Chapter 8, part 5

I felt the wind push away from her the instant she stated walking away from the others. It must be a star thing. The strangest part of all of this is, the wind sang to me as it followed her.  Not really a song with words, but a melody with lavender  twinkles and sparkes, as if the wind is kissing Brooke with her very own  melody. Her melody to let me know exactly where she is, and how close she's getting. She shifts into tree vines, moving in and out of treetops. But still the melody plays with each shift. I wish Jayden had a melody.

"That was fun." She gushes at me, as she sits down and leans back on her hand. She's sucking up the sun as if it's the last time she'll see it. I on the other hand, didn't even notice the sunshine until now.

For a moment, my eyebrows shoot up in surprises at her words. Realizing the first impression I have  of her is, she couldn't hurt a fly. I have no idea why she was sent the East star. The star to protect and guard, then again I don't know why I have the North either.

"Do you think he'll come back?" She wonders out load.
I finely look at her. The expression on her face is full of a delightful wonder. Her eyes are fixed on the mountains ahead of us as she crosses her legs.

I'm almost afraid of the answer. But curiosity begs me to ask. "What did you?"

She beams. "Nothing. I just... showed Mitch the way out."

"Oooohhh" Drawing out the word to get the full meaning. "so thats what that was."  There's a tug on my lips to curl upword. First impressions are already changing.

Feeling sheepish, I turn back to the mountains unable to keep my eyes off of them for too long. I'm nervous and I can't help it. I acted like a child running away from her problems. I should have stood my ground. I should have asked questions, should have thanked Mitch for saving my life. I should have done a lot of things. But I just ran, and now I can't look Brooke in the eyes.

We stay like that for a long time. Me holding my legs as tightly as I can, Brooke practically laying down. Both studying the mountains ahead of us. I'm not sure if the quietness is due to the fact that we have nothing to say, or everything to say. But I'm glad she's here, despite my foolishness. Without her, I'd be completely lost and alone.

The wind gently glides over my arms giving me soft kisses, sending my body small spells of bravery. Until finely Brooke lets out a breath to say. "Where are we going now?"

The shock that runs through my bones, can't be compared to anything. How on earth or whatever we are, would I know where to go?  My eyes fail me as they drift back to Brooke, with I'm sure a dumbfounded expression across my face.

"How would I know?"

"You are the North star." She says planlly. "That means you'll find the others."

"Or.. that means I'll guide us right into traps. Have you forgotten what just happened?"

"That wasn't your fault."

"And who am I supposed to be finding?"   Please say Jayden. Please say Jayden. My blood starts to squirm inside of me. The windstorm is twisting in anticipation. I don't think I can find away back without her.

"The other Stars." She smiles. "We have to find the others, or Zailor will find them and kill them."

I take a breath, close my eyes and wonder for just one moment, if this is a dream... could I kill her now? The answer to that question pushes against my mind in a flash.
• Brooke is a nemph.
• Nemph's die by fire.
• Trap them away from their ever life river. • Away from earth that could help them, and they will fall.

I shack my head, squint my eyes. How do I know this? Why do I know this?  My hands fly to my head as I try to wiggle out of my own thoughts.

"It's ok." Brooke says in the background. "Use your star. It will tell you where they are."

"I don't know how to use this star, it wasn't sent to me Brooke. It was given to me."  I stand up with frustration. I want to wrip the star off my neck and throw it at her. But, I don't dare touch it.

She only sits forward, still with that ridiculous smile access her face. Making me want to wrip that off as well, and I wonder, when did my anger take over?

My fists flex in and out as I stand there waiting for her to push me over the edge. But she waits for me to breathe, until she finally says. "You have it now and it clearly belongs to you." She nods her head to star.

When my eyes shift to the star, it's glowing with tiny sparkles of blue. Swirling around and around, waiting for me to command it. I grip it tightly, feeling the heartbeat burn inside my palm. The beat rushes up my arm, to my head to my heart. "The mountains." It whispers.

Chapter 8 part 4

Mitch takes a moments to consider my questions. Then he answers Naomi. "She's not Ray. Raynee would know where to find Jayden." I'm suddenly envious of Raynee and the idea that she would know where he is and how to fund him... Makes me hate her already.  He turns his head back to me. "But you do look like her. Maybe you can tell me where to find Raynee?" 

The urge to suddenly punch him is far greater than any urge to keep calm. The wind curls around us, making Mitch look a little nervous, I smile at him, as he takes a step backwards. Brooke steps in between us, probably on instinct, but she's guarding Mitch as if I could hurt him, not the other way around. He must have at least fifty pounds of muscle on me, and some how, my twig-like body is going to hurt him? I roll my eyes.

"You should go Mitch." Brooke adds over her shoulder. Her eyes frown, but I can't tell if it's at me or him.

"I'll tell you what." I say with a coy voice, wanting to sound like a brat.  "You tell me how to get back and I just might tell you where Raynee is."

Of course, I have no intention on telling him anything even if I did know where Raynee is. But I keep my poker face on, as I focus on Brooke. "You don't have to protect him, he knows exactly, what I can do."

Mitch's eyes squint for a moment,  then he brings back he's crooked smirk. "Maybe you are the precious Raynee."

Being called precious Raynee, doses something to me. Rage pumps through my veins as if it was acid, a charging force that is to be wrecking with. Unable to stop myself, I almost trip on my own feet as I charge after him. I am so sick this. I'm a star, I'm Raynee, I'm light, I'm dark. Who the hell cares what I am? It's none of their business. Brooke catches me just before I reach Mitch and it takes all of me to not unleash my rath on her. I could tear him apart right now.  The only thing that's stopping me, is I'm not exactly sure why. Oh, and Brooke.

Mitch throws up his hands in surrender as his smile becoming wider. He's having fun with this. He likes pissing me off. My teeth grinds together as I push agents Brooke.

"I don't know how got here sweetheart." Mitch finely says. He tilts his head towards me. "You're the jumper. Remember that?" Then he waves his fingers. "The colors and all that."

"Mitch go home!" Brooke demands.

I shove off of Brooke, and take three steps backwards as I keep my eyes on Mitch. "I didn't jump. I was sent here."

Mitch lets his hands fall, and with a very dramatic expression says. "And who would do a thing like that?" His lower lip pouts out ever so slightly at the end. -He'd fit in perfect with all of the drama kids back in Kennewick and if I wasn't ready to pop, I'd probably laugh at him.

"Grant." I mutter.

All three pixies swing up at Grant's name. Grace gasps. "You mean... Queen Ada's Sir. Grant ?"

They all stare at me waiting for my reply with careful eyes. I pause, wondering if I've said something wrong.

"Yeah.... he told me." I pause as the rush of waves to run washes over me. I need  to get out of here.  "He told me to find the East star.  And now here I am. Standing in front of it." I gesture to Brooke.

"Right." Mitch says quietly.

"Mitch." Brooke warns again.

I smile at Mitch as if he's the little brother I've never had. "Go home Mitch." I sweetly say. "You're not welcome here."

As soon as the words leave my lips. I regret it instantly. The expression on Mitch's faces is a mix of pain and bewilderment. I've seen that expression before. But on a much younger Mitch. He's a child, 8 maybe 9, and that braty line 'go home Mitchell, you're not welcome here.' Spits out of someone else mouth. A boy. I rack my brain for more details, but all I can remember is he's older than Mitch, he's the age I am now, maybe a year or two older and my legs are draped over his.

My mind boggles at the idea. -The images don't fit with the current situation. Mitch is in his early twenties and god help him, drop dead gorgeous. How is it that I have a memory of when he was a child? And why am I not overcome by his obvious beauty?

My expression matches Mitch's. Brooke is glances back and forth between us and the desire to get out of here overwhelms me. I turn on my heels, forcing my way through the bushes, shrubberies, through the trees branches, the roots, the scampering animals in front of me. I don't care where I'm going as long as I'm not here.

The vibes of invisible strings to protect the others binds to me with each step, they're pulling and tugging me back to keep me there. But, like strings on a puppet, I visualize cutting them. They snap back easily, letting me pick up speed. I'm running before I even notice I'm alone.

In the distance, Brooke is letting her anger go. The trees shake around me, but I don't stop to hear the arguments between them. Whatever Brooke dose in her forest, is on her. I just have to get out of here. Focusing on where I place my feet, I run and run and run, until the screams from behind me are too far away.

Just when I start to believe this forest will never end. A clearing opens up into a vast valley, with tall waving grass and an absolute  breathtaking view of mountains with snowtops is in front of me. When I look to right, waterfalls that dance with blues, greens and purples is in the distance catching my breath one more time. To the left of me there massive tan, orange and brown rocks that weave in and out of each other as if they're grading something.

I stop just on the rim of the treeline. Gasping for air as I yet again, wait for my heart to catch up.
My mind races with someone else's  memories. I should have stayed and gotten some answers, should have demand Mitch to tell me where that memory came from. From who and when. But if I'm really honest with myself, I'm scared out of my mind. What if I am this Raynee? What if I'm dark and a killer? What if somehow I am bound to Jayden and therefore Zailor?

I did feel some kind of, I don't know,  pull, force, string. Something that pulled me to Jayden in a way I've never felt before. It was stronger than the protective binding strings that made me want to stay with the others. Those strings I could cut. The ones with Jayden, are alive, beating with a heartbeat. Even now, with him no where near me, I don't think I could cut them if I wanted to. What dose that even mean?

Then there is Mitch. He was younger than me, much younger. I could feel the incense of the child he used to be. I could also feel, the unwillingness to corrupt that incense. I wanted him to stay away, because I didn't want him to be like me, or whoever I had my legs draped over. He wasn't bound by the choices I'd made, and I wanted him to be better than me, to make better choice.

But seeing the Mitch he's become, I can't tell if he is better. Than again, these aren't my memories. How can I be younger now, but older than? This place, this star.. this...  "I have to figure out how to get back."

I plop on the ground, syhing my way down. Unsure of where to go next. There's also a small tingle coming from my star, which makes me think, it doesn't want me to go too far away from Brooke. She is the East star after all, my star must of some kind of connection to that.

Just then, Mitch come flying out of the treetops about a football field away from me. He's in full human form as he's hurled off into the valley. I almost panic when his flying suddenly declines. But before I cast my wind into his direction, he shifts into a hawk, soaring gracefully downward. Just as well. I dont know if my wind would actually work. But just before he hits the ground he shifts again into a wolf.

I wander for a moment if this is so we won't know which shape he's in and he can sneak up on us again. But, his beautiful gray fur, dances access the valley as he runs away from the white forest trees. Mesmerized, I watch him run until I can't see him anymore.

I wrap my arms around my knees, hugging the windstorms inside of me. Willing them to stay where they are, and not chase after Mitchell. I do I want some answers from him, but, I know there will another time. Besides, I can feel Brooke slowly walking toward me.