Chapter 3: Recognition?
When they got back to the village, everyone was so happy to see Redlance and Nightfall safe. Alex slowly got off Midnight. But she met the ground with her face instead of her feet.
"Owwch!" Alex whispered in pain.
Leetah ran over to her. "Why won't you let me heal you?" She asked.
"Ugh!" Alex said trying to get up.
Midnight helped her.
"Thanks." She whispered.
She looked at Rayek and become very angry. She took out her knife and without a word attacked him. He moved aside before she could even touch him. Cutter caught Alex before she fell to the ground. He looked into her eyes and saw that they had become very angry. To him she looked like a real wolfrider. Cutter stood there holding her, not letting her go.
"Let go! He tried to kill me!" Alex yelled.
"Alex! Please....." Cutter sent.
Leetah looked at Rayek in surprise. "You did what?" She asked.
"They took you away from me after she kicked me. She planned it that way. To get me away from you so he could take you. I was protecting both of us." Rayek said calmly.
Leetah just looked at him. She went to Alex and put her hand on her stomach wound. By her touch Alex fell to the ground in pain, even though Cutter was holding her. She fell so quickly that he went down with her, but still held her so she couldn't attack Rayek.
"OOWWCH!" Alex yelled.
"These are deep." Leetah said staring angrily at Rayek.
She took Alex to her hut and they were in there for a long time.
"AHHHHHHH! THAT ASS."Alex paused in what she was about to say because she didn't think it was something that they knew, but then continued. "GANNA PAY!"
"Black hair! How dare you!" Cutter said angrily.
"She brought it on herself. She was the one that brought out her weapon first." Rayek said calmly.
Cutter clinched his fist. Leetah and Alex came out of the hut. Alex still grabbing her stomach in pain.
"They were very deep, I could not heal them all the way." Leetah said.
"Syre?" Cutter sent.
"I'll be fine.I hope" Alex sent with a slight smile on her face.
Cutter was still worried but he smiled to acknowledge that Alex would be okay.
"Healer, you saved two of my tribesmen, how can I repay you?" Cutter asked lifting Leetah's head with his hand so he could look into her eyes.
"You can leave me be, and not touch me again!" Leetah said and Rayek came to comfort her, and they walked away.
"Tam." Alex sent weakly.
"Yes Syre?" Cutter sent watching Leetah and Rayek walk away.
"Are you in love with Leetah?" Alex sent pretending not to know.
Cutter looked at Alex in surprise, but didn't say anything and he walked away.
"Recognition." Alex accidentally sent to Skywise.
"How can you tell?" Skywise sent.
Alex was surprised. "I just know. It's easy to see. He looks at her 'that' way."
Skywise smiled.
"Midnight?" Alex said.
Midnight came to his master. "Let's go to those caves, my friend." Alex whispered pointing to some caves, behind some of the huts in the village.
Cutter and the other wolfriders went to meet the 'Mother of Memories,' Alex stayed behind cause she didn't want to do anything but sleep, or just stay away from everyone.
"Owch! OK, you know, I'm starting to like just reading this story and not being in it." Alex thought to herself.
She looked around in the dark cave. After a while, some of the wolfriders came into the caves and looked very tired. Everyone plopped down on the nice cool cave ground and rested. Cutter and Skywise came in, and Cutter went to Alex.
"I'm fine." Alex said knowing what he was going to say. "I'll be back later." She said getting on Midnights back and they left the cave together. Midnight's black fur, shinned brightly, in the sunlight. When they came out of the cave, Alex saw Rayek and Leetah talking. Leetah looked very angry with Rayek. Rayek saw Alex behind Leetah and looked at her.
Alex straightened up and held onto Midnight's jet-black fur. She actually didn't feel any more pain in her stomach. She went over to the mountain and sat on Midnight, and looked up. She turned around when she heard a noise. An arrow grazed her cheek. Blood trickled down it. She sat there, looking at the person who shot it. She slowly moved her wrist to her cheek and wiped the blood away.
She saw Rayek standing in front of her, with his bow in his hand. "I'm not ganna fight you, again." She said quietly.
Rayek looked at her angrily and said, "You made Leetah yell at me for the first time since I can remember."
"So what," Alex said shrugging her shoulders.
By now the cut on her cheek was gone. Rayek looked surprised at the fact that it disappeared so quickly, with out a healer's aid or it healing over time.
"I'm not ganna fight you." Alex said.
"You will pay for getting Leetah angry at me." Rayek said calmly.
"Whatever" Alex said.
"Let's go Midnight, up there." Alex said tilting her head toward the mountain,
Midnight obeyed and went up the mountain. She got off Midnight's back and looked around.
"What happens next?" She thought.
She saw Midnight lay down in some shade and she smiled. She laid down and put her head on his side and closed her eyes.
"What am I doing here?" She asked out loud.
"You're here because you want to be." A voice said coming up the mountain.
Not thinking Alex responded to it. "Not really, I had no choice.I was brought here by someone else." Alex jerked up and opened her eyes. She saw Leetah standing there, smiling.
"Oh, it's only you okay good." Alex said with a slight smile. "I don't feel like talking to Cutter, Rayek, or any of the wolfriders right now."
"You look tired. How is you stomach?" Leetah asked.
"Eh, I'm not really tired. Just confused about a few things. My stomach's fine." Alex said.
"Where did you and your friends come from?" Leetah asked.
"The forest beyond the desert." Alex said absentmindedly.
Leetah was quiet.
"I'm sorry about Rayek." Leetah finally said.
"Eh, doesn't matter. You know he tried to kill me again. Shot an arrow at my face. Geez, he can be so rude sometimes. He's so." Alex paused for a moment, seeing Leetah smiling. "Oh, heh, sorry. I do that a lot. I just go on and on and. Oh, see I did it again" Alex said smiling.
Leetah looked at her and started to laugh. She didn't know of anyone who was this talkative.
"Leetah, why does he hate us?" Alex asked suddenly becoming serious.
Leetah's smile became a frown. "I don't know." She said looking down at the caves that Alex came from.
"Oh well. Anyway, I'm going exploring. Wanna come?" Alex asked with a smile on her face again.
"No thanks, I've seen enough of this place." Leetah said with a smile.
"Come with me back to the village though?" Leetah asked.
Alex shrugged and they walked down the mountain. Alex wondered for a moment.
"Leetah I know what you're thinking. I know what's going on in your head. A word you don't understand has embedded itself into your mind. But you don't know why." Alex said
Leetah looked at her surprised. "Yes you're right." She said thinking about the word in her head.
"Anyway, if you need me to help you understand it tell me. Think about it. I'll see you later." Alex said as she walked toward the caves with Midnight by her side, as always.
"Skywise?" Cutter sent.
Skywise looked up at him. "Yea?" he asked.
"Where's Alex?" Cutter sent.
Skywise shrugged. Alex came into the cave when he was about to say he didn't know.
"You called?" Alex said smiling, and looked down at Midnight. Midnight went to the back of the cave where it was cool and dark, so he could rest and not get so hot.
Cutter hugged Alex, smiling. Alex blushed a little. He barely knew her and yet he was already hugging her. In the dark Alex's baby blue eyes, were really bright. Cutter looked at her.
"You okay?" Cutter sent.
"Yea I'm fine." Alex said waving her arm.
"I have to go thank Leetah for helping us." Cutter said.
"Umm, I don't know if-----" before she could finish Cutter had left. "----You want to do that. Okay, don't listen to me then." Alex said crossing her arms and sitting down next to Skywise.
"It's definitely recognition." Alex said in a grumpy mood.
Skywise smiled and looked at her. Her eyes were glowing bright with anger.
"What's wrong?" Skywise sent.
Alex jerked her head up, surprised. She looked at Skywise.
"What? Oh nothing." Alex said.
Skywise couldn't stop looking at her. In the dark her eyes were beautiful. Alex noticed he was staring at her and looked at him. (straight in the eyes :-P, can u guess what might happen).
"What?" Alex asked.
"Nothing." Skywise said still looking at her.
He finally looked away from her and Alex got up. It was starting to get dark outside. Alex went outside and sat down in front of the cave. Skywise wondered what she was doing and followed her.
"Syre?" He thought to himself. "What the---?" His thoughts were cut off.
"Why did you follow me out Skywise?" Alex asked.
Skywise turned to see Alex sitting against the cave wall, looking at the sky. Skywise just stood there not saying a word.
"Why'd you follow me out?" Alex asked again.
Skywise just shrugged. "Thought you needed company." He said.
Alex smiled. Skywise looked up at the sky and sat down next to Alex.
"Cutter's been gone for a while." Alex whispered not taking her eyes off the sky.
Skywise nodded. "Hey wait, here he comes. What's that in his hand?" Skywise said.
Alex shrugged, not remembering that Rayek challenged him.
"I was challenged by that 'Black Hair' to win Leetah over." Cutter said.
"Oh we're there already?" Alex thought.
"Tomorrow we start the challenge." Cutter said.
Alex just smiled. Cutter smiled and went into the caves to get some sleep. Alex got up and climbed up to the flat meeting area where Cutter and the wolfriders hold there councils. Skywise followed. They sat down on the rock closet to them. Alex plopped back and lay on the rock looking at the sky. Her hair spread out around her.
"It's really beautiful out her." Alex said looking at the two moons.
Skywise nodded and looked up at the sky too. But he looked right back at Alex. Alex noticed that Skywise kept looking at her. She blushed and looked at the stars. She lifted her hand and traced the constellations that she knew about. Skywise reached up and touched Alex hand. Alex blushed even more. She slowly moved her hands away from him.
"Alex?" Skywise said.
Alex ignored him and sat up.
"Syre?" Skywise sent.
Alex froze. "Oh god!" Alex thought.
"I was right. That is your soul name." Skywise whispered.
Alex said nothing. She was still frozen. "Oh No! He can't be!" Alex thought.
Immediately FAHR came into her mind. "Oh God! He is!" She thought.
She slowly stood up, and looked over the village. "You have a strange way of showing your feelings Skywise. Especially since you've had ---what---four lovemate." Alex said smiling slightly.
Skywise was surprised. "Yea well I can at least show my feelings." He said.
"What's that 'sposed to mean?" Alex sent sharply.
Skywise was about to say something, but Alex ignored him and jumped off the platform. She landed on the balls of her feet.
"Hey, wait!" Skywise sent.
"Why?" Alex asked.
Skywise jumped off the platform. "Alex?" Skywise sent.
"What?" Alex whispered and walked away.
Skywise was about to go after her but he heard a noise behind him. He turned around and saw Cutter standing there.
"Leave her be Skywise." Cutter whispered.
"But---" Skywise paused.
"Just leave her be." Cutter said again.
Without another word Cutter and Skywise went back into the cave and went to sleep.
When they got back to the village, everyone was so happy to see Redlance and Nightfall safe. Alex slowly got off Midnight. But she met the ground with her face instead of her feet.
"Owwch!" Alex whispered in pain.
Leetah ran over to her. "Why won't you let me heal you?" She asked.
"Ugh!" Alex said trying to get up.
Midnight helped her.
"Thanks." She whispered.
She looked at Rayek and become very angry. She took out her knife and without a word attacked him. He moved aside before she could even touch him. Cutter caught Alex before she fell to the ground. He looked into her eyes and saw that they had become very angry. To him she looked like a real wolfrider. Cutter stood there holding her, not letting her go.
"Let go! He tried to kill me!" Alex yelled.
"Alex! Please....." Cutter sent.
Leetah looked at Rayek in surprise. "You did what?" She asked.
"They took you away from me after she kicked me. She planned it that way. To get me away from you so he could take you. I was protecting both of us." Rayek said calmly.
Leetah just looked at him. She went to Alex and put her hand on her stomach wound. By her touch Alex fell to the ground in pain, even though Cutter was holding her. She fell so quickly that he went down with her, but still held her so she couldn't attack Rayek.
"OOWWCH!" Alex yelled.
"These are deep." Leetah said staring angrily at Rayek.
She took Alex to her hut and they were in there for a long time.
"AHHHHHHH! THAT ASS."Alex paused in what she was about to say because she didn't think it was something that they knew, but then continued. "GANNA PAY!"
"Black hair! How dare you!" Cutter said angrily.
"She brought it on herself. She was the one that brought out her weapon first." Rayek said calmly.
Cutter clinched his fist. Leetah and Alex came out of the hut. Alex still grabbing her stomach in pain.
"They were very deep, I could not heal them all the way." Leetah said.
"Syre?" Cutter sent.
"I'll be fine.I hope" Alex sent with a slight smile on her face.
Cutter was still worried but he smiled to acknowledge that Alex would be okay.
"Healer, you saved two of my tribesmen, how can I repay you?" Cutter asked lifting Leetah's head with his hand so he could look into her eyes.
"You can leave me be, and not touch me again!" Leetah said and Rayek came to comfort her, and they walked away.
"Tam." Alex sent weakly.
"Yes Syre?" Cutter sent watching Leetah and Rayek walk away.
"Are you in love with Leetah?" Alex sent pretending not to know.
Cutter looked at Alex in surprise, but didn't say anything and he walked away.
"Recognition." Alex accidentally sent to Skywise.
"How can you tell?" Skywise sent.
Alex was surprised. "I just know. It's easy to see. He looks at her 'that' way."
Skywise smiled.
"Midnight?" Alex said.
Midnight came to his master. "Let's go to those caves, my friend." Alex whispered pointing to some caves, behind some of the huts in the village.
Cutter and the other wolfriders went to meet the 'Mother of Memories,' Alex stayed behind cause she didn't want to do anything but sleep, or just stay away from everyone.
"Owch! OK, you know, I'm starting to like just reading this story and not being in it." Alex thought to herself.
She looked around in the dark cave. After a while, some of the wolfriders came into the caves and looked very tired. Everyone plopped down on the nice cool cave ground and rested. Cutter and Skywise came in, and Cutter went to Alex.
"I'm fine." Alex said knowing what he was going to say. "I'll be back later." She said getting on Midnights back and they left the cave together. Midnight's black fur, shinned brightly, in the sunlight. When they came out of the cave, Alex saw Rayek and Leetah talking. Leetah looked very angry with Rayek. Rayek saw Alex behind Leetah and looked at her.
Alex straightened up and held onto Midnight's jet-black fur. She actually didn't feel any more pain in her stomach. She went over to the mountain and sat on Midnight, and looked up. She turned around when she heard a noise. An arrow grazed her cheek. Blood trickled down it. She sat there, looking at the person who shot it. She slowly moved her wrist to her cheek and wiped the blood away.
She saw Rayek standing in front of her, with his bow in his hand. "I'm not ganna fight you, again." She said quietly.
Rayek looked at her angrily and said, "You made Leetah yell at me for the first time since I can remember."
"So what," Alex said shrugging her shoulders.
By now the cut on her cheek was gone. Rayek looked surprised at the fact that it disappeared so quickly, with out a healer's aid or it healing over time.
"I'm not ganna fight you." Alex said.
"You will pay for getting Leetah angry at me." Rayek said calmly.
"Whatever" Alex said.
"Let's go Midnight, up there." Alex said tilting her head toward the mountain,
Midnight obeyed and went up the mountain. She got off Midnight's back and looked around.
"What happens next?" She thought.
She saw Midnight lay down in some shade and she smiled. She laid down and put her head on his side and closed her eyes.
"What am I doing here?" She asked out loud.
"You're here because you want to be." A voice said coming up the mountain.
Not thinking Alex responded to it. "Not really, I had no choice.I was brought here by someone else." Alex jerked up and opened her eyes. She saw Leetah standing there, smiling.
"Oh, it's only you okay good." Alex said with a slight smile. "I don't feel like talking to Cutter, Rayek, or any of the wolfriders right now."
"You look tired. How is you stomach?" Leetah asked.
"Eh, I'm not really tired. Just confused about a few things. My stomach's fine." Alex said.
"Where did you and your friends come from?" Leetah asked.
"The forest beyond the desert." Alex said absentmindedly.
Leetah was quiet.
"I'm sorry about Rayek." Leetah finally said.
"Eh, doesn't matter. You know he tried to kill me again. Shot an arrow at my face. Geez, he can be so rude sometimes. He's so." Alex paused for a moment, seeing Leetah smiling. "Oh, heh, sorry. I do that a lot. I just go on and on and. Oh, see I did it again" Alex said smiling.
Leetah looked at her and started to laugh. She didn't know of anyone who was this talkative.
"Leetah, why does he hate us?" Alex asked suddenly becoming serious.
Leetah's smile became a frown. "I don't know." She said looking down at the caves that Alex came from.
"Oh well. Anyway, I'm going exploring. Wanna come?" Alex asked with a smile on her face again.
"No thanks, I've seen enough of this place." Leetah said with a smile.
"Come with me back to the village though?" Leetah asked.
Alex shrugged and they walked down the mountain. Alex wondered for a moment.
"Leetah I know what you're thinking. I know what's going on in your head. A word you don't understand has embedded itself into your mind. But you don't know why." Alex said
Leetah looked at her surprised. "Yes you're right." She said thinking about the word in her head.
"Anyway, if you need me to help you understand it tell me. Think about it. I'll see you later." Alex said as she walked toward the caves with Midnight by her side, as always.
"Skywise?" Cutter sent.
Skywise looked up at him. "Yea?" he asked.
"Where's Alex?" Cutter sent.
Skywise shrugged. Alex came into the cave when he was about to say he didn't know.
"You called?" Alex said smiling, and looked down at Midnight. Midnight went to the back of the cave where it was cool and dark, so he could rest and not get so hot.
Cutter hugged Alex, smiling. Alex blushed a little. He barely knew her and yet he was already hugging her. In the dark Alex's baby blue eyes, were really bright. Cutter looked at her.
"You okay?" Cutter sent.
"Yea I'm fine." Alex said waving her arm.
"I have to go thank Leetah for helping us." Cutter said.
"Umm, I don't know if-----" before she could finish Cutter had left. "----You want to do that. Okay, don't listen to me then." Alex said crossing her arms and sitting down next to Skywise.
"It's definitely recognition." Alex said in a grumpy mood.
Skywise smiled and looked at her. Her eyes were glowing bright with anger.
"What's wrong?" Skywise sent.
Alex jerked her head up, surprised. She looked at Skywise.
"What? Oh nothing." Alex said.
Skywise couldn't stop looking at her. In the dark her eyes were beautiful. Alex noticed he was staring at her and looked at him. (straight in the eyes :-P, can u guess what might happen).
"What?" Alex asked.
"Nothing." Skywise said still looking at her.
He finally looked away from her and Alex got up. It was starting to get dark outside. Alex went outside and sat down in front of the cave. Skywise wondered what she was doing and followed her.
"Syre?" He thought to himself. "What the---?" His thoughts were cut off.
"Why did you follow me out Skywise?" Alex asked.
Skywise turned to see Alex sitting against the cave wall, looking at the sky. Skywise just stood there not saying a word.
"Why'd you follow me out?" Alex asked again.
Skywise just shrugged. "Thought you needed company." He said.
Alex smiled. Skywise looked up at the sky and sat down next to Alex.
"Cutter's been gone for a while." Alex whispered not taking her eyes off the sky.
Skywise nodded. "Hey wait, here he comes. What's that in his hand?" Skywise said.
Alex shrugged, not remembering that Rayek challenged him.
"I was challenged by that 'Black Hair' to win Leetah over." Cutter said.
"Oh we're there already?" Alex thought.
"Tomorrow we start the challenge." Cutter said.
Alex just smiled. Cutter smiled and went into the caves to get some sleep. Alex got up and climbed up to the flat meeting area where Cutter and the wolfriders hold there councils. Skywise followed. They sat down on the rock closet to them. Alex plopped back and lay on the rock looking at the sky. Her hair spread out around her.
"It's really beautiful out her." Alex said looking at the two moons.
Skywise nodded and looked up at the sky too. But he looked right back at Alex. Alex noticed that Skywise kept looking at her. She blushed and looked at the stars. She lifted her hand and traced the constellations that she knew about. Skywise reached up and touched Alex hand. Alex blushed even more. She slowly moved her hands away from him.
"Alex?" Skywise said.
Alex ignored him and sat up.
"Syre?" Skywise sent.
Alex froze. "Oh god!" Alex thought.
"I was right. That is your soul name." Skywise whispered.
Alex said nothing. She was still frozen. "Oh No! He can't be!" Alex thought.
Immediately FAHR came into her mind. "Oh God! He is!" She thought.
She slowly stood up, and looked over the village. "You have a strange way of showing your feelings Skywise. Especially since you've had ---what---four lovemate." Alex said smiling slightly.
Skywise was surprised. "Yea well I can at least show my feelings." He said.
"What's that 'sposed to mean?" Alex sent sharply.
Skywise was about to say something, but Alex ignored him and jumped off the platform. She landed on the balls of her feet.
"Hey, wait!" Skywise sent.
"Why?" Alex asked.
Skywise jumped off the platform. "Alex?" Skywise sent.
"What?" Alex whispered and walked away.
Skywise was about to go after her but he heard a noise behind him. He turned around and saw Cutter standing there.
"Leave her be Skywise." Cutter whispered.
"But---" Skywise paused.
"Just leave her be." Cutter said again.
Without another word Cutter and Skywise went back into the cave and went to sleep.