Ocean's Secret |on hold|

10 | ...and Nightmares

Hey everyone :)
Sorry for the late update, but life has been very unpredictable lately! Hence from now on I will be updating slowly, at random times (could be weeks apart) but I'll get there! I've had time over the last few weeks to really develop the idea of this story, and figure out where it's going...I always had vague ideas, but now it's much more solid and will have deep Christian themes :)
Anyway, so this chapter may seem rather strange, but hang in there! It will make sense eventually ;)

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The land continued speeding by under Ka'leisha as she glided on silent wings over mountain ranges and valleys, farmland and open meadows, stony creeks and dense forests. She had never felt so free, so liberated. The currents of air carved easily over her wings like sheets of silk, lifting her over the tallest land forms and taking her to heights with breathtaking views of the outstretched horizons. This was what power felt like, she decided as she stretched her neck out and closed her eyes for a few seconds of blissful calm and uninterrupted peace. Nothing could touch her up here, among the clouds and stars that speckled the velvet backdrop of space. The scents of untainted air, rich earth and sweet grass, nutty pines and floral blossoms, filled her nostrils. A fire still smouldered in her heart, and she could feel the heat at the base of her throat, climbing its way upwards, waiting to be set free, but she wanted to enjoy this moment for just a big longer.

Looking down, her eagle-eyes spotted a few orange spots of light and darker brown dots amongst the silver-tipped green foliage of the forests, and swooping in closer she recognised the dwellings of the land's inhabitants. The small fires that burned between their cottages and homes were like a beacon, calling to her, drawing her in like a moth to a lamp. She saw the movements of humans, scurrying around like little ants, perhaps preparing for dinner and a peaceful evening together. The village loomed larger as she came closer, the fire in her chest aching to be released. Men had tried to destroy her and her mother's life on so many different accounts it was difficult to keep track of every hurt and crack in her heart. But now she was stronger, and she would show them what it was like to lose something, even if it was just their houses and village.

The buildings that lined the narrow main street were clearly detailed against the flickering glow of their fires, and with a roar that was sure to awaken every living thing within a 10-mile radius, Ka'leisha released a small fraction of the pain that had been kept bottled up inside her for so long. Fire spewed from her open jaws, her razor-sharp teeth bared in a snarl that would frighten even the most seasoned warrior. Smoke curled from her nostrils as she flew over the buildings that were now being licked and consumed by a heat and glow that warmed her insides and somewhat eased the seething anger in her heart. This is what justice felt like. She could hear the screams of shock and terror, but they faded as she soared and climbed higher into the black sky, breathing heavily from the burst of exertion.

She didn't look back as the small village disappeared in the distance behind her, and as she soared with ease over the ever-changing terrain, her mind felt strangely empty. Instead of the heavy grief that had accompanied her thoughts for so long, she could focus on the simpler things that existed in her field of vision, such as the way a baby rabbit darted across a meadow, disappearing in a thicket of hedges before her shadow glided silently over, bristling the wild grass. As she perched on a rocky peak that overlooked a shadowed valley, she pondered the way the mountain stream meandered its way down to the lowest point of earth, the water trickling and carving a path no matter how many obstacles stood in the way. She released a sigh that manifested itself in soft curls of smoke from her flared nostrils, and sank to her belly, peacefully listening to the nocturnal sounds of crickets chirping, owls hooting softly, and the occasional frog calling for its mate all the way down in a pond that sat calmly beside the ever-rushing stream. Her heightened sense of hearing even caught the muffled grunting of some burrowing creature that called the gritty dirt its home. All of nature seemed in harmony, and Ka'leisha hadn't felt like she belonged this much in a time that seemed as long as forever to her weary heart.