Disclaimer: Characters belong to Stephanie Meyer.

Chapter 8: Stalking the Sun

The silence surrounded us as we lurked in the shadows of the damp branches. I love the smell of wet pine, the exhilarating aroma of the open air and wilderness. I scanned the forest listening for the soft sounds of leaves crumbling beneath treading hooves. The scent caught me a fraction of a second before I heard them. Elk have a rustic and gamy smell like cedar muddled with well worn-in leather. I mentally devoured the music of the cadence of their hearts. I crouched in anticipation. Hunting was my favorite thing to do with my mother. Her poise and grace were most prevalent when her instincts took over and her "Bella-isms" as Alice refers to them, disappeared revealing her strength, stealth and huntress abilies. Despite our differences, I admired her calm in complicated situations and adored the innocence that even her blood lust seemed to hold.

Peering through the jade haze, I could hear her low rumble betray the tranquility. The large elk's ear twitched as its head raised in alarm. Too late, she swept over him like the silver sparkle of a comet streaking across the viridian backdrop. She wasted no time draining him. Her sleek arms wrapped around his neck stroking his face gently as he collapsed to his final resting place.

Her eyes met mine as she lapped the last of the blood from her tender lips. The glow of her golden eyes beamed across the foliage mesmerizing me. Her skin took on its human tones from the fresh kill and before me stood the nearly human version of my mother, so innocently cast. It was difficult to believe her capabilities.

Swiftly closing the distance between us she took my arm as we moved forward deliberately making no sound. The rest of the heard was nearby and her hunger was not sated. Together we moved hunting as a duo. We put distance between us and slid through the ferns undetected. Like the fury of venom overtaking its host, we sprang on the helpless heard each taking a large cow elk from the outer perimeter. The blood overtook me, fueling my attacks. I took three before the rest of the heard had time to escape.

I scanned the meadow to see my mother artfully tearing the hides from her two kills and sectioning out the usable meat. It had been our tradition to take what was useful from our slaughter and deliver it to Jacob or other members of the pack; sort of an offering of peace and alliance. My mother was careful to only take the meat from those that she killed swiftly to avoid the wolves being exposed to her venom. This was an easy task since the effected tissue turned black and began to disintegrate immediately. It was another clever adaptation of being venomous. The poison broke down tissue quickly, aiding in the destruction of evidence. Since I didn't have to worry about this particular issue, I took my time with my victims. Adequately appreciating and thanking them for their sacrifice before dismembering them. There was something strangely satisfying in this ritual. It gave me plenty of time to reflect and the enjoy the gained strength and mental clarity that fresh blood provided. Especially today as I tortured myself with the task of talking to my mother about Alice's latter vision.

Soon she was at my side working quickly on the third carcass. We stripped and gutted the creatures exposing their inner workings almost mechanically. "Mom," I began slowly, running over the words in my head a thousand times. This was so much easier with dad. Well, not this in particular, but talking I mean.

She stopped cleaning. "What is it Ness?" None of the combinations of words seemed to create the effect or the outcome that I was looking for. My chest tightened with anxiety. I quickly reached out for her hand. I bestowed upon her a clean cut image of the little white box from Alice with the note attached to it. I waited impatiently for her response. Thankfully, I didn't have to wait long. She threw her arms around me in a motherly hug. "Oh sweetheart, really? I hadn't thought that you would be going through this." My mom was not really one for big sappy talks, thank god.

"Alice thought that I should talk to you since you are probably the only one that remembers dealing with this," I grumbled. She laughed a sweet and almost embarrassed laugh.

"Well I guess that's probably true." She paused thinking, memories played shadows in her eyes.

"How bad is it?" I stammered. She looked at me purposefully with her daunting amber eyes.

"Oh Nessie, you will be fine. Its no big deal really. I'll show you how to use them if you'd like," I rolled my eyes indignantly.

"Oh yeah Mom, great." She laughed in response. We did have that in common, very independent beings, the two of us.

"When did Alice say you would be starting?" she said turning back to her task.

"Sometime next week."
"Wow, that soon? Well I guess it seems about right. You truly are an amazing creature, Ness. Who would have thought?" And then her eyes flickered and a somber look over came her. Her hands dropped and her body fell still. "Renesemee, do be careful." She was cautious with her words but not with her tone. I saw a shudder rush through her. The memories tore at her from the inside out.

Initially I was hurt. I knew what she was insinuating and I couldn't help but being offended. The hurt evaporated as I realized how scared she must have been and how difficult the pregnancy was for her. Guilt. I caused her so much pain. Her eyes quickly regained their focus shedding their glow of the past.

Guessing at my thoughts, "You know that I loved you from the first second I felt you inside of me," she said fiercely. The anger snipped at her from deep inside. She almost growled, but caught herself.

"I just want you to understand the risk, that's all." And that was the end of the conversation. I knew that she had nothing more to say to me as we packed up the meat inside the hides.

We made our way through the clearing and took our time returning to the house. Reality inched its way back into my mind the closer we came. And the worry set in again. I needed to see Alice.

Mom and I neatly stacked our gifts for the wolves on the far side of the river. Daddy would be waiting for us. As soon as I caught his scent, Mom was across the river and wrapped in his arms. Their love was palpable, sickening at times, but true. I was grateful for their happiness.

I made my way around them and to the side of the house. I found my way in and up to the hospital wing. Alice's eyelashes lay like jet black feathers over her high cheekbones. She still lay motionless with only the constant flux of her lips to showing any sign of her vitality. The room was cold and without Carlisle's presence, it seemed desolate and clinical. Alice's skin had grown increasingly pale and hard from the combination of her stillness and lack of blood. I wondered how long it had been since she had hunted.

I knelt next to her just staring at her and at nothing in particular. "Alice," I whispered too quietly for human ears to hear. There was no change in her expression. There was no sign that she was aware of my pretense or anything else for that matter. I sighed heavily. My heart was thumping furiously from my recent hunting trip. My skin felt hot and alive all over. I looked down at Alice's unmoving hands. They appeared to be frozen as if they were covered with a thin layer of ice.

The setting sun fell beneath the layer of clouds just before it continued its journey to the other side of the earth. Its burning red rays shot through the window casting its glare upon her hand. Her sparkle glistened, radiating like a cluster of diamonds. The brilliance danced, reflecting the light so brightly I had to adjust my vision. As I stared in disbelief, the tiny beams of light twisted and flicked into a horrible blaze. Sparks crackled and the smell of smoldering flesh filled my nostrils. The flames tasted her skin, licking and lapping hungrily for more, threatening to engulf her. I screamed in terror and reached out grabbing her hand to extinguish the flame.

My body contorted with the strength of lightning charge coursing through my veins. In my pain and surprise, my eyes fluttered shut. Darkness.