The Wolf Girl

Chapter Six

  Molly's POV
  "What is Bella's state of mind?" Zack asks the woman. Penny, I suppose.
  "She seems normal," Penny replies quickly. "A little shaken, but nothing too awful. She keeps saying that the 'Dreaming Wanderer' will be helping her. That girl can be crazy sometimes."
"Dreaming Wanderer?" I interrupt. "I've heard of her." Dreaming Wanderer was a resident of the bedtime stories Dad would always tell me before I drifted into a deep sleep. Dad always made his bedtime stories special- most people told them just so that the child would get to sleep; the characters were never real. My father, however, told true stories. For example, the so-called 'mythical' scientist who had messed up his experiment and created a whole new species of wolf-people. How else would we end up like we are?
I shake my head to clear my thoughts. "I've heard of her," I repeat. "She's a runic dragon slayer."
  "I thought she was a tamer," Penny says.
  "She's a runic dragon something," Zack says, trying to steer us away from conflict.
"Who are Hillary and Phantom?" Alex asks.
"Bella's sister, and her companion," Zack says simply. Alex rolls his eyes.
"Who's Bella?" he mutters slowly.
  "One of the nurses here," Zack laughs.
  "I know you're trying to lighten the mood, but this is not a laughing matter," Penny exclaims, crossing her hands over her chest.
  "What value do they have?" I ask, hating how I made the strangers sound like useless pawns.
"Hillary is very, very close to me," Zack answers, his voice suddenly thick with grief. "Phantom is her companion, a leopard with the most beautiful fur you've ever seen. She's like my sister."
"I'm sorry," I say sincerely. And, for once, I am sorry for this man. I know what it's like to lose someone close. I used to have a father.
Pain shoots through my chest. Let's not think of that right now.

"How do we find them?" Gavin asks.
"Well, we know what her companion looks like, so if we find Phantom somehow, we can get to Hillary," Zack explains evenly.
"We can use my companion to find her," Penny offers. Zack wrinkles his nose.
  "Why Featherface?" he asks.
  "His name is Cerulean," Penny replies, annoyance in her voice. "He can fly, so he can see above the trees."
  "Bella has a wolf companion," Gavin says. "It can sniff Phantom out!"
  Alex and I glance at each other. What's the big deal? Why is everyone going crazy over this one person and her companion?

Zack looks at me with a slightly confused expression and I clear my throat. "Should we start looking?" I ask.
  "Gavin and I will go," Zack says. "Penny, stay and train them. Maybe explain their situation."
  "But-" she starts, but one look from Zack silences her. "Very well. Make sure you find her before Bella drives herself to insanity."
"I will," Zack says, his voice void of emotion. I've never seen him so calm.
It's a little cute.
What?

I shake my head and look at Alex. "What now?"
"Gavin and I are going to look for Hillary and Phantom, and Penny can take it from there," Zack says. He flicks his wrist, and a sudden, shimmering white cloud of dust circles through the air. A moment later, two snow-white horses stand where the substance was swirling a moment earlier. I stare at the shining creatures with awe. Is this what magic can do?
  Gavin and Zack are gone within moments. I turn to look at Penny.
  "What now?" I ask.
  "Well, I should explain what is happening," she sighs. And she begins.
"Surely you've heard stories of Guardians; Angels, Demons, First Wolf Ancestors, and several more. They stay hidden, of course- they don't want to get caught or killed for their powers. And you've probably heard that the Guardian types put aside their differences and never fight." Her face darkens. "We have been at war with the demons for years. They aren't allowed into this camp. They'd eventually find a way to take our magic, stupid as they are." She takes a deep breath. "You two are Guardians. It's as simple as that."
  "What?" Alex demands. "You can't expect us to just accept the fact that we are Guardians. Or understand what exactly that means."
  "Alex is right," I say. "Even if we were Guardians- which we're not- wouldn't we know by now?"
  "Guardians keep secrets," Penny replies. "Even from their children, if it comes to it." She tilts her head and looks at me. "I sense something in you, I swear. What was your father's name?"
  I swallow the lump forming in my throat. "Jack," I squeak. Tears prick the back of my eyes. I haven't said his name in such a long time, and it hurts.
  "Mother?" she asks.
  "Kelly." A tear slips from my eye. Her eyes go wide.
  "You are the daughter of Jack and Kelly?" she breathes. I nod, confusion spreading through me and replacing the sadness that was there.
  "You're Molly Reynolds," she whispers. How does she know my last name? "You're the daughter Jack had to run away from."
  And it's like she's frozen time. "What?" I whisper.
  She takes a deep breath and slowly lets it out. "Did you read the note in the metal container you were given?" she asks. I nod, not trusting my voice. "You are going to be given an opportunity." Another nod. "This opportunity could make or break you."
  "Penny, what are you trying to say?" I croak, my voice breaking.
  "Your opportunity," she says, "is to find your father."

  Alex's POV
  Molly's expression melts into hopefulness and sadness. "He's not... dead?" she asks shakily.
  "He's not," Penny replies. "He did what was best for you. He had to run away."
  "It doesn't make sense," Molly says, tears flowing from her eyes. "Explain. Now."
"The war between Angels and Demons had just begun," Penny explains. "The demons knew that Jack was very powerful. So..." She sighs. "They threatened him. They threatened his family. If he didn't leave the village, leave his family, leave everything he loved, his family would be as good as gone." Molly inhales sharply. "So he left. And he ran. Soon, he stumbled upon our training camp. He completed exercises to improve his powers." She bites her lip. "He was a good friend of mine. One day, he disappeared. We know he's alive; he communicates with us often. But he's still running."
Jack. Molly has barely ever said his name. She never talks of him. She was broken when he was announced dead.
He's alive.
What is going through Molly's head now?
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A/N: Hey guys! Sorry for the shorter chapter, but I'm having writer's block, so...
Yesterday was Valentine's Day, one of my favorite holidays! The day of love... Don't judge me. So... Happy Valentine's Day!
~Mabel