Vera's Song (Creatures of the Lands Book 2)

by Natalie Erin

  Seemingly subdued for once in her life, Kia retreated back into the cabin. Keota got on Ionan’s back. “Come on. Let’s go.”

  “Wee!” a small white dragon exclaimed and he slid off a rock, his white serpentine body twisting down it as he went. A turquoise hatchling giggled and imitated him, and they both landed squealing in the dust.

  A beautiful female dragon, her scales melding together in a lovely array of pink, purple and orange, watched the children happily, but with grief in her heart. Sunset had readily accepted the small hatchling when her brother Bloodbath had asked, but in a way she felt as if raising this youngling was betraying her mate and other child, who had been lost to Ortusans months ago. How could she have said yes to her brother? Still, she thought as she watched the little one Mirabelle, it was good she had this small baby girl to keep her son Xiuhcoatl company.

  A large gust of wind swept up in her eyes and the biggest dragon she had ever seen in her life landed, a tall man riding on his back. The two companions started towards the entrance of the cave.

  Sunset rushed over to the children and bared her teeth, sweeping the younglings behind her with her tail. The green male dipped his head lowly, though the bow still reached just below her head. “Greetings,” he said. “I’m looking for a hatchling by the name of Mirabelle. Can you tell me where to find her?”

  Sunset lifted her head to meet his gaze. “Why must you know?” she asked defiantly.

  He looked back at her with eyes that seemed defeated. “I’m her father.”

  Her heart dropped. Would she have another child taken away? Sunset sorrowfully wrapped her tail around Mirabelle and brought her to the entrance of the cave, placing her in front of him.

  Mirabelle peeped and the green dragon stood, looking at her with his mouth open. She giggled and rose up to meet the dragon’s yellow eyes, gazing into them with the same deep blue that had been her mother’s.

  She shook her little tail, the four tiny spikes waving back and forth. “Hi, I’m Mirabelle,” she squeaked.

  The green dragon gathered his bearings and said, “Hello Mirabelle. I’m Ionan. I was a friend of your mother’s.”

  “Sunset?” she asked. Ionan shook his head. “No. She was a dragon named Vera.”

  “That’s pretty,” she exclaimed, and she shook her large horns of dust.

  “Yes. I’ll have to tell you about her sometime,” the green dragon said in a quivering voice. “My name is Ionan.”

  “Do you like to play? I do.” Mirabelle changed the subject and span around on the desert sand. “I also like to fly lot. But I like to sing better. Mommy says I have a beautiful voice.”

  Ionan swallowed a lump in his throat. “Your mother liked to sing as well, very much.”

  She smiled up at him with her dagger-like teeth. Ionan gulped and said, “I really don’t want to leave you but…” he gasped and a tear fell out of his eye. “But we have to get back to our home.”

  The little serpentine dragon at Sunset’s side whispered, “Why is that big dragon crying?”

  Sunset felt a leap of hope. He wasn’t taking her away after all?

  Mirabelle rose up in the air and caught the tear, wiping it away and clinging to his face. “You’ll visit me?” she asked.

  Ionan inhaled. “Yes. Very often.”The green dragon forced a smile and he put her down, Mirabelle sliding off his head into the sand.

  Ionan wrapped his wing around her and hugged her tightly. When Mirabelle ran off to play with the other hatchling, Ionan walked up to Sunset. “She’s happy here, with you,” he said. “You’ll be able to give her more than I could. Her mother wanted her to be protected from Wyntier, and even though he’s dead I’m not sure she’ll be safe with us. So many people want to hurt us, it seems.” Ionan laughed sadly.

  He leaned in until he was whispering into Sunset’s ear.“Take care of her,” he hushed, and then they were gone, the little white hatchling running after them as they rose into the sky

  When they had returned to Mt.Deathern Kia walked up to Ionan, her hands on her hips. “It’s Allie,” she said. “I can’t get her to calm down. Ever since Vera died, she’s been unconsolable. She refuses to come out of her room, even for Kennu.”

  “Let me talk to her,” Ionan said, heading towards the house. Ionan changed into a white lion and padded into Allie’s bedroom, raising his paw to tap lightly on the door. “Allie,” he said softly, opening it slowly.

  Allie was lying on the bed as a fawn with her back turned to the entrance, the morning sun turning the white spots on her back red.

  Ionan looked around. “Oh Allie, why did you make such a mess?” The curtains had been torn off the window along with the rod, which had been broken. Feathers were everywhere but there was no sign of the pillows that had held them. The bedpost had been scratched deeply and the headboard had deep teeth marks in it. There were marks in the floor where she had dug in a combination of hooves, claws and talons. Stuffed animals had lost their heads. The quilt had a tear in it, as well as the sheets. Only the mattress laid untouched, though it had been dragged half-way off the bed.

  He pushed it back into its proper place, Allie not moving an inch as he did so. He padded up to the bed and stepped onto it, his weight dipping the mattress onto the floor. Allie turned away.

  “Allie,” he sighed. “Why did you say such things to Zorna and Soran? And why are you acting this way? You know I raised you better than that.”

  She didn’t say anything. He grimaced and said, “Allie, talk to me. You’re not acting like the little girl I know.”

  “That’s because I’m not who you know anymore,” Allie said softly. “You know it’s true what I said to Zorna.”

  “No, its not,” he said. “Just because someone’s parents were bad doesn’t mean that they’ll turn out that way.”

  “ Yes it does,” she pouted. He tried wrapping his tail around her to comfort her but she pulled away harshly and said, “No, no, no, no!”

  There was a long bout of silence. He grew impatient and said, “Allie, talk to me. I can’t help you if you won’t tell me what’s wrong.”

  “Maybe I don’t want to talk,” she growled.

  “Why? Is it because you don’t trust me?”

  “No,” she replied quickly.

  Ionan growled, “I taught you to be a lot of things, but never a liar.”

  “Well, maybe that’s just what I am now! What’s so bad about lying anyway?”

  “Allie, how could you say that? You know better!”

  “No I don’t,” she snapped.

  “I don’t know why you’re being such a naughty little girl. How could you be so mean to your friends, your family?”

  “They are not my family!” She laid her ears back. “I want nothing to do with them!”

  “Then what is it you want Allie? Do you want me to leave?”

  “No! But I know it’s going to happen whether you want it or not!”

  “Is that what you think? Allie, be fair!”

  “Life isn’t fair! What kind of life gives you two mommies and makes them both die?”

  “What do you want from me Allie? I can’t bring them back! What do you want?” Ionan begged.

  She looked at him with angry brown eyes. “I want…I…I want…”As suddenly as she had grown angry, tears ran down her face and she wailed, “I want Vera!”

  She ran to him and buried her head in his fur. He kissed her head and she cried louder, saying, “I’m sorry, Io, I’m really sorry,” The fawn mashed her head into his paw and the lion purred, drawing her closer to him. He remembered how he had once hummed Lilja as a pup to sleep after he thought he had lost Lottie. Recalling a song Vera used to sing, he rocked her back and forth and began to serenade softly;

  Your wings are my stronghold

  They help me to fly

  You clear away tears when I cry.

  Each breath you take is mine

  Each heartbeat mine too

  Each movement as one it’s so true...<
br />
  My safe heart song you’ll always be,

  Because I will go on and you with me.

  Live everlasting with you by my side

  A joy that will never be matched

  The truth in your eyes

  Comforts my pain

  And I can go on as long

  As you’re with me

  Heaven’s song cannot compare

  To the smile I see on your face

  Eyes gleam in the moonlight

  And stars dominate the skies

  And I will go on

  If you stand with me

  A life renewed

  On a joyous day

  A world of hope

  Because I know you’ll stay

  And I will go on

  If you stand with me

  No matter the trouble we get into

  No matter the pain thatI feel

  As long as I can run to you

  I can go on with my life

  I will go on

  If you stand with me.

  Her tears had stopped before the song had ended, and she started to hum the tune as the sun climbed higher in the sky.

  Chapter Twenty

  Accepting Future Promises

  Squeals of delight were met on Christmas morning. Wrapping paper was laid everywhere, which the wolves enjoyed above anything else. The gifts weren’t grand, as they didn’t have much in the first place, but you would have thought you were giving Soran his own realm when he opened up the wooden play sword he had received. Likewise all the children valued their gifts, no matter how small. Snapfoot was having so much fun he stood up and howled in a strong voice;

  “Midnight hunts are such fun,

  And full moon parties are the best,

  But the one thing better then snowfall,

  Yes Christmas beats the rest!”

  The others agreed then sang along in their own versions, some that had rhymes that were off or inappropriate. Cornia coughed and bared her teeth at the funny lyrics, in which Nicholas asked if she were choking.

  Flare herself tried to put on a good show, but you could tell she was missing Aravon. Kia put her arms around her. “Don’t be sad. They all have to grow up sometime. What are you going to do about it? What can you do?”

  “Yes, but do you want to lose your little Kennu?” she asked in a whisper.

  “No, I don’t. But I know I must, someday. And besides, they’re just growing up. It’s not like they’re gone forever and you’ll never see them again.”

  Flare sighed. “Enjoy these times, because you’re going to miss them more than anything. It lasts shorter than you think it does.”

  If Kennu has that many more years to come by, Ionan thought silently, but didn’t say anything.

  Vixen put a hand on his side and said, “Don’t despair. Vixen senses Kennu will live a longer life than you expect him to.”

  Casiff called from the next room that dinner was almost ready. “We should do this every year!” Zorna suggested, kicking the small ball he had gotten with enthusiasm in his dog form, wearing a red bow around his neck.

  “I agree. Every year from now on, you must ALL come to our house.” Nicholas put his arm around Flare.

  Just before dinner they hooked up all the older pups to a sled and the children took turns riding on it. When Kennu grew a little tired Allie followed him outside, a little ways away from the house and near the volcano. Kia, Keota and Ionan, who had seen them walk off, went out to follow them at a distance.

  The sunlight sparkled upon the snow as the two walked alone, their parents behind them. Kennu turned to Allie. “I want to celebrate Christmas every year.”

  “So do I,” Allie said sadly, and Kennu looked at her.

  “What’s wrong Allie? Is there something you wanted that you didn’t get?” he wondered.

  “It’s not important.” She shook her head. “I’m sure it’ll happen next year.”

  Kennu didn’t ask. He simply whispered as he grabbed onto her neck, “We should go have fun with Ionan, and all our uncles and aunts and Mommy and Daddy and our friends.”

  “We should, and we will.” Allie let her head down. “And I will have fun with you, as much as I can.”

  When he saw into her mind with his telepathy that wasn’t what she had exactly meant, he said, “Allie, why would you need to have fun with me more than the others?”

  “Ionan told me to,” she said simply.

  “That’s not an answer.”

  “Is so.” She sat down and refused to look at him. But she wasn’t skilled at hiding her thoughts from Kennu yet, and he saw a through her eyes a conversation that had happened a few nights before. “Why does Ionan think I will die? I’m not so sick,” Kennu argued.

  “But you are sick Kennu. Sick enough to make all our family and friends cry when you aren’t around and you aren’t watching.”

  “Dying wouldn’t be so bad. I’d be in heaven then, with Vera.”

  “But I don’t want you to die without me. Everybody would be sad.”

  “It would only be for a little while.”

  “Too long for me. It’s not fair Kennu. Ionan wants me to try to let you go so I don’t get hurt, but I don’t want to. I want to stay with you forever.”

  “Things aren’t like that. We are alone sometimes. Not even Changers and Accompanies are together always.”

  “Well I want to. And I’m Allie and what I say people should listen to.”

  “Tell that to Mommy when you’ve been naughty,” Kennu laughed, and she laughed too.

  Kia came around the corner. “Kennu, where have you been? Dinner is almost ready.”

  “Yes, come along,” Ionan nodded.

  “Coming Mommy,” Kennu added. He took a step forward, but then his eyes went blank and he slumped to the ground. Allie let out a squawk of fear as she saw Kennu writhing on the ground in another seizure, flapping her wings as he convulsed. Kia rushed to her son and kneeled by his side, Keota doing the same while grasping onto her shoulders. Ionan, unable to do anything, simply sat down and bowed his head while the snow fell like teardrops onto his scales.

  END OF PART II

  Afterward

  The day after Christmas was quiet. The children ran and played in the snow, while Kia stood nearby keeping watch over Kennu. Laughter sounded all around, and she hardly noticed when Allie came up to her slowly. “I have to tell you something. It may be important,” the small lynx said quietly, scuffing her paws on the ground.

  “What is it, Allie?” Kia asked, picking up the Changer and cuddling her gently.

  “We need to be friends with the twin Changers,” Allie said, as if she was repeating something out of a trance.

  “What are you talking about?” Kia asked, confused.

  “I don’t know what it means, but I dreamed about it. My mommy told me that we need to be friends with the twin Changers. I don’t know why.” Allie put her head down and her ears back, thinking.

  “I should go talk to Ionan. He may know what this means.” Kia placed Allie on the ground gently. “Go play, sweetheart. Hey, Flare, keep an eye on Kennu for me, okay?”

  “Sure little sister, I’ll watch him,” Flare called back. Kia turned and walked toward the house slowly. She headed towards the room where Ionan spent most of his days, grieving for Vera. She knocked on the door softly. “Ionan, I know you want to be alone, but I have to ask you something.”

  Hearing the worry in her voice, Ionan responded, “What is it Kiatana?”

  “Something important. Can I come in?”

  “Of course you may.” Kia opened the door just enough to let herself in and then closed it behind her. Ionan sat as a hawk on the bedpost, ruffling his feathers. “Now what is this all about?”

  “It’s Allie. She came up to me and said something very strange,” Kia began. “She told me that her mother came to her in a dream and said that we need to befriend the twin Changers. What does that mean?”

  “Twin Changers!” Ionan gasped. “It’
s an old prophecy, one that was made hundreds of years ago. It was said that at the time of the Second Despondent, twin Changers will be born and that they shall both be attached to one Accompany. The prophecy says that if the twins side with good then good shall win, but if they side with evil, then evil shall win. As long as they remain together the war has already been won, but if separated, the world will fall into chaos.”

  “Goodness.” Kia looked down at the floor. “Is this true?”

  “I don’t know if it is or not. But Allie has never been wrong yet,” Ionan told her.

  “Should we tell the others?” Kia asked.

  “Not yet. We will tell them when we must but not until it’s absolutely necessary,” Ionan said. He shook his head. “I can’t imagine after everything we’ve been through, there will soon be a war on our hands.”

  “We shouldn’t worry about it,” Kia said, walking over and stroking Ionan’s feathers “What only matters is what happens today.”

  The fairy sat beside him and the two looked out the window, watching the children outside become close and loyal friends.

  A bloody fox lay still on the ground, an example of the carnage that Carmilla and Aravon had brought to the snowy forest around them. The Black Woods was filled with bodies both animal and fairy. Carmilla had been right. With Aravon’s use of the Strength, she had managed to slaughter everyone in her coven until the castle was vacant of all life. Carmilla let Iris’ body fall out of her hand with a thud, a smile across her bloody lips. “Well, that was easy,” she said. “Maybe turning you into an Ortusan wasn’t such a bad idea.”

  “You think?” Aravon wiped his mouth, licking his lips eagerly. “I had no idea blood could taste so good. Better than anything I’ve ever had.”

  “We can assure you that you’ll have more blood than you could ever ask for.”

  Carmilla and Aravon paused at the silky voice emerging from the shadows. A fairy with blood red hair and black eyes slunk from the darkness, her appearance striking and beautiful. The only thing unbecoming about her were several long, disgusting gashes along the side of her neck, but she turned to hide them in the collar of her dress.