Demian's Kall

Shadow Wolf

"Demian...sweet little bird. Please don't leave me." I was vaguely aware that it was Kall's voice I heard but I was confused, why was he crying?

"Demian, you must fight my child. Come back to us." Came a woman's voice. It was soft yet strong and I had never heard it before. I realized someone was touching my belly very firmly, fingers digging in a little painfully. Finally, I opened my eyes. It was very dimly lit around me, my eyes struggled to adjust.

I looked up and what I saw confused me greatly for a moment. It was much like when a sunbeam fills with stirring dust and it almost sparkles as it swirls around within the light but this was not light. It was a shadow. The shadow moved within itself and suddenly something spilled from that darkness, coming very close to my face. I gasped as I saw two glowing red eyes. The shadow had teeth, it had a face...the face of a wolf.

"Shh be still child, I am dragging the sickness from your body." Said a deep gentle voice. It came from the shadow wolf but his mouth never moved, it was as if it was inside my head. As my mind cleared some I knew this must be my uncle. I lifted a hand toward his face and shadow swirled around my fingers, my hand became invisible to me through the darkness but the sensation was that of fingers curling around mine. "Hello Demian. Good to see you awake." Came his voice in my head again. The pain in my belly was gone, my entire body felt as if it released some great tension.

"Oh my little niece! Thank you so much Barlock." Said the woman who I could now see at his side. She looked much like a very young version of my late grandmother and I saw in her my father's eyes. Hair the same ash blond color as his cascaded down her shoulders to lay in thick curls against her gold and silver gown and frame her face.

"Aunt Gyanna." I said hoarsely.

"Yes my darling child, it is me. I am so happy you made it here in time for my husband to save you." She said tearfully.

The darkness that was my uncle Barlock drew back and Kall sat down next to me, stroking my hair and sniffing hard. The light in the room was increased as lamps were lit and I saw I was in a richly decorated bedroom. The bed I lay in was bigger than mine at home.

Gyanna clapped her hands and ordered servants to prepare a bath and some supper. I tried to sit up and Kall stopped me with a hand on my chest. "No, just rest my lioness." He said firmly. My uncle was no longer a shadow. He was a tall man with short dark bronze hair and very warm mahogany eyes. He was pulling on his tunic and buckling his breeches as his clothing obviously did not go with him when he changed.

"Your fiancé did well, he saved you by getting you here quickly." He said, smiling down at me.

"Thank you Uncle Barlock." I replied but my throat was dry. He nodded.

"If you will excuse me dear I am tired out now, that takes a lot of strength. I am going to go lie down but I will see you soon." He told me. He kissed my hand and left me with Kall and my aunt.

Gyanna smiled at me with joy in those eyes that reminded me of father's. Not quite green not quite brown. They were my eyes as well really. Mine had more green than theirs though.

"I was told you took after my bold personality I see now how true it is. My niece the lion tamer." She said grinning. She was slender and curvy like me but she looked a bit taller. Her face was soft and loving.

"Thank you aunt Gyanna. May I have something to drink?" I replied.

"Of course my child, of course." She said, sweeping out of the room with the rustling of her heavy gown.

I looked up at Kall and he smiled but there were still a few unshed tears in his beautiful lion eyes. "My lioness...thank Teala for sparing you. You were so close to death when we arrived I thought there was no hope." He said in a tight emotional voice. I pulled him down and hugged him tightly.