Chapter 2: Her Memories

Lauron's POV

She heard the physical sound immediately and bolted up. She ran to the baby and picked her up, just then realizing that she was in human form. She had been so afraid for the baby she hadn't realized it immediately like she usually did. Sighing, she made a bottle of milk and put the glass bottle on the coals of the fire to heat it up. As it warmed she set about to cleaning up the camp.

They had very few possessions and what little they had they couldn't afford to lose. They had matches and a small amount of tinder, a few pots and pans for cooking with only a few utensils to eat with and a few bottles of milk for Maey. The only other clothes they had was the one pair of clothes that Mikhol had with him that they shared on the days she transformed. Then of course there were their weapons. But their most precious possessions were the three things that they stored in a little wooden box in her pack. Mikhol's glass orb that was filled with vampire blood and set in a ring that was to be worn at home on his right hand, Maey's own diamond set bracelet that was to be used to focus her powers through when she was older, and her leather necklace with a werewolf fang on it that was to be used to ward off lesser demons and other entities of the night. All of them had been given to them by Mikhol's uncle, called and known to them only as Him. She had met Him only once, but that was enough for him to consider her one of his family. That same day he had given her and Mikhol their gifts. It wasn't until recently that Maey's gift arrived.

As she finished cleaning up the site she noticed that Maey's bottle was almost melted. Cursing she rushed over to the bottle and snatched it from the fire. She sighed and threw the destroyed bottle away after she poured the milk into their last bottle for Maey's breakfast. They would have to stop at nearby town soon or they wouldn't be able to feed Maey, she couldn't eat solid food yet, only milk. She knew she should try to feed Maey other food, but she didn't know if she was ready. Maybe she'd try to feed her something else other than milk tomorrow.

While she worried about their supplies, she held out her hand to stop a pan from levitating off the ground. After a few months of Maey lifting random things up into the air both she and Mikhol could now detect if something was floating or not. She waited until she felt no pressure on her hand to let go. You had to be watchful around Maey, she may not be doing it on purpose but it happened anyway.

It was pretty cold out this morning. She could tell because Maey was shivering even through her blankets. She saw Mikhol shiver out of the corner of her eye, too. She was immune to the cold, she didn't even feel it unless they were in Russia. She shook her head and put a blanket over Mikhol and tucked the now sleeping Maey in next to him. She pulled the blanket that Mikhol was laying on toward the fire; it was only a few feet so she didn't wake either one of them with the movement. Maybe now they'd be warm enough to sleep soundly.

She hung her head when she saw the dishes. Normally she had to leave them for Mikhol because she would have paws instead of hands, but today she had no excuse. As she gathered them together she spotted a basket she'd forgotten they had. She put the dishes in the basket and decided that while she was gone she'd gather anything that they could eat for breakfast, Mikhol preferred wild cauliflower that grew in the woods, but she preferred meat. She wasn't worried about leaving them behind. She could smell the water of a stream not even a hundred yards from the campsite. Mikhol would be able to sense her if he woke up.

Soon after leaving the campsite she noticed how beautiful the woods were in the early morning hours. The frost sparkled on the grass and winter flowers, as the sun leaked through the trees' canopy making the sun dappled ground dance with the movement of the leaves. The thin layer of ice on the still water of puddles created fantastic designs that mesmerized her. The trees rustled in the wind and, for a moment, she forgot everything except the beautiful scene before her. Then, in a flash, it was gone. She stood there trying to remember what she'd seen, but it escaped her. All she could remember was the feeling of bliss and beauty.

She heard the sound of water falling over rocks as she approached a clearing. The stream wasn't large, but it was deep. Several pools were deep enough to swim in, and probably had good sized fish swimming around in them. She would do the dishes, and then she would catch a few fish for her and Mikhol's breakfast. One pool had a large rock hanging out over it. That pool also seemed to be one of the deepest and house most of the larger fish.

She set the dishes in shallower water and then went back to the top of the rock. It felt nice to sit on the rock and bathe in the sun. The feel of the warm rays on her skin almost put her to sleep, but instead she put her feet in the water and let the minnows nibble on her toes while she thought. The most recurring thought was the day she fell in love with Mikhol.

~/~/~/ Flashback /~/~/~

"Mikhol! " Lauron barked, "Is the fire built?" She heard shuffling as she entered the clearing. "Yes, it's built." She nodded and set the rabbits down on a rock. "Good, can you get my herbs from the pack?" She heard him start to say something but he stopped and handed her the herbs instead. "Thanks, Mikhol."

"Do you think I can help with dinner tonight?" She turned to Mikhol and gave him a look, "Sure, if you really want to. Um, why don't you fill the pot up halfway with water and put a pinch of lemon grass and thyme in with it. Watch it till it boils." He smiled and reached for the herb jars and stopped as he asked, "Which is lemon grass and which is thyme?" She laughed, "Lemon grass smells like lemon, obviously, and thyme is the almost black one." He nodded as he sniffed a jar and almost gagged. She snickered as she said, "Don't hold them so close to your nose, one makes you faint." She chuckled as he screwed the lid back on and got another one.

"Are these the ones?" He said holding up two jars. She nodded, "Remember, just a pinch each." He nodded and asked, "Like this?" She glanced at his hands. "No, Mikhol, a little less. Just enough to cover your fingertips." He nodded, "This much? "

She glanced again, "Yes, perfect."

"Uh, dammit! " She swore. She heard Mikhol turn toward her, "What's the mat-? Ahh! " She scowled and said, "Just help me, I can't see." He crawled over to her and said, "How did you get blood all over your face?" She growled, "I was trying to save the skin and I hit a vein." Mikhol nodded to her, "Why were you saving the skin?" She sulked and murmured, "It was for a blanket for Maey. She can't handle the cold like us." He nodded to her. "Ok, now let me finish cutting it. I can do it easier with hands." She glowered at Mikhol, but agreed. "Fine, first cut here. Then snap the little bone underneath. Good."

She laid the rabbit skins on a rock as she said, "Is the water boiling?" She watched as Mikhol lifted the lid. "Um, yeah. What do I do?" She walked over and said, "Put the meat in piece by piece and don't let them splash, the water will burn you." Mikhol nodded, "Does anything else go in?" She covered the pot. " Not yet, but in about ten minutes you can put some wild carrots and onions in." Mikhol went to the bag and pulled out an carrot, "Can I cut the carrot and onion now?" She closed her eyes to sleep, "Cut the carrot, but the onions are pearl onions. Just add six whole ones to the stew. Watch it till the carrots are done and then wake me up. "

"Lauron, the carrots are done." She lifted her head, "Ok, take it off the heat and let it cool." She got up and went over to him. "Mikhol, did you not stir it?" He looked at her, "I did a little bit, but then I left it alone." She looked down into the pot. "You burned the meat a little, but it's still edible." She sat as Mikhol poured the soup into bowls. "Not bad Mikhol, Burnt but not bad." He smiled sheepishly at her as he asked, " Do you think I could help cook dinner every night?" She blinked at him and said, "Sure, but you better start learning. I'm not eating like this every night." He smiled as she laughed.

~/~/~/ End Flashback /~/~/~

She laughed thinking of that day. She had lived a hundred and twenty-five years and never had she felt the way she did when she was around Mikhol. As she thought about this, watching the fish swim to and fro beneath her, she never noticed the pair of deep black eyes watching her from the edge of the clearing.