"This way. There is a place I always use their guides."
"Let's go."
Jason leads the way and Brisa walks with him for a bit but then slows her pace to hang back with me.
"What happened in the hill…is what they said true? A dark sorcerer and a Fae did that to you?"
I nod. It’s not exactly something I like to talk about, but I can’t lie to the poor girl.
"Do you think….do you think they will go after half-bloods too?"
"No. I am unique. Half mortals are born to the Fae all the time. You aren't freaks you just live in a society that doesn’t treat everyone equally…that doesn’t even try to. It sucks and if I could change it I would. I am not Fae though."
"Keep up ladies."
Israel is a lot more beautiful than I thought. I am use to the beauty of the northeast. Lots of deep green trees, beautiful snow-covered cabins, and so on. This is a different kind of beauty. We are to start around Jerusalem and head into the mountains. I am not a history buff like Jason, but even I understand the religious and historical significance of this place and had I been here under different circumstances I would be the crazy tourist lady with ten cameras full of every little thing.
When Jason starts conversing with the locals Brisa and I both look on in awe and with a newfound respect. He has the customs and language down. No one is offended by him…so much for the pompous American attitude we are known for. Jason is going around making people think we can be decent people. Huh. Who would’ve thought?
We start out after Jason haggles; we are being reimbursed by the Fae for any expenses incurred so I don’t care how much it cost. I expect Brisa to drag behind, but she seems to flit up the mountain like she floats on air, a couple of times I can almost see it happening. She has more potential in her magic than she can actually access. Poor girl. Always having more right there and not being able to reach it because of the human blood.
I am use to chasing werewolves and vampires. I’m not use to hiking after them, but I have spent three straight days running after a Were once so this isn’t so bad. Especially at the pace Jason is going. He is healthy and in good shape. but shifters are weak to changes in temperature and environment. I’ve always wanted to ask why life in the northeast people? Meaning since he isn’t used to mountain air with very few trees to pump out oxygen he is winded much faster and more easily than normal.
It is almost dusk when our guide wants to turn around. I tell him to go ahead or tell Jason to tell him. He protests but not enough to actually make any of us believe he truly gives a damn. He takes off at a run back down…see everyone but Jason has loads of energy!
"Let's go. He is gone so we can talk and follow Brian's directions."
Jason glares at me.
"The only directions Brian gave us was to find a way underground, you know to go inside the mountain."
Brisa shivers….yeah air Fae, that would be her least favorite thing in the world. I wish we didn’t have to bring her, but she has to stay with us at all times. She might not be safe otherwise.
"Then we find a cave and dig our way through if need be."
"How?"
Man, he is getting mouthy. "We can turn into animals that tunnel, dig, or are big enough to knock over walls. Pick one and work with it. Brisa, send a message back that we are on the mountain and turning inward to find a cave near where we have to be. Ask if there is anything else we should know."
She nods and I feel the wind pick up. It swirls around her and whips what little vegetation there is around. Jason and I both step back and put our hands up. This place is dusty and I don’t want a rock shard to poke an eye out.
Suddenly the wind shoots straight up and seems to dissipate. Wow, that is cool. It just disappears. Everything is back in place only windblown leaves and mussed clothing is left to show something weird happened.
"I have to stay here for an answer. If I were more powerful it would be drawn to me but I'm not so it's drawn to the residual magic left when casting."
She seems embarrassed. I shrug, dump my bag of weapons and indicate to her and Jason to do the same.
"Let's eat while we are here. We snacked on the plane and had nothing else. It's been awhile since we have eaten a meal. We will have to find a place to make camp after. If it's dark by the time they get back to us I will search as a cat. Night vision is awesome."
She smiles and tosses me something before grabbing her own food to start eating. Jason says nothing. Once this job is over I have a feeling he will be siding with dad in arguments for awhile. Also, he will petition to the shifter council to let me get a regular day job. As if I can just start selling makeup in the department store after this job. I am a bit of an adrenaline junky I will admit.
The message comes while we are eating. It is not quite as intense as when Brisa sent the message. I am shocked, but when I mention it she says it is because the more power you have the less noticeable and surrounding impact you make. I guess that makes sense. Still, her message sending looked more impressive and I make sure to tell her.
"You two get some sleep. It's too dark to dig. It's not likely anyone will pass by. Jason make sure to sleep as a bear or something warm. Brisa will need the extra warmth at night and it will keep raiders away."
He nods and we watch as he turns into a brown bear. I am unsure if that is the right choice, I have never chased a wild crazy supernatural around anywhere but the U.S. so this is a learning experience for me. Once they are settled, Jason lies next to the packs and Brisa snuggles into his belly fur between the packs.
Jason keeps his head on the ground pretending to already be asleep. I’m not sure why he bothers since I can sense his heartbeat and he knows it. Brisa looks up at me and I transform into a cat. Not a fuzzy little house cat. No, I turn into a mountain lion. I have heard lions exist in this area and cats can see well in the dark and survive most any landscape. Not to mention they are the top of the food chain everywhere they live.
I bound off into the mountains searching for a cave near where we need to be. I don’t want to have to play mole for a few weeks while I tunnel there. The closer we can get to the caves the better.
I circle the mountain looking for any signs of a cave something I can go into without having to dig. I eventually find a hole big enough for a lion and probably Brisa could fit in, but Jason is a bit bigger. Of course, he can shapeshift too so it might work out in the end. Although the air feels stale so we might feel a little cramped and possibly claustrophobic. Still, I shimmy my way through, it is a tight fit we are going to need to dig a little. I go down, down, down, pushing my way through. Squeezing wondering if I should change it to something smaller that will make it easier to get through when I finally pop my head out.
Looking down I see there is a drop, a floor that you can easily see. The cave bottom, cavern more like it because the ceiling is huge it goes up at least thirty feet, and it goes back so far back, that it is nothing but a dark pit. It will be perfect for our needs the air is stale meaning people have not been in for a long time
I jump down knowing cats always land on their feet, I am pretty lucky that way. I land and walk back a ways hoping for some indication of depth. The air is even staler than I thought, there is barely any oxygen.
I will need to use a flying animal to get back up to the tunnel entrance and then turn into a burrowing animal to get my way back out. We need more oxygen in here if we are going to make it. Still, that is a worry for tomorrow I fly back up as a hawk and right at the entrance, I turn into a mole and up, up, up, I go. When I am free of the hole I am back to a mountain lion bounding back to my companions. It is time to get some rest we won't be able to sleep soundly but some rest is better than none.
We wake the next morning and it is chillier than I expected. We are in the desert, you would think it would be warm. Apparently, this time of year the nights get cool. Luckily Jason was a bear and we all snuggled into him to keep nice and warm. Not to mention it was safer, nobody is going to
attack a mountain lion and a bear, even if the girl wrapped around them is small and frail looking.
After a quiet breakfast high in tension and poor Brisas stuck in the middle of our awkward situation, we pack up and I show them the hole.
Jason and I transform into badgers and dig for hours as Brisa sits at the tunnel entrance pushing air currents in. Airing the place out and giving us oxygen so we won't die while trying to get everything situated.
We burrow down-down-down, digging-digging-digging, air currents flowing around us when finally we both break through the cavern Jason looks down, makes a rodent-like noise, and scuttles back up. I follow knowing I can go in human form as the tunnel is big enough now, but also knowing I want back up quickly. Just like I am aware I will want to be a cat again for that drop.
We get to the outside and change back into humans, luckily our clothing changes with us, that is the beauty of shifter magic as opposed to being a werewolf. Brisa looks at us hopefully waiting to hear good news.
"We can get to the cavern now. It's quite a drop though so when you poke your head through we probably will have you get on your back and drop down."
She is about ready to faint, air fairies are NOT really known for dropping. They like to float, they like to breathe. Brisa is only half, her human half makes her susceptible to the drop; she can still break bones or even die. She really doesn't want to break bones. If she were pure fairy we could have had her just float down on the wind currents, but now her human heritage holds her back the same as every other human.
"Don't worry Brisa. If you would you feel more comfortable I can wait until you're there turn into some flying creature and you can jump on my back I can take you down it's not a problem. Think of a bird that's nice and big."
She looks at me slightly incredulous not really sure if she can trust me or not.
"Not to worry Brisa if nothing else Bethany will make sure you get there alive and well. She brought you in one piece she's gonna return you that way too."
I smile, "Ahh Jason, you do still care."
We continue on with our bantering until Brisa says 'alright let's do this'. So, I throw my bag down, Jason throws his down after mine, and Brisa follows suit. I turn into a mountain lion easily able to push them down. There is nothing in there that will break from the drop so I push and push until they hit the ground ahead of me. I jump next landing on my feet and Jason comes after as a rodent.
He turns into a bird and flies down as I try to think of what the best bird to bring Brisa down is. It is only a fifteen-foot drop but still, she didn't look like she was gonna take it well. I won’t need to have her hold on very long, just long enough to float her down so she can touch feet to floor and not worry about breaking something.
I jump into the air pumping my wings as I hear Brisa pop her head out and go "holy crap that's a big drop! I'm not going down there!"
I screech at her, she looks at me like she wants to smack me out of the air.
"Jump Brisa, Bethany will catch you by the shoulders and make sure you get down to the ground safely."
"Heck no that's not happening!"
But she has no choice. She either stays in the hole or jumps. "I told you, you will return in one piece. One piece doesn't mean broken. For us, one piece means we return you the same way we found you so let's go! Jump!"
I would've chuckled to myself at Jason's insistence but, you know, I am an Eagle they don't chuckle they screech so it comes out sounding a little intimidating.
Brisa looks at me, sighs, and jumps. I easily catch her by the shoulders and drop her onto the floor, by drop I mean set her on her feet, and change back to my human form.
So we are off to our whirlwind adventure in a cave, airflow minimal, while Brisa hyperventilates on her knees worrying, looking like she regrets volunteering for this job (though it is doubtful she volunteered willingly that is Fae for you to half-breeds are expendable).
Jason uses his big human male muscles to grab our packs. He is carrying Brisa's, she is in no condition to carry it. We walk deeper and deeper, I set the pace calling upon the bat with perfect night vision, I didn’t grow wings but the improved vision is enough. I just need to be able to find our way through the cavern without anyone falling into a hole, or you know running into a wall. Flashlights down here, for some reason, are going wonky. Jason is still hitting his and cursing while demanding that Brisa follow or be left alone in a dark cavern. She chopses to follow so off we go. It is some kind of uncomfortable and cold, I mean do you know what happens when the sun doesn't reach an area? It gets cold! We are deep underground, very, very deep, and it is freezing.
Why can't there be a volcano around here? Some nice warm air yeah and lava can provide a little bit of light, maybe, at least we would know not to step in it, like a dark hole that we can easily step in, fall into, going down, down, down, never-ending. Well, I guess that is life, we will do what we have to. So on we go marching along, although not really marching I am sauntering, Jason is dragging Brisa and two bags along cussing at our flashlights still. Boy, this is is going to be a nice long trip.
So finally we come to…well this cavern makes the other one look like a hole. In the cavern, from what I can see, the shapes of a structure.
"Jason take off your shirt wrap it around a stick, and light a fire." He looks at me gives a slight growl, boy he is losing himself to an animal too.
"Just do it Jas. It's not appropriate for Brisa and me to do it. People look at us funny."
"There are no people around to look at you funny!"
"You're my brother. I'm not getting half naked in front of you."
"Oh but it's okay for me to do it?"
"Guys are allowed to walk around with no shirt. Girls not so much. Just do it, Jason. I want to get out of here. Feel bad for poor Brisa, air Fae, deep underground we're probably killing her right now. The longer you take the more it's gonna happen."
He glares at both of us stripping off his shirt and grabbing one of the sticks I have tied to my pack. You never know when you might need a stick to cook something over a fire, poke things, or in this case a club like stick (a very thick one) I plan on breaking to use as fire food. But hey this works too.
He wraps the shirt around it, finds a lighter, I always make sure everyone brings at least one set of flammable clothing, he has another shirt, he'll deal…yeah, he can get over it. He lights it up. We can't see much, but we can see a building.
"God there really is a temple! I thought you were crazy!"
I roll my eyes, "We get that a lot. No, Brian's a genius. If he said it was this way then it's this way."
"But we took hours to walk here!"
Had we? I’d been whistling the whole time skipping along so I hadn't noticed. "Well it will be hours until we can get back. I suggest we look around for any sticks so we can make a fire. We are gonna be here a while, probably camping. We want a fire, food, probably some water. Break out the camp gear people. Brisa you might want to walk back those couple hours and pull in some air currents. We are going to need oxygen, hopefully, a lot of it. I'm to take a tour as a bird, something with night vision. I got to make sure that thing is structurally sound before we go exploring it all."
"Please don't make me do that."
"You'll be fine Brisa. You can take the torch back with you. Jason can build a fire with the rest of the sticks, right Jason?
"Sure sure leave all the hard work to me. You turn into an animal and fly around; Brisa gets to walk, while I have to try to find a way to start a fire with minimal oxygen in the room."
“We are still breathing there has to be oxygen. It's not like we're going to suffocate."
He rolls his eyes, gives a growl, and get to work. Brisa is shaking like a leaf in the wind. "I'm sorry Bree but you're the only one who can do it. Unless you can turn into an animal and fly around the structure. You know make sure its sound so we don't die from it collapsing."
"I can walk. I just… make sure if I am in trouble you come qui
ckly."
"I'll be a bird I can fly faster than the wind. We've got Jason who can turn into a wolf and run there and attack whatever you scream at. Which you know since its underground is probably going to be a worm, maybe a mole or something like that."
She walks off muttering to herself about crazy people and how she thought that Fae were bad but not anymore. I laugh. Yeah, it amuses me. I am crazy, but you know my upbringing hadn't really left much room for sanity, so it is funny.
Jason still curses in the background, man he is doing a lot of cursing here. I turn into a bird flying around and in and out of the structure hoping there will be minimal booby-traps, although generally, no one bothers to make booby-traps for flying things. We don’t care if birds see our secrets. Hiding secrets from humans, that is where the problem lies.
I don't see anything bad. It looks structurally intact. Also good news I find some trees along the outside edge around back. Jason can go there with the little ax I brought, hack off some branches, well roots, and have stuff to burn.
I fly back ready to turn into a human and tell him it is cool, we can survive, we will have heat. But I figure first I should check on Brisa. So I fly past him down the tunnel back the way we came. She is stomping along using air currents to hurry her feet muttering about crazy shifters and how she is shocked that they are still alive in this day. How they have managed to survive in today's world where humans are violent, with shifters being crazy, vampires being obsessive and controlling, and werewolves while they are just classified with shifters as crazy. Muttering about how all the sudden the Fae seem sane.
I give a squawk at her, turns she cursing at me for making her jump and I go back to Jason to let him know about the bounty of wood that we have within walking distance.
I change back to human again, telling Jason about the wood and need for an axe. We debate what kind of animal will be able to carry the most wood, if we had a rope I could've turned into a mule or something and had the wood tied to my back, he said mockingly. The sarcasm that my brother can conjure; what an ass
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