Will was still sleeping as the first rays of dawn pierced the sky. Solstice, in her snow leopard form, shifted, and her yellow eyes opened, her pupils becoming thin slights to control the light that came in through the window.
She looked over at the horizon, perfectly still, when she heard a voice in her head.
'Wake up the boy. . . we have to leave as soon as we can.'
It was Equinox.
With a loving gaze to the black spot that was coming their way, Solstice got up, stretched and walked up to Kirjava, who slept besides the boy.
She turned into a golden cat, and jumped onto the bed. Kirjava shifted, and her eyes opened cautiously. She saw the other daemon, and hissed, demanding some space.
Solstice, turned into a green, ruby-necked hummingbird, flew up, and out of the cat daemon's reach.
"What is it?" Kirjava asked, stretching and looking up at the buzzing bird. Will groaned, awakening, and rolled over.
"Equinox is here. Will must get up. We have to leave." Solstice turned into a squirrel, and chirruped on the boy's desk.
At that moment, a small dragon flew into the room, Aurora on his back. Kirjava hissed furiously, leaping on Will's chest, scratching him.
"What the?" Will yelled, sitting up, his eyes closing because of the sleep in them, and the light that filtered through the window.
Aurora, ignoring his confusion, and Kirjava's trembling, got off Equinox, who instantly turned into a black leopard and ran up to Solstice.
The female daemon also turned into a leopard and rubbed her head against Equinox's. Both started to purr.
"Will, we must leave." Aurora told him.
"Why?" Will groaned, falling back on his bed, one hand scratching Kirjava.
"Easheatter must be forged."
The boy sat up again.
"And why?"
"Because we can only take his tip when he is whole. If he is in pieces, his tip is without magic. He cannot open windows." Aurora explained.
"And just why do you need me for that? Can't you just take the blade?" The boy questioned, getting both legs slowly out of bed.
Aurora sighed. "No. You see, Easheatter had chosen you as his carrier, so you, and you alone can forge him in a way that will bring his powers back, and you alone can break him."
Will rubbed his face.
"And where's Lyra in all of this?"
"Pardon?"
"Lyra. . .is she alright?"
Aurora paused.
"I think . . .but it won't be long until my brother finds her. That's why we must hurry." Aurora looked out the window as Will threw off his covers, and walked up to the bathroom in nothing but his boxers.
Solstice and Equinox were too busy licking each other to notice anything.
The boy washed his face, and silence ensued until he put some pants on and Aurora looked over at him again. She was surprised to find his piercing gaze staring at her.
"And how are we going to get there?" He asked.
She refused to answer until that fiery gaze left hers.
"You'll fly on Solstice." She answered.
The boy blinked.
"But. . .isn't that. . .wrong?' He looked embarrassed suddenly, 'I mean. . .there's a feeling. . .you get when. . .your daemon's touched. . .don't you. . .?"
Aurora smiled, understanding what he was referring to.
"Equinox is my daemon. Solstice is actually my brother's, even though she's linked to me. So I don't feel things through her like I do through Equinox."
Will nodded.
"I'd have to tell Mary and mom, though. . ." He said. Kirjava was looking rather jealously at the love Equinox and Solstice were giving each other.
"Yes. You should write them a note, telling them there is something crucial you need to do. Mary Malone will get more answers from that machine of hers, is she wishes to."
Aurora watched as Will nodded, putting a shirt on, and walked to his desk. He grabbed a piece of paper on which he wrote something.
Meanwhile, Kirjava brought him some food.
The boy ate a few cookies and got some water from the faucet in the bathroom, before walking back to his room.
"So what about food and water?" He asked, grabbing Easheatter's case and securing it around his belt.
As soon as the blade was in Will's hands, Solstice and Equinox looked away from each other and hissed ferociously. They bared their fangs. Aurora scratched their heads and calmed them down.
"Our journey has only begun. We will get food there where the blade will be forged." Aurora walked up to the window.
Equinox ran to it, leaped out, and disappeared from view. Will gasped; but seconds later, a half-horse, half-eagle gray creature roared as it flapped up to window.
"What the hell is that thing?" Will asked, eyes wide, as Solstice joined her love, turning into the same weird beast.
"That's a Hippogriff. It exists in another world." Aurora explained simply as she jumped out to Equinox, grabbing the feathers of his neck to hoist herself onto his back.
Will walked up to the window, and looked down with a gulp.
Solstice came near cautiously.
Kirjava jumped out the window, and landed softly on the hippogriff's back. Will managed to get his hand on the beast's neck, feeling awkward that he was touching a daemon. But his mind demanded full concentration, because just getting on the half-horse was one hell of an exploit.
He grabbed the feathers, but made Solstice whinny when he pulled a few out.
Kicking off from the window, he got onto the daemon's back, placing his knees in front of the wing joints, so he held on with his legs.
As soon as he grabbed a fistful of the feathers with one hand, and held Kirjava with the other, the Hippogriff flapped its wings twice, and they rose into the airs with amazing speed.
Cramped, Will almost fell off, but managed to stay on Solstice's back as they caught up to Aurora and Equinox.
"So how does it feel?" Aurora asked with a laugh.
Her cape was blown by the wind and Will saw her thin figure, clothed in black silk, and the leathery case containing a blade much bigger than his own; probably Forseti.
"Uhhh. . .scary. . ." He admitted, yelling over the wind. They were now above the clouds and Will found it hard to breathe.
But he scowled, determined to do whatever to save Lyra from Aurora's brother.
(0)
That's it. . .I'm done here. Reviews appreciated.
Oh, and Quizgirl, the Hippogriff was just for you. : )
Glassflower: Oh, thankyou, thankyou, thankyou, thankyou, THANKYOU! Your review just mad me blush a bright pink. I'm so happy to hear that, because I was just wondering if my story fit in right with everything. And usually, I make the characters OOC, and it really sucks, but I'm happy to hear I've got their personality. And this so just such a huge compliment you're giving me, cuz I'm an author (to be) and stuff so it's just great to hear that from someone. And I'm super happy to hear that you think Aurora's story ties in well. I was going for that, and spend , three days reading over parts of the books to get my facts right.
Quizgirl: Thanks for your review. Well, my book as about this war that happens in an unknown time (close future). It's about this girl who starts to fight the war very soon, as a child, and lives her life fighting. That's all I cam say, cuz its really pretty much of a secret from that point on. I live in mighty Canada, land of Snow. Ps: We do NOT live in igloos. Lol.
Kaiame: Thanks.
Cel: Thanks for your review, and I'd thought I'd answer to the three 'problems' you've found.
First, I'm actually not sure if they come from the same world. At some point, someone (Serafina, I think or John Parry) mentions that Lord Asriel is from Will's world. I'm sorry if I got it wrong, but my story wouldn't work otherwise. Anyway.
Second, yeah, I know I spelled it wrong. Just so everyone knows, its not Easheatter, but Aesahaettr. I just didn't have the book and couldn't find the right way of spelling it, so I went with what I could remember. Sorry again.
And third, it's not true that daemons only change when lovers touch each other's daemons. The book says many times that around the age of puberty, daemons pick their own form, when the kids become more mature. And puberty is around eleven-thirteen. It's not because Lyra and Will made their daemons stay in one form by that way, that it works for everyone.
Thanks for your review, and I hope I clarified a few things.
Next chapter, Will meets Charles, and discovers just how dangerous Equinox can get. Will that make him doubt Aurora's plans? And will he allow Easheatter to be forged? And what about Aurore?