The Calling

Chapter 3

Mia

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In the early hours of the morning, the sun came riding over the treetops like a knight on horseback and the sky was painted in bright shades of pink, gold and deep amber. Swifts darted and curved in the sky, singing their morning song. Einaris, Kestrel and Seraphina were the first to be up. Seraphina stretched in the morning sun and yawned like a snake trying to swallow a prey whole. She was extremely flexible, and did a whole gymnastics routine for the two, Kestrel joining in where appropriate. 

Kestrel finished with the bending and stretching and was now halfway up a tree, gazing at the view. Einaris was quietly cooking porridge for breakfast.

"No, we have the amount we were meant to get." said Einaris, her face blank and serious "I think we have enough to last us a while if we don't go crazy on the midnight feasts. We won't need to ration or anything though." She looked up at Cora.

"Who are you again?" asked Cora, taking a seat on one of the logs beside Einaris.

"Einaris. Up in that tree is Kes. We.... um.... met last night."

"Oh yeah!" exclaimed Cora, "You're the one who said their name was Basil something-or-other!"

"Um.... no that was my sister." She frowned and decided to ask Cora something that had been playing at the back of her mind for a while.

"What made you decide to come here?"

Cora frowned, and then said, "Well, it's a funny story really. I...um...well...You wouldn't believe me if I told you, dear."

"You'd be surprised." said Einaris, her face not giving any signs of expression.

"Trust me. I've heard much stranger things!" Einaris said, laughing.

"Okay. The next day I woke up and on the palms of my hands were these things," she put out her hands, palms up, so that Einaris could have a look. It showed a lion head on the left and an eagle on the right. Einaris put out her own hands.

"Snap."

Cora smiled.

It looked like making friends was going to be easier that Einaris thought.

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Today was the water day, as they were told. Three activities were to be completed throughout the course of the day and they moved around in groups. First activity was sailing.

The water was an inviting azure blue shade in the early morning light. It threw dappled shadows onto the seabed of satin - like sand. Fish darted in and out amongst the bright tendrils of seaweed. The six from the Forest Tent were on The Pearl sailing amongst the waves. There was a soft breeze blowing from the mountains back on shore, like a blanket of air. Unfortunately, this wasn't enough to sail the boat right into the midst of the sea.

Kestrel stood at the helm of their boat staring out into the wide blue expanse. A frown was set on her face.

"There's no wind!" she complained, huffing. "I want to see the birds like cormorants or fulmars or even avocet in the banking. Ooooh, or maybe dolphins or other porpoises or... Orca. did you know they're a type of dolphin and... We need wind."

"There will be. We just have to wait." The girl to her left commented. She was one of their tent-mates, and from day one they had found out how much she liked sleeping! It had taken twenty minutes, a cup of water and a very loud scream to finally wake her up. However, as soon as she had seen the sea, all traces of sleep vanished from her face.

She had straight and carefully styled jet-black hair with sea-green eyes, almond-shaped. She was very beautiful, no doubt about that,

"Right. Okay. That's normal, I guess..." She said in an unconcerned tone and started to grin at the sudden turn of events.

"That's odd – it was perfectly calm a moment ago." mused Seraphina. Einaris couldn't help comparing this odd coincidence with the encounter she'd has the previous night with Cora and the campfire.

Kestrel spread her arms wide as the boat soared on. She could swear that she was flying! As free as a bird! She looked round and could see that everyone else was enjoying it as well as just her. Einaris was beaming with joy.

"When do we have to be back again, dear?" asked Cora.

"Oh. Where is the way back?" the-girl-with-the-glasses questioned scanning the water. Einaris thought she had heard her being called 'Mia' by Cora. "And also, why 'dear?' "
  "I just like calling people that, dear."

"Does anyone here know the way back?" Kestrel asked the sea.

"Did that dolphin just speak English?" Einaris cried, eyes wide with disbelief.

"IT DID!" Kestrel exclaimed, jumping up and down for the second time.

Everyone else was staring in confusion, 'What, dolphin speaking English?'

"OK...." Einaris muttered, thinking she'd gone mad. "Hello Dolphin. How are you? Do you speak German? Wie heist du?"

"No, I don't speak German. I speak English-Dolphin, and it's a very hard language for you to understand."

Einaris stepped back in surprise, before kneeling down by the edge of the boat and saying "But I can understand you! Wait, of course, I can't. This is a dream"

"No, it's not, and you shouldn't be able to you strange Earthling!"

"Who are you calling Earthling? Last time I checked we were on the planet Earth which makes you the Earthling as well!"

"Oh, the petty Earthling understands so little... Then again, that's no surprise!"

The dolphin did that cackling laugh that you hear every time you think of dolphins.

"See you around Mud-Brain!" It shouted, before jumping upwards and diving into the depths of the sea.

Einaris watched the spot where it had disappeared for a few seconds, when she suddenly realised how odd that must have looked to everyone else.

She looked up and true enough, everyone was staring at her with confused or amused looks on their faces.

Mia was shaking her head gravely, whispering "That poor, deranged child..."

Kestrel was laughing so much that she was clutching her stomach and uttering "Mud-Brain....Earthling! ......Ow....my stomach.... ahahahaha..." 

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Typed up by A.D

Word count: 1019