I'm so sorry that it has taken me so long to update. This last year has been so busy that I haven't really had much time to write and I admit, I kind of lost faith in the story. But I have come back to put up this chapter. So I hope that I can stay faithful to you guys as the readers, and I do appreciate the reviews and all the alerts that I have gotten in my email the past year. Also, I would like to take a moment to reply to the reviews that I have received the past year.
Aztec-rose21: I do plan on diving deeper into Ash and Aura's back ground more, explaining more about how they came together. I just have to figure out where I want to insert her into parts of Ash's book and also how I want to further expand on her life before and after she met Ash as well as what happened to her after Estes sold her to when she and Ash meet up again.
Shycord1990: Even I don't know yet what she has, I have played with the idea of her being pregnant, but to be honest I'm not sold completely on the idea yet. We will see where the inspiration takes both of us.
Kyoko Minion: I will take that into consideration.
Also to all of you guys who have followed or have added me to your favorites but have not reviewed - Thanks a ton. All of you guys have helped me get out of my funk and start working on this story again. I can't be sure just how often I will update, but once again I really do appreciate all the feedback.
So with out further adue enjoy this chapter.
Disclaimer: Look in the first chapter.
Pulling herself back from the past Aura turned as looked at the Godkiller that was sitting so relaxed next to her on the beach watching the waves that he loved so much to ride wash upon the shore.
"I know that you and Ash always have an open ear Sav, but I'm just not ready to talk about it. And before you start spewing the 'I already now what happened, I just what to hear it from you' crap, save it for someone who needs it." Aura whispered, keeping her voice low so as to not disrupt the quiet beach around them.
Savitar looked at the young woman who was hurting and damaged almost to the point of no repair and simply leaned over and swung an arm around her shoulders to give her his unspoken support.
Aura sat like that for a few more minutes before she remembered the time.
"As much as I would like to keep sitting here and relaxing, I really do need to head up to the ranch and speak with Carrie about this summers camp schedule." Aura said as she got up and reached for her towel again.
"Ya, and I have an Omerigon to sit in on. The joy of watching a bunch of humans and animals fighting with each other." Savitar said as he stood as well.
"I had a blast surfing with you, see you next time." Aura said, as she got ready to flash herself over to her ranch.
"See you next time kid." Savitar said right before he disappeared.
Carrie Wells was leaning against the kitchen counter of the big house as she watched out one of the three big bay windows in the kitchen that looked out to the yard and pastures on the horse ranch that she managed. Everything was going as planned so far, lunch had just been served and now everyone was getting back to his or her designated jobs before the afternoon vanished on them, which happened more than Carrie liked to admit.
Glancing at the small clock hanging from the lightly painted blue wall, she saw that it was a quarter past two.
"Hey Carrie, Aura not here yet?" Luke on of the ranch hands asked as he past the kitchen on his way out to the barn.
"Nope, not yet. But you know how she is when it comes to these meetings. She has great ideas on activates for the kids, but she was never one to be on time for everything." Carrie said as she turned and looked at him. "I figured I would give it another ten and then head out to the barn to do a last minute inventory on saddles and bridles."
"Ah." Luke said as he turned to continue on his way, then almost as an after thought said "Since you brought that up about the inventory, I noticed the other day that one of the rope halters we use for training is wearing out. I'd say we should get a new one before this one brakes and we are down a halter."
"Alright, make a note on the board in the barn and I'll talk to Aura about it when she gets here, if she getting here today." Carrie said.
"Hey Carrie, sorry I'm late. Savitar kept me longer than I thought." Aura said softly, as she walked into the kitchen holding a stack of folders and a notebook filled with loose papers and sticky notes poking out on the edges.
"Well I'll take that as my que to get back to work, see ya Aura, Carrie." Luke said as he walked out and did as he said.
Aura glanced at him as he left before turning back to Carrie, "I really am sorry about being late again, you know I don't try to do these things on purpose."
"I know Aura, it's just been a busy week getting ready for the camp season, plus we've been seeing more daimon activity recently too. Adara had to call in for assistance the other night." Carrie explained as she sat down at the big table in near the corner of the room.
"Oh, why didn't you call me, I could have helped." Aura said as she sat down at the big kitchen table and started spreading out the folders and organizing everything into neat piles around her.
"Adara said not to call, that he only needed one of the boys to patrol around the college since it's almost graduation and the campus is busier then normal." Carrie said, as she too took a seat at the big table, not to far from Aura.
"I still could have helped, it's not like I was sleeping or anything last night." Aura said quietly.
"Still having nightmares?" Carrie asked gently. "I thought that the Oneri were helping you."
"They have been but last night I just couldn't sleep so I was up most of the night thinking of activities for the summer along with working on my newest composition." Aura replied.
"Ah, well what are these new activities that you have been thinking about?" Carrie asked. And with that the two of them started talking and planning out the summer schedule for the camp.
After a while of planning Aura said. "Carrie, what do you think about having a get together for all the old dark-hunters, kind of like a family reunion. We could do it a few weeks after the end of the camp season, but try and plan it before school starts. That way the ones with children won't have to worry about their kids missing school."
Carrie thought for a minute before saying. "I think that is a great idea. We certainly have to room here at the ranch, we could set up activities like horseback riding, maybe even put on a rodeo or do contests for the kids, like best rider, best archer, things like that. How long do you want it to last?"
"I was thinking about 10 days. You know starting on one Friday and ending the following Sunday. That would give the families time to settle in and work on training for the contests with the kids. We could plan the contests to take place on the last Saturday." Aura said, liking the idea more and more as she and Carrie played around with the idea. "We could even invite some of the squire families to join in, really make this a family thing.
"I'm all in for it, however, you do realize that 50% of our staff this summer have no idea about the Dark-hunter world right." Carrie brought up a snag in the plan.
Aura pause before she brightened up "What about all the dorean squires that the counsel has right now. I could talk to them and see if any of them would be willing to work for a few weeks. You know helping with prep and then when the reunion actually happens. That way we don't have to worry about any of the non-squire staff from finding out anything. To them the summer will end like it always has, with the pack trips for the teens."
"Alrighty, I'll start making the plans here at the camp, you can do all the phone calls between the families and also invite Ash and Tory. I'm sure they will want to come." Carrie said.
"Of course I would invite Ash and Tory. I mean come one Carrie, they are basically the leaders of the Dark-hunters." Aura said.
"Well before Tory came along, I think every one thought that you were the unofficial first lady, since Ash was the leader." Carrie said.
"Why would you say that?" Aura asked.
"Adara told me one night before he went to bed that when he was first turned into a dark-hunter you and Ash would spend time with him. Ash with the weapons training, and you helped him over come his grief and rage. That if it wasn't for you that he would have just become a mindless killing machine that Ash trained, that you thought him to live again. Even if he was a soulless being meant to kill daimons for the rest of eternity. " Carrie answered.
"Oh, I didn't know that they thought that way. All I did was help them through those first few years, adjusting to the huge change in their lives. I did that with every new dark-hunter that Artemis made." Aura said quietly.
"Well what ever you did, I don't think there is a Dark-hunter out there who doesn't see you as a mother to them, even if they won't admit it out right. I think they all would lay down their lives for you, even if it meant turning into a shade." Carrie said, placing her hand on top of Aura's.
Once again thanks for all the reviews and favorites, they make my day. Don't forget to review this chapter and I hope you guys enjoyed it.
- Hope and Love