Reckless As The Sky

1: Take Heed of the Owl's Call

Hey everyone, I hope you enjoy this story!

I was slowly dying.
The clock ticked by slower than a snail pulling a tractor. The aching pain in my head and the roaring in my ears grew worse.
I don't understand why maths is always the last subject of the day.
The teacher rambled on about the most irrelevant junk I'd ever heard in my entire life.
The only thing that probably kept me from kicking that bastard in the face was the glorious piece of heaven that sat in front of me.

His midnight hair was slicked back yet wild, falling into his chiseled face and covering one exquisite cerulean eye.
I drooled over his deep, sexy voice and his biceps bulging from shirt.

I was in one of these trances at the moment, when my ear was painfully flicked.
"Quit swooning over Hunter" whispered my best friend, Robin.
"I'm not swooning you bird" I said and kicked him under the table.
Robin and I have been friends since we were at least two years old. We met at the beach where he had accidentally knocked down my sandcastle. He helped me build an even better one.
The sweet sound of the bell drifted through my ears and I nearly flew out the classroom, Robin tailing close behind.

We raced through the halls, jumping over bags and sliding down rails as we made a mad dash out of the school.

As we barged out the doors, we screamed our relentless war cry:
"FFFRRREEEEEDDDDOOOMMMMM!"

So after our short victory, we happily sauntered down the dirt path to where we had dumped our bikes. We picked them up and started cycling through the dense forest. Sure it was a harder route, but much quicker.

As we pedalled, Robin and I talked. We talked about little things such as homework and the latest gossip. But then Robin said something that really ticked me off.

"I saw you staring at Hunter today, Luna."

"Pfft no. I wasn't."

"Oh hell yeah you were. I could see the drool on your notebook."

"Ugh so what? I like him. You like Deanna, why can't I like Hunter."

"Never mind" Robin grumbled as we got to my house.

It was a wooden cottage really, overgrown by ivy and grass, but still my home. It was surrounded by woodland with only a small dirt road exiting on to the main streets. Two white swinging chairs sat on the sagging porch.

The chimney billowed faint tendrils of smoke, the birds gathering around the birdbath in the corner.

I leaned my bike against the porch stairs and climbed them, opening the front door. Suddenly a large black force pummelled into me, knocking me backwards into Robin's arms.

"Oh God, Quin" I moaned as the German Shepherd licked my face, coating it in a thick layer of saliva.

Robin laughed and shooed away the delighted dog. "Always a pleasure, meeting Quin" he said and we walked inside.

The living room had three well worn leather couches that had warm rugs draped over the arms. The coffee table was scratched but the wood was in good condition, piled with some of my favourite books. A TV was mounted over the fireplace mantel, which held many pictures, figurines and statues. The wall was decorated with paintings of wolves and the forest.

We made our way to the kitchen, scrounging for food and then climbed the stairs to my room.

It wasn't necessarily a room, more like the attic. It was a dome-shaped structure with a few round windows and a hatchet for a door. My bed was smothered in thick woolly blankets and books.

I had converted a side of the room into an art studio, where I laid down a large tarp and stacked canvases and paper. Paint tubes lay everywhere and pencils where scattered all over my desk.

Above my bed were a few drawings and plans of mine, but my favourite part of the room was the bookshelf.
Built into the wall, the massive shelves were filled to the brim with novels and tomes.

"You really need to clean up here" Robin said and scrunched up his nose.

"Don't start now" I grumbled and we began our homework.

We had asked permission for a sleep over, so as we did our mental torture, we prepared a bed for Robin on the floor.

Soon we were downstairs playing Xbox vigorously. I am a tomboy therefore living up to my nature, only living to play Call Of Duty.

While Robin and I were taking a short break, my mom texted me:

Hey honey, I can't come home tonight, my plane was delayed. Really sorry, I love you.

So what, nothing new. At least Robin and I could play music on full blast.
We decided to call it quits and head up to my room.

Robin was hooking up the docking station, I sat on the window seat by a large bay window where the bookcase was built around. I stared into the misty night, a cold rain spattered down. The haunted song of wolves filled the air. The trees were encased in gloom, yellow eyes stared back at me.

Hoo. Hoo. Hoo.

I was kinda freaked out, but it was just a simple owl. That had obsidian for eyes. And wings of mist. And feathers of darkness.

Hoo. Hoo. Hoo.

It continued to stare at me, a creature of pure power and nobility, but a ghost. I swear there was a circle of bones around its translucent neck.

Hoo. Luna. Hoo.

Woah hold up. That owl had just said my name. I was scared, I wanted to look away, yet I was locked in its enchanted gaze.

Hoo. Luna. Luna. Luna. Hoo.

I suddenly jumped up and ran to Robin, hugging him from behind, peaking over his shoulder.

"To what do I owe this rare pleasure Luna?" He said mockingly. "If you've come to your senses and finally decided to sleep with me then-"

I slapped him across his face.

"Owww. Chill, dude, I was just joking. But what's up?"

"What do you do if an animal calls your name?" I asked.

"You just yell 'COOL! YOU CAN TALK!' Unless it's an owl. Take heed of the owl's call, Luna." His face went dark. "For when the owl calls your name, it means that you're about to die."

I shuddered and pulled Robin into a proper hug, hiding against his chest.
"Can you sleep with me tonight?" I asked.

"Yeah, of course," he said. His voice was now sympathetic, knowing I only ask when something is wrong. It's never werid, we've been doing that since forever.

He went to go shower, leaving me alone. I cautiously looked out the window again. The owl was gone, but a necklace of bones lay on the branch where the bird had sat.

Heyo guys, I hope you are enjoying the story so far! I hope you're enjoying it.

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Yours truly,
The Wolf of Steel