Twinkle Twinkle

Chapter Ten

After they bandaged Star up, Jack sat beside her little nest and didn't move for a while. When Dayna brought him some meat from the mice creatures she caught, he only nibbled it and don't take his eyes of Star. Her eyes remained closed and she didn't move. Dayna tried to swallow her jealousy and walk over, but she ended up storming out of the treehouse. Three days passed, and Star laid unmoving. Jack sat by her bed with Dayna, sharing his concerns with Star's dormancy. After a while, Dayna left to get more food. After she left, Jack noticed a change in Star's breathing and her eyelids flickering. He crept quietly up to her side. "Star?" He whispered gently and his hand on her shoulder. She moaned and curled up tighter. Jack smiled and tip toed out of the treehouse. That night Jack had returned to the treehouse to find Star struggling towards the door. "WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!?" He screeched and flew up the ladder, gently pushing her back. He had told Dayna she was awake, but Dayna refused to come back until later. Star glared defiantly at him. "I refuse to lay useless while you two are out there doing everything." She snapped. Jack shook his head in disbelief. "You're going to end up killing yourself one of these days, you know that right?" He said with a faint smile. She looked away. "And look at you, you can barely even move! Come on, let's get you back to bed." Star shook her head. "I can stay up until Dayna comes back." She said. Jack sighed. He's seen the same determination and stubbornness in Dayna plenty of times to know there was no changing her mind. He sat beside her and played with his thumbs. "I noticed you were asleep for a very long time." He said, squinting at the tips of the many trees below their dangling feet. Star shrugged. "Stars heal a lot slower than humans. We are used to living in a peaceful, non threatening world." She explained. Jack nodded. "I figured so. You don't have the dangerous..." He struggled for the right word. "Appearance" Star shrugged "I could fix that" she said. "I am a shapeshifter..." Jack's eyes widened. "NO! No...no thank you" he said, waving his hands frantically and almost falling outside. She laughed and steadied him by grabbing his arm. "I was kidding! But just remember, I will do it" she said, mischievous glint in her pink eyes.
A week passed, and everyone was getting along pretty well. Jack and Dayna's fight was forgotten, and the girls had developed such a friendship that Jack could barely tear them apart. The went hunting, gathering, and exploring together each time they got the chance. One day, they all went out, exploring farther than normal. Star bounced up ahead, humming softly and doing cartwheel- like dances. Jack and Dayna had their hands twined, laughing and commenting about Star's agile movements. Star was in the middle of a back flip when she went through the the ground. Jack narrowed his eyes in confusion and rushed forward. He slowed to a halt with a huge, steep, gorge in front of his feet. He saw Star haul herself up to the edge beside her and jogged over to help. "How did you get back up?" He asked, panic edging his voice. Star's eyes flashed yellow. "I-I..." She hesitated "I uh...I climbed...up." She stuttered. Jack rolled his eyes. "You...climbed?" He said angrily. Star nodded and looked down at her hands. Jack looked over and saw white feathers littering the air. He narrowed his dark brown eyes at her and went back to Dayna's side.