Luna

Chapter 5

Chapter 5
To say Luna was tired would have been an understatement. They were only about three days ride from the entrance to the forest and hopefully the Shadowland. Luna was having dreams, more like nightmares, of her friends' death. What if your people blamed her?
It was now deep in the night when these thoughts began to swim through her head what if she wasn't strong enough to protect your new friends?
The small fox was curled in Alyssa's side and James was hugging his book as he slept. Luna laid awake now, beads of sweat on her forehead with the images of their deaths flashing through her head. She grabbed her head and held tightly making her fingers digging into her scalp nightmares of her friends' death. What if your people blamed her?
"Just go away," she screamed silently. Tears began to rub down her face and hit the ground with a tap. It would have been soundless to most, but to her, it was as if someone was banging on a drum.
Shadows gathered and begin to look like a terrifying creature out of a child's dream. She couldn't stop herself as her eyes danced around the campsite not enjoy but in a deep-seated fear. The trees became demons and a scream built in her chest. It was released when the crunch of leaves could be heard.
This scream filled the clearing and blow the flames from the fire out. What was almost silent was now filled with a sound can only be a pure and dying fear. Her heart continued to pound against her chest as her human companions jumped awake, and now she was rocking quickly and timidly back and forth. In her mind time came all too quickly but all too slow. It was as if every second crawled at the speed of a sprinter. It was then that Alyssa barely awake ran to her friend and pulled into her own body. She whispered soft words every reassurance and shared a look with James. Something was seriously wrong.
Even the small fox huddled into Luna and in his bright and intelligent eyes, a sadness begins to grow sensed something wasn't right. The moon was full on this night and an old tale echoed in James wars about nightmares coming out when the lunar cycle was complete. Looking up at the young girl maybe just maybe this was true.
Unknown to the small group a man watch from afar. He called the shadows to his side with a dark chuckle. Even in the chaos, the camp could hear the sound and fear found its way and all their hearts.
In the morning they were all tired. Last night no one could sleep and fear had pulled them into its murky depths but they had to continue on. They were so close now just a few more days ride and they if the pushed a little bit harder today they could get there in a quicker time.
Luna had already mounted her mare when Alyssa asked her to hold Charlie. Luna took him gently. This whole morning they had been in silence and it was demanding a weight on everyone's shoulder. When everyonedid talk it was is sort of almost tearful voice. James made his ear onto his own horse and in an in a voice that none of the other riders had ever heard him use he said, "If we travel with little rest today we might be able to make it in two days."
The girls only nodded and look up at each other silently. Anyway any of them thought about it today was going to be a hard day.
The sun was just about to set when they finally came to a stop for the night it was clear that all were exhausted andcrabby, but after a warm meal and some time to relax around the fire they were all in a much better mood this was then that Alyssa asked, "What makes the Fallen so different from the humans?"
Luna looked up at her thoughtfully and said, "Well I suppose some of us were born with different features like wings. Some of my people are born with gifts, but then again you, humans, have witches so I'd say we are fairly even on powers and such. So I don't really know for sure to be honest."
Alyssa looked up at her in surprise, "Do you have wings?
Luna nodded with a sly smile on her face.
James looked up from the fire in demanded, "Show us!"
Luna stood and showed her back had nothing on it but black lines that form the shape and features of wings. The group of humans rolled their eyes. This was when Luna smirked the tattoos disappear becoming wings they were larger than two of her arm spans and had raven black feathers with the very tips of them being electric blue. She heard gasps of amazement as they stared at her in wonder.
As she began tucking her wings back away. Alyssa asked, "How?"
Sitting back down and look at the fire and said, "My people are born with markings of wings at birth. They are typically lack markings on your back. If you have any other powers or gifts another symbol will be placed somewhere on your body. But you always will know from birth."
James sat back thinking before asking, "Do do you have any other marks?"
Luna felt herself blush, "I would rather not say my people find it rude to talk about oneself."
Alyssa looked at her smirking, "It's not rude if we ask is it? I would say it's rather rude not to answer the question."
Well, I suppose so. I have one other marking given to me at birth."
Luna moved her hair the crescent moon showing the group.
They looked at her curiously and James asked, "What does that mean?"
Luna's big grey eyes eyes faded over and she looked deeply into the flames of the fire before continuing, "I am the princess of my people and I have always been different not only an appearance, but in other ways too. I was gifted with the mark of the moon. The moon, itself, is a very powerful symbol in my people's culture. The moon is this our symbol for the power of the night and the one that sees the future told me that one day I will be able to change into any night animal, although now I cannot. I have ability to slip into the shadows. I'm although still young and have much to learn. I really don't know what gifts life has given me or why though."
Her friends look to her shocked they were before princess after all. Alyssa looked at her transfixed and began asking, "You're a princess?"
Luna nodded and grunted before saying, "It's not like that of the human world princess. I am the daughter of my people ruling family, but we treat each other all as equal. Things are different in my land than here while you or most humans value money above all else it is more useful to my people to trade and share. Everyone has a job if you don't like your job, then you learn a new one and do what you can to keep society moving."
James nodded and said, "I believe I met some of the royal family when the worlds what kind to one another."
Luna smiled, "Perhaps, it sounds like you met my uncle who is the dragon trainer he has befriended most if not all the dragons in our land and besides he was always letting people in when he wasn't supposed to.
Alyssa laid-back, "Wow dragons."
Luna looked at her with a small smile on her face, "Dragons are actually that not that nice most of them are selfish jerks and greedy too although I have met a few that were quite nice and modest. I grew up with one his name being Samo. He is blue and has a wingspan of about 25 feet. We fly together sometimes and I'm fairly sure he's the one I that taught me to fly in the first place."
James lost in his own memories asked, "What was the name of the dragon I rode in the past and is she still alive?"
Luna spoke softly, "It seems you met Ladybell, and yes she is still alive. You see dragons live a very long time after all they see the future, the past, and the present.
James spoke fondly, "I would love to meet her again."
Luna commented back, "Who knows perhaps you just might."