Chapter 13: Totem animal
"Hum, team Blackwater... Well I guess that's kind of cool since it will be three Black's and two Clearwater's on our team. Is it OK with you Quil and Embry?" Leah turns to them. Embry nods biting his lower lip, and Quil just keeps stuffing his mouth with cookies. I don't think he even hears what we are talking about since he is so engrossed in the cookies. He always gets that look when he eats sweets and snacks.
"We'll have to start practicing so we will beat them! I am so looking forward to kicking their fat butts!" Leah laughs and we all chime in.
"I'm gonna make ten goals at least!" I shout and start to daydream about the goals I'm going to make and how Leah will cheer me and hug me afterwards and the trolls are going to CRY!
"Who does he think he is telling me that I can be on his team... That I need protecting? I don't need protecting. I could be a darn good protector! Much better than him!" Leah huffs.
We all nod our heads vigorously, because it is true. I'm excited that Leah hates Sam Uley! Maybe when Leah is the chief she will ban him from the rez. Ha! That would be great! The troll would have to crawl back to his hidey-hole somewhere far away where he would never bother me or Leah again...
"Sam always thinks he is the best at everything!" I say. "He is always walking around bragging about himself so people will like him!"
Like for instance at the yearly picnic arranged by the council at the park a few weeks ago. Jared's mom asked me to help set the table. I didn't want to! I hid under the table, waiting for Leah and the cake. Then stupid Sam Uley got up and said that he would 'love' to help. All the women were gushing about how nice and well-mannered he was! They said nothing about how great I am! That's unfair, just because I'm not showing off all the time pretending to be helpful. They gave him two slices of cake too, and I got only one!
"Sam hasn't ever wrestled with a grizzly like I have!" I tell them and now Leah is grinning widely at me, because her Wolfboy is just awesome!
"Can you teach me to wrestle too?" Seth asks.
Of course I can!
* * * * * * * * *
The sun is slowly sinking and we sit huddled closely together watching the last rays of light disappear.
"When will the totem animal come?" Seth asks and Quil is whining along with him about being bored throwing pine cones at Embry.
I think it should have come already, but maybe the trolls scared the spirits away. Stupid trolls!
Then I get a great idea!
"We have to call for the spirits to come!" I exclaim.
"What do you mean? How we gonna do that?" Leah asks.
I smile and wink my eye. Then I let out a really cool howl, just like a real wolf. Leah rolls her eyes.
"We all have to do it!" I tell. "Together!"
I start howling again and Quil and Seth immediately howl along. Seth is bouncing up and down as usual. Embry is looking at us, but he starts howling too very shyly and quietly blushing a little after I nudge him. Leah looks at us and frowns, but then she throws her head back and let's out high pitched howl that matches my own. It is just as cool and strong as my howl! We howl for a long time and it's a lot of fun! I'm gonna howl every day, for instance if dad is asking for me I can howl and he knows where I am.
Suddenly there is one more howl filling the air!
It must be the wolf spirit!
I howl louder...
It is coming. Our totem animal is coming!
Suddenly I see it!
A WOLF!
It bursts out through the bushes and is looking me dead in the eyes. We all fall silent. It must be Taha Aki or Ephraim Black!
I smile at the wolf because he knows I'm Wolfboy and he is my ancestor!
I feel Leah squeeze my hand, I squeeze back hard and I won't let her have her hand back. Ever again.
"Hi Wolf! I am Jacob Black, like you already mustr know, and this is Leah and Embry and Quil and Seth!" I introduce us. The wolf looks at us, clearly listening. Then it turns around and disappears into the woods again.
We all sit silent for a long time.
It's magic! I knew the wolf would come, because we are spirit warriors. Ha! Stupid trolls didn't see the wolf!
As the last rays of the sun start flickering I remember! The gift! I'm sure the wolf has left me a gift for my bracelet for Leah! I scurry down the rope ladder as fast as I can.
"Hurry!" I wheeze to my friends. "We have to find the hairs from it fur before the sun sets!" I scamper to where the wolf last stood. Leah is the first to reach me, she has a flashlight in her hands. I told you my princess is very smart! A flashlight will make us find the hairs better.
We crawl on the forest floor where the wolf stood minutes ago. Where is his gift?!
"Why are we looking for wolf hair?" Quil whines. "I rather eat cookies than crawl around here."
"They are for the bracelets! The hair will make them filled with magical powers!" I tell them all. This stops Quil's whining and he becomes very enthusiastic in his search. He always wanted magic powers. He wants to be a magician when he grows up.
We scan every inch of the forest floor.
I find it! A strand of its fur!
And then both Seth and Leah start squealing about finding hairs too. I look at Embry who has a happy smile on his face as he also holds something in his hand and even Quil is holding something in his hand.
"When we weave in these in our bracelets they will become magical!" I tell everybody, but I look mostly at Leah, so she will know. She smiles back at me and the butterflies in my tummy start fluttering like they are having a wild party.
"Will the bracelets make us win the soccer-game?" Seth asks. I nod. The bracelets will certainly do that!
When all the others have climbed up I stop Leah. I have the most important question in the world to ask her. My hands feel sweaty, but I know she will say yes! I walk as close as I can and stare up into her pretty eyes.
Her eyes are beautiful! She has the prettiest eyes in the world!
"What s it Jake?" She asks impatiently.
Oh, the question. I forgot!
"Lee! Do you want to switch bracelets with me?" The words stumble out fast.
She looks at me a little confused.
"Oh you mean like friendship bracelets?" she ask. I nod, yeah just LIKE them but these will be marriage bracelets, I add in my head.
"Sure Jake! Why not!" she says and starts climbing the ladder.
My heart dances wildly and I decide to let out another howl of happiness as I scramble up after her. Instantly my friends starts howling with me and I swear I hear my spirit wolf howl in the distance too! I swing myself into the tree house and land on top of Leah laughing as I put my paws on her trying to tickle her. Soon we all are lying in a heap wrestling each other.
I hope we can stay here for ever living in my tree house all of us together! I love summer and I wish it will never end.
Summer is great, I can go camping all the time and I don't have to go to school. School sucks! Well except when I see Leah... I wish I would be in her year then I would see her all the time and school would be much more fun! It's unfair that Paul and Jared get to be in Leah's class and I don't. Sometimes I pretend that I get lost on the way to my class and end up in Leah's classroom, or pretend that I have to go to the bathroom but instead I stand and look at Leah through the glass on her classroom door. I often ask my teacher if I can go and bring important messages to Leah's teacher. I even asked Quil's mom, who is Leah's teacher, if I could be her assistant and come and help her wipe the board or carry her things to class so I can look at Leah. Before the summer I got to be in Leah's class for an entire week! That was part of the deal my teacher, Quil's mom, the principal, my dad and I made. I had to promise that if I got to be in Leah's class for an entire week I would stop trying to sneak out from my class when the teacher wasn't looking and I would never ever again escape through my classroom window to go and watch Leah. I got to sit next to Leah for the entire week and she helped me with my assignments. I was very good and understood everything! Mrs. Ateara told Leah that she should be thinking of tutoring others when she goes to high school. I think that sounds great! If she will be doing that I plan to flunk as many subjects as possible so she has to help me, and only me, all the time!
After a while Leah tells us that it's time to get into our sleeping-bags, because Seth looks like he is going to fall asleep any minute.
I get another great idea! It comes from me thinking of school.
I'm very good at math!
There are five of us and now we have five sleeping-bags, but what if we only have four sleeping-bags?! That's right! Then Leah and I have to share!
"Give me the water! I am thirsty!" I call out loudly. As Embry hands me the water bottle and I unscrew the lid I pretend to drop it on my sleeping-bag. It gets wet. I have to fight hard not to smile, but I'm an awesome actor so nobody understands that I did it on purpose.
"Oh no!" I whimper. "My sleeping bag is wet. I'll get a cold if I sleep in the wet sleeping-bag and maybe I end up in the hospital and die." I make my saddest eyes looking helplessly at Leah.
"Oh, I know! I don't have to almost die. We'll have to share!" I make my voice sound hopeful grinning wildly at my princess.
Leah takes a good look at my sleeping-bag and puts her hand on the soaked spot. I'm happy I managed to pour the entire bottle out. It sure is wet.
"Guess you have to share with Quil or Embry or Seth." Leah says. Nuh-uh!
"Quil always farts!" I start and as on cue he lets out a loud fart, and we all burst out laughing and Leah wrinkles her nose and frowns.
"Eww Quil, you will no sleep anywhere near me!" She squirms hiding her nose in her hand getting as far away from Quil as possible.
Quil just laughs and crawls into his sleeping bag, and I hear the unmistakable sound of crunching as he slides into it so I guess Quil has hidden another bag of chips in his sleeping bag, plannin gon eating it alone in secret.
"I can't share with Quil. No-one can. And Seth kicks so much in his sleep." I conitnue, I know this because I've seen Seth tangled up in his sheets on more than one occasion. "I don't want to be kicked and get bruises." I say.
"Well Embry it is then." Leah orders.
"He has the coldest hands and feet! It will be like sleeping next to an ice-cube!" I complain.
"Your hands are cold?" Leah asks Embry taking one of his hands in hers, ignoring me! "Your hands are freezing Embry! Do you want me to warm your hands? You can borrow an extra pair of socks from me too if you like!" she tells starting to rub Embry's hand.
I want her to rub my hand! Stupid Embry shoving his cold hands into Leah's face, trying to get her attention!
I bet his face is red just like it always is when Leah is talking to him, but it's so dark now that it's impossible to see. But I see the stupid smile that is plastered on his face, because his white teeth glisten in the moonlight.
"Embry likes his hands cold!" I grumble. "I'm very cold too Leah. And my sleeping bag is wet! What if I die of cold? Becca and Rachel will cry and they will never be happy again if I die." I whimper letting out pitiful noises. I could win an Oscar for my acting talents.
"You won't die Jake! Stop whining!" She barks.
"But I'm cold!" Since I'm such a great actor I start to chatter my teeth and make my crying face. The one I use on the twins when they torture me. I even think about fake sobbing.
"Fine!" She gives in. Ha! I knew she would cave! It must be my acting skills. I'm going to use them again. Maybe at the soccer-game? "You can have my sleeping bag! I'll share with you Embry." Wait! What?! No! That is just wrong!
I see how Embry's eyes go completely round and I think the might bug out of their sockets.
"Embry sweats like a pig!" I rush to state. It's the first thing I can think of. "I'm warm and cosy and not sweaty at all!" I add. Embry starts to mumble something, but he mumbles so low that neither of us hear what he tries to say.
Leah frowns, again taking a good look at my sleeping bag, and feeling it.
"You know Jake, it's just soaked at the bottom, and when you lie down in it, not even your toes will touch the wet spot. It would only be a problem if you were tall as an adult." She says.
"I always sleep completely inside the sleeping bag." I tell her. I'm not going to release Leah's sleeping bag now that I've gotten a hold of it. I quickly dive into it, so she can't take it back. She has to crawl in here too!
She huffs. "Fine!"
But why isn't she crawling in next to me?
"I'll take your sleeping bag, Jake." She sighs.
This is not how I've planned the outcome.
"You will catch a cold Leah!"
"I won't! My feet aren't anywhere near the wet spot! Now stop whining. Seth needs to sleep!" she orders.
* * * * * * * *
Quil is snoring, Seth breathing is even and I can hear Embry mumble in his sleep, his fingers touching Leah's hair. It is only me and Leah awake, just like it should be!
It would be even better if we were in the same sleeping-bag! Next time I'm going to aim better with the water bottle so the whole sleeping-bag gets wet!
"I'm going to score the winning goal in the soccer-game!" I tell Leah.
"That's good, Jake. Can we sleep now?" she asks.
I try but I don't fall asleep.
The moon shines in through the doorway, bathing us in a pale light. Shadows are cast through the tree branches on the floor and walls of the tree house.
"Lee!" I whisper. "Lee!" I start nudging her. She turns around facing me.
"What is it Jake?" she mumbles.
"I can't sleep!"
"Try lying still and counting sheep." She sighs closing her eyes.
I don't want to count sheep. That's stupid. I want Leah's eyes to be open so I can look into them!
I listen to my heart beating and I wish I could hear Leah's heart beat. Would she let me press my ear to her chest so I could hear it pound? That might make me sleep.
"I still can't sleep Lee!" I say as I touch the corners of her mouth with my fingers so she would look at me again and smile. She only groans and swats my hand off her face. "If we talk I'll fall asleep better." I add.
"Alright… you know, you're worse than Seth!" she mumbles opening her eyes again.
I sit up and start making shadow figures with my hands on the wall. With the moon shining so brightly the back of the wall looks like a movie screen.
"Look Leah! It's a bunny." I whisper to her. She turns to look at the bunny cast on the wall behind us. "Now it's a wolf." I hope she is impressed and thinks it's cool, because it is very cool!
"I know how to do the rabbit, but how do you make the wolf?" Leah asks watching my hands. I show her. Leah forms her hands and makes a wolf too.
I make soft wolf yips as I move my wolf closer to Leah's wolf.
"Hi!" I make my wolf open his snout.
"Hi!" Leah's wolf giggles back.
"I like you!" My wolf says and I glance at Leah whose eyes are fixed on the wall with our wolves.
"I like you too!" Leah's wolf is saying opening and closing her snout at the pace Leah moves her fingers, and I hear the smile in her voice.
My wolf moves closer touching Leah's wolf's muzzle. They are kissing!
Then my wolf wants to and needs to ask a question! My heart starts pounding rapidly before I get the words out of mine and the wolves mouth.
"Doyouwanttomarryme?" I whisper hurriedly, looking at my princess, my wolf on the wall stilling. I hold my breath waiting for the answer. Please say yes, please say yes!
My heart is drumming maniacally in my ears and my tummy is forming a strange knot, my body feeling like it is on fire!
"OK!" Leah answers as her wolf is moving her mouth.
She wants to marry me! Leah wants to marry me!
Everything goes blank and I feel very weak.
"I love you!" I hear myself breathe, because that is all I ever want to say to Leah.
Leah giggles again her eyes still on the wall.
"I love you too" she says opening and closing her hands as the wolf moves it's mouth at the pace of her words and then her wolf kisses my wolf and Leah makes kissy sounds.
She loves me! She love me! She loves me!
This is the happiest night of my life!
I feel so happy and my head goes light I have to lay down so I won't faint.
"Are you ready to sleep now?" Leah ask as she lays back down glancing at me.
"Lee" I whisper as I inch my head closer and closer to hers. "Can you pet my hair? And sing too?" I ask pressing my head onto her pillow.
She places her warm hand on my cheek. "Do you promise to sleep if I do that?" she asks.
I nod.
"Good night Jake." She whispers and starts to stroke my hair.
Warm tremors are running through my body making me feel electric as her hand touches my hair. I inch my head even closer to hers, until my forehead is touching hers, as Leah silently hums a lullaby my mom used to sing to me with magic Quileute words.
I wonder if this is the night that is called the wedding night? I heard our neighbor tell her daughter, that the wedding night is the most special night of your life. This must be my wedding night, because it is the most special night of my entire life! All my wishes have come true. Leah said she wants to marry me, and she loves me too and we are going to switch bracelets and now she is stroking my hair! It can't get better than that! I know nothing can top this! Nothing! Not ever!
My eyes flutter close but I struggle to keep them open because I want to keep looking into Leah's eyes forever.
Then it happens: the magic! Just as I feel the sleep reach and grip me, strings from my heart start to weave themselves around Leah's wrist, wrapping around it in the most beautiful bracelet ever. I'm weaving straight from my heart just like only the most skilled craftsmen know how to do!
Our hearts becoming tied together until the end of time.
We are going to be happy forever and ever and ever!
AN: Soccer game up in next chapter! But who should be the one scoring the winning goal? Preferences? Leah? Jake? Embry? Quil? Seth? Rach or Becca? Or should I let the trolls win? How about referee preferences? And who should get the red card? Because there will be at least one red card handed out in this soccer game!