by J. M. Lyons
and mirror into a small pile of animal furs that were piled high near
her bed. "Dinner is ready." Grandpa called out. "Mia you go and
eat, I'll be fine." She said, nodding toward the door. "Go ahead.
Mia remember I'll always love you; and I will always be there for
you, maybe not in the flesh but I will be there in spirit." She said
softly. "I will always love you my Mia.” She said again. "I'll be right
back after I'm done." I said, overwhelmed with sadness.
I stepped out of the tent and to my surprise the bear was
gone. I looked around, but the bear was nowhere to be found. "He
went to find his own food." Elder Wolf explained watching me look
around. I didn't say anything I just smiled at him.
"Hey you still up for that walk." Jon said with his hand on my
back as we got our food. "Um, well." I started to say. "Mia, I'll be
here and so will your dad." Grandpa said softly, standing across
from Jon and I. "Go ahead, it'll be fine. We're all gonna be here."
He repeated. 'We don't have too." Jon started to say but I cut him
off. "Yeah, why don't we go now." I said looking at the sky. "Looks like the night sky is gonna be beautiful so why not." I
said, picking up a piece of fur from the side of my tent, and began
walking into the direction of the lake. We walked along a long
wide quite path; eating our dinner not saying anything. There
were no night animals, no sounds only the sound of our feet
dragging in the dirt beneath our feet. Soon we came to the lake.
We sat at the waters edge, and I put my feet in. I sat there
quite, feeling the cold flowing water around my toes, it felt really
good. Jon and I used to spend countless hours just sitting quietly
letting our thoughts run without even saying a single word, and it
felt real nice to do that with him again. It was just us and our
thoughts, nothing else.
Jon put his hand on mine, and slowly squeezed, I squeezed
his back. We both looked deep into each others eyes. I could see
the stars that twinkled high in the sky, reflecting off the water into
his eyes. "Watch this." He said, placing his other hand over the
ground; the rocks around his hand began to move around until a
small rock appeared beneath it. He grabbed it and showed it to
me. It was a dark black rock in the shape of a perfect rose.
"How sweet, I love it." I said, grabbing it from him with a smile.
I ran my fingers over it and felt every bump that was on it. I leaned forward and kissed him pushing my lips against his hard, as he did
the same. "Now it's my turn." I said, as I closed my eyes. I could
feel the energy from the water that flowed around my toes. I
began to kick the water picturing it moving around and around.
I opened my eyes and the water began to lift up out of the
lake. As more and more water lifted out of the lake it started to
form a perfect heart, that continuously spun clockwise faster and
faster. "I'm sorry I can't give it to you too but at least you'll have a
mental picture of it." I chuckled. "I'll take it." He said, as the clouds
slowly moved away from the light of the moon.
The moon was bright and very big. Suddenly I felt ill to my
stomach. The water that flowed in the air suddenly fell back into
the lake. "Jon, I don't feel well." I said, leaning over holding my
stomach. "What's wrong; was it the food?" He asked rubbing my
back. "I don't think so." I said as I began to feel the energy of the
forest again, I could feel the energy of ground beneath us, the
trees, even the lake itself.
The energy was too much for me to handle. I laid back on the
damp moss as the energy continued to flow through my veins. I
could feel the energy from the mountains and even the moon.
The energy soon became so powerful that it picked me up from the ground lifting me high into the air. I didn't even take notice that
Jon wasn't there anymore. As I floated there high above the tree
tops I could hear people yelling and calling my name. I began to
spin around and around absorbing all the energy around me, the
tops of the trees began to pulsate a light green then a dark red
color. I looked around not sure what was happening; then I felt the
energy emit a field around me stretching farther and farther like a
stretchy band that grew and grew.
Through all of it, I could hear someone talking to me. “My
Mia, my power is now yours.” I heard. My head sprung straight up
into the air as this gigantic force emitted from my body, knocking
everyone below me to the ground. This happened a few times,
before I slowly floated back to the ground, back into Jon's waiting
arms. I stumbled trying to get to my feet and I quickly ran back to
the camp, nearly falling over a few time.
I couldn't help but think of my grandmother, the voice that
spoke to me while I floated; I just knew it was her, there was no
doubt in my mind that something happened. When I got back to
the camp the bottom of my dress was torn from running through
the bushes. Elder Wolf and Elder Wing stood at the entrance of
the tent. I pushed past them and went in. My grandmother was gone, every bit of her was gone.
"Where is she." I demanded with tears flowing down my face.
"Where is my grandmother." "She's gone Mia, I'm sorry but while
you were away she left this world for the next." Elder Wolf
explained. "No, this can't be, I just left her and I told her that I
would be back." I said screaming. "Mia, she's gone dad said
looking at me, as he pushed past the Elders.
"Dad." I said, crying very hard, kneeling on the ground. Dad
walked over to me, where I knelt, but I jumped straight up and ran
out of the tent and started yelling for my grandfather. "Grandpa." I
called out. But, there was no answer. "Grandpa." I called, crying
even harder. Again, no one answered; no one there said a single
word. "No, no, no. This cannot be." I screamed.
Tucker walked over to me and grabbed me very tightly. "Mia
they're both gone." He said, hugging me even tighter. "Tuck." I
said, softly my eyes blinded by the tears. "When Jon came to get
us they both just disappeared, into a bright light that came down
from the moon." Tucker tried to explain. I fell over holding my
stomach, which hurt so bad. I felt angry and alone.
The wind around the camp began to pick up swirling around,
the fire in the pit grew larger and larger, the water in the creek also grew almost overflowing, and the ground began to shake. "No,
no, no, no......." I cried out. The wind blew even harder tossing
everything around the camp, the fire grew brighter and bigger as it
spilled over the rocks that formed the pit, it started to grow so hot
that it began to melt the rocks that once surrounded it.
The water from the creek also flowed harder turning into a
fast flowing river flooding the tents that were closest to it. The
ground started to shake violently throwing everyone to the ground.
I quickly lifted up off the ground and spun in a circle as I lifted
higher and higher into the sky above all the trees, until I became
level with the top
of the Weeping Mountains.
"Mia; my Mia. We will meet again, my darling until then you
have a destiny that needs to be fulfilled and you will fulfill it my
Mia. We will always be right there with you, maybe not in the flesh
but in the spirit. Do not despair my Mia; do not despair." I could
hear my grandmother saying to me.
And with that said, I slowly floated back to the ground; and as
I did the water in the creek eased up turning back into a small
creek, the fire burned softer and what fell over the rocks fizzled
out, the wind blew softly into a small cool breeze, and the ground
stopped shaking. I softly returned back to the ground and fell to my knees in tears. Dad, Tucker and Jon helped me to the tent,
where I cried the entire night, I don't even remember sleeping.
It felt like I stayed there in bed for days crying in anguish,
crying for my grandparents that I just got back. The sadness that
overtook me was unbearable, my heart was broken into hundreds
of little pieces. I laid there on the bed that grandma laid on, I laid
my head on her pillow, I could still smell the soft scent of roses on
the pillow. I refused to move, and just closed my eyes.
One morning a few days later; I think, Tucker came into the
tent with a small bowl of fresh water. "Mia, this is for so you can
wash up." He said softly. "Thanks." I replied looking at the bowl
while I just sat there in the bed. "You need to get up Mia." He said,
looking at me with such compassion in his eyes. "I know and I will,
just let me be for now." I said, turning my head away so that I
wouldn't have to look at him anymore.
Tucker stood up and walked out saying nothing else and; I
don't think I would have listened anyway. At that moment nothing
mattered any more, I felt like I died too; all over again. "Mia." I
heard as the door opened. Jon stepped into the tent, stepping
quietly around the table and sat at the end of the bed. "Mia, how
are you feeling?" He asked, touching my feet. "I'll be alright, but I miss her so much." I said, starting to cry
again. "I know you do, we all do. But would she have wanted you
to sit in this bed wallowing in your sorrows? Would she have
wanted you to just forget about everything you needed to do?" He
said, looking over at me, with such a saddened look in his eyes.
"I know she wouldn't." I replied, sitting up in the bed crossing
my legs. "You need to get out of this tent Mia, you can't stay stuck
in here forever." He said, looking around then back at me. Our
eyes met and I could see how sincere he was, and yet so sad. I
just shook my head. "Look; get up, get dressed, and come
outside. I'll be waiting for you. I'll always wait for you Mia." He
said, with a smile as he got up and quietly left the tent.
As he stepped out of the tent something caught my eye. I
noticed the scrolls that I hid under the pile of furs and just as I took
notice of it, I could hear my grandmother's voice telling me that
she would always be there with me. The feeling of sadness still
existed but it was being replaced with anger. Grandma said that
as the time got closer to fight this demons, or evil or whatever it
was; that was here in the forest, I would lose both her and
grandpa so that Tucker and I would gain their power. Alright fine, I
knew exactly what I needed to do. I got up and picked up the bowl of water. I washed up and
started digging through grandma's old trunk of clothes. I found a
short long sleeved red dress, that hung just above my knees, the
shoulders were cut leaving them partially exposed. I pulled out a
beautiful plush silver wolf fur that hugged my shoulders and hung
down to my ankles. I brushed my long thick red hair, leaving it
down and twisted the feather back into it.
I used the berries that sat in the bowl, spreading it over my
lips, staining it red. I looked around for a bit and found a pair of
black snake skin boots that were old, and dusty and sat in the
corner of the tent. I carefully dusted it off and slip them on, to my
surprise they fit me perfect. I stood there still for a while. I picked
up the small mirror and looked my self over.
I slowly stepped out of the tent. The bright sun burned my
eyes. I had to squint to see everyone sitting around the camp.
"Dad" I said, with some authority. "Dad you have to teach me to
use these powers, I can't learn them on my own." I said, looking at
him as he stood next to the creek. "Alright Mia." He said, nodding
his head in agreement.
"You four need to practice. Uncle Tom you need to train them,
I'll go with dad and he'll help to train me. Go now, so we are prepared, this darkness, demons, evilness, whatever it is will
return and it'll return soon." I said, walking slowly over to dad as
everyone stood speechless at my sudden appearance.
"Well, are you just gonna stand there or are you gonna get a
move on." I demanded. "Come on guys you heard her." Jon said,
motioning to every one to follow him. They all walked quickly
through the shrubs onto the path toward the old tree. "Mia, are
you ready for this." Elder Wolf asked, standing up. "I am." I said
walking over toward dad.
"Mia, you'll go with Elder Wing for now, and he'll teach you
some stuff, then we'll take it from there." Dad smiled, as I turned
around toward Elder Wing. "Will you teach me Elder." I said, with a
slight bow. "Alright Mia, lets go." He said, standing up walking over
toward another path that led us away from the camp.
"I believe my daughter is ready Elder." Dad told Elder Wolf. "I
believe you maybe right." He said, with a smile. "Do you think she
will be brave enough to stand against her?" Elder Wolf asked dad.
"I believe she will do what she needs to; at this point I think her
anger toward her mother may just end up working against her in
the long run, but for now; yes; I think she will." Dad said, worriedly. The wind began to blow the cold air from the mountain
through the camp, sending a slight chill through their spines. "I'm
worried for her David, her emotions are so bundled that I worry for
her." He told dad with a concerned look in his eyes. "I know it is.
I'll go and get Lily maybe she can talk to Mia, and hopefully that
will help to control the power that she holds." Dad said, looking
over toward Elder Wing and I, as we disappeared into the forest.
"She needs to control it or she'll end up destroying everything and everyone." Elder Wolf said, as he walked off to gather herbs.
9 YOU WILL NOT WIN
Elder Wing and I walked for several minutes and as we walked he
spoke softly. "Feel the energy that flows through the forest; feel
the life that grows here; the trees that reach high into the sky,
touching the clouds; the small shrubs that hug the bottom of the
trees; the grass that surrounds the life in the forest; the animals
that roam here quietly rummaging around the forest floor. Feel it,
let it run through your veins." He said, as we walked slowly.
I could feel it with every beat of my heart and the energy
grew. I could feel the energy from the wind that bl
ew softly around
us, blowing my hair back away from my shoulders; kissing my skin
ever so softly. I could feel the energy from the water that flowed
near by tickling my toes as it entered into my body. "I can feel it
Elder; everything, I can feel it." I said, touching everything as I
walked by, allowing the spirit of every being in the forest to fill me,
and as I did the feeling of sadness and hurt began to disappear. "Elder why can I hear the animals talking?" I asked.
"Because Mia every being that is, has a voice; but only some are
chosen to hear them talk, and if you are one of the few who can;
you are blessed by the gods. Be thankful that you can, because
they can be your greatest allies. They know things that no person
can know, they see things that no person can see." He said
walking along the windy path.
"Mia, you have great power; a power that has been locked
away for many, many moons; but you must learn to control your
emotions if you are to use your power effectively." He said; as he
stopped, turning back toward me. "Can you do that Mia, can you
control it?" He asked, looking at me sincerely. "Yes Elder; I can." I
replied quickly.
"Mia, I will say this, if you are not able to control your
emotions, you will be the cause of our failure." He said, as he
once again continued down the path. We came to a clearing that
overlooked the entire forest; we could see the lake, the grassy
planes that stretched far, the town at the edge of the forest and
the trails that led into the mountains. In the far distance we could
see uncle Tom and the Elemental's practicing, as they honed in on
their skills. "Mia, what do you see in the distance there?" He asked pointing in the direction of Hillside town.
I tried to look but saw nothing more than a overcast town.
"Nothing." I replied. "Look harder Mia; and concentrate." He said,
putting a hand on my shoulder. I could see dark clouds beginning
to cover the town, and it looked like it was going to rain; but as I
stared harder and concentrated more I noticed that it wasn't like
normal rain clouds, it looked like a massive storm was going to hit.
The clouds slowly stirred around the mid day sky.
As I thought about it for a moment, I thought it was odd that
there would even be a storm. It's the summer time and in Hillside
