Edan & Hima: The Awakening

Chapter Four

The natural light shooting into the small shack vanished once the blinds had been closed yet again. A heavy breath dropped from Victor's mouth as he took a step away from the window. The gravel flooring crunched underneath his feet and his back soon touched the shelves attached to the shack's walls.

Althia, who was sorting her medicinal supplies, heard her shelves and jars shake when the young man's back hit the platforms and she turned. Althia gave Victor a strange glance with a cocked eyebrow. She wondered what had caused the poor wounded man to be surprised. Perhaps it was the realization, once more, that he was actually in a village filled with shapeshifting creatures that turn into ferocious beasts!

But it wasn't.

Victor had seen her. The girl whom he had been searching for the past three years.

"What's gotten into you now?" Althia finally asked out of curiosity.

A small smile then slowly plastered to Victor's lips and he gave a nod of his head. "She's here..."

Althia stared at Victor now with a blank stare and a sigh fell from her lips. "I still don't know who this girl is. Did you run into her in the human world or something?"

Victor chuckled and looked around the shack for the small bucket. He sat down on the bucket and stared at the gravel floor in awe.

"She's actually here," Victor repeated. Althia shook her head upon noticing that Victor had not heard her question. Victor reached into his pocket and pulled out his wallet. He opened the leather wallet and pulled a slip of sleek film from one of the flaps and opened the piece. It was a picture of the girl he was searching for, only she was a baby in the picture. Victor took his hand and gently dragged his fingers across the picture and across the girl's face. He looked at her eyes and stared deep into the hazel eyes which resembled his own.

She had the same glint in her eyes as she did in the picture. And it was the same glint that was in his own eyes. Victor had always known that he would one day find her as long as she had the same eyes.

Althia turned again to see Victor staring at the image. She set down the bandages in her hand and approached the young man. She walked to his side and leaned over to look at the image of the toddler.

"Who's this?" Althia asked. "A sister?"

Victor nodded his head. "I've been trying to find her for so long."

"Oh, what happened?" Althia asked as she suddenly got drawn into the mystery.

Victor's smile slowly vanished and he began to remember what his mother had told him. "There was an accident that happened fifteen years ago and so she was taken away from the family."

Althia glanced at Victor's face to see the sorrow in his eyes now. "What was the accident?"

"I wish I could say," sighed Victor. "But for the past three years, I've been trying to find her."

"And you think she's here?"

"I know she's here because I just saw her."

Althia stepped over to the window and peeked through the blinds. Outside of her shack was the crowd of shifters as they wandered throughout the village while enjoying the festival.

"What's your sister's name?" Althia suddenly asked Victor.

Victor looked up from the picture and turned his attention to Althia as she continued to peek out of the window.

Maybe she's interested in helping us, thought Rylan.

Victor agreed with the voice and smiled when Althia turned to face him. She looked at him expectantly and Victor chuckled when glancing back at the picture.