Secrets of the Starnik

Chapter 8: Passing Down and Over

With Dakota questioning and tracking the Ditori he bumped into that day, back up north things were developing. Myka had gone home exhausted, sleeping off the remainder of the day due to a lacking of physical and Starnik energy she had used that morning. But she was back in her father's good book, that's all that matter for now. She would carry on with that rapport and build it further. Aria was still as jumpy as a live wire, finding the morning eventful and exciting after seeing what her telekinetic gift would allow her to do. She couldn't wait how to be taught the things Myka did. How to jump of cliffs and land without broken legs, how to lift objects the size of an elk and bigger. Myka was an amazing sister to have in her eyes, she couldn't wish for better. Sadly, it couldn't be said the same the other way around.

Lupa came by to visit not a few hours afterwards, along with her mate and her pups eager to see their new human aunt and play with their grandparents. Lupa wasn't like Myka; she loved Aria just as much as Dakota and Myka, like a sister. She thought it was a great thing to have and see, it added more uniqueness to their family. As did Dakota, but sadly he's been off on his own tasks, he hadn't come around to visit since the night she first came to the den. But that night, he did come around for a few moments, apologising for not seeing her enough and that he'd like to. He also added that he'd like to get Lupa and Myka together say all four of them could go out one day. It was another thing Aria couldn't wait for, a real sibling day out somewhere. Dakota never did tell Scott or his mother about what he discovered, he wanted to get proof and confirmation that they were certainly up to something. He knew they were, they were plotting something major, but there was nothing to support the fact that they were indeed trying to do something. He just didn't know what.

And then there was that woman, the one who clear saw him yet did nothing about it to raise the alarm. She even stopped their leader from passing his flashlight over the shadows he was hiding in before it hit him. Who was she, why didn't she say anything? He had to find out. But for now, he needed to spend some time with his mate, a rather hormonal mate as he found out after he returned home. She wanted some attention, the attention she hasn't gotten all day due to him being away for some strange reason. All she had to do was talk and walk around with her elderly father and friends, so now was a time to let loose and have some attention all for herself. But why was her mate acting the way he was, she could sense and feel on him he was tense, even slightly stressed. She even saw his heartbeat increase in his chest each time she asked him what he did, she saw he was lying. She'd figure it out sooner or later.

So the next morning, four days to go until Aria was to return back to England, Dakota had kept his promise and executed what he had planned. A sibling day out, and after asking the words… "If there was anywhere on earth you could be, were would you go?" The three wolves and single human appeared half way up Mount Kilimanjaro, a mountain in Africa to be more precise. It was cold and warm, so neither species complained about the temperature. This was the fifth teleportation Aria had now gone through with her step brother, so her head was left with nothing but a slight dizziness and a brief, minor headache. She gasped a little at the sudden change in temperature. From meeting at their parents den, first they jumped south to New York, visiting the top of the Empire State Building. Secondly, south again to briefly feel the colds of the arctic. Aria didn't have the correct clothing to last more then a few minutes there. Thirdly, north east to wonder the streets of Moscow, Russia. They took it easy and carefully, this place was not integrated with wolves yet, so it was something new to see three of them walking along the city streets. Fourth on their travels, a walk down the peaceful rivers of northern Canada, giving Aria another Starnik history lesson. But on conditions, they never mentioned a word on the Ditori. If Aria knew that they've killed before, her point of view on them might be shifted. They've killed before, she can never know that. Sure, they mentioned them a few times, but saying that they were a group that didn't agree it the Starnik and wanted the exact opposite. So a simple argument was brought around and the Starnik won. Simple and something she bought, she could never know who the Ditori really were. Anyway, why mention them again now that they were gone?

After their long walk down the serene rivers, their fifth stop was to the mountain in Africa, over half way up so the view was incredible and the air was still thick. It was perfect, despite the fact she landed with the smaller aftermath that came with jumping. "Are you ok?" Dakota chuckled as she fell back after the rough landed. She wasn't the most stable and well balanced of humans. She was rather clumsy. She only giggled after a moment and pushing herself up.

"Yeah, I'm good. I just tripped." She replied.

"Wow, now look at that view." Lupa said quietly as she walked towards a tall vertical drop that dropped down into a ravine. The view was amazing; the horizon seemed to just go on and on, travelling over vast plains and a kind of shanty down built a little distance away. Aria walked to stand beside her in wonder of the sight while Myka stood where she was. She the view was great, but she wasn't happy to be here with the human.

"Come on, be nice." Dakota chuckled a he walked beside her.

"You just don't get it do you?" She responded. "I've had my dad for myself all this time, and suddenly she shows up and takes him away. It's not fair."

"You're acting like a pup." He only laughed.

"Well maybe I will. I can't wait for her to leave."

"You know she'll be back again." He sighed amused and shaking his head while walking to the cliff. Myka knew this; she just didn't want to think about how soon she'd be back. But for now, just go with the flow and let it pass. So with a sigh, she walked to the edge and looked over the view. The sun was getting low in the sky, but that was time zones for you, back in America it was only just mid-day.

"Today has been great." Aria said.

"You mean the morning." Lupa giggled.

"Whatever, but thanks, it's been great."

"Oh, so don't thank me for thinking about it." Dakota scoffed sarcastically and acting to be hurt. It was then that they heard a loud whistle coming from down below and looking down in their sights came a she-wolf, at first it seemed to be Lupa, but she was there with them. So there was only one other explanation.

"Is that…?" Myka started

"You!" Aria yelled down.

"I don't just belong in your dreams!" Sarah laughed back up to them.

"Grandma, what are you doing here?" Lupa asked down to her.

"Why don't you come down so we don't have to shout?" She suggested. With that Dakota jumped and reappeared a moment later before her, Myka jumped over the edge and Lupa, both landing gracefully a few seconds later. Whereas Aria was stood at the top, she couldn't do either of that, so she was left up above.

"Whoops, sorry." Dakota waved his paw up towards her, and after she vanished in a flash of green she appeared in another beside him, once again falling with a hard landing.

"You've seriously got to get better at that." Sarah laughed. Aria was only too serious as to what she was doing here. She quickly jumped to her feet, looking down at her bewildered.

"You can't be real, you were a dream."

"You should know this family well enough by now dear. Since when is anything not possible here?" She giggled again. "No, come here babies." Lupa was the first to fly into her chest and warp her paws around her. She loved her grandma, despite the fact they saw each other frequently. Next Dakota wrapped his single paw around her, getting a kiss on his cheek from her. Myka copied Lupa's actions and jumped into her and hugged her tightly and after that Aria didn't do anything. "What? I don't get a hug from you?" Sarah asked while sitting.

"I don't get it. Who are you?"

"Seriously, you don't know her?" Lupa asked. "I've told you about her too many times already."

"It's ok sweetheart." Sarah smiled. "My name's Sarah, I'm these gorgeous pups's grandma and your step-mother's mom. Also, I'm your very own spirit guide."

"So, it wasn't a dream when you told me to come find my dad?" She shook her head.

"Nope, recently it hasn't been safe for you to be around this family. But now it is, so it's time that you were a part of it."

"What do you mean dangerous?" She asked with a slight tilt of her head. Sarah looked to her children and they all gestured for her to not say a word. So she lied.

"It's…been a little hectic; I think is the best way of saying it."

"Oh, you mean the Ditori? Lupa told me all about them." Acting quickly, Lupa quickly and mentally told her along a psychic connection what she really meant and what they had told her. It was understandable; it was to keep her safe. The less she knows of the Ditori the more likely she'd be safe should anything come up.

"Good, then you should understand." Sarah nodded after the brief understanding.

"I don't really, they were just a group. How would I not have been safe?" This was starting to spiral in the wrong direction, something needed to be done.

"So, why are you here grandma? Been following us around our world trip?" Lupa asked. Why were they trying to avoid the subject, why did her own small human gut feelings churn at the thought that they were keeping something from her?

"Oh I know where each and every one of you are at all times. I know."

"Ok, really grams? Do you really need to tell us again that you're watching us all the time, even in the most perverting of ways?"

"No, gods…do you really think that I do that?" She only received three obvious glares. She tells them she's always watching them, that she knows what she's always doing. They weren't impressed. "Sorry, but I'm not the only one!" She then exclaimed. "You're father has seen a thing or two as well." She retaliated and referring to Shadow.

"Oh my god, really?" Dakota seethed at the horrendous thought that his father has seen what he and Chance get up to.

"Wait, what are you guys talking about?" Aria asked.

"Don't ask." Myka grumbled annoyingly. "But why are you here grams?" This conversation wasn't exactly heaven on earth for Sarah either, she wanted this conversation forgotten and never spoken of again. But since when has that ever worked?

"I've come to talk about you Aria." She answered. "You're powers, how are you finding them? Can you manage them?"

"You came to talk to me?" She asked strangely. This was their first actual conversation together, in her dreams Sarah had only pointed out that she needed to find her father now or never. "Well, the telepathy was a piece of cake, I'm getting used to moving things and I tried fire yesterday which seemed to work out."

"And your self healing, do you have to do anything for that?"

"No." She shook her head. "It just does it on its own."

"Good, and what about your regeneration? So when you die, do you heal again and return to the maturity stage of your life?"

"How do I know? I haven't died yet and neither do I intend to any time soon." She replied.

"I'm just checking, I only want to see if there was anything I could help you with. It's kind of my job to guide you in the right direction in all." Sarah responded. "But there is one thing I'd like you to know." She then added.

"What's that?" Aria asked.

"I'd like you to know how to jump and fall like your sister and father, to use your telekinesis and land safely and jump to high places."

"Dad said he would at some point." Aria added herself. Scott had already told her that he'd show and teach her at some point, that it would take a few days to learn like it took Myka.

"Well, why don't you learn now?" Dakota then added. "Myka can teach you."

"Whoa, wait…what?" Myka stuttered as she was suddenly bought into this.

"You can do it, so you can teach her right here and now." Lupa agreed. "You know how, you can teach her and right here we have a cliff. Scott passed the knowledge down to you, so you can pass it over to Aria." She added and pointing back up to the top of the forty foot cliff. "You have everything you need, the knowledge, the skill, the student and the cliff. Have some confidence, you can do it."

"Spoken like a real guide." Sarah smiled. She didn't realise it.

"I know, don't let me get used to it." Lupa nodded and shivered as it travelled up her spine. The Earth Angel was like a separate being inside her, and the day she died it came forth in her and became Lupa. It was hard to try and not let it take her personality again, turning her into a peaceful, loving guide or angel like her grandmother. She liked her snappy, wild and teasing personality, she didn't want to lose it. It was a constant battle, but most of the time she liked to let her inner angel loose around her children, it was good for her and them to be peaceful.

"Fine." Myka growled with flattened ears. "Kota, do you mind?" He nodded and with a wave of his paw in their direction and the two vanished to reappear at the top of the cliff. It gave the other three a chance to talk.

"So, what's going on with those two?" Sarah asked.

"Well, if it wasn't obvious enough now, Myka hates her." Dakota chuckled.

"But "hate" is an understatement." Lupa added with her own giggled. "It's more like she loathes her."

"This will give them some time to bond, more time like this and they'll see they have a lot more in common then they think."

"Aria thinks that, Myka…not so much." Dakota answered.

"Why do you want Aria to know this? It's not like she's going to need it." Lupa asked interestingly. Sarah only turned to her, a far more serious look on her face.

"She will, she'll need this."

"What are you talking about?" Dakota asked now just as worried.

"You'll see. But for now, don't worry, just enjoy the days that you have."

Back up the cliff, Myka was going through the instructions to landing safely as quickly and plainly as possible. She wanted this over and done with. She had already gone through half of it, the rest was easy. For her anyway. "…And after you're ready, all you've got to do is jump and right before you hit the ground, imagine you are falling though water. Make it really vivid, like it's happening all around you, it'll slow you done but get ready for a hard landing just in case."

"And dad taught you this?" Aria asked as she looked down at the others over the other side. Myka nodded.

"Landing from a height is one thing, jumping to a height is something else and is a lot harder to do. I'm sure dad will teach you before you go home. It took me nearly three days to learn how to jump with height, so don't be sad if you don't the first time." Aria looked back at her.

"So jump and imagine falling through water."

"Yep, and ready for a hard landing." She looked back down the drop, the daunting, now seemingly higher then it was a minute ago, drop. She had fun last time, but this was different. Myka caught her; she wouldn't be able to this time. Myka saw she was hesitating, so action was required and it was an action she didn't mind fulfilling. She approached her. "You know, another thing dad taught me once that really helped." Aria looked back at her, wondering what it was if it was going to help. "We both agreed…that it's better to learn while doing it." Suddenly, and with great pleasure, Myka extended her fore paws and pushed her over the edge. Aria reached back to try and grab something or her, she failed and started screaming. "Falling through water!" Myka grinned as she quickly fell.

Aria watched the ground rapidly approached her. She thought back to what Myka said in those few seconds she was falling, "falling through water". Her eyes flashed a single time, nothing happened. The ground neared as they flashed again; still she fell with ever increasing speed. Myka watched, she'd never admit it, but there was a slight hint of worry she may have actually just killed her. Her mother can't being back the dead anymore, but then again, she was a Phoenix, she'd die and regenerate into her younger body again. So there wasn't a nig deal about it. Aria's eyes flashed a third time, this still wasn't working and she imagined it so vividly. She closed her eyes and covered her face, this wasn't working, she was as good as dead. She waited, and waited…and waited. She opened her eyes, her arms still covering her face and the ground only a few inches from her face. Nothing was holding her up; nothing was there to catch her. She was suspended in mid-air for a few seconds before she fell the rest of the way, landing on her front with a bump.

"Well, better that then ever." Lupa laughed and Sarah faded away, seeing her task was in the stages of completion. "But well done." Myka then landed with a big thud and a groan beside just her. She shook her fur and kicked out her paws to get rid of the vibrations.

"Not bad, now do it again." Aria sat up.

"What?"

"Do it again, get used to doing it." She nodded back to her brother as she walked towards him and he returned it as his eyes flashed and a moment later they all heard…

"Oh come on!" Aria exclaimed from back above the cliff.

"Something tells me you took too much pleasure in doing that." He said.

"You think." Myka winked with a devious grin. "Did grams say why she came?"

"Not really, she just said that Aria needs to learn this, that there will be a time and place that she'll need it."

"Back in England hopefully." Myka wished.

Dakota's instincts started violently tingling again, why? Was this subject related to the thing the Ditori had planned? If so, what was Aria's part in it all? And that woman, the one question still lingered in his mind. Here, half way up Mount Kilimanjaro, in the middle of Africa, he mental devoted to find this out, without his family. Lupa couldn't know about this, her dream life with her mate and pups had come true, he couldn't ruin that for them. Scott or Rosie couldn't, as much as they wouldn't mind and would want to help, the less who knew would be better. It maybe nothing after all. Myka, Chance, Aria…none of them could know, he could deal with this on his own. First things first, who is that woman?