The Hunt
Renesmee and Jacob decided to start their morning with a hunt….
As Jacob led them up the mountain range; the one suggested by their driver Akiak, Renesmee started feeling a little unsure about the location. It wasn't the region Carlisle instructed them to hunt in but Jacob felt confident they would be safe.
"Jake, are you sure it's okay to head this way? Carlisle was very specific about where to hunt around here," she warned.
"Sure sure, Akiak said there wouldn't be hunters up this mountain and I believe him. Look at the terrain. No human would climb this. Trust me."
She stopped for a moment scanning the area, looking as far as her eyes could see. She didn't detect the scent of any human blood at all, but she still held onto her doubts. She folded his arms in a pout. When Jacob sensed she was no longer right behind him he stopped and looked back to check on her. He could see she was hesitating.
He rolled his eyes. "If you're scared we could just head back the other way. I'm sure there's plenty of elk on the other side."
She wasn't in the mood for elk today however. Finally, she sighed giving in. "No, no… I trust you. We'll head this way."
He stepped closer and put his hand under her chin, looking into her eyes. "You sure?" he said softly.
She nodded back, gazing into his warm brown eyes. "I'm sure." She smiled.
"Okay then…let's find you a moose."
At that, Renesmee held her hand out. "Off with the pants."
Jacob grinned devilishly.
"Heh! I love it when you talk dirty."
She swatted him playfully before he kissed her forehead, then dropped his jeans to the ground and kicked them off. Renesmee took him as he transformed and carried them while they climbed.
As they both charged up the mountain to a higher plain, they raced each other through the forest till they ended up in a large clearing. Renesmee was the first to spot the enormous bull moose as grazed on a pine. The animal smelled delightful to her and without hesitation she sped off in its direction but the moment the beast sensed a predator it quickly tried to make an escape. Renesmee was too fast for it though. She tackled the enormous creature, leaping on its back and snapping its neck in seconds. She then latched onto the animal's neck, taking her meal.
Jacob casually followed behind, allowing her time to enjoy her food. As he waited, a small breeze rushed under his nose and he caught the scent of a second animal. He lifted his muzzle trying to identify what it was. The scent was unusual, one he didn't recognize. Jacob looked through all the trees trying to spot it but saw nothing. He assumed it was too far from them to worry about and continued on until he reached Renesmee. She was wiping the blood from her lips as he approached. The giant wolf nudged her with his cold wet nose, inquiring about her meal.
"Mmm, it was pretty good. Better than elk but still nothing compared to bear." Renesmee said looking down at the lifeless beast. As usual, she would leave the remains for hungry scavengers in the area, and it didn't take long at all for other animals to pick up the scent of the blood.
Just as they started to move on, Renesmee spotted the head of a massive black bear clearing trees in front of them.
"Look!" she gasped.
Jacob immediately spun around to see what was coming.
"Gosh, he's huge" she squealed, walking towards it. "The biggest I've ever seen. I bet he sure tastes good."
Jacob quickly jumped in front of her to stop her from going any farther. He shook his head, warning her not to approach it.
"What? What's wrong Jake?"
He sensed something very unusual about the animal. It was no typical bear at all. Then suddenly all at once, three more came out in the clearing just behind the first. This was very familiar behavior to him and he knew now what they were up against.
"Woah!" Renesmee's eyes widened.
The other three bears that appear out of the trees were even larger than the first, standing nearly a foot taller than Jacob. Renesmee felt a shiver travel up her spine when she realized all four of them had their eyes fixated on her. Their growls got even louder as they closed in.
Jacob hovered close to his wife now, standing between her and the bear pack for protection, watching their every move. He wished she could hear him to tell her to run.
The biggest one attacked first. When it leaped towards Renesmee she instinctively jumped in the air, hurling herself out of its range. Jacob threw himself in front of the animal, trying to use his weight to knock it down but the bear was much too large. It outweighed him by almost a hundred pounds. He knew it would be difficult to fight off just the one but he now had three more to fight off and knew the task would be impossible. His only chance to save Renesmee would be to keep them fighting long enough and hope she could outrun them, even if it meant death for him. He was willing to sacrifice himself to save her life. He knew Carlisle was right and now he was really wishing he had listened.
Renesmee wanted to run but when she saw Jacob being taken down she couldn't leave him.
"Jake!" she screamed and instantly the bears redirected their attention back to her.
"No Ness! Run! Run!" Jacob thought, but she could not hear his pleas.
One of the bears turned in her direction to attack and this time, she stood her ground. Snarling and angry, she barred her teeth at the creature ready to fight. When it lunged she dodged the animal and swung her arm out to smash its face. The bear growled when she struck its sensitive nose but its jagged teeth managed to clip her arm. As soon as she felt the pain and saw the blood oozing from the gash in her skin, she knew these were no ordinary bears at all. The fear set in, knowing these animals were designed to destroy her kind and she knew they wouldn't be able to take on all of them. The bear got back up and charged at her again. She screamed for her life, thinking this would be the end.
Unexpectedly, the bear stopped in his tracks. The other three also ceased fighting and backed off of Jacob. He was bewildered by their actions until he saw a large man walking towards them - someone he recognized.
"Stop!" the man ordered.
It was Akiak. He was accompanied by another tall native; both wearing what appeared to be tribal attire made from animal skins.
"Look!" he said. It appeared that he was speaking to the bears. "The girl bleeds!"
The four large animals all looked where he pointed, seeing that he was right; Renesmee's arm was covered in her blood. Their eyes widened as they watched her wound heal within seconds.
When Renesmee saw the bears listening to him, she pleaded for his help. "Akiak! Please, make them stop. We're peaceful!"
The burley Eskimo walked over to her. "What are you? Are you a BloodDrinker?" He demanded to know.
It all made sense to her now. They obviously spotted her attacking a moose and drinking its blood. They knew what she was but they were confused because vampires don't bleed or have flesh. Renesmee only hoped Akiak would give her the chance to explain.
"I-I won't hurt you, I swear." She stuttered, trembling with fear. Tears ran down her face. "I hunt only animals, not people."
Akiak could see she was scared. He liked Renesmee since he met her and wanted to believe she was not a killer as the others suspected.
"You bleed. Your hearts beats and your eyes are warm. Tell us… what are you then?" Akiak asked again.
She hesitated, worried about how they might react if she told the truth. "I can show you. I have a gift."
"Show me?... How?"
"I need to touch you."
"No!" The other young man warned. "It's a trick. Don't let the creature touch you!"
"It's not a trick. I won't hurt you, I swear. Please trust me." she pleaded.
The other native whispered something into Akiak's ear, warning him again but Akiak was sure she was not a killer as they feared. He stepped closer to Renesmee, kneeling down in front of her. Then he looked her strait in the eyes and witnessed the tears roll down her cheeks. He knew that vampires cannot cry. Akiak desired to trust her.
"I will allow this," he said finally after some thought. Then he held out his hand to her.
"Father, no!" The other man shouted.
Renesmee hesitated, afraid to move. Akiak held his hand up and signaled for his son to remain quiet. Then he held out hand out again.
"Now. You will show me this …gift," he said.
She nodded and then reached up to his face and touched his cheek. Akiak felt a surge of energy flow though him followed by many visions. She showed him everything about her life. His eyes widened as he watched her life pass through his mind like a movie being played in his head.
"Father! Are you alright?" his son asked noticing the dazed look on his father's face.
"Yes, yes. I just… I need a moment."
"Do you see now? All I said is true." Renesmee asked
"Yes. …Incredible. I've never seen anything like you in all my years."
"How many years is that exactly?" she wondered.
"I am one hundred and twelve years old," he said.
Jacob's eyebrows went up. He's never known an elder that had lived so many years before, and yet looked like he was only half his age.
"These two mean us no harm. They are peaceful as they say." He assured the others.
Both Jacob and Renesmee exhaled and relaxed.
Akiak took his robe off and held it out to Jacob offering it to him so that he may phase and cover himself. He also knew exactly what Jacob was.
Jacob was hesitant at first, but when Renesmee assured him it was alright she changed back into his human form and took the robe.
"Thanks," he said.
Akiak gave him a nod. "Welcome, brother."
"Brother? That's a strange word to call someone you just tried to kill!" he grumbled.
"My apologizes Jacob. When I met you, I sensed what you were. I also sensed she was your imprint but when we saw her attack the animal we suspected she was one of the Blood Drinkers returning to the island."
Jacob thought it interesting that they had their own term for them. They too knew of the Cold Ones in their own land. He knew their term must have been passed down through many generations before him.
"We don't see many of their kind, but we recently had one pass through here. It murdered an entire family. We have been searching for it ever since," Akiak explained.
"When?" Jacob wondered.
"Just a couple weeks ago."
"So you're all like Jake then? You're protectors of the island?" Renesmee asked.
"Yes, that is correct," the elder replied.
"Why bears?" Jacob asked.
Akiak shrugged. "Why wolves?"
"Um…I dunno. It's just what we're descended from. Our ancestors were wolves."
"Exactly. Just as ours were bears. We don't choose it Jacob, it chooses us. We are the same you and I," Akiak said.
The other young male named Tom (short for his native name Tomkin) spoke up.
"I don't understand. How it is you have imprinted on this…girl? She's clearly not our kind."
"I can't explain it. It's just happened the moment I saw her. She's my life mate and I love her. I'm ready to die for her if I have to."
"So we've seen." Akiak remarked.
Renesmee interrupted them. "We bring peace between our two families. My family doesn't harm people either. I think by some miracle it was just meant to be…to bring us together and prove that we can live harmoniously."
"Yes, I know of your kind; Blood Drinkers that don't hunt humans. We can tell by their eyes. We have a treaty with…"
Before he could finish Renesmee grabbed her stomach in pain and moaned. Jacob grabbed her. "What's wrong? Are you hurt?"
"I…I don't know. I don't feel well."
He held her with one arm around her waist supporting her and the other stroked her cheek. "Do you want me to take you back?" he asked.
She didn't want to leave. She was intrigued by their new discovery of the bear clan. She shook her head though she was obviously in pain.
"Would you like for our healer to look at you?" Akiak offered.
"No I'm fine. It…it's just…ah, cramps."
The two Native men looked at each other and chuckled softly, Akiak especially. "Um, didn't you say you're on your honeymoon?"
Jacob rolled his eyes ignoring him as he focused on his wife's condition. "What can I do?"
Akiak made an offer. "Why don't you let your husband take you back to your cabin so you may rest. I don't feel any harm has been done here. Go in peace."
"But what if the girl hunts…" Tom started to speak but Akiak held his hand off cutting him off.
He had a new trust for the girl. After seeing the visions he was sure she would not harm anyone. He knew a good spirit when he saw it and she possessed one of the purest he'd ever encountered. He assured the others that no harm would come to them or their families at the hands of the girl.
Jacob nodded and scooped Renesmee up in his arms.
"Wait!" she said holding her hand out to Akiak. "Will we see you again?"
He touched it and felt the connection once more. "Yes, soon. I must share what I've witnessed to my tribe. I will make contact with you both soon. Be well," he said
Renesmee smiled and nodded.
Jacob carried her most of the way back to the cabin until she finally insisted that she was feeling better and demanded to walk. She talked the entire time mostly about the Bear Tribe. Jacob was as curious about them as she was and he couldn't wait to share the news about them with his pack when he returned home. He had never thought of the idea there might be more tribes like his that could transform but it made total sense being that there are so many other regions where vampires exist. He wondered how many more tribes there must be on the continent and what forms they have taken.
When they reached the cabin, Renesmee was clearly exhausted but also excited by their new discovery. Jacob had to force her to lie down and rest. He lay with her, stoking her hair until she fell asleep. She was out a long time, longer than Jacob expected.
When she finally woke it was late in the evening. She stretched her body trying to motivate herself to get up. She finally dragged herself out of the bed and made a much needed trip to the bathroom. Before opening the bedroom door she thought she noticed a familiar voice coming from the other room. She stepped out into the living room to see Jacob and Carlisle sitting on the couches, talking in a low tone.
"Carlisle? What are you doing here?" she asked.
"Jacob called me last night and asked me to some check on you. He was worried."
"Ugh! Jake! Why did you go and…uh, wait…did you just say last night?"
Renesmee looked over at the digital clock on the kitchen oven that read: 6:47PM.
"Exactly how long have I been asleep?" she asked.
"Like fourteen hours Ness. You really had me worried."
"Jacob says you experienced some bleeding and pain yesterday?" Carlisle mentioned. He was very worried as well.
"Yeah but it's nothing. Like I said before, it just my monthly and no reason get all worked up over. I seriously can't believe you called Carlisle to come all the way up here Jake! My dad is gonna freak now," she said angrily.
"I'm sorry but I just had to be sure."
"Don't worry. I haven't said anything to anyone. As far as the family is concerned, there's an emergency at work and I am filling in. I always take the overtime so they will never know."
"Dad will, as soon as he reads your mind!"
"Trust me, I have enough on my mind at work to occupy my thoughts so that he'll simply tune me out, I promise. He'll never know I was even here."
"Well even still… there's no need. There's nothing wrong with me." She folded her arms.
"How about I just check just to be sure…do you mind? It was a long trip."
She huffed. "Tsk! fine."
Reluctantly, she allowed Carlisle to run some simple tests on her. He'd brought an entire apparatus of medical supplies with him, running blood and urine tests, the whole nine yards. Jacob was surprised he didn't have his own personal portable x-ray machine on hand with him. He was quite useful to have around though he'd thought.
Carlisle found nothing though during his exam however. Her tests all came back clean and she appeared to be perfectly healthy with no more bleeding or pain now.
"I told you Carlisle. There's nothing wrong. I'm sorry Jake made you come all the way up here for nothing." She scowled at Jacob.
"It's no trouble sweetheart. I'd rather be sure. You are my only granddaughter you know."
"I know." She smiled.
"How's your trip so far?" he asked changing the subject.
"It's wonderful!" She beamed. "Carlisle…did you know there are huge bears on the island?"
He let out a small chuckle."Well of course, they're over-populated here."
"No, no I don't mean that…I mean these bears are like Jake! They formed a pack and they are the island protectors. Just like the Quileute tribe!"
Carlisle turned to Jacob. His expression was no longer a pleasant one. "You hunted off the grounds I specified?"
Suddenly Jacob realized this wasn't new news to him.
"Wait, you knew didn't you?"
"Jacob, I warned you for a reason."
"Well why didn't you just tell me then! I had a right to know there are others like us!"
"I didn't feel it was my place to disclose the information about them and I especially didn't want them finding out about Renesmee. We're not on as good of terms with them as we are with your tribe. I didn't want to risk it."
The Cullen's held a treaty with their tribe, much like the one they had with the wolves. They always stayed within their own territory however and never caused any problems for the Bears. They also never had any need or desire to get to know them on a more personal level. Jacob thought about it for a moment and realized Carlisle might be right. He was only trying to protect them from a confrontation.
"I'm sorry Carlisle. I thought it would be safer to hunt on higher grounds where hunters wouldn't go but I had no reason to think that the island was protected by anyone."
"Where did you go to hunt then?" he wondered.
"Painted Mountain," he answered.
Carlisle groaned knowing it was not a region where vampires were welcome. "Of all places, what made you decided to go way up there?"
"The driver you sent, his name is Akiak and he recommended it to me. For some reason he thought I was the hunting type."
This made more sense to Carlisle now.
"Of course, he probably, sensed what you are immediately. What about Renesmee?"
"Not a clue. He thought she was human. I mean, why would he think otherwise right?" Jacob explained.
"Well considering you spent nearly four hours on an airplane full of humans and Renesmee has your scent all over her most of the time, no, I suppose he wouldn't assume that."
There were still some unanswered questions that Carlisle wondered about however. "How exactly did you discover them?" he asked.
"Um…well they attacked when they saw me take down a moose."
"They attacked you?" Carlisle became instantly defensive. "Did they harm you?"
"No, it's okay, Akiak let me touch him and I showed him everything. He understands that we're peaceful now."
"You showed him…everything?" he said cringing at the thought. He imagined the trouble it would cause for them to know there was a vampire-human hybrid in their midst.
"Yup." She grinned.
"And what exactly was their reaction to this information?"
"Akiak was of course amazed by my abilities," she bragged. "He likes me. We're friends."
Carlisle looked at Jacob for approval. He nodded in response. This was an unexpected surprised for Carlisle. He never would have thought to allow Renesmee to give them a comprehensive vision explaining their situation, nor would he have figured it would work out in their favor. "Well, I can't imagine anyone notbeing amazed by you Ness and you're certainly too charming not to be loved. I'm just relieved it was enough to convince them."
Jacob agreed.
"Were you able to mind link with them by chance?" Carlisle asked.
Jacob hadn't even thought about it. "No, but I hadn't tried. I wonder if it could be possible."
"It could be helpful to know where we stand with all of them if you do but I'm not suggesting you try to meet with them again to find out. It would be just fine with me if you decided to avoid them while you're here."
"I can't help but be curious about them though Carlisle. I mean…I had no idea there were others. Wouldn't you be if you thought you were the only one like your kind? Wouldn't you be curious too?"
"Of course I would Jacob. I understand completely. Just don't do anything at the expense of Renesmee's safety."
"I don't intend to. She's my priority while we're here. Honeymoon comes first."
She smiled at her husband.
Carlisle stood to pack up and get ready to leave. "Well, I don't want to take up any more of your time here then. You two enjoy yourselves and please don't hesitate to contact me for anything else, okay?"
Renesmee hugged him. "We won't."
