hardly keep my eyes under control."

"Don't." Jonah replied, making Rickie a little confused. "Let them change, don't bottle things up. Whenever I got the chance I let them change so I didn't bottle things up. They're controlled by our emotions, so just let them go." There was no hiding things from one another, for they both had and are going through the same thing. So Jonah relaxed everything and let his eyes change into what runs in all Starnik bloodlines. He eyes swirled and changed green.

"I can't, I can't look weak. I've got to be strong for the others."

"Maybe, but they also need to learn how to be sensitive. They too will need to learn when to know how to let their eyes go." He didn't know what to do, he couldn't look weak, he had to be strong. He had to set an example to his younger siblings, he couldn't do this. He hung his head, a tear streaking down his muzzle as he kept it there and dripping off the end of his nose. It had to be worth a try. He lifted his head, his eyes now the same colour as Jonah's and a set of new fresh tears falling down his face. "Better?" Jonah asked.

"Better." Rickie smiled with a nod. "Thank you."

"Don't mention it." Jonah replied and shoving his shoulder. "We're family; we look out for each other."

It was a gloomy time the following morning, the day of the funeral finally upon them all. They were washed, they were groomed and they were in the graveyard. It was a small one, only a few people invited. All together, there were only around twenty people and wolves, close friends and family. The ceremony was yet to start, the last few people just turning up on this mournful day. Jonah and Rickie were to the side, talking amongst themselves and mostly about last night while the rest of the family spoke with others, being social. The graveyard, surprisingly, was a rather beautiful place. Flowers of different colours grew around the edges of it, more grew along the paths built towards the centre of the cemetery where a summerhouse stood, a kind of shelter from the sun or rain with no glass built in it to keep the winds out. But instead patterned wooden frames went around some parts of the sides; offer a little more shade and a place for more plants to grow up the side of them. That's where Jonah and Rickie were. The funeral was to take place just outside it, the small coffin laid on a stand, ready to be lowered into the ground.

From the group, Jackie could see them still there when really her son should be over here with her, especially now that it was about to start. So she excused herself to retrieve him. "Boy's, we're about to start."

"Ok mom, we'll be there shortly." Rickie nodded, so she smiled and turned around.

"We'll finish this later; we can change our eyes again together, ok?"

"Sure, thanks for this. I really appreciate this. I hardly know you, but I'm we're related."

"We're so distantly related that we may as well not be." Jonah chuckled.

Nearly fifteen minutes later, the ceremony was well underway. The family sat at the front of the rows of seats placed before the coffin for everyone else to sit in. The Funeral director said her parts, now she welcomed anyone to come up and pay their respects. This was not a religious funeral, they didn't pray to any god here. There were no crosses hanging around or angels, only on the gravestones of the others buried here. Of course, first the parents did, taking with them each a white Lily, clearly, even a hundred years later, the family's flower. They placed them on top the coffin and Jackie couldn't contain her tears, she struggled to say her quiet words. Dave was holding it together for the time being, but it was only going to be a matter of time. After a few moments, Dave had his side grinding against his mates side as they swapped places with their children. Rickie next took up his younger siblings, who were still to really understand what was happening. He simply told them to say their goodbyes before he was buried, but Grace, the youngest sibling of the three by a few minutes, said aloud. "Wake up soon Blake, you sleep too much." Jackie choked on another sob as one by one; Rickie lifted each one onto his back one by one to lay a flower on the coffin before bringing them back. Nobody moved, but Jonah then did, taking his own one with him. Aquila stepped up with him for confidence. They hopped up onto the coffin, using their forepaws to keep themselves stable to lay the flower down. They had nothing to say, neither knew him. On the coffin were not only the flowers, but also a journal of some kind. Jonah was already told that this was his spell book a diary.

"He's ok." Jonah whispered.

"What?" Aquila whispered back.

"Scott Starnik said he was happy." He said again, looking down at his paws and pretending to say a few words. "He's up there with them, he's happy with our ancestors."

"Well maybe you should tell them that." She suggested. "I'm sure they'd like to hear that." And with that she hopped down, leaving Jonah to make up his mind. This could either go ok or very wrong. But he felt he was obliged to say it. So he dropped back down and faced everyone.

"I didn't know Blake." He started, everyone thought he was taking his seat again, they didn't expect this. "I never knew he existed until nearly a week ago, that's how little I knew him. But from what I gather, he was a brother, a son and a great friend. Just because he had a gift, that didn't make him any less of those things. He didn't deserve what happened to him, it's not fair." This was it; this was where it could spiral out of control. "But I know for a fact that he's ok." There was no going back now. "He's up there with our family Jackie, I know he is." He looked her right in the eye. "He's with our ancestors; he's with all of them, learning more about us and where we came from. He's happy, not that he left you and your family, but because he can now watch with them as Rickie, Ted, Leon and Grace grow up. He…" He frozen for a moment as he found himself looking back down the path and into the summerhouse, where inside he saw a wolf who at first he thought was Rickie. But no, Rickie was sat just in front of him. This wolf was smiling, Blake was happy. But how? He didn't think pay to think about how he was seeing him. He looked like he was really there. "He would want you to never give up." He continued, watching the spirit sitting in the distance. People in the rows looked back to it, seeing nothing but an empty summerhouse. So what was Jonah seeing? "I can picture him smiling down on all of you, being there right beside in those times you think of him and wish he was there. If he had the choice, he wouldn't have left you; he would have fought until someone was there. But it happened so fast…" Why did he have his own tears beginning to fall? Was it the fact he was looking at a dead wolf and couldn't take his eyes off him? He was beginning to choke on his own words. "He'd wish…He'd wish that could see what he was seeing. The faces of our ancestors, the beauty of what lies there." Aquila got up and came to him.

"Jonah, come on, that's enough." He didn't listen.

"He's in great paws now, the…same our family before us are in. He's happy, healthy and in no pain. I know this…i-i-it's like he's standing right in front of me." He didn't take his eyes off him, but now Jonah really was beginning to cry. But over a wolf he didn't know? "He'd be sorry, he didn't want to leave, he wouldn't have left." He watched as Blake smiled, bowed his head slightly before getting up and walking to the side where he disappeared behind the wooden frame out of sight. "He loved you so much, I look at you all and I know he loves you with all his heart." He looked at each one of his family, a mixed variety of emotions on them. Confusion, thanks, upset, grief. He finished and walked down the aisle passed them, walking quickly straight to the summerhouse. Aquila went to go after him, but Henry grabbed her and shook his head. Clearly he needed time.

He knew what he saw, and he had to know why this wolf he never knew was making him cry and why he could see him. So still with watery eyes and wet cheeks, he stepped up those steps and walked inside, but it was empty. There was only one way in and out of here but Blake wasn't here. He looked all around him; he was the only person here. "Thank you." Someone then said behind him. He turned quickly after hearing the voice, seeing the same wolf standing by the stairs with a smile. He really was exactly like Rickie, only his voice as a little higher.

"How can I see you?" Jonah's first question was.

"You're stronger then you think." He answered. "Remember, its Starnik blood in our veins, the strongest form of blood to ever exist. No matter how many times we create a new generation, the Starnik genes can never be weakened."

"That's not explaining anything." Jonah sniffed.

"You're an extract." Blake then said after a moment of staring. "I read about them once, I just never met one."

"I can take powers for a while, I know that much."

"Oh you can do so much more then that." Blake chuckled and stepping into the summer house and coming right up to him. "You can extract the energy from just about anything. From a supernatural, a mortal, from a Starnik artefact even…me."

"You? But you're…"

"Dead? Yeah, I know." He replied with a reassuring smile. He didn't mind talking about it. "I was allowed to come here for a short time to talk to you, to tell you this. As spirit like me, beings like our ancestor Lupa Starnik and her mate could detect the energy we give off and manipulate it so they could see us. You're power is very similar. I can't help but give off the energy that I do, but you're body detected it and let you see me."

"I don't get it." Jonah shook his head. "I can see ghosts?"

"Pretty much." Blake nodded and chuckled. "My book has my energy on it, standing by the coffin made your body absorb it and let you see me. You don't have a choice."

"But why am I crying?" He sniffed again and pointing to his damp cheeks.

"I don't know you, yet here I am needing a frigging bucket."

"Perhaps seeing me, you subconsciously wish you could see someone else." Blake replied.

"Don't you start confusing me too." Jonah said. "I'm trying to handle this new power of mine."

"You will in time." Blake chuckled. "But for now, I have to. Thank you for saying those things."

"Wait, you can't go now!" He exclaimed. "You're confusing me more."

"She'll explain everything." He replied and pointing behind him. But behind him there was nothing. By the time Jonah looked back to the spirit, he was gone and instead he was looking at the wooden fence. It was a moment later that a light flashed behind him and the quieter sound of thunder crashed behind him. He knew exactly who it was.

"Ahh, the bad one." The mysterious lightening girl said as she stepped to his side and looked out the gap at the funeral. "I was told about this."

"A better landing this time?" Jonah asked and looking to his right at her, meeting with her strange orange eyes.

"I've more or less perfect it now." She replied with a light giggled. "Six tries it took, but hey, everyone's gotta start somewhere right?"

"A fast learner huh?"

"I take after my dad." She replied. There was moment of silence between them after Jonah sat down beside her, both of them watching as the funeral ceremony continued.

"So what's you're name?" He asked after a moment.

"Crap, I knew I was wrong." She seethed and hitting the floor in anger. "I just knew it! I've gotten everything mixed up!"

"What was wrong?" He asked, hoping he hadn't done anything wrong.

"Nothing, don't worry." She replied much calmer. "Things are confusing at the moment, for both of us. I'm still trying to get the hang of this after all."

"So what are you, a teleport?"

"Err…sorta." She replied. "It's complicated. But this will be the last time I see you for a while."

"How long is a while?" He asked. She thought for a second.

"A little over two months probably." She nodded; pretty sure she got it right.

"I guess you're going to tell me where we needed to go next?" He then questioned and looking back ahead of him.

"Not this time." She replied. "Because it's coming to you." She flashed and snapped in thunder before Jonah could ask what she was on about, of course leaving behind a scorch mark in the wood. It was second later that he hears someone coming; he had to hide it before the question of how t got there was asked. So he shuffled left and sat over it, looking up just as Jackie appeared.

"Jonah, are you ok?" She asked, evidence all over her face she had been crying extensively. No surprise there.

"Yeah, I'm fine." He nodded. "Just needed a moment is all." He smiled reassuringly. She did too and stepped right in, walking right up to his face.

"That was very sweet of you to say those things." She added. "Thank you honey."

"You're welcome, I know for a fact he's happy." He nodded respectfully.

"I'm sure he is too." It was then she inhaled after catching the scent of something, if confused her. "Can you smell burning?" He gulped.

"Nope." He lied after taking a few sniffs as well. He had to change the subject. "What a beautiful bracelet." He quickly added after spotting it. That bit wasn't a lie, it truly was. She looked down to it, lifting her paw as she did.

"Why thank you." Good, it worked. "It's very special to me." It was a sliver band, the one he saw her wearing last night but paid little attention to it. On closer inspection of it, it had symbols, none of which he recognised.

"What are these symbols?" He asked. "Greek?"

"There's a reason you won't know them." She giggled a little and sitting back. "This Bracelet was Myka Starnik's." He quickly pulled his paws away, very nearly touching them. "It's been passed down in the family since her time, and when Blake discovered his gift I gave it to him. It seemed fitting for him to have it at the time."

"Can I have a look at it?" He asked. What was it the lightening girl said? It didn't matter; the artefact was coming to him. Jackie slipped it off her wrist and placed it on the floor.

"I was going to wait and see if any of the kids have the same power or another. If they do I'll give it to them, if not, Rickie can have it to remember his brother."

"Can you do me a favour and get Henry for me?" He asked instead of saying anything else. Now was she confused, what on earth?

"Err…sure." She replied cautiously before turning her back to him and walking to get Henry. The funeral was over, more or less, now people were just hanging around before moving on.

Could it be? Another Starnik artefact! It had to be. Scott's bow, Dakota's mate's feathers, and now Myka's bracelet. It had to be. He held his claw over it, mere inches from the cold, looped steel, so eager to touch it.

"Henry!" Jackie called out as she neared, gaining Aquila's attention as well who stood just next to him.

"Jackie, what's up?" He asked as they stood before one another.

"I think Jonah's still a little upset, he's in the summerhouse wanting to talk to you."

"Jonah?" He questioned. "I didn't think he'd be that upset about all this." Aquila looked to the summerhouse, she couldn't see him, he was hidden behind the frame. But what she did see was a bright burst of white light above it that lasted for a few seconds before diminishing it.

"He's not upset." She said before running towards him. It took a moment to process it, but soon Henry and Jackie followed, after reaching the house, they found Jonah passed out on the floor, his body smoking and the bracelet held tightly in his paw, the only part that seemed to be contracted.

"Jonah!" Henry shouted and running to his side, feeling his chest and waiting for it to rise.

"He's fine." Aquila assured. "It's happening again."

"What's happening? Is he going to be ok?" Jackie asked.

"Another artefact." She replied. "Get Tarka and call Pete, and keep everyone out of here, he'll be out for a while."

"But what's happening?"

"He's seeing Myka Starnik."