Yey! Next chapter! I love this one a lot, I'm not sure why.
Mikauzoran: Ohmygod! You read my story! Ohmygod! YOU LIKED MY STORY! Ok girl, breath! In, out, in, out. Thank you so much! I'm glad you like it! And I'm so sad Ivy, Shaman Runaway is done! You better do some more top-notch stories girl!
Disclaimer: Nope… don't own it. Wish I did… but don't.
Kari sighed contently and snuggled deeper into her cloak, sitting in her hiding spot. She was up in a tall tree, sitting on a strong outstretched branch with leaves all around her, rustling in the wind. Around her was the giant forest, surrounding the great lake in the middle of the desert.
She sighed again, breathing in the fresh air and slouching against the wood. She could hear birds chirping and squirrels running ever hurriedly over the bark of the trees, searching for food. Her eyes closed half way before shutting completely as the teen fell into a daze.
The girl lie there sleeping under the mighty tree, when a giant eagle cried from up above. She didn't move at the sound or as the bird of prey flew dangerously low, flapping and landing on a smaller limb closely above where she was sleeping.
The bird tilted its head and watched the dozing teen before it's shape strangely disfigured. It's head became larger and it's body smaller, the feathers on it's body turning white, a white glow surrounding the its whole body.
"Kari… Kari… Wake up, girl!" called an annoying, crackly voice.
Kari jerked at the noise and opened her eyes a sliver. She blinked about stupidly before stifling a yawn and looked up and the peculiar glowing bird.
"Silver Wing… what's the matter?" she asked, rubbing sleep from her eye.
"Eh, Silva's been looking for you. It seems there's another rogue spirit running around. He says it would be good practice for you." Silver Wing shrugged.
"Practice or no practice, it would be way too easy," she groaned, turning over and pulling her cloak over her head like a blanket, "Anyway, I just want to sleep right now. Tell him I'll do it later."
"He thought you'd say something like that," replied the eagle.
"Really?"
"Yep, and he says I've been given permission to bring you by force if necessary."
"That's nice." she yawned.
"Kari…" Silver Wing's tone turned threatening.
The shaman moaned and curled up into a ball, hiding in her poncho. The bird could hear her muffled thoughts coming from the cloth, as she let out her frustration. After a minute, the eagle wasn't phased and she peeked out the top hole of her clothes and glared at him.
"How can Silva expect me to do work on a day like this?" she growled, "It's so peaceful here, the trees rustle in the breeze, the ripples racing across the lake… Even the animals don't want to work on such a gorgeous day, with the sun shining and the weather warm."
"Mean while, a delinquent spirit is destroying our crops." He butted in.
"Fine! I'll go!"
The eagle grinned in satisfaction as the girl moaned and sat up straight, yawning and stretching out her tense muscles. She fumbled and straightened out her poncho and crouched on the branch. Her moccasin moved and placed itself against the truck of the tree and pressed firmly against it, holding her weight. Her hand grasped the bark and her body lowered as she climbed down the tree.
Accidentally, her animal skin moccasin landed on a patch of slippery moss, still wet from the morning dew, hiding in the opposite direction from the sun. The pelt slipped, making Kari loose her grip on the tough bark and her weight made her fall.
Her mouth opened and let out a scream, her hand reaching up to try and hopelessly grab onto a branch. Then, her body jerked as something wrapped around her hand, preventing her from falling any further. Looking up, she saw a clawed three-toed foot grasping tightly to her wrist.
"You know, you sure are slow when you wake up." Silver Wing said, glancing down at her.
"I told you I didn't want to do this right now."
The spirit smirked and flapped his mighty wings, turning slightly and flying on the thermals closer to the village. In the distance were small square shaped buildings of Patch Village, and a ways away, smoke and dust spewed into the air.
A woman screamed as she held her baby closer in its blanket. She ran away as a giant armored leg smashed into a nearby square clay house, making giant chunks of clay and dust fly everywhere.
When the dust cleared a giant scorpion stood up taller next to the destroyed building. It pulled back its leg and turned all eight around, its tail twitching. The body was huge and black, plates of armor covering it with a strange red glow surrounding it.
The scorpion rose onto its back six legs and let out an earsplitting howl with its two front legs pawing at the air. Around it, villagers ran for safety away from the monster as it started to run along the edge of the town.
From the distance, a Patch tribesman stood on a high cliff, watching as the scorpion continued its parade in far by the horizon. He slowly shook his head and his outfit fluttered in the desert breeze coming from behind him, his headband and two feathers behind his ear leaned forward before settling down.
"Silva!"
The man looked up and saw a teenaged girl flying towards him, holding onto a glimmering white bird. The eagle swooped down to the ground, the girl's feet dropping an inch before she was firmly planted on the soil. The eagle then flapped twice before perching on her shoulder.
"What took you so long?" Silva demanded.
Kari shrugged, "I was sleeping in the forest."
The elder groaned and brought a hand from under his poncho, rubbing his temples. He glanced up at her through his fingers and saw that she looked unusually calm for the destruction going on around them.
"Look, It has already destroyed several buildings. Luckily, no one was hurt. You should be able to take care of this just fine." Silva explained.
"Definitely," she looked over at the spirit on her shoulder, "Give me a lift, Silver Wing?"
"Alright, alright!"
The eagle lifted off from the young shaman's shoulder and flapping in the air, grasping onto her outstretched hand. Fluttering his wings, the bird took off into the air with her body dangling underneath him, flying straight towards the insect.
Silver Wing flew low to the ground and dropped her off about a hundred yards from the raging scorpion, catching its attention. As the bird perched on her shoulder again, the arachnid turned to them, charging forward.
"Stop!" Kari cried, her hand held in front of her.
The scorpion didn't listen and continued to charge, dust and debris flailing everywhere. She dropped her hand to her side and took in a deep breath before looking at the bird on her shoulder.
"He won't listen to reason. He is blinded by hate and rage, we must try to calm him before he will stop." she spoke with wisdom in her voice from beyond her years.
"Whatever you say, kid."
The young shaman smirked and held out her hand. Silver Wing's body evaporated in a sudden wind as it blew over and formed into a ball like substance in her palm. The sphere glowed a white, light blue color and showed two giant eyes and a beak on the front of it.
"Spirit Form, Hitodama mode! Silver Wing, Hyoui Gattai! Unity!"
Shouting the magical words, Kari lifted her hand to the sky, before plunging the sphere form of Silver Wing into her chest. When lifting her hand away, there was no evidence that the sphere had ever been there; it had completely vanished. In her body, Silver Wing and Kari's mind formed into one, their bodies merged into one being.
On her back, Kari's poncho ruffled and spread apart, two giant eagle wings emerging. They rose until the very tips were stretched out to the sky, the beautiful white feathers gleaming with a mysterious glow in the sunlight.
The scorpion let out another great roar and sent one of its forelegs swiftly at the girl, who had her head down, shadow covering her eyes. Just as the armored leg went to pierce her skin, the shaman raised her head, showing off her glowing eyes.
At the last second, Kari jumped about a hundred feet into the air, spreading her newfound wings and taking flight, as the leg of the scorpion sunk into the sand and rock where she once stood. The insect looked around dumbly as she flapped her wings and hovered above it.
Finally, it realized that she had fled to the sky and let out a shrill high-pitched shriek that would be able to crack glass. The scorpion started to foam at its mouth and launched its stinger straight at the birdman in the sky.
The shaman easily tilted her body and dodged the attack. As the stinger went so high, it would take awhile before it could be used to attack again, she dove down, folding her wings to increase her speed. Almost crashing into the arachnid before spreading out the platinum wings and gliding along its back.
The scorpion had fast reflexes, turning is eyes and its body slightly, and it pulled down the stinger, aimed at Kari's back. A smirk appeared on her face as she pulled up abruptly, causing the stinger to crash into the ground, giant boulders closing in around it.
With a few flaps, she was up high in the sky again, looking down at the scorpion as it screeched and roared, trying to unleash its tail. After a last yank, the stinger released itself, making its body stumble back a few steps, before glaring around and snarling at the shaman.
She smiled and motioned for it to follow her with her hand, turning and flapping off away from the village. Instantly, its anger and thirst for revenge made it follow obediently, eager to cut open her body. Blinded by its rage, the desert monster followed her wherever she went, not paying attention to the surroundings.
Soon, its left foreleg sank into the sand, causing the others behind it to crash into each other. The scorpion shrieked and tried to push down and stand up again, but its other legs started to submerge as well. After a moment, all of the legs and the tail had been completely submerged into the quick sand, making the insect unable to move or attack.
Kari waited until she was sure it wouldn't move and dived down, stopping to hover right next to its face. Though completely stuck, its head continued to rant and thrash about, trying to harm her in any way possible.
"God, I hate scorpions," she whispered.
Her hand came up from underneath her poncho and gently placed itself on the side of the head, still raging about. At first, it was hard to form a connection. The beast was so angry, but she puzzled how something could make it this angry.
"Friend, stop your rampage. You have damaged much, and what have you gained? Go back to your home, live there in peace, as we will live in peace." her melody-like voice rang through to its head, making it pause, "Go home. Live there and we will not bother you further. Leave this place and live in peace."
The scorpion stopped lashing and stood still. It's many eyes were boring into hers, checking for honesty and sincerity. Her brown eyes shimmered in the golden light of the desert sun, showing no lies intended.
Its many eyes slowly closed, the aura around it disappearing as the giant beast shrank down, back to its regular size. Kari looked down and her wings stretched to its limits again, having her fall to the ground before disappearing beneath her cloak.
Her moccasins sank a bit in the sand as she walked over to where the scorpion lay, the size of her fist. It looked up at her, its eight eyes twirling, before it crawled its way to a hump of sand and dug into it, fleeing into the deep earth.
"I'm glad that's over," she said as Silver Wing materialized onto her shoulder once more.
She stared at the hole in which it had disappeared, and then jumped up and down, squealing, "I hate scorpions!"
The eagle snorted and looked back towards the village, where Silva and several others came running. Kari stopped her tantrum as they approached, crowding around her excitedly.
"Kari," Silva spoke, "I am impressed every time you calm another restless spirit, always without the need of violence."
"Thanks Silva!"
"Though, getting your own guardian spirit might be nice."
Her jaw dropped, "What do you mean?"
"I think what he means," another tribesman stepped forward, "Is that you should go out and find your own guardian and break apart from Silver Wing. He was originally Silva's guardian, you know."
"Shut up, Kalim!"
Kalim was dressed almost identical to Silva, apart from his headband. It was plain red while Silva's had a pattern of white triangles, and the new comer and a feather behind both ears, instead of two behind one.
"He's got a point you know." Silva nodded.
"I know what this is about," Kari frowned and started to scratch the eagle in question under his beak, "You're just jealous that I work perfectly with Silver Wing, while you have to use all of your other spirits."
"Kari," Silva groaned and rubbed his forehead, "You know that I need all five of my spirits to be a commissioner for the Shaman Fights coming soon. What will you do when I have Silver Wing with me while I'm hundreds of miles away?"
She pouted and bit her lip, not responding. Her heels whipped her body around and she refused to look at Silva, bowing her head with her arms crossed. She stood there for a minute before abruptly dashing away, before anyone could stop her, heading towards the forest.
Silva, Kalim and Silver Wing watched as her body shrank into the distance, before disappearing completely amongst the trees. Silva sighed and scratched the back of his head absentmindedly, when he felt a nudge in his side. Glancing over, Kalim stood with his arms crossed and a prompting look on his face.
"What?"
"You should go after her."
"Why?"
Kalim narrowed his eyes, "You know why. She knows that we have to leave soon, and then she'll be all alone and without a spirit. We all know how shy she is, she's too afraid to find her own guardian ghost."
"True," the other replied, "But she won't be alone. There's Goldva, and Lip and Lap…"
Kalim raised an eyebrow, then sighed, "It's true that Chief will be here, along with Lip and Lap, but…"
"Yes," Silva picked up, "I know she wants to be a shaman commissioner, but what about the King of Spirits?"
"What about him?"
"What if the King of Spirits needs to send an oracle? What will we do if Kari is not here to receive it?"
"I don't think it matters whether she is here or not. You know that the King of Spirits called her here years ago to save her life. I'm sure if something important happens the Great Spirit will be able to contact her," he answered, shutting his eyes in thought.
Silva didn't answer, but looked down at the dune while Silver Wing fidgeted on his shoulder.
"That's not all that's worrying you, is it?"
Again, he didn't answer.
Kalim grinned, "You're worried about her going out on her own."
"What?" shouted the tribesman, flushing and speaking hurriedly, "That is definitely not the case! You know as well as I do that she is very capable of being by herself!"
"C'mon Silva! You think of her like a sister and we all know it!" squawked Silver Wing, "You just being a worrywart that she'll run off with tons of guys and get a boyfriend."
"That's it! I'm going to go talk to her now!"
With that, Silva hastily marched to the forest, leaving a puzzled Kalim and Silver Wing, who fluttered to the other shaman's shoulder, behind. They watched as he puffed and muttered to himself and stomped away, also disappeared into the dense trees.
"Yep. He's worried," said the spirit.
"Most definitely."
Silva stomped and trailed through the brush, carefully bending small branches out of his way. He listened intently to the noises of the forest, hearing only the crunching of leaves under his feet, and also a muffled noise. The shaman stopped and brought his hand to his ear, but still couldn't hear what it was exactly.
Pushing ones last clump of leaves out of his way, he emerged into a stunning clearing. There were flowers surrounding a crystal clear lake with a meadow leading all the way to the forest on edge of it all. On a grassy hill sat Kari, her head bowed and her arms wrapped around her knees, shaking gently.
Taking a deep breath, Silva hiked out of the forest and onto the plain, right up behind her. He watched and heard as she sobbed into her poncho, not looking up at him. Sighing, he sat down next to her, gazing out onto the lake, waiting for the words to come.
"Kari…"
"No Silva… it's ok."
He looked over as her tear stained and red eyes peeked out from under the cloth. Her eyes were slightly swollen and a constant, but small stream of tears continued to fall.
"I'm… sorry. It's just… I knew you guys had to leave, to go out and test all of the shamans. Goldva says that I can't be a commissioner because I'm too young, but… he said that if the winds of change are with me, and if the Great Spirit allows it, I might be able to go." she choked out.
"That's not it, is it?" he asked.
"No… I guess I'm just not ready to back out to that world. It abandoned me, and only you took me in, raising me like I was your own…" she sighed, "I know I'm making no sense."
Silva shook his head, "You're making perfect sense. This is your home, you just feel sad that you might have to leave it. There may not be many friendly people out there, but there are some, and remember, you always can return here."
Kari gazed in awe at him. She then looked down and wiped her eyes with her cloak, sniffing and clearing her throat.
"Thanks Silva."
"It's my pleasure… Just don't come home with any boy friends."
I really liked that chapter, I think I described everything really well. It helps after reading a real book. Oh, well, oh, and if you're wondering about that whole "oracle" thing, it will be explained in the next chapter. Just so you know. Please review!