Heyy : ) Thanks for the review Ephona; made my day ^.~
So, my little peoples, I am now going to show Claudia's view of meeting Elayn and Kalan'drios's view on that whole situation as well. Hope you all like it! By the way; is it Mr Beal or is it spelt differently...?
Claudia's POV
Of course I wasn't lost.
What rubbish.
What utter nonsense!
I grew up here...or around here... and I've probably been here one hundred times with the guys! Well, to be honest they always left me at The Keep and I always followed them on their monthly camp out's. Just because one time when I was young I caused a rather large explosion when they left me in the middle of a forest, leaves them no right to leave me alone in The Keep, with the only company for me are my mother's First Circle, the Kindred, my completed school work and a bunch of Mrs Beal's cookies.
That's not fair and they know it! One mistake and those four never let me near the forest...Ugh! Men! Thinking I get lost easy...Stupid thinking I am too 'un coordinated'! I'll show them un coordinated...when I find them.
Because I'm not lost.
So, maybe, I took a wrong turn when I was trying to keep the boyo's in view; maybe they put sight shields up? But I couldn't be lost...I mean...that bush looks familiar. But the bush looks the same as the bush twenty minutes back. Darn it! Mother Night, why did the Darkness make all bushes looks the same?!
This is so stupid...!
I tripped over an unexposed root and fell flat on my face. I lay there for the moment, looking angrily at the tree's thick roots with pure in annoyance and letting the sting on my face pass. My hair was a mess; I had dirt in places I've never wanted dirt before. And I'm simply not lost. I can't be – this is Ebon Askavi.
But, if I am lost I must think ahead. Who was it that said that 'If everything seems a dream, then act as if it's real life, for if it is real life, then you have lost nothing, and if it is a dream, then you're sure to wake up' ? I think I read it somewhere while faking to be listening to Kian; a Kindred wolf. He was talking about puppy things – he is, after all, only eight weeks old.
I pushed myself up shakily with my sore arms and lifted myself up to my full high again. I shoved a fauna covered branch away from me as I continued on a trail that wasn't there.
Let's see, I thought, if I am lost and if I'm not going to find the boys soon, then I should remember Daemonar's advice: One; if you are lost look for signs of familiarity. Done and it's not helping.
Two; search until it seems two hours until sunset, and find water to drink and food to eat.
Three; climb a tree to escape predators during the night. Simple.
Four; if you have enough energy...something, something, something... Mother Night I've forgotten!
A branch that I had pulled from my imaginary path and let go, came down and slapped me hard on the back of my neck. I yelped at the stinging sensation that now weaved its way around on my skin. The force of the branch ached, and it wasn't strong enough to send me tripping, but was certainly able to send me stumbling.
I fell to my knees and my hair surrounded the whole of my head like a curtain. I breathed heavily as my heart rate spead up. I shook my face and tried to stand for the billionth time, but was pulled down.
I heard a rustling as my, or rather Reon's, overall's got caught in was felt and sounded like a bush. The leaves were as sticky as Liand's attempt of pouched eggs and the flowers dug like needles into my skin. I huffed loudly, and very annoyed, sat down. Again.
The bush decided it would be fun to attach to the whole right side on my clothes and attempt my arm, and I decided that using Craft would be too dangerous; torching the whole bush would burn all stuck to my arms too, and Grandaddy Saetan wouldn't teach me any Craft to do with fire after my 'little accident'... And worse... I gulped as guilty swealed up at the resurfaced memories...the explosion, which was my fault, had caused the vanishment of one of Natrina and Kaelas's three Arcerian kittens...No one blamed me, but all my relationships with any Arcerians were forever cut off.
Why am I such a nuisance?!
I sniffed as my nose became slightly runny, and focus on the bright side. There was no one out here; no one to harm me. Yet.
I tugged sideways at the bush and felt some of the plant come off, but I couldn't hold that position forever, so when I relaxed double of what I had before attached to my borrowed overall. I cursed, growled, then fell silent when I heard a female voice.
"Kalan!" it sung into the air. The voice was so... wonderful. It made me feel comfortable, like it was a familiar voice from home. It also made me freeze and feel extremely conscience of the fact that I was easy prey stuck in this stupid bush that I've never seen before; I also didn't have much of my Red Jewelled power to use because I'm so exhausted.
The person sounded extremely similar to Sabrina, from Dharo, in Jaenelle's First Circle, but I was as certain it was Sabrina as I was sure that this bush was just going to get up and explore; I just wouldn't bet my life on it, because the chances were slim.
I felt my heart beat against my chest so loudly that I believed it would give my position away, and so I willed myself closer to the bush, not that I wanted to, as to try and give myself at least some cover or hide out.
I heard nothing after that, not even a wisp of movement. Maybe the person had stopped? Then, I saw the top of someone's head come into view from the edge of the tree. The female was about thirteen paces from me, and I was probably hidden from view due to the tree truck covering her view. The roots from the tree were so large that they covered up to her forehead in height, so whoever it was would almost be my height when I would be standing up.
"I'm going to get you...where ever you are..." The voice taunted, and as soon as those words were said I had an explosion of my own; in my stomach.
I felt fear like I'd never felt before, because I was alone – I'd always been protected by others... and worse...it's as if she knew I was here! Suddenly the boyos surrounding me didn't seem so bad.
A wave of nausea came over me when I figured that this female wasn't from The Keep or the First Circle – or even knew my parents; why would someone in their right mind be out here, in the middle of Darkness knows where?!
I tugged furiously at my overalls, suddenly desperate for the cloth to rip, the bush to release me, the boys to come, my parents to save me, and animal to shield me... something!
The wind was knocked from my lungs as two very strong hands pinned my arms to the side of me, with a small laugh and a, "Gotcha!"
I stared, wide eyed into the golden eyes of someone that looked slightly younger than me.
The girl had messy, shoulder length hair with a fringe and cut that looked like a professional had done it. She was wearing what looked like what had been a red chequered T-shirt, but had had the sleaves torn off, along with sun faded shorts. Her skin was tanned, her eyes a honey golden (which made her look unapproachable) and her hair ebon-black, marking her as one of the three long lived races. The clothes she wore showed her powerful legs, her arms, made her breast look large and her face perfect. I was awed; if she stood in the town centre... well...
She pulled a face at me and leaned backwards slightly before she was on her feet. I was frightened at the thoughts that ran through my head at what she could do to me. Lucivar's training courses flashed through my head like lightning; they were of no use to me when I was stuck like this to a stupid bush. So, Saetan's lessons ran through me head; Craft.
I sent my spell entwined with my Birthright Jewel, Opal, at the girl. The spell was supposed to seem dangerous, but only stun the humanoid while it figures out their Jewel Rank. Very helpful. At the same time, I spun an Opal shield around me and watched.
She raised her hand and I thought she was about to send out a spell of her own, when my spell collided with her – finger first.
And it was gone.
The girl wasn't frozen or stunned, she didn't show any fear and I got no information about her Jewel Rank. I was transfixed; did I not send my spell out right? Did it even hit her? One of my questions was seemingly answered as she threw up a Summer-Sky shield. A sane person would only ever put up a shield that would only ever be three Rank's below their own Jewel, unless it's a public area, were not many wear shields up, thinking they'd be safe. It was mad, in the conditions we were in, not to put up your strongest shield, although I sort of have an excuse, because few wear a Red Jewel and over so I could probably defeat her if I had the energy.
So unless there was a horde of Blood behind her, there was a very low change that she would favour in a battle, if she was sane and if she really was Summer-Sky Jewelled. Even if she wasn't, then the highest she could probably be would be Green Jewelled, again, that's if she was sane.
"You should watch where you are treading in these woods, my lady. I'm afraid this isn't the safest place in the three realms." She said in such a polite voice, it was as if she thought she was treading on ice. I felt a pinch of anger; of course I knew that – if it was the safest place in the three realms, then the boyo's wouldn't go camping here.
"Yes, I am quite aware of that, thank-you, but I mistook you for somebody else. Sorry for any disturbance in the...thing you were doing." I threw her a fake smile, trying to look sophisticated, before trying to get up from my laying down position – maybe that would detach the plant from me?
She nodded a small nod, half turning around, before I noticed she was looking at me from the corner of her eye. I looked away from her and tugged furiously at the weed thingy bush.
I heard her sigh lightly, before her shadow fell over me. I stopped what I was doing and looked up at her towering over me. She returned the smile and reached her hand over my head. Her arm pressed against my ear lightly as I was stuck between her and the plant, and I was wondering what the hell she was doing.
She grunted and the bush vanished from sight like someone pulling a plug from a bath tub. "Thanks." I muttered, unsure why no one had told me about these plants, and why she seemed to know what to do with them. I came to a conclusion: she gathered and stored information like my mother and probably live next to the forest as well, giving her knowledge of the environment around her.
She leaned away from me and gave me a good look over, and I felt like blushing, although I'd grown up not doing so around the boys; it was like she was looking me over like a piece of meat!
"Are you lost?" she asked me, again polite. I almost snickered. Instead, I gave a dry laugh. "Of course I'm not." Although it came out sounding like I was talking to myself, not her.
I saw her start to turn and she said lightly, "If you're not lost, then I'm sure I can leave you here then? If that's the case, than nice...meeting you." Meeting me? More like pouncing on me. No, that's no problem or anything; she did help me out of that bush... but how many more of those stupid bushes will I be caught in before I reach The Keep?
"Okay, okay I'm lost." I sighed; clearly annoyed. This was just not my day.
I saw fron the top of my eyes that she had extended her hand, and I felt unsure whether to take it. I could feel that there would be a big change if I did, although I was worried whether it was good or bad. When I did take it, she pulled me up so hard I felt as if I was going to go crashing into her. She pulled me up as fast as Lucivar would have, and just as strongly.
I was so close to her face, I was stunned and fearful that she was going to kiss me. Thank the Darkness my thoughts vanished as quickly as they came when she let go of my hand and took a step backwards. "Sorry." She apologized.
"You're strong." I noted, being very pleased and comfortable with this notion; it reminded me of the boyos. Maybe she isn't as bad as I thought she would be.
Kalan'drios's POV
Elayn was taking lots of blinks to find me. I should remember this place for next time, in case she never finds me. It was a place she would miss, because it would be silly for me to be here; I'm in a tree.
Sort of. I am using lots of Craft to hold myself up on the third highest branch of a very small tree; Elayn would never check here and I would be the winner. It is very hard to be a winner at this game because there is a very low chance either of us would give up Hide and Tag; we're both naturally competitive. No one has ever given up the chase of Hide and Tag before and today should be the first, and Elayn would forever be annoyed with the fact that I can hide better than her.
Kindred should naturally be better at hiding from two-leggers anyway, but Elayn was different. I remember barely anything before Elayn found me, and she could only tell me what she had witnessed. All I could remember was the voice in my head that told me to hide from the black fire.
I had chosen to live with Elayn at first, because I thought it would be safe, but over the months she taught me about the dangers of strangers, and my view on her had shifted. She treated me kindly though, and I almost ran away more than four times, but I knew that if I did I would have nowhere to run. Then, Elayn's moon times started, and I felt protective of her. So I stayed.
My eye lids dropped dramatically as I waited for my kin to find me. I heard something that sounded like a branch slapping skin, then a yelp, to the right of me. I didn't turn to look; it was probably some dumb animal, and even worse, a Landen. This would not help me in my game of Hide and Tag if I was to turn, give myself away, and never be overall champion of Elayn in Hide and Tag.
There was a shift of soil, rocks and twigs and I immediately suspected the change of a walk to a trip. An animal that is being worn out, perhaps? There was a violent change of noise as the thing sounded like it had gotten caught in some sort of plant after a clatter of stones, proving I was right that whatever it was had tripped. It'd probably fallen near or into one of the common weed bushes around here.
I was tempted to turn and growl as the rustling noise continued for about eight seconds before it stopped, and I heard a huff. Seconds later, there was a sniff of a runny nose, and I was starting to get my doubts on this animal being small or smart.
Any animal with half a tiny fish brain could smell and note that common weed bushes are not to be touched. There was more rustling before one of Elayn's curses (that she had forbidden me to use) was voiced and a quiet dull growl. I suddenly had an epiphany; this was no animal.
It was either the dumb Landens, or better yet, one of Elayn's type; Blood. It would be fun to scare it.
I've come to notice that around, well, everywhere, there are few Blood over then Jewel Rank Green. I start to wonder daily why Elayn and I are so different; I'm Ebon-Grey, and she's Grey.
I, of course, am more powerful, but the aura around Elayn suggested otherwise. She told me that she had grown up abused and cursed at for being a bastard's daughter (whatever that is), and had grown passive and immune to abusive behaviour. When her mother died, she had spent almost a year alone (I shuddered at the thought) and had grown into her new dominance of the house hold.
Overall, Elayn is kind, gentle and truthful, but when pushed she is ruthless, powerful and uncontrollable. And I love her for her that.
I felt strange, like I was being watched, and turned my head slightly to the right of me, when I suddenly froze.
"Kalan!" My given name was called, echoing around the forest. I stayed perfectly still, and watched, flat against the tree branch, as Elayn came into view. She was wearing her old checked shirt with its sleeves gnawed off by the puppies, and her almost white shorts.
I became at still as the tree, observing Elayn's movements as she stalked where I had been; she's good. Elayn came to a halt below the tree I was in, and I was straining to see and hear her. I saw, from the corner of my eye, her hand brush over the tree as she bent down to look at something. I mentally shrugged, but felt an explosion of smugness and glee as she continued to walk away from me.
"I'm going to get you...where ever you are..." she taunted, but to no one. I almost gave myself away by laughing; what a human emotion. Elayn's two-legged traits are starting to get to me.
The Landen/animal started going berserk; whatever it was that was stuck in the mere common weed bush had decided that this would be a great time to panic, and the noise was coming from where it had come from beforehand – between myself and Elayn.
Elayn spun around and crouched, and in a motion of blur she pounced. The next thing I heard was the impact of her pounce and a loud "Gotcha!" (Which, of course, she hadn't).
I raised myself slightly; not so much to give myself away but enough to see what was happening.
I almost laughed...again. Elayn had landed on a rather frightened looking Blood women; and with Elayn's sight shield over her they looked almost related. She jumped off the women, who looked almost the same age as her.
I stood up suddenly horrified, as an Opal spell was sent at my Blood-sister. I willed myself not give my position away, for strategy and Hide and Tag reasons. I felt suddenly edgy as I watched the spell fly towards her in what seemed slow motion, my mind racing ahead.
Of course if it hit Elayn, she would survive; there was only one low ranked woman against Elayn and me. Of course, Elayn doesn't know that. The woman doesn't know that either.
If I made sure Elayn was safe, and then came back here, then I would be saving my part-sister and still be winning the game of Hide and Tag. It's...what did she call it...a win-win situation? Probably.
Elayn did was I would have – she cancelled the spell. I noticed that the woman had put up an Opal Jewelled shield, but I felt that she wasn't what she seemed. I felt sort of drawn to her... No!
I snarled in my mind at the mere thought of that.
I am not drawn to a mere Blood female that I have never met before. That is wrong. That is insane. I am Kalan'drios – Elayn's kin-brother and I will not be drawn to a female that is unknown to me. She must be a witch with a spell on her! No I will no will to her just because I am drawn to her.
I stood a statue on the branch; watching. My ears stayed on edge, listening to everything as I watched the conversations between the two. It was easy to tell that the women Elayn had met was higher than an Opal Jewel; it was also easy to tell she was also very alone, lost, scared, jealous and frustrated. I watched her with caution and the itch to shield Elayn was driving me to my personal limits.
I was riding towards the killing edge very easily as I could do nothing; giving myself away would ruin a perfectly good hiding spot which had taken weeks to find, and I was not willing to give that up. Not yet, anyway.
The women smelt of males. Lots of males... or maybe that was something else in the air. It didn't feel right; I felt like I was being watched, although I had a shield over me, and even my own adoptive-sister didn't notice me. It felt horrible...a deep feeling in the pit of my stomach.
My ear twitched as I heard the sound of distant foots on the ground; the thing was close but heading away from us. I dismissed the notification and watched as my sister and her follower walked into the Western direction of a nearby road. I felt the hairs on the back of my neck rise as a feeling washed over me, and for a split second I saw a flash of a person not two meters from Elayn.
I rose till I was almost at the killing edge, and I willed myself to calm down. Tighten the leash: that's what the wolves had told me. I used air walk to run over my quickly disappearing sister, pausing briefly over where I had seen the flash of the person, and sniffed. There was no smell, and nothing there to see.
I turned slightly to my right, as if knowing someone was there, but all I saw was a tree. I snarled lightly and charged after the two females who had vanished from my sight, giving me the creeps.
Catching up with them seemed like child play; the older woman walked a lot slower than Elayn's usual walking speed. I felt on edge at everything; jumpy at the slightest movement, and even restless as Elayn took a wrong turn. My senses where stretched to the limits as I was sure there was someone following us.
The woman, who soon identified herself as 'Claudia', was as slow as a turtle in Elayn's peanut butter, and half way there complained about Elayn's speed. It took everything in me not to bat her on the head with my paw, even if it was playful.
My sister's wrong turn took her in a completely different direction; this was territory we had only explore two, maybe three times, so she couldn't have memorised everything. My pre-guess was that she would head for the nearest road, wind or town. I remembered that there was a road with a Rose Jewelled wind over it, so I estimated that they would head there.
I ran a head, and realised the problem before Elayn must have even began to think about it; we weren't were she had intended to go.
There was a road: A road that I had seen before hand, but in a different territory, and if Elayn had of remembered or noticed that that road wasn't a public one like she thought it may have been, then she wouldn't have gone anywhere near it.
And there was a wind: A Grey Jewelled wind, intended for all those ranked Grey-Jewelled and up.
We were on private property, next to a Grey Jewelled wind, and on someone's land. There was a giant castle that towered in the distance, but I could just see it, and I was air walking. Elayn rounded the corner some distance away from me. But... Elayn!
I have to warn Elayn...!
I heard the frequent drumming of wings nearby, and snarled as an Eyrien passed me. He turned his head slightly towards me, but by the time his slow two-legged movement had done that, I was racing down to the ground.
I was three feet from Elayn, her back turned away from the couple (who where greeting each other and speaking of Elayn as if she wasn't there), when I felt something like a wire wrap around my hind legs and send me meeting the ground face first.
I lay still as something cold and sharp dug against the side of my neck. Teeth? A weapon?
"Stay still and I won't kill you." An ice cold voice whispered into my right ear. It twitched in response but I lay still, confused. Then, I blacked out.
***
I opened my eyes drowsily and looked through the slits of my eyelids. I could hear my heart thudding loudly in my ears, and saw everything as one colourful blur. I blinked several times, things getting clearer.
Someone was standing on the ground... Four males... Two females... Blood. Blood. Female blood. This is bad; males protect females... I must protect...
Must protect... sister....
My vision snapped suddenly, everything seeming detailed one hundred times its usual. I could hear like never before – hearing past the distant trees and hearing the sing-songs of bluebirds. I could taste my blood in my mouth.
But the worst of all, I could smell my sister. My sisters' blood, spilling onto the ground like water. I could smell the males, two riding the killing edge.
I felt myself plunge into the Abyss, gather my full strength and glide back up. My legs obeyed with hidden power as I stood up with grace and circled around to back my sister. I watched the males' movements, feeling dominant and deadly.
Claudia's face peeked over one of the males' shoulders, and Elayn looked up at her, sending a look of daggers her way.
One of the males, the one with white hair, rose to the killing edge; and I rose to meet him. The power filled me, making all my body feel light and agile. The power surged through my like water into a bucket; trees around me froze over as I faced the new opponents.
The threats to the female.
Everything has a price, and attacking my kin has it's.
Every male here must die. Must protect the females.
Protect my female.
I vanished my sight shield and roared ferociously at the idiots who hurt to my sister.
Should I do the next Chapter Daemonar's, explaining a lot of what is hidden in this text (a.k.a – Kalan'drios doesn't just trip over 3ft from Elayn), or go back to Elayn's POV?
Please Review and tell me if you like it :)
~~ToySoldiers~~
