“So, you’re saying the Divine Spirt punished them based on the existing myths?” Lilah suggested.
“Perhaps,” Uncle Todd said. “Or the myths evolved based on their true attributes after they arrived.”
The corners of Lilah’s mouth pulled down, and she rocked gently as she said, “That actually makes perfect sense.”
“It does?” her mom asked.
“Yeah. The two merged into one.”
“Something like that,” her uncle agreed. “Only there are still so many exaggerated tales throughout all parts of the globe that don’t come close to being accurate.”
“Right. I get that,” Lilah was still processing everything. “But Water does change into wolf form?”
“It’s a very askew human and beast cross form. Not exactly wolf, but definitely not human,” Akalah described.
Lilah struggled to picture it, but it was no use. “Is there any imagery of a werewolf that comes close?”
“Yes,” Akalah was quick to respond. “In fact, some have to be based on real life experience. It’s too uncanny. I don’t have any of my books here to show you one, so you can see for yourself.”
“Do they use two legs or four?”
“Either,” Uncle Todd quipped. “Whichever they choose. They’re faster on four, of course.”
“Covered in fur?”
“Not entirely, and I wouldn’t call it fur necessarily,” Akalah took the lead. “They have terrific muscle build and a mouth of razor sharp teeth. No tails.”
It was like she knew the questions Lilah was going to ask next.
“I’ll try to find a picture that comes close for you,” her mom offered.
“And vampires?”
“What about them?” Uncle Todd asked.
“What’s true about their myths?”
“Almost nothing,” he laughed.
“Forget everything you thought you knew about them,” her mom told her. “Their blood heals. Their blood will turn you. They do change form slightly, but only in their face and teeth. They have superior strength at all times, and their speed tops even the fastest of us.”
“Cool,” Lilah mumbled to herself. She hoped to meet them someday. Fire and Water both. She wasn’t sure if that was something her family would approve of or not, so she kept the thought to herself.
“Are the wolves disappearing too?” the thought came to her suddenly.
“Not as far as I can tell, but I haven’t been in contact with them either,” Uncle Todd looked forlorn again.
“Then how do you know Fire is in trouble but not Water?”
“I don’t,” Uncle Todd said bluntly. “I have more Fire associates generally speaking. The last I heard from any of them they were growing increasingly concerned that something was happening to their people. When I stopped being able to contact them, I tried in vain to get ahold of any of my Water contacts.”
“So why wouldn’t you assume the same is happening to them as is happening to Fire? Whatever that may turn out to be.”
Uncle Todd stretched out his legs and sighed. “That is a possibility, but there’s also the chance they’ve chosen to go into hiding for protection as all of the Elementals have done throughout centuries when one group is being persecuted.”
“But you just said you don’t know what’s happening, so why are you now saying they’re being persecuted?”
“I’m not, Lilah,” he looked to Akalah for help, but she shook her head. “I’m saying they may be hiding just in case.”
Lilah thought it over pulling her knees up under her chin. The white squirrel was back, and she watched him scurry over the side lawn to the tree cover. It made sense what her uncle had explained even if it still left a lot of unanswered questions. She knew no one would be able to answer them for her.
“What is it?” her mom saw the worried look on her face.
“I was just thinking.”
Abby let out a light laugh. “I know that. What about?”
It wasn’t that easy to put it into words. Lilah could find the words to describe her thoughts fine, but saying them out loud was the hard part. It was like admitting something she didn’t want to face, and it would make it real. Once she said it, she would never be able to go back to how it was before the words were spoken.
She looked up at her mom and realized her uncle and aunt were focused intently on her as well waiting for her to say something. They weren’t going to drop it until she told them or let them into her thoughts. “It’s just… Well, you know how much I didn’t want to come here?”
Her mom laughed until her side started to pain her. “Talk about an understatement!” She clutched her sides and looked at Todd and Akalah. “I seriously thought I might wind up having to hog tie her and toss her in the trunk at one time.”
Lilah glared at her. “I felt that way even thought I thought this would be temporary.”
“It is temporary,” Uncle Todd didn’t understand.
“Yeah, but I mean… I thought we’d all get here. Marcus would tell us what was going on. There might be a few days to do something he needed us to do or whatever,” Lilah shrugged.
“You thought it would be in and out?” her uncle clarified.
“Exactly. A quick pit stop on our way to the next place we would live.”
“What do you think about it now?” her mom wanted to know.
She put her face down into her knees trying to hide from what was becoming more and more clear. Turning her head to the side she said, “Now, I think we’re going to be here awhile.”
“What does that mean?” Akalah was never one to abide people not getting to the point.
“There’s no Marcus or Leena. No vampire or wolf contact. It’s something much bigger than I expected. I can feel it.”
“I’m afraid of that too, child.” Akalah reached out and patted the top of her head. “We shouldn’t fret about what we don’t know. There will be plenty of time for that later when we learn more.”
Lilah looked up at her and asked, “How do you do that? How do I not worry about it now?”
Akalah looked at her seriously. “I was hoping you’d teach me.”
Chapter Seven
Spring dawned, and Marcus had enjoyed spending most of his days since the first signs that winter was over watching the forest come to life. The buds and blossoms began appearing slowly, but now most of the forest was covered in brightly painted flowers and green leaves. The animals have emerged bringing their children in tow to explore what nature has created while they slept.
Each morning the thick grass is wet with dew, and Marcus enjoys walking through the trees barefoot until the sun dries the ground again. Today is no different, and yet he knew it was far from the same. He walks down to the stream to what has become his usual spot. Marcus sits on the log on the far side of the stream that is well hidden in the shadowy overcast of the forest. This has become his morning routine since the snow melted to sit and wait for her to appear.
He has spent over half of his year outside Leena’s small village, and he knows he should move on to explore other areas and learn from other groups of people. He can’t. It’s as though an invisible tether was attached the moment he first saw her on the day he arrived. Marcus had been unable to stray too far from her ever since.
Marcus knew she was heading to the stream long before he could hear her approach. She rested the buckets and the carrying rod on the ground before kneeling at the water’s edge like she had so many times in the past. Leena didn’t manage this with the same ease she normally possessed. Her body was exhausted from lack of sleep.
As she knelt, the tears began to flow. Marcus felt the tug on the unseen rope that bound him to her, but he had to resist the urge. As much as he would like to, he could not go to her. Not now. Not ever. He could feel her pain, and it danced with his own until his face became wet with the streaks of his own silent tears.
Leena was betrothed to a man she did not wish to marry. After her father’s recovery a fe
w months ago, she had believed she was safe from the union. Her parents realizing that the time for her to wed and raise a family of her own was at hand decided to go through with the marriage of their only daughter to the best warrior in their village.
Marcus longed to go to her, to comfort her. He wanted to cradle her head against his chest and stroke her hair while promising her that she would never suffer pain like this again, but he knew he couldn’t. And he knew it would be a lie.
The wedding was to occur after the harvest. Leena had pleaded for it. She would already be married now if the man she was to marry hadn’t allowed it. It was not unheard of to marry throughout the year, but most marriages occurred in early spring. It was considered a blessing upon the couple’s happiness and ability to bear a large family to wed when the ground was ripe with fertility.
She had begged to push the wedding back under the pretense that her favorite time of the cycle of life was when the colors of nature reflected the burnt gold and rust of the sun. Yaxkin had been named for the sun and took Leena’s pleadings as a desire to honor him and his legacy. Even though he was eager to have his young wife lay in his bed, he allowed the delayed marriage with pride wrongly thinking Leena was not only agreeable to the union, but longed for him as well.
Marcus smiled at the thought and wiped his tears with his hand. Leena was no more agreeable to this marriage then the animals were agreeable to give their life to provide nourishment to the people of the village. He knew Leena’s plan was to run near the end of harvest season. She was going to load as many supplies as she could easily carry and take off through the hillside finding shelter in the caves. The approaching winter would cut short the search for her giving her a chance to succeed.
The smile quickly erased as his thoughts drifted to what her escape held for her. He couldn’t think about that now. He couldn’t let his mind linger on it at all for fear of what he may do to prevent it. There was still time for something to happen to change the course her life was on. He could hope for such an interference.
Forcing these dangerous images from his mind, he watched Leena as she composed herself on the bank. She ladled water in her cupped hands to splash her tear stained cheeks. Marcus watched as the water dripped down to her exposed chest. His eyes followed two tiny droplets as they rolled down one supple breast before curving to glide down her side.
Leena wasn’t fazed by the water that fell and ventured down her skin. She slowly grabbed each water pail and filled them one by one. She took her time making each movement deliberate and as slow as possible. Marcus knew she was in no hurry to return to her people. He knew the feeling all too well because each passing day brought him closer to his own Return.
Slowly she adjusted the carrying rod and placed it over and across her shoulders. When she first began to stand, she lost her balance and toppled over. The buckets drained small rivers into the ground all around her.
Marcus leapt to his feet wanting to rush to her aide, but quickly stopped and sat down again. He knew she was drained from the lack of sleep. The nightmares that tortured her when she was finally able to drift off didn’t allow her any rest either. He couldn’t offer her assistance despite how it pained him to stay in the shadows. He had to stay hidden.
Leena stood up and looked down at her legs that were covered in dirt and mud from the spilled water. She placed her hands behind her on the small of her back and drew her shoulders tight to stretch. Leena righted the buckets again and placed the carrying rod over top. Slowly she slipped her animal skin skirt over her long bronze legs and laid it over the top of the buckets.
She carefully walked into the stream staying in the shallows. Marcus watched as the cool water chilled her causing her nipples to harden. He was undeniably aware of how his own human form was reacting. His could feel the throbbing beneath his robes, but Marcus could not turn away. Not this time. He continued to watch etching every inch of her naked body to his memory.
Leena rinsed off her legs then ventured a little deeper in the water. She finally sank below the surface which surprised and frightened Marcus until she reappeared. She smoothed her long wet hair back with both hands before dipping below the surface again.
She didn’t enjoy the clear, cool water long before returning to shore. Someone would look for her if she didn’t return soon. Marcus watched the water as it glided down her back and over her round tan bottom as she walked. Marcus clenched his fists to the side quelling the urge to run to her and lick every drop of moisture off her body.
Leena slipped back into her skirt then filled the buckets a second time. She attempted to affix the carrying rod again. This time she managed it successfully, and she slowly walked from Marcus’ view. He would normally follow her at a distance with the excuse that he wanted to make sure no harm befell her. He knew it was just that. An excuse. Marcus already knew she’d be back in the village safe and sound in no time.
Marcus hung back today because of the massive problem left to him. Walking would be awkward. He contemplated handling the matter himself as he had considered many other times since his arrival, but he was afraid to give in to the lust he felt for Leena. He worried that it would only grow his desire for her until he eventually approached her.
Instead he chose to swim across the river on his way to his makeshift hut instead of taking the rock path in the narrows he normally used. The cold water did the trick. Marcus knew he shouldn’t have these thoughts about Leena. He could never intervene, not even though her life was in danger.
Once Leena had safely returned to her people and his robes were again dry, Marcus set off to explore more of the valley around him. It might keep his mind occupied and off of the woman he desired for a change. There was another village to the west, but it was a day’s hike at leaving at sunup and not resting. To the south was only more wilderness, and that was the area he had explored the most up till now. He decided to head west in the hopes of experiencing something new and exciting like possibly spying a new forest creature, or finding a new source of food.
The hike through the territory seemed to be just what he needed. Soon all thoughts of Leena and her village were far from his mind. Marcus was watching the brush along a line of trees move and shake as an animal made its way through the overgrowth. He watched in anticipation even though he knew a young jackrabbit was about to appear. A low noise far off was missed by him in his captivation of the little creature. If he hadn’t been paying such close attention to it waiting for it to finally emerge, he may have had more warning of the danger that approached in enough time to avoid almost being found.
When the rabbit broke through the branches and sniffed the air around him, it took immediate notice of Marcus who reclined against a nearby tree. The rabbit didn’t recognize him as a threat and cautiously continued to move away from the safety of the thicket where he had been covered. It didn’t come much closer to Marcus directly, but he did continue to explore the area near him. Sights such as this were invaluable. He could not remember a single time when he had paid attention to an animal so small from the spirit realm except for possibly when they were first created. It would now be locked in his memory forever how the eyelashes on this creature could compete with those of any human in length.
Something spooked it. Marcus watched its ears shoot straight up as it tried to hone in on what it had heard before it suddenly vanished in a flash. That would just about do it for the day. He needed to head back before much longer, or he would never make it home in time to get any sleep before morning. He had already ventured farther than he had intended when he left.
As soon as he stood up, he became aware he was not the only person in this section of the valley at the moment. They couldn’t yet be seen, but they were drawing closer. Their movements were so light they couldn’t be easily detected. Marcus realized if he had been distracted by the jackrabbit for much longer, he may have been seen. He needed to hide and quick, but there was no real option available. They’d be close enough to spot him in minutes, so
the only way to avoid detection would be to run. Marcus was sure he wouldn’t be able to mimic their quietness which would draw unwanted attention to himself through the noises he made running away. Surely, someone would be sent out to investigate.
In a panic, he believed there was only one option available to him. Marcus put his hands on the trunk of the tree and gripped tightly. Bounding with all his strength, he shot up the tree with amazing speed moving his hands and feet in unison up the trunk until he came to the lowest branch of the cypress and began pulling himself up swinging through the canopy until he neared the part of the crown where it became too narrow to hide him well. The branches this high wouldn’t support his weight, so he crossed his legs around the tree and watched the movement below with his mind.
It took only seconds once he was in place for the band of warriors to move into view. There would be around a dozen or so in the party walking through, but a few young men led the way keeping an eye out for the rest. Marcus slowed his breathing even with being safely out of sight. The warriors would be hard pressed to see him if they scoured the tree canopy at any time, but the overcast sky of the late day would make it impossible to spy him. His light bronze skin and aged robes blended well in the treetop.
The hope that the group would pass through swiftly leaving Marcus free to climb down and head to his home before it grew to be too late was crushed when the warriors in the front of the pack found a small area nearby surrounded on two sides by hills and a wall of trees. It was a good location to set up camp for the night. Marcus was trapped.
Night wore on, and Marcus still clung to the tree. Every muscle in his body ached for relief, but he was too afraid to even reposition himself. Several times he had considered scampering down slowly and as quietly as he could manage then running as swiftly as he could through the darkened wilderness. He didn’t fear the outcome of a confrontation if one occurred. His speed was greater which meant the likelihood of being caught was marginal, and his healing rate would be invaluable if it came to be needed.
Air: The Elementals: Book One Page 8