Burn

Chapter 2 - Leith

Dedicated to my friend Pokerface101 for being such an amazing friend and writer :)

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All this waiting is making me restless. I hate watching the sun crawl across the sky. I find it so depressing. Luckily the sun is nearly at the highest point meaning soon I find out what the Master Elder wants.

"Hey, Leith, you thinking 'bout that girl again?" Pav yelled from the beach causing about twenty pairs of eyes latch onto me. I turned to glare at each and everyone of them not noticing Pav sneaking up behind me. She jumped on my back causing the guy I was glaring at to laugh. If Moanna, or any other Elder saw that...

"Relax Leith" Pav soothed.

"Easy for you to say" I growled at her.

She slid of my back and forced me to face her "I think you are too career orientated, all you care about is what Moanna will think" With every word she lightly punched my chest.

"Elder" I corrected

"See, Elder Moanna this, Elder Moanna that. We all have the right to be free Leith. Not under the command of some old woman who holds a grudge" She let out a small scream in frustration.

I searched her eyes for a hint of a lie but all I found was a brown pool of anger. "That's what the Grand Elder wants you to think" I tried to reason with her "They want you to think you are in control of your life when in reality..."

"You know what I think" She cut in "I think that you don't believe any of that bull"

I clenched my hands "You don't know what I believe"

She shrugged "Maybe not but I do know that you are about to make a bad judgement" She turned on her heels and stomped away leaving my words on my lips.

I turned to face the cloudless horizon once more. Pavarti obviously knew something that I didn't. This annoyed me, she was just a trader's daughter while I was a guardian! Sure I was the youngest guardian but I was still in a higher position in the tribe than her.

"Leith!" A fisherman shouted "The Elder's want you now!"

The urgency in his words made me start running "I'm coming". We ran though the village past the Guardian hut and through the busy marketplace to the main hut. The main hut is a large circular building which holds 50 people and houses the five village elders. I composed myself before entering.

"Elder's" I said bowing "You called for me?"

Elder Moanna stood up from her place in the circle of Elders "Yes Leith, It appears your time has come"

The Master Elder looked up from a young girl laying on the floor before looking at Pav... Wait what was she doing here. His grey hair danced in the firelight "We have many things to discuss Guardian Leith. Pavarti please leave us" Pav glared at me before leaving. What have I done now?

"We wanted to see you at noon because as you know that every year each tribe sends one guardian to marry another guardian in another tribe. Like a peace offering. You are the chosen Guardian" Moanna smiled mockingly at me. She was just trying to get to me. Her and that damn grudge.

I plastered on a fake smile "So who am I to marry?"

"A girl from the Silmur Tribe called Gaia" The Master Elder told me. "A caravan is being prepared now, you leave for the Silmur Village tomorrow"

I nodded "Is that all?"

"You see this girl?" Elder Moanna asked pointing to the sleeping girl "She is the next descendant, she is the only person on Earth that has shown any signs of magic apart from the natives of Inru that oved there. She will carry on our line after Inru had been destroyed"

"Does that mean..."

"Yes, Inru's time is nearly up" The Master Elder spoke up.

"Oh!" Was all I could reply.

"You will train her so she is prepared for her destiny" Elder Moanna smiled at me again.

I bowed "Of course, does that mean she will travel with me to the Silmur Tribe?"

"Yes"

Great... "And what is her element?"

Elder Moanna picked up the girl "Her mother was originally from the Merai Tribe. Fire is her element"

I nodded, you could tell. She had long fiery red hair, the sign of controling fire. The Master Elder stood up "Now Guardian Leith, It's a three day ride to the Merai Village of Gabe and a further two to the Silmur Tribe's main village. When you are at Gabe I want you to speak to the residing Master Elder. She will be able to help you" The Master Elder instructed me.

"Is that all?" I asked as Elder Moanna passed me the sleeping girl.

She nodded "Be-careful with this one" She chuckled "She's a firecracker"

Her words were puzzling, a firecracker? "What's her name?"

"McKenna, meaning Born of Fire" The Elder Master said. I turned and walked out of the hut. The heat hit me, penetrating every inch of my body. Yet everyone else was going about their business without breaking a sweat. Looking down at the girl I saw her hands were glowing a deep red, fire flickering from her long fingers. Great...

She stirred opening her eyes to reveal beautiful pools of Amber. "Hello?" she asked sleepily.

I smiled down at her "Hello"

Her eyes widened in shock "Who are you?"