Secrets of the Starnik

Chapter 2: The Daughter of the Starnik

The den was quite, Rosie has discovered, annoyingly quiet. All her life, the den and the temple they all once lived in was always full of chatter, laughs and the occasional cry. But now, it was silent, all that could be heard was the breeze blowing by the trees, that was all. She sat overlooking the valley of her home, thinking. It just wasn't right she came to conclude, unnatural. Wolves stay and make packs, they don't leave, it goes against every part of their instincts. But in this rapidly changing world, packs hardly existed anymore; wolves lived on their own, with their families or friends in both human settlements and dens in forests. Wolves lived in packs to be safe, but now that humans were no longer threats packs aren't necessary, so why stay together? The younger generations would only understand it and adapt around to it quicker then the elders who knew nothing but pack life. Despite the fact Rosie had never been a part of a pack; it was in her primal instincts to be in one or to at least have one. The younger once grew around the fact they were no longer needed. Chance's pack was an acceptation, she did still have a pack on the other side of the mountain from the temple, they lived there but freely walked in and out to see humans and their settlements. It was like their street; they lived there but did as they wished.

Still, it was quiet now, horribly quiet. Scott, who was sat back against the mouth of the den in his human form, heard her sigh and her ears and head droop slightly. He dropped the book he was reading and started to crawl towards her, and by the time he reached her he was sitting beside her as her wolf and mate. He nuzzled her neck. "What's wrong honey?" He asked. "You've been a little down lately."

"It's nothing." She sighed again. He pulled away and looked her in the eye, and she sensed him watching and knew it was no point in lying. "It's just…it's too quiet around here. It just doesn't feel natural for the kids to move away and live elsewhere. We're supposed to have a pack Scott, not just have the two of us."

"Are you trying to say you want kids again?" He asked half joking and half serious.

"No, it's not that. It's just since the fort, everything has gone quiet. We've never had a quiet life before. It's always been about fighting and trying to survive."

"It's a life we've always wanted." Scott understood. "You're just not believing it. We always wanted a family to have in safe place. The Ditori are finished, we're safe and so are the kids. You'll see soon enough." He smiled and licking the corner of her mouth.

"I hope so." She smiled slightly. Her smile turned a little more devious and her tail wagged at a thought. "And what you said about having pups again?" She grinned, he quickly understood. "The answer's no." She quickly added, making his smile diminish again. "But I'd love to feel like we might, if you get what I mean." She winked and walking towards the den, her tail and hips swishing behind her seductively. He followed after her, his gaze transfixed on her swaying hips the entire way. But just as she entered the den, it was all interrupted by a surprise. There was a flash of white mixed with a dark green and a loud static shock like sound that snapped to the right and suddenly Tony appeared, his clothes falling as if he was hit by an air cannon. Scott couldn't believe his eyes.

"Tony?" He asked.

"Hey Scott, how's it been?" He asked.

"Did you just…"

"Teleport?" He finished. "Yeah, I did." Rosie stepped out, unable to believe what just happened herself.

"But how, you're not a supernatural?" She asked bewildered.

"Because if your daughter." He chuckled and presenting them with a small stone. "She put some kind of spell on it, I've got to think of where I want to go and hit it against something and it takes me there. Pretty cool really." He answered and placing it back into his pocket.

"Myka made that?" He chuckled in wonder and awe. "How come we never got one?"

"It was hard to make, she wanted me to have it so I could see her when I wanted and she didn't have to bring me." He chuckled.

"So what brings you here Tony? You kinda interrupted something." Rosie asked, antsy to continue with what she and Scott were about to start.

"I'm sorry, but this isn't a social call." He nodded and getting back on track. "Scott I need you to come with me, back to Kalispell."

"Me? Why?"

"There's this… It's hard to explain, will you just come please?" He pleaded and getting the rock ready. He didn't understand what was going on, but something in his tone of voice and eyes looked worried and desperate. So he nodded.

"Yeah, sure. Just give me two secs and I'll be there." Tony nodded and as he mentally pictured his and Skye's home he hit the stone against a tree beside him and he vanished into that white and green light with a static bang. It was weird, but also unfair.

"It sounds serious." Rosie said after a moment and after the leaves Tony spewed into the air fell. "Do you want me to call Dakota?" He nodded.

"Please." She reached out her mind for her son, finding him and asking him to come. This was useful, now they could call on their children and anyone they really needed to talk to in a second. Think of the mind and speak really. Scott turned and changed clothes; his current ones were dirty and old and needed changing really. He hadn't changed his clothes in weeks, but that's because he rarely changes to a human anymore and when he does it was for no more then a few hours, so there was no real point in changing. The den still looked inhabited by a human, the old drawings, the animal skins, the bed and the trunk; it all came in use for occasions like this and on full moons.

By the time he was change and stepping outside, he was putting on his coat and Dakota was sat waiting to go. "Just head to Tony and Skye's home, it sounded serious."

"It can't be anything bad mom, I'm sure it's nothing." He insisted.

"I agree, probably nothing." Scott added as he stood with them.

"Just be careful and call me if you need anything. I was going to invite Myka and Jack over for dinner tonight by the way."

"Sounds good, it's about time too." He chuckled and kissing he forehead. "Let's go son." Dakota nodded and quickly they were consumed in that same, formidable green light and shrouded with that booming sound. They landed hard, strangely as if they had jumped off something, but this happened every now and then. They appeared in a living room, Tony standing around looking out a window and Skye sat on a sofa, but both aware of them as soon as they landed. "Hey guys, what's up?"

"What's up?" Skye asked as she quickly jumped to her feet. "That's what's up." She pointed out to her left, through an archway into the kitchen where a girl stood.

"Aww, that so cool." She gasped.

"Tony, take Aria and Dakota into the kitchen, this is going to be private." He nodded and led the way, offering his friend a drink as they walked through and starting conversation through the three of them.

"Aria, you adopted a kid?" He chuckled. "Man you guys move fast."

"We adopted your kid." She snapped. He wasn't sure how to react, she could be serious.

"Yeah, funny, my kid's in Idaho and unless she can change like me that's not her." He saw the complete seriousness in her eyes, they were furious even. He looked to the girl wearing sunglasses and talking to Dakota and Tony. "Are trying to say that kid is mine?" She scoffed and reached down to the couch behind her and held before him a picture and pushed it right into his face.

"Is this you?" She demanded. He narrowed his eyes and stepped back to see it clearer. "Because it looks an awful lot like you." He nodded. But he doesn't remember standing for this photo or the person who took it. He looked younger.

"Where did you find this?" He asked.

"She had it." Skye answered. "She's looking for her father Scott; she thinks you're her father." He looked out to her, it didn't make sense, how could she be? He had one daughter, Myka, that was all. This girl couldn't be. "Recognise this girl?" She moved her finger out of the way of part of the picture; all of it now clear to him. He had his arm around this long, brown haired girl, in the background there seemed to be some sort of party going on, a nightclub perhaps. Distant and long forgotten memories came flooding back to him. He shook his head.

"She was an ex-girlfriend of mine, Jasmine. We were together while I was in England. Just some girl I knew."

"And that girl is now her mother." Skye snapped again and pointing back to the girl in her kitchen just as she laughed with Tony and Dakota. "Scott you're her father." He shook his head again, it can't be.

"Ok, so it happened once right before I left, but she would've told me. Plus we were safe, it can't have happened."

"There are always risks Scott." She answered a little calmer. "That little girl…She's your daughter."

"But she'd gotta be like fourteen, it happened only a few years ago."

"Not unless she had a power of some kind." Skye said with a shake of her head. "Myka got your power; maybe she has one as well."

Dakota looked out for a moment to Scott and Skye looking like they were arguing quietly, too quiet for his ears to pick up. "So you're a supernatural huh?" The girl then asked. He turned back to her.

"Yep, all my family are." He nodded.

"Then who's he?" She asked and pointing out to Scott. These were the kinds of questions he found heard to answer. Answering by saying "step-father" was just plain weird, so his normal answer was…

"He's a friend of the family, we hang out a lot."

"It's funny, he looks a little my father." But then that spark inside her clicked. She looked up to Tony who didn't look comfortable at all and tried not to make eye contact with her. Then to the man in the living room, they said they'd bring him here quickly, that man, could it be? She quickly tried to find the photo, it wasn't in her pockets. Where was it? Wait, Skye had it. She pushed the table away from her, nearly causing Dakota to fall off the chair he was on, before she ran out and towards Skye, yanking the photograph out of her hand and having another closer look at it. The man in it, her father, and this man, they looked incredibly alike. She looked up into his eyes, the same eyes as in the photo. "I found you." She muttered as she looked up at him. "Oh my god, dad I found you!" She shouted, her English accent playing to be a strange one. She opened her arms and crashed into his waist to arms her arms around him. Scott didn't know what to do, he had his arms out to the sides, looking down and around to the others. It can't be real. He reached his mind out to his step-son a he felt his telepathic nudge. "Is it true?" Dakota asked and serious and confused look spread across his face.

"I don't know." He responded and shaking his head. "But don't mention this to your mother. Promise me."

"Like I would, this I all on you." He scoffed back. He tapped the girl on the shoulder, his arms still not sure what to do now. She looked up to him, the happiest grin on her face as she looked up to him.

"How about… we, err…how about we go someplace else?" He suggested awkwardly. "We need to talk." She quickly nodded

Fifteen minutes later, they were at a local park. Scott sat on one swing while Aria sat on another, both in complete silence as they have been since they left the house. Dakota stayed behind, trying to find some sense in this with Tony and Skye, the two needed to get to their own understandings. He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees and she just watched him. Was this really her father; was this man really her dad?

"Your mother." He said, feeling the courage to get the answers finally come to him and looking across to her. "What's her name?"

"Jasmine." She answered. "Born in England like me."

"Sorry, how old are you?" He had to be certain of this.

"Fifteen." He knew it, she wasn't his daughter. Things can go back to how they could be. "But really I'm eight years old." She added giggling. He turned to her and little more.

"How, are you some supernatural?"

"I was hoping you'd answer that dad." She answered. He held out his hand and shook his head.

"Let's not get too ahead of ourselves; I need to understand a few things first." She nodded in understanding. She was old enough to understand this was something hard to take in, her mother warned her of this. "What did your mother say about me? I mean…your father." He added quickly.

"She said that you were an honest guy." She answered and starting to swing back and forth. "She said your name is Scott, you were very mysterious and would be able to answer why I grew up so quickly. I was born in 2011, and she knew something was wrong by how fast I was growing. She hoped you'd be able to answer the reason why."

"You might have some sort of power, that could be the reason right."

"It's pretty cool; I always wondered what it would be like to have superpowers and stuff." She laughed as she swing higher. She swung higher and higher and Scott only dug his hole deeper and deeper. Things were really started to add up. This wouldn't be the first supernatural daughter he's had, so it was a possibility. Suddenly, her glasses fell on the floor beside him, the black shades she hadn't taken off all day. She quickly reacted and used her feet the stop herself, but she wasn't quick enough. Scott picked them up and handed them back to her, only to shock himself more then anything. She looked into his blue eyes and he looked back into hers, her green, swirling eyes. He couldn't fathom his thoughts, he couldn't think straight. He remained knelt on the floor and she sat still on the swing staring at him while he stared back with his jaw dropped agape. The one thing needed to prove that this was his daughter was right in front of him. The only shred of evidence to support the fact and now it was showing itself to him. "She also said you might be able to explain why my eyes keep changing." She added.

"Ho…how long has this been happening?" He asked in disbelief."

"A few months." She answered. "She said it must have something to do with you because it wasn't her. She's not special." Scott couldn't move, thank god there wasn't anyone lese around to see them because this was down right strange. Not to mention everyone in the country knew about him, and most defiantly the world. "Are you the Starnik?" She asked. So it seems he too knew about them. Nobody else in the world had the eyes that did that with this colour, it was a Starnik only gene. She saw he still had the glasses in his hand; she always had them on in case this happened when she didn't want them to. She took them out of his hand and put them back over her eyes, but he then stopped her and pulled them down and away.

"You don't need these." He said and putting them in her hand. "You're not alone anymore."

"So you're…my dad?" His eyes changed to the same matching ones of her own and he smiled.

"Yeah, I guess so." He laughed delicately with her soon after.

"Dad!" She said happily and lunging at him with open arms, this time he returned the gesture and wrapped his own arms around her, a slight sigh and watery eyes of happiness. He had a daughter, and believe it or not, but another daughter. Another daughter of the Starnik! Hang on, the Starnik. What would Rosie make of this? She deserves to know, she needed to know about this. She would either accept this or it was going to tear everything they had apart. What about the kids? Lupa and Dakota were going to have a step-sister and Myka a half sister. What would they think to this? This could either be a good thing for the family or something that separated them more then they already were.

Hey guys, i'm back already with another chapter. I know, quick or what? I guess i'm just excited to do this, i really want to get it done and done good. So, Aria, a third daughter of the Starnik, what would the family make of this? Could it be something that makes them stronger or something that drives them further apart then they already are? Review and read on to find out. By the way, this story has been up for only a few hours and already there are reviews, i'm surprised. Until next time!

The FalconWolf