Desert Wings

Candle

That night a blizzard hit.
I managed to coax a small fire to life and huddled beside it, as far under a tree as I dared trying to keep the fire alive in the sharp wind. Eventually I fell asleep, waking freezing cold and almost covered in snow. More flakes were tumbling from the sky rapidly, so I grabbed my things and set off, deciding that I could sleep when the snow stopped falling. Many hours later the snow continued to fall, so heavily that I was forced to stop. I scaled a massive pine tree, seeking shelter among it's thickly grown branches. There I was able to sleep at last.

I woke to the sun peeking through the clouds, nearly blinding me as it glanced off of the snow. I gathered my things and struck out in a random direction, continuing this for days, never going back.
After a week had passed I saw the other edge if the forest when I flew as high as I could, walking or flying it would take a few more days to reach the forest edge. That night I heard the wolves again.
I huddled near the top of the tree I was spending the night in, staring towards the ground. A flame flared to life below me. "Who are you?" Somehow I knew the fire was from a being that would understand my words.
"Oh, hello Kara. Tell me, do you know where Polaris is?"
"No." I called, the voice bellow me vaguely familiar.
"What about Artimes or Apollo?"
"They are probably still with Polaris," the reason I knew her voice clicked,"Nor do I know where Aquarius is Hestia."
I could practically hear her grin,"So you do remember." her voice turned threatening,"A good memory could get you into trouble one day."
"Do you need anything else?" I ask awkwardly.
"Depends. Do you need anything, I'm always willing to deal in favors."
Before I can respond a low voice interrupts,"Really Hestia? I thought you were past that?"
"I was. I am! Besides, what's it matter to you if I like to make people deals?" Hestia shouted back into the forest.
"Not much, just if you are looking for me."
A tall man wearing a dark suit stepped out of a news by cluster of trees.
"Who are you?" I had defiantly never seen this man before in my life.
"You know me as Aquarius."
I glanced at the sky and saw the moon wasn't anywhere near full,"So you are a werewolf?"
He sighed,"No Kara. I am not a werewolf, at least not the way you know them to be."
"Then how are you?"
"Every other month I get stuck as a wolf. Okay? Now, back to our previous discussion. Hestia, what did you want with them? More specifically myself, but the others as well."
"A favor." She replied, I could see her grin in the flames she was twisting through her hands.
"For who? You? Me? Them? Someone else?"
She frowed,"You should know by now that isn't how I play."
"You rarely follow your own rules, so tell me."
"What will you give me?"
Aquarius pulled a candle from his pocket,"A base did your flames."
"Oh, deal!" Hestia hungrily reached for the candel.
Aquarius held the candle behind him,"Tell me what I want to know first."
"Fine. One of the wolf packs wanted to know your location, the others is a more private matter." She lunged again for the candle.
"Fulfilling part of your deal with Polaris?" Aquarius questioned with one eye brow raised.
"Yeah sure." Hestia managed to snatch the candle from Aquarius and squealed in joy, lighting the wick. She stood for a moment watching as the small flame danced in a passing breeze.
"Do you ever give a full, straightforward or simple answer?" Aquarius questioned with a sigh.
"Only when I feel like it." Aquarius shook his head, waved to me and disappeared back into the surrounding woods,"Good luck Kara." He called over his shoulder.
Hestia sat diwn, transfixed by her candle, figuring I would hear her scream if any wolves came I settled into a bend in a branch before drifting off to an uneasy sleep.

*****
AN

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