Beasts

5: Flips and the Truth

"Really!?" Phoenix yelled and handed back my phone. The bet was that, if he bet my high score then I had to show him my flips. If he lost, then he had to fly for five seconds. I wanted him to turn into a phoenix but he said it would be unfair that way. Wimp, but whatever.

"One more try." I said with a smile. It was fun watching him die at the most stupid things. Such as me waving my hand in his face until he lost. "This is why people tell you to look both ways before you cross."

"...Shut up." He said and tried again. Our arms were barely touching and I could still feel his heat.

"Do you ever feel how hot you are?"

"I can hold fire, what do you think?" As a wave of cars came, he has no choice but to run for it.

"You're not gonna make it." I said and leaned over to see. This was the most intense this game had even gotten for me. It should not be this tense. "Just wait."

"No." Phoenix said through gritted teeth then went for it. A car forced him to run into the tracks but a train was about to come. My high score is only two lines away. I couldn't help but to tap the screen which got him to beat my high score by one before dying to a truck. "Yes!" He cheered and jumped up.

"Good job!" I said. I know I lost, but I couldn't not be happy seeing how happy he was. "You only started playing less than an hour ago and you've already beat my high score. Guess I have to show off to you now." I said and got up.

  We went to the space behind our houses. I took off my jacket. "Hold this." I said and handed Phoenix my jacket. Just as I was about to go, Iridescent came over with her hand waving in the air.

"There you are, June! Your dad asked me to give you a tour of the tribe."

"Oh yah, I forgot about that. Can you give me a minute?"

"Sure!" She says and stands beside Phoenix.

"I swear to God, your happiness is as unnatural as your hair." Phoenix said and shook his head.

"A happy attitude is a happy life." I heard her say proudly as I looked ahead.

I took a deep breath then bent my body back. When my hands touched the ground, I pushed off and flipped. I ended up in the victory pose and turned around to see their reactions. "Whoa! That was amazing! Where did you learn how to do that!?" Iridescent yelled.

"My ex used to do gymnastics." I was so shocked the first time Danny did a flip over me. "We broke up a few days before I came here..." I didn't need to say that but it slipped off. I forgot how much I missed him until now... Did he move on yet? Did someone else have the blessing of his kind arms? I snapped out of it when I realized Iridescent said something to me. "I'm sorry, what?"

"Can you do a front flip?" She asked, a little concerned.

"Sure." They stepped back when I had a brilliant idea. "Come." I gestured to Phoenix. I sat him down in the middle of my path.

"What are you doing?"

"You'll see..." I said with a smirk. This was going to be fun. I looked at Phoenix who sat there, facing away, with his legs criss-crossed. Really hope I don't mess this up. I couldn't jump as high as Danny but hopefully my agility would make up for it.

  I took a small step back then ran at him. In the split moment where I'm facing him, I saw a smile tug at the corners of his mouth. I ended right by Iridescent and she clapped. "Yay, June! We should get some talent show here and you can do that for it!"

"Wow. I never had someone flip over me before." Phoenix said. Yay. I'm proud I impressed the guy who was part legendary fire bird.

  "Here's the market. This is the bakery, one of the most important shops here. If you need drinking water then you can just go to the stream. It's charmed to be drinkable." Iridescent explained. Everyone here had some sort of roll to play. Those girls that complimented me on the bridge yesterday were forest spirits. They help grow garden plants. The fruits and vegetables would then be sold at the market.

"What do you do?" I asked Iridescent. Phoenix was on the Council too but he also started the bonfire and patrolled.

"I help out in anyway I can. I can do quite a lot so I make a good helper in tasks. Though, I spend a good chunk of my time at the infirmary." She explained and I nodded. I thought she would have some different job like... I don't know, I'm not a fairy expert.

  At the end of the tour we ended up at the grand hall. "Here's the end of the tour. This is where the council comes for our meetings. Your dad and Jason also works here. Jason is his assistant."

"What do they do?" I asked as I studied the place. It looked so much bigger than it did from the outside. It was a large room with four doors. Two off to the side were the washrooms. One was Dad and Bear's office. The last one was the meeting hall.

"You know, govern the tribe. Finalize decisions. He's just our leader. His great grandfather was the one who started the tribe."

"Whoa, it's really that old?"

"Oh yah, it was much different back then but still, you're next in line."

"Um, no thanks. I'm not really the 'ruler' type of person." I did little air quotes for 'ruler'.

"Not now you aren't. You have no idea what you can do with your powers. When your dad is gone, you'll be the only one here that can do what you can do."

"Hold on, why are you making it sound like someone else out there can do this?" I threw out my hands.

"Because someone else can. The Wolves, to be exact." She said and turned to completely face me. I was starting to miss Happy Iridescent. Serious her was a little scary.

"You and your dad are Golds. The counter tribe to the Wolves. Sadly, you were scattered by them and you two are the only ones left. The Wolves are like dark versions of you guys. Their magic is poor but they are legit werewolves. Down to the tail and bad breath. They can even sense your fears."

"Wait, so the danger out there that you and Phoenix have to watch out for is them?" She sadly nodded.

"Don't worry though, we haven't seen one of them since the tribe was formed." She said with a smile but I could see in her eyes that she was a bit scared. What if they do come back? If us 'Golds' are so powerful, there's only two of us now. Dad is getting a bit old and I barely know what I can do. We won't stand a chance if they ever attack again.

  Dad came out of his office and noticed me. "June," He said and came over. "Training starts after lunch, okay?"

"Training, training for what?"

"Your powers, what else? Meet me at the back of the houses." He said then left before I could say anything. I look over at Iridescent and she just shrugs. What training!? He had to specif what we were going to do so I could prepare myself. I'm sorry, but I don't want to accidentally tear my jacket if I have to use my claws. Last time I checked, there was no Forever 21 here.