The Fire Within

Chapter 8 Trapped

With a groan Rachel started to wake up, knowing something was wrong as she could feel the tension in the air. She knew straight away that she has been caught as the rope was itching and causing her pain, with a silent sigh she knew she could get out of here. So wriggling her wrists in a certain way that her friend taught her she freed her hands and then made a sudden movement to the right. Causing her to fall off of the shoulder she was unmercifully thrown onto, landing on her feet. With a blank face she looked at the suitors, Jack the creepy guardian and the new bloke who joined the party. Looking at him I came to quick conclusion that he isn't what he appears to be and that he worships Zues. Just my luck. Shrugging my shoulders I hold up the rope and simply say "this is no way to treat a lady". Before I could blink there where suddenly a group of shifters surrounding me, wolves bears hell even felines. Knowing there is no way to smoke out of here and seeing no opportunities to escape yet all I did was sit down. This seemed to confuse all of these creatures but they didn't ease their stance or relax one bit which is annoying, I was hoping that once they relaxed it would provide an opening for escape. Wait, oh no. looking at the wolf suitor I was praying that I wasn't on shifter territory. "where am I?" I demanded of him, whilst smirking he replied "your on my personal favorite territory. The shifters rule and protect this place." With a groan I just knew getting out of this place was going to be a nightmare, laying flat on the ground I stared up at the bright blue sky and thought.

When they knew I wasn't going to try anything they relaxed their stance slightly, it was a good thing I kept my eye on them. Through my observations I could tell the felines where tired the wolfs where impatient and wanted to leave, and the bares well they just wanted to be alone. Staying where I was the bares where the first ones to leave and the felines where starting to curl up on the ground ready to go to sleep. The wolfs suddenly left, knowing I would have to be quick and very quite as not to wake the felines up. Reacting at just the right time when the suitors thought I had fallen asleep and had their back turned, I sprang up and ran to the closet tree. Thanking my friend for teaching me this trick, I quickly climbed the tree without making a sound. Knowing they had a really good sense of smell I grabbed my bottle out of my pocket and put a dab of the liquid inside it on my pressure points. Once I was done I moved to the tree opposite the one I climbed on. Once I was on the other side of the clearing I waited. After 10 minutes the suitors turned around and started shouting at the felines, well all apart from the new bloke and creepy Jack. It didn't take them long to leave and search the area, with a smile on my face I start to tree hop trying to find a way out of this damn territory. As I didn't have access to my magic I had no idea where the borderline was, but I was determined. After a few minutes I was starting to get fed up with my life, and made a huge mistake I sighed out loud. Not knowing it would alert Zues's suitor of where I was, out of no where I suddenly felt like I couldn't breath, it was like all of the oxygen in the air has been sucked out leaving nothing. Trying to calm my heartrate I looked around and saw the new bloke casually sitting in the tree tops not three feet away from me. Testing out a theory I stepped away from him, the air quality got worse, great stepping closer to him I felt the oxygen come back to me. When I was just getting enough air I stopped, "who exactly are you?". I whispered as I didn't want to alert the others of where I was, "I am the warrior of the sky's, but call me Andy". Jerk, with a nod of my head Andy stood up and had the audacity to say "the tree's is no place for a woman to be, whoever taught you this skill is going against their own kind". Hell no, feeling my anger my fire tried to rise. The strange thing is I felt a little of it escape into the wind, without portraying my confused and angry state I smirked at him. Seething I responded "that's not all I was taught... want to find out what other tricks I have". Whilst I was saying this I managed to discretely place my hand on a vile located in a hidden pocket in my trousers, touching this gave me strength. Strength enough to provide this jerk a serious lesson in not messing with me. With a smirk on my face I said "your not a warrior", spun on my heel. Which is difficult as I'm still on a tree brunch and ran away. Knowing he will pursue me, I just didn't know how. Feel the air move I turned in the other direction, this game of catch me if you can was exhilarating. I haven't felt this way since my friend introduced me to it, thinking about those times led me to remember all of the talents she has and how to overcome them. In curiosity I applied them to this game, lowering the amount of breaths I take as well as moving slowly as not to disturb the natural air flow. Coming up to a clearing I had to make a choice, with annoying Andy right on my heels. Feeling anxious about this decision, I jumped. The air was all around me the ground fast approaching, when all of a sudden, I was no longer in midair but facing my friends falcon.

How did I get here... then I remembered the bond, shaking my head in disbelief I looked at the falcon and spoke "if I am bruised and locked up tomorrow I will not be happy with you." With an almost human expression I could tell that this overgrown bird was sorry, recalling my friend saying that the falcon would only reach out to me this way if it was an emergency. I started firing questions her way "what's wrong?" All she did was look beside me. Following her line of sight I saw a round mirror with three different sections, each section had a name above it. It had my name, friends and falcon. That isn't what caught my attention though the falcon in the mirror was desperately holding onto friend whilst screeching towards my side of the mirror, feeling confusion I looked closer at friends section and couldn't believe what I saw. Andy was there and mumbling something, I didn't know the ancient language of the birds. What I did know was that whatever he was doing was causing distress for them both, with my anger reaching an all-time new high I turned away from the weird mirror and looked the falcon in the eyes "keep strong, don't let go of her I will stop him. No one hurts my friends!" my anger must have been strong as I could of sworn that she nodded her head before disappearing. Closing my eyes I focused on returning to myself, and when I reopened my eyes I was still falling.

Disregarding being stealthy at the moment I made a lot of movement and in a flash he was standing where I was expected to land ready to catch me. Oh no you don't, summersaulting in the air I managed to gain just enough height to land just behind him. When my feet where firmly on the ground I hit him square in the jaw, resulting him in falling on his arse. Knowing my eyes where a fiery red I seethed "stop what you are doing to my friend and her falcon!" Noticing his wide eyes he says "you are bonded!" he jumped up to his feet and stormed towards me, not giving him an inch I glared at him. "It is inappropriate to bond with someone other than your soulmate! I am teaching her a lesson once and for all, her falcon will be removed from her and set free. She wont be tied to anyone and your friend will be nothing more than a shell of herself!". He shouted at me, with a firm glare I allowed my heart to open enough, just enough with thoughts of my friend to allow me to use some of my fire. It didn't take long for him to notice that the stone was melting around my neck, but he noticed it to late. When half of the pendant was exposed I had enough access to set his arse on fire, I surrounded us both with a wall of fire. Knowing people like him with a greedy heart I knew that scaring him will not allow his focus to break and stop what he is doing. No the only way to truly help my friend is for me to do the unthinkable, with a sigh I reached up and grabbed the pendant in my hand. Feeling the power in it bestowed by one of the gods I started gathering my own fire, never taking my eyes off of Andy. I melted the pendant releasing the power and the restrictions it placed on me, once the pendant was nothing more than a clump of misshapen clay I threw it at Andy's feet. His face said it all he was scared. Stalking towards him I seethed, "stop what your doing or your really going to make me mad". He did nothing so I grabbed his arm pulling him to his feet and smoked him to my own personal favorite safe haven.

Reaping in my campsite made me feel so free, I actually smile for the first time in what felt like years. That smile quickly vanished when I could feel Andy trying to use the air to his advantage again. With a disapproving glare directed towards him, I quickly grabbed the ropes which was gifted to me and tied his hands behinds his back. Now that that was done I pushed him down so he was sitting around the fireplace then went to get some space. Finally free, I sat down by the lake and listened to the current of moving water. Instantly feeling calm I closed my eyes and focused on my friend, in my minds eye I could see my friend hugging her falcon and them reconnecting. The golden thread that connects them was getting stronger but it was still weak, walking up to them I smiled. "I cant stay for long, but hopefully this will help". Before either of them could question me I place one hand on the falcon and the other on my friend, releasing some of the fire I forged a new thread which weaved around the golden one. Making it stronger, protecting it from any harm. Once this was done I removed my hands smiled once more, and then returned to my own mind once again.