The Destined Protector (The Chronicles of Mistar - Book 1)

Nine · · · Monta (.2)

They only had about a zon and a half when the emergency flyers came into view with the police flyers leading. As soon as he saw them, Monta grabbed Tapalla's arm and pulled her in woods along the left side of the road. His breath quickened as the flyers passed. A burst of wind hit him as they passed making him hold Tapalla even closer.

When Monta was sure the flyers were gone, he let out an exhausted breath and looked at Tapalla.

He could see her eyes searching his chest as of she didn't want to look in his eyes, but then she looked up at him and smiled.

"You scared me," she said smirking.
Monta's eyebrows raised as her comment made him laugh.

"Stop being such a charmer," she complained as if she was going to push away. She didn't though. Tapalla actually drew closer as she leaned her head against Monta's chest.

"Your so warm," she said snuggling up to him.

Monta then closed his eyes in concentration. He could feel his hands warm so he opened his eyes to see them glowing. That was new. They always turned orange, but they never actually glowed. He felt like a human flashlight.

Tapalla slowly backed away from him and took his hand. The colors of surprise and confusion fluttered on her face as she looked closer at his hand.

"Why is glowing?" she asked him.
Monta shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know. When I was younger my mother told me that some family gifts can develop over time."

Tapalla nodded her head. "That makes sense."

She took his hand and pressed it to her cheek. Her cheeks then flushed bright purple from warmth instead of her face usually being blue from the cold weather which made her dark purple freckles pop.

Tapalla kissed his thumb as she looked up into his eyes. Monta was mesmerized by them. They were dark brown with specks that looked like stars. He always wished he had her eyes isn't of his transparent ones.

That was why he was a taken back when she told him, "I wish I had your eyes."

Monta's eyebrow popped up looking at her like she was crazy.

"What?" she said.

"It's just that you want my eyes. I never thought anybody would want something so transparent. I want your eyes," he replied.

Tapalla laughed at him. "Why wouldn't you want your eyes? Nobody has anything like them." On her tippy toes, Tapalla kissed his forehead and he kissed her back, her forehead warm from his glowing hand.

Monta looked to the road. When he saw it empty, he took his hand away from Tapalla's cheek and the warmth instantly turned off. He grabbed her hand and walked towards the road with her in hand. This time, they didn't walk along the cliff edge. They walked next to woods and soon came upon a farm of elckon. Monta remembered when he visited this ranch with his father and sister when his mom stayed home.

They stood in line watching the elckon roam the pasture just like he and Tapalla were doing.

"They're so beautiful," Tapalla said nudging Monta in the arm.

The elckon were beautiful. They were big meaty creatures that were bigger than Monta by height when standing on their hind legs. Thick wool, of the colors white, off-white, brown, shades of gray, and black, covered the beast's hide and small tail. The wool also hid its ears and its beady black eyes. It's long purple tongue fell from its mouth to reach down and grab some of their favorite food, any kind of plant.

Their hooves matched the color of the small horns popped up through the wool on top of its head, a goldish brown color.

Monta couldn't believe that these majestic mammals weren't native to Gazar. When he was young, his father told him that they were actually imported from the planet of Ablatin since their wool was some the warmest material in the galaxy. The Gazarans needed the elckon's warm wool to make clothes warm enough to withstand Gazar's below average temperatures.

Monta patted Tapalla's shoulder. "We should probably get going."

Tapalla nodded her head. "Your right. We probably should."

Hand in hand, Monta and Tapalla passed the fenced-in pasture full of elckon.

There was only a zon left to go until Monta would be home.