Black Claws

Chapter 31 ~ See Ya!

CHAPTER 31 ~  SEE YA!

***Namir's POV*** 

Alexis glared at him when he cast her nothing more than a glance. But as he stalked closer to me, he suddenly seemed to realize that she should be able to see him. He turned to face her and stabbed an accusing finger at her. 

"Why can you see me?" 

She shrugged. 

He now saw the sword that was in her hands. 

"That ... That sword..." he stammered. "Where did you get it?" 

Alexis eyed her sword and the flames licking its blade. "I picked it up in a souvenirshop in Idaho." 

"Where?" he seemed almost desperate to know. 

"I don't know, somewhere." 

"I need to know the exact location." 

"Why?" she challenged. 

"Because." 

"Because ain't a reason, mister." 

The sword's tip inched closer to Daniel's throat and his eyes grew wide. 

"You're scared of it, aren't you?" she accused. "Why?" 

"I cannot tell ." 

"I don't care if you can tell or not, do it!" 

He gulped and looked at me for help. I just pulled my hands from behind my back and his hands flew up to cover his heart as he saw the bow and arrows lying in them. I had fixed them while Alexis and he were having their little chat. 

The wooden bow changed into a sleek, black bow and the arrows shone silver. I picked the first arrow and laid it carefully on the bow, pulling the string back so when I released the arrow would bore itself into Daniel's heart. 

Alexis saw the change in his eyes and brought him to the point of a breakdown by making the smallest of cuts on his shoulder. 

"Don't!" he yelled. "Those are the weapons of the Elementals, you know fire, water, wind and earth? They disappeared a while ago, along with their owners and ever since, the guardian's were ordered to meet their guarded and give them a riddle. Only an Elemental could figure out the answer." 

"So why did you keep showing yourself to me? I didn't figure out the riddle." 

"Well, namir, I thought I recognized an Elemental in your eyes. Only she can have that kind of blue eyes. I guess mere humans can too. The stories were wrong when they sad that only elementals had that kind of color." 

"Excuse me?" Alexis said. "what did you say?" 

"Only she can have that kind of blue eyes." 

"No, after that." 

"The stories were wrong when they sad that only elementals had that kind of color." 

"No, before that." 

"I can quote for him," I said through clenched teeth. "I gues mere humans can too." 

"So, every guardian finds himself above their guarded?" Alexis asked in disbelief. 

"Yes?" 

She said nothing and closed her eyes as if thinking about what he just said. Suddenly, she tensed and I jumped out of the way as her sword rose and crashed down with astonishing force. Daniel barely dodged it and the blade sliced his arm open from his elbow to his wrist. 

He yelled in agony and back away from her. 

When Alexis opened her eyes they were filled with anger. She death-glared Daniel who was kneeling and putting snow on his wound. 

When he was done, he got up and his wings were red. 

"Namir, I never would have treated you like I told you. It is wrong. I would hit you and yell at you and you wouldn't even be allowed to look at other men. He treats you like you're trash. Love and respect are the things that undermine a person's power. He will never get far. I ,on the other hand, am God's left man and his right man will soon step down. I am in a position of power and will be able to give you nothing and keep everything for myself. That's how you should live and why you should pick me instead of him." 

I stared at him in plain shock and astonishment. While talking, he had come closer to me and was now holding my face. He leaned down and pressed his lips on mine. When he pulled away, I blinked a few times and he took that as positive shock. 

"See? That wasn't so bad now, was it?" he asked, smiling down at me. 

I slapped him hard.  

"No. It was worse." 

"I thought I recognized more in you, but I see now that you're just a waste of my precious time." 

He vanished into thin air after the last word, leaving me and Alexis all alone in the wildernis. And I liked it. 

I laughed. "Freedom!" 

Alexis laughed too until we heard something that we could not really place. 

I looked at her questioningly. 

As she shrugged, we heard it again. 

A shrill cry through the constant roar of the wind. 

Alexis stiffened next to me. 

"Soemthing's coming," she whispered. 

I scanned the area, focusing on every little detail, until I noticed the small grey spot that the wind threw around. 

"There," I pointed it out to Alexis. 

We watched as it caem closer and grew wings. 

The bird crashlanded in front of us. I recognized it as a hawk and then picked it up carefully. It was breathing heavily and ice cold. 

"Let's get it inside." 

In the little hut, Alexis pressed it against her chest to warm it up and after a few minutes its breathing slowed as it fell asleep. 

We watched it as it slept, it squirmed and made little sounds. It appeared to be having nightmares. 

Soon, we heard sounds on the ground, warning us that the replacement was coming. We got out and went to the ground and sat there against a tree next to each other as if to keep the other warm. Alexis hid the hawk in her jacket to keep it warm. 

Two boys stumbled forward through the snow and nodded to us. They sat down, rubbing their hands together to keep warm and we got up, walking home quickly. 

We put the hawk in our tent and covered it with blankets and such.  

Shasta and Zeb were both on patrol now and so the tent was empty. 

"I'm up for some hot chocolate, you?" Alexis asked. 

I nodded, trying to cover up a shiver as we went outside again and walked to the cafeteria. They served hot chocolate, coffee and tea. I got myself a hot chocolate and so did Alexis and we sipped them slowly. 

I felt the warmth spread through my body and welcomed the relief it gave. Another sip gave more relief and I was tempted to throw back the entire cup right now. 

Alexis went into the tent foirst and I followed and turned aorund to close the flap to keep the biting wind out. As I turned aorund, I almost dropped my mug. 

Sitting on my bed was a boy who was shivering so hard he barely got the words out. 

"Can I have one of those?" 

***