Chapter 24

Right, OK guys. I've had no submissions for the new character, so I've decided… he's called Shane… I'm not going to say any more cos I have a lot planned for him…

Previously:

"I see, I see. Well, this is interesting. I'll have to do something about this. You," he looked at Luke. "Had the first official claim to Nessie, and so you want the dog who stole her heart from you dead. Well, less now but you wouldn't mind. And the wolf... You want the same but because of what the boy has done to your love. I think there is only one way to settle this."

Alice gasped. "No, you can't do that. Neither did anything wrong."

"In your opinion. Both have charges against the other. I see this method fit. It was the done thing in my first ruling century."

"Dad, what is it?" I asked nervously. He just stood there, and grabbed me close. He hugged me so hard I could hardly breathe. Not that that would matter...much.

Mum looked as worried as I did. "Edward?..."

"Nessie, whatever happens next you have to trust me. Don't react, just please stay calm." Dad whispered in my ear. This had to be bad, although Dad always expected me to react badly, no matter what the situation.

"Edward, what is it?" Mum asked again.

"I think Aro is bursting to explain. Go on." He growled at the marble white vampire only feet away.

"If you wish. I personally thought you would like to break it to the three gently. But if this is what you want." Jacob's glare clearly said 'stop babbling and get to the point' about as strongly as a now phased wolf face could. "The vampire and wolf boys will duel for the lady, as was done in my day. I propose a fight to the death, with the natural weapons as swords and personal abilities as armour. I am jumping to see the outcome."

"Except you're not, you're just standing there about to get one innocent kid killed by another, meaning one dead and one a murderer. Either way, the winner will be killed by the opposing tribe for the breaking of the treaty. Both will end up dead, or is that what you want?" Carlisle almost whispered. He sounded so calm about the whole thing, it was scaring me worse than what id already heard.

I felt myself go heavy and felt a pounding in my head. I could hear someone saying my name again and again, but it sounded as if I was miles away from the voice. I slipped slowly off into y world of nightmares.

Shane

I was on an air patrol when I spotted a large clearing with a small group of people standing on a large rock in the centre. I glided lower to investigate, and discovered that none were people at all. Most gave off a metallic smell, like blood, but one smelled of dog and… something else familiar. I think he was a shifter, like me and my tribe. I perched in a tree near the rock. Eagles must be common here because they didn't seem to care I was there.

"Nessie, Nessie wake up, please wake up." The dog smelling one (let's call him Dog, I'm so creative) was kneeling over the body of a girl, which again smelt different. She was like the others but with the scent of human too.

There was a pasty faced man, smiling but looking a bit frustrated, like something was taking too long. He walked over to a boy who stood away from the crowd. The boy looked shocked and was staring into space. When the man reached him, he mumbled so the rest couldn't hear.

"Why are you doing this?" he said.

The marble faced man replied "to give you a chance to win the heart of the girl you love."

"That's not true and you know it."

"You can do nothing, truth or not. If I were you, I would be thankful. Although, if you don't want the fight-"

"Luke, she's waking up." The boy looked at the marble man and joined Dog at the girl's side.

"She was just shocked, that's all," said another pale man. This one looked kinder and friendlier than Marble Man, but all of them gave me the creeps, frankly.

Nessie

As I came around I spotted an eagle sitting in a nearby tree. This one looked strange, but also familiar. "Jacob, you see that bird over there? In the tree."

"Yeah, what about it?" He studied it. "I got nothing." He said quizzically.

I put my hand to his cheek and told him.

I think it's got something to do with the jaguar I saw earlier. Could you greet it and see what it does?

He just looked at me. His face read 'are you kidding or just stupid?' and so I returned his glare with another vision.

Just do it.

He sighed and walked over to the bird. It didn't fly away, so I followed him to see what they both did.

"I feel so stupid right now, Mr Bird. Sorry if you're a girl but I can't tell because you're a bird. Could you do something to make me feel less stupid? Because that would really help." He sighed. So his surprise, the bird sort of bounced up and down, wheezing. It could have been laughter, but we didn't find out because Aro walked over and the bird flew away.

"Prepare yourself, you fight at dawn," he said.

"You don't get it, do you? I'm not fighting, and neither is he." Jacob growled in his alpha tone.

"I have no choice, Jacob." Luke murmured.

"Yes you do. You can fight, or not fight. I'm not if you aren't either. I don't want to kill you, you're a good guy.

"Neither of us have a choice. Not if Nessie is going to live." Luke argued.

Aro decided to butt in at that point. "If you fight then one of you lives and loves the girl. If you refuse to sacrifice one of your lives, then I will take hers. It's very simple." Jacob looked shocked and worried at the same time. He pushed me behind him.

"Jacob, don't. Don't do this. I don't want either of you to die." I cried at him.

"I'd prefer it one of us than you." He protested. "I'll fight." He turned to Luke. "I guess it's up to us now."

"If I live through this, I won't lay a finger on her." Luke promised.

"If I win… well I don't really have anything I can promise you. And I'm not leaving Nessie." Jacob added.

"Just look after her, OK?" Luke suggested.

"Of course. I do that anyway."

"Now! The two opponents have until dawn to prepare themselves, and then to return here. Each will be accompanied by one of my brotherhood to ensure no foul play. Jacob is to be accompanied by Jane, and Luke by Alec. I recommend that you, Bella, do not interfere with them." With that, he strode away with everyone except the rest of my family, Jacob, Luke, Jane and Alec.

"Don't even think about trying to attack me." Jane stalked off, leaving us with Alec. She stopped, turned around and glared at Jacob and I. I glanced sadly at Jacob before sprinting off into the deep woods. I wasn't going to help either of them prepare to kill the other. They were friends, and friends shouldn't fight. It felt wrong and I didn't want to think about the outcome. I just couldn't face it, so I ran. I went to see our deer, Cherry I think, but she wasn't there. I looked into the small hole we'd left her in, and curled up inside to try and distract myself. But it was all I could think about. I tried to think about how Jacob was with Jane and not me. He could have been in agony for all I know. But that didn't bother me, not when I was like this. Then I thought about Luke. He'd never done anything to deserve this; he didn't even want to fight. They were only doing this because of me.

It was all my fault.

Shane

I've never had anyone talk to me out of the tribe when I was a bird, but the girl seemed to realise something about me. When Dog came and spoke to me I couldn't help laughing at him. I think I know what the scent is. He must be a shifter, a dog shifter of some kind. I decided I'd talk to him again.

As I circled the glade, I spotted the girl zoom out of the clearing. She moved as fast as a blur. I followed her to a fallen tree, where she curled up in a hollow. I Perched on the tree and heard her crying. I hate it when girls cry, probably because I always used to be because of me. I could never settle with one girl, because the tribe had to keep moving. Ryan says his father 'imprinted' on his mother, which means something about true love forever. As far as I know, I've never imprinted.

I hopped down so that I could see her face. I wanted to phase back but I didn't have any clothes. Within the pack, this wouldn't have bothered me, even with Skye around. But a strange girl, in the forest, that would just be weird.

Nessie

I looked up then, because I heard a quiet rustling sound. In front of me sat the same eagle from earlier. "Hey." I said, because for some reason I still felt that the bird could understand me. "Do you get a word I'm saying? Cos otherwise I think I sound pretty stupid." The bird looked at me blankly. I felt my stomach collapse. But then it gave a small squawk. "Is that a yes?" it squawked again. I smiled. "Are you a shifter?"

Shane

I don't know how she would have guessed, but she was right, so I squawked. She seemed to understand me.

"Are you a girl?" at that I put up a mighty protest with flapping wings and screeching. "I'll take that as a no." she said. I hopped with relief. "can you shift back so I can talk to you properly?" OK now I was stuck. I put one wing up at her signalling to wait but as I flew away she looked a bit upset.

Nessie

I just hoped I hadn't scared him off. I sat alone again, wallowing in my misery and waiting for something interesting to happen.

When Demetri came into view, I panicked and looked upwards, shocked. "You will attend the duel willingly, or Aro will send me to track you down and force you there." He said plainly and left. I hate trackers: one of them almost killed my mother.

Another figure crept out of the trees. All he wore was a pair of shorts, like the pack, but he wasn't a wolf. This boy had bright golden eyes, like small stars. He had short, ruffled, coal-black hair and a muscular figure. He was about the same height as Jacob, with the same defined cheek bones. He had a tattoo on his right shoulder, like Jacob, and was similar in appearance too. This one had different details though, which I had learned naturally appeared along with the tattoo depending on your pack.

"Who are you?" I asked in my classic panicky voice.

"I'm Shane; you were just talking to me. I'm the eagle shifter." I looked over his shoulder and saw that the sky was turning pink, a tell-tale sign of daybreak. He turned and saw it too. "It's nearly dawn. Shouldn't you be going to that duel thing?"

"How did you… oh yeah. Um, I guess I'll talk to you later." I walked slowly off, letting the whole situation sink in. There was a new pack or tribe or whatever in the area, and Jacob wouldn't like that. If he lived to find out that is.

"Aah, Renesmee, I see you are back. I was about to send Demetri. You may sit here, next to me." He pointed me towards a tall cushioned chair at the front of a fair collection. Below us, off the rock, Jacob and Luke stood at opposite ends of the field. "Let the fight…"