Isildilia.(Book 1 of the White Lily trilogy)

Chapter 20- Bad communication

Surprisingly, Isildilia was awake before anyone else.

All the wolves around her snuffled in their sleep; even Dakelo sounded like a sleeping wolf as he rolled over. Valin slept sitting bolt upright, breathing so shallow his chest was almost still. Isildilia left Lillarth by Froyza's side while she crept outside to watch the dawn. Due to bad timing on her behalf, her wings quickly emerged and retracted as the change in light hit them. The rapid change made her body throb. She quickly staggered over and sat down on a nearby rock before she fell over.

The morning had just peeped over the horizon, painting the sky in glistening streaks of pink and orange. A warm, moist air crept up-valley, wafting her hair in the light breeze. Below her, the forest was starting to come into life after last night's storm. Beads of water still dripped from the battered trees and covered the ground in a shining blanket. There were gaps in the canopy below from those trees that hadn't survived , but for now everything appeared to be calm once more. She didn't know if it was just this particular morning, but the light hurt her eyes more than usual. Maybe it was just from the storm, but everything appeared that bit sharper; the edges seemed clearer and colours brighter...

A sharp call rang through the air, distracting her from her thoughts. She looked up to see a large mountain eagle soaring down from the rocks far above. It dove and spun around on the updraft. When it noticed her, it looped around and called down.

She wondered if she should try and communicate with it mentally. However Valin had only taught her how to do it on smaller birds, and small mammals. Just like Valin taught you, she said to herself. Just like practice, only this one is a bit larger.

For a split second, she could see what the eagle could; a vast sea of greens, reds and browns. To the west, there was a shimmering silver lake. Below him, the eagle stared at this creature that was human, but not quite human. It had a strange smell. No human would smell like that.

Isildilia quickly withdrew back to herself for a short while. Valin told her the most important aspects of mind communication, since it was considered to be a dangerous task, is that you must not lose awareness of yourself while exploring another's mind. If she wasn't careful, she might easily lose herself trying. She'd never had a creature this big, and certainly not without Valin's help. Maybe she shouldn't try. No, she told herself. If I'm to get better, I have to practice. I have to learn to do this on my own. Taking a deep breath she reached out again and held onto its mind.

Hello? she asked.

Come up here, come fly, it called back.

I can't, she told it, trying hard not to say what she intended out loud.

Why not? Flying is a wonderful thing. It's much faster as well. I saw you moments ago. You had wings did you not? Join me up here. Isildilia looked up to the ledge above the entrance. She clambered up the side until she stood, balanced on the edge. Maybe she could do this. Was it possible to break that barrier and force her wings out anytime she wanted? She could hear encouraging calls above and the eagle's voice in her head.

Come on, come on!

"What on earth am I doing?" she whispered to herself, as she noticed herself getting closer to the edge. The eagle's mind kept contacting her, kept sharing its sights and feelings. She was reaching a point where she couldn't distinguish whose mind was whose. She was starting to lose her grasp on her own mind, like a wave dragging her off the rock she so desperately clung to.