Page 97 of Awethology Light

Praxel’s Dreams

  Praxel had always dreamt; they never left him. The best part was remembering them and writing them down; he still couldn’t believe he was such a famous author. People loved his books.

  With a stretch and a yawn, he stood up from his desk, stretching his limbs and shoulders, easing out the knots. Turning, he walked right into Kendrall.

  “Where the hell did you come from?” he said. “There again, who are you?”

  “I’m Kendrall.You must be Praxel,” he said holding out his hand.

  “How did you get in here?” He frowned. “The door’s locked.”

  “I have my ways.”

  “So, where did you come from?”

  “Chantari,” he replied, “home of the Bul’ith.”

  “You’ve obviously read too many of my books young man,” he laughed.

  “I’m not young and you’ve had lots of dreams.” He smiled. “The next one will reveal more than you’ve ever…” his voice trailed off as Kendrall disappeared. Praxel’s mouth hung open in stunned shock.

  “W-what the hell?” he muttered sinking into his chair. Muttering, he turned back to his computer and started typing fast, his fingers flowing over the keyboard, his imagination soaring into the night.

  His eyes drowsy, his fingers finally stopped, he staggered to his feet and laid on the couch. Closing his eyes, sleep claimed him.

  Praxel looked around him in disbelief. He found himself in the middle of the Savannah, gazelles’ rushing around, jumping in a mad dash trying to escape a cheetah’s jaw.

  The dust swirled around him, choking him. Closing his eyes, he suddenly found himself on the hard, dry ground with a heavy weight above him. Opening his eyes, wiping his hands over them, he knew his time had come.

  A cheetah had her paws on his chest, looking at him in wonder. Her tongue came out and licked his face. Praxel’s eyes opened wider, wondering what the hell was going on. Then he remembered the guy with the purple hair.

  “Who are you?” he said, picking up his hand and stroking her fur, suddenly unafraid. “What do you want of me?”

  She purred and nuzzled his shoulder, a claw ripped his singlet; Praxel shook with fright still not understanding. The cheetah licked his shoulder, opening her mouth, her fangs revealed. She lowered her head, sinking her teeth into him. Praxel cried out in fear, until a surge of energy shot through his body, his mind dancing and swirling at dizzying speeds, until the cheetah released him, licking the wounds; they healed almost immediately.

  “Thank you.” He smiled, finally understanding, “You are mine. We’ll work well together,” he laughed, rubbing her head.

  She stood up, licking his face once more, then raced off into the distance. Praxel stood smiling, realising his dreams on one plane, were true. He walked for a while, enjoying the sun on his skin.

  It was a thumping on his study door which woke him.

 

  Bunita’s Bear

  Boss, the bear, roared into the night. He wasn’t happy being awakened before his time; he walked out of his cave, looking around in the snow to see who’d made a noise.

  Avron stood still and silent, waiting for Boss to see her, a smile slowly spreading across her cold, pink cheeks. Blowing a frosty breath, she turned slightly. Boss saw the movement. About to roar in anger again, he saw who it was and ran full pelt toward her tiny frame. Knocking Avron over, she laughed joyfully as they rolled around in the cold snow, play fighting.

  “Gerroff, you idiot,” she yelled when Boss stilled, washing her face. “It’s nearly time to meet your destiny trainee, Boss.”

  He growled with displeasure, rolling away, climbing to his paws, plodding off into the forest.

  “Don’t you leave me behind, Boss,” she called out, chasing after him. He stopped in his tracks and sat down just as a snowball sailed through the air, hitting him squarely on the nose. Avron burst out laughing when he shook his head in disgust. Nose in the air, he continued on his way, leaving Avron yelling after him.

  Bunita walked down the dusty dirt road towards her village, carrying water on her shoulders. Sweat dripped down her back, the weight making her nearly bend in half. Her little brother followed with a bucket on his head, a smile on his face as he sang out of tune.

  “Shush, will you,” she muttered out.

  “I love to sing, Buni,” he grinned, running to catch up with her.

  “My name is Bunita,” she grouched through gritted teach.

  “Ma calls you Buni.”

  “Ma has the right to call me what she wishes; you don’t.”

  “Come on, slowcoach, or we’ll be late for the ceremony,” he yelled out, stalking away.

  “You come carry this then, and I’ll carry your load.”

  “No way, not that daft,” her brother smirked and hurried away.

  Finally arriving back in the village, Bunita dropped the water barrels by the house, covering them with a cloth to help keep them cool. Wiping her face, she entered the mud house, asking her mother what else needed doing.

  “Nothing Bunita, you go to the ceremony, make sure all the children behave. It is a special one tonight.”

  “What’s so special?”

  “You will learn who, about the Bul’ith race—the chosen one will go to train with them.”

  “Really Ma?” she smiled.

  “Yes,” she smiled, cupping her daughter’s chin in her hands. “This year, you’re old enough, so be brave if you’re the chosen one, my daughter.”

  “Yes, Ma, I’ll be brave.” Her little brother sniggered in the background, making her frown.

  “Come, brother, we need to gather the children,” she ordered.

  “Yes, Bunita,” he scowled. He dare not disobey when his ma was around.

  Bunita quickly unplaited her hair, pulling her fingers through it, so it draped down her back like a curtain.

  “You look lovely, Buni,” said Ma.

  “Now go catch up, and blessings be with you.” She kissed her daughter’s face and watched her walk down to the village square.

  The children and unmarried adults all sat and listened to the lessons of the Bul’ith; stories they’d heard before.

  They grew up surrounded by them. There were stories of the purple-headed boy who came and left at will, disappearing in front of your eyes. Only destiny’s children saw him. Many of the tribe’s people didn’t know what to believe. Destiny children were sorted from many different tribes.

  “They are mystical and enchanting beings,” he said. “One of you will become Bul’ith,” said the Shaman. “It is your destiny to go and has been since your birth.”

  “How do we learn who is to go?” asked one young man.

  “You’re chosen via dreams.” He smiled.

  “Dreams?” another asked.

  “An animal will come to you, is all I know. You will receive energy from them; this is a sign of your connection.”

  “When does the dream happen?”

  “Soon my son, very soon.” He smiled. “Now go and enjoy the time you have left here. By week’s end, one of you will have left us. Good luck and blessings.”

  The younger children raced home, telling their parents the stories they’d heard. They smiled, remembering their own time during the chosen ceremony. The old ones walked, talking, wondering who’d be the chosen one.

  “Who went last year?”

  “Graith did,” said Bunita.

  “I wonder if he met the purple-headed man.”

  “One of us will soon find out,” she said. “Good night; I need to go help Ma with supper and the children.” She smiled, her beauty lighting up her deep brown eyes. She turned away, the young men looking at her wistfully.

  Sleep came quickly to Bunita. So did the cold seeping into her bones, making her shiver. She opened her eyes, finding herself sitting on something wet and white. Standing quickly, she looked around; all she could see were trees and more white stuff.

  “Where am I?” she said quietly. “
What is this place?”

  “You are the chosen one, Bunita,” said a young, dainty woman. “Come; Boss is waiting to meet with you.”

  “Who’s Boss, who are you, where am I?”

  “My name is Avron, I’m your trainer and Boss is your energy. You will like him; he’s great fun.”

  “Boss is my animal.” She smiled.

  “Yes,” she replied. “I see you’re well-taught, Bunita.”

  “Where is this place?”

  “I can’t tell you until later.”

  They walked in the snow. Bunita shivered. Suddenly she stopped—fur clothing replaced her summer sari and shoes on her feet. She smiled.

  “Magical place,” she muttered, making Avron laugh.

  “That’s Kendrall for you.”

  “Who’s Kendrall?”

  “He’ll come and talk to you soon.”

  As they approached a clearing, Bunita put her hand to her throat at the sight of the huge black bear.

  Avron continued forward. Realising Bunita had stopped, she beckoned her forward. Bunita shook her head. “Bunita, come, Boss won’t hurt you.” She smiled, holding out her hand.

  “Boss is the bear,” she said quietly, slowly edging her way toward Avron.

  “Yes, he’s a cool dude.” She grinned when Boss lifted his head and growled. Bunita backed away.”Behave, Boss,” Avron said sternly.

  Sitting up, he yawned, looking Bunita up and down. Slowly he stood, wandering over to her, sniffing at her small frame.

  “You sure he’s safe, Avron?”

  “Yes,” she giggled watching the bear behind Bunita open its mouth, ready to pass the energy on.

  Avron walked over, taking Bunita’s hands. Looking her in the eyes, she started to chant. The fur coat disappeared for a moment. Bunita, mesmerised by the chant, didn’t feel the cold. Boss leant over Bunita’s shoulder, his sharp fangs ready. Watching for Avron’s nod, he bit into Bunita’s shoulder, his teeth sinking deep. Energy coursed through her body. She closed her eyes accepting her destiny; her head thrown back, she felt Boss lick her shoulder and the fur coat return to heat her body back up.

  Her shoulder ached a little, though she felt great.

  “Go to sleep now, Bunita; Kendrall will visit and then Boss and I will come get you, to begin your training.” She smiled. Touching Bunita’s face, she dropped to the hard, dry floor in the mud house and slept contently.

  Bunita woke to the usual family noises around her. Smiling, she prepared herself for her chores, helping Ma with the children, knowing time was short now. She was the chosen one, and her animal was Boss, the Bear.

  Tears ran down her face with joy. All she needed to do now was wait for a person called Kendrall.

  Seeing her face, her ma ran over, taking her into her arms, smiling at the joy.

  “You are the chosen, Bunita?”

  “Yes, Ma; I am.”

  “Good luck and blessings on your journeys,” she said, stroking her soft cheek.

  “I’m not sure when I will go Ma, so I will help you until the time comes.”

  “Tis good we trained up your sister to take your place.”

  “Aye. She’ll do good Ma.”

  “Don’t go,” said the voice of her young brother. His hand slipped into hers, his grip tight. “Please don’t leave us.”

  “I’ll always be in your heart,” she said stroking his hair.

  “I don’t want you to go, Buni,” he cried.

  “I am the chosen one. I have no choice. Come with me today, and help with the chores.”

  “Yes, Buni,” he muttered, his face dirty with tears.

  Yani moped around all day, wishing he’d not teased her the day before.

  Bunita and Yani were by the creek when Kendrall appeared beside them; he was so out of place with his purple hair—never mind his jeans and T-shirt.

  Bunita nearly walked into him. She screeched, dropping her water barrels. Yani glared at the man, then looked closer, his mouth dropping open in surprise.

  “The purple-headed man,” he whispered out.

  “Hi, Yani, it’s nice to meet you,” he said, stretching out his arm and rubbing the boy’s hair. “I need a word with your sister, if you’ll excuse us for a moment.”

  “O-of course,” he mumbled, sitting down on the dry dirt ground.

  Bunita pulled herself together, patting down her dress and looked at Kendrall properly for the first time.

  “You scared me,” she murmured.

  “Apologies, Bunita; let us walk and chat.”

  “You’re mentioned at each ceremony. They say you appear at will.”

  “I appear, as you say, to all new trainees.” He smiled.

  “What do you tell them?”

  “You’ve already met Boss, and your trainer is Avron,” he said. “Once you’re fully trained, Avron will leave you with Boss. It is his job to keep you energised with bear energy.”

  “How do I get the energy?”

  “Due to Boss’s size, Avron will teach you a chant to say.”

  “Why?” she asked.

  “Boss will bite your shoulder with his fangs, like he did in your dream last night.”

  “He bit me,” she said, stopping on the track, her eyes widening.

  “Bul’ith don’t feel much pain,” he smiled. “Avron will teach you the chant due to your small stature. It’s entirely up to you, if you use it.” He shrugged.

  “He bit me,” she muttered, “where…,” she trailed off. Kendrall had gone.

  “Avron will collect you tomorrow morning, Bunita,” she heard whispered on the breeze.

  “Buni, Buni,” shouted Yani as he raced towards her. “I saw,” he yelled, his eyes wide.

  “Yes, you did.” She smiled gently, taking him into her arms. “We’d better get the water back to Ma,” she continued.

  “Yes Buni.”

   

  Mitsuoshi

  The anaconda slid through the long grass, hidden from Avrain, who was waiting at the edge of the forest, impatiently tapping her foot, her hands on her hips.

  “Hurry up Contra,” she yelled out.

  Contra stilled, hissing in displeasure. She didn’t like her hunting disturbed; she was dangerously hungry. Seeing a rabbit she slithered closer. The rush made the rabbit freeze, and then it was gone, down Contra’s throat.

  “We need to go Contra,” Avrain called out.

  Rushing at speed to Avrain, she wrapped around her body, hugging her.

  “Let me go, you daft sod; I can barely breathe.” The anaconda let go, piling in loops around her feet on the ground, making Avrain stumbled slightly before righting herself.

  “Honestly, I don’t know what to do with you at times, Contra,” she muttered. “Come on; we need to visit Mitsuoshi, it’s nearly dream-time.”

  Eager to please Avrain, Contra slid after her quickly, keeping pace, slithering through the wet grass towards the river.

  Mitsuoshi had a brilliant mind and the world at his feet—or so he thought. He knew everything; knowing he was superior to anyone else in his village. His scorn for them showed on his face, the pity he felt making him feel like a god.

  He did work hard, though he couldn’t wait to leave the village and prove he was a master of all. One day he would be rich and famous and they would bow to him and his superiority.

  Kendrall watched from a distance; with a sigh, shoved his hands in his jeans, wondering why this Bul’ith was one of the chosen. Shaking his head, he faded from sight to see what Avrain was going to do to bring this young man to heel.

  “Avrain,” he called out.

  “Kendrall.” She smiled impishly.

  “Why did you choose Mitsuoshi?”

  “You need a leader for the battles; he will make a great leader for the Bul’ith.”

  “I’m worried. He thinks he is better than everyone, Avrain.”

  “Which is why I chose Contra to be his energy.” She smiled.

  “Contra?” he asked.

/>   “She’s behind you, come say hello.”

  Kendrall turned. He couldn’t see anything.

  “Lower your eyes a bit,” she giggled.

  Kendrall’s jaw dropped. He hurriedly stepped back. “My god, Avrain, you gave him an anaconda—twill scare him to death,” he managed to get out.

  “They will work well together.” She smiled as Contra slid up her body, flicking her tongue over Avrain’s face.

  “Well, you know best, I suppose. Are you going tonight for the first dream?”

  “Yes,” she replied.

  “He may reject you, so be careful, his character is disdainful and strong.”

  “Don’t worry; I have my plans set, Kendrall.”

  “Good luck,” he replied as he faded from sight.

  In the days which followed, Mitsuoshi started to dream about weird and wonderful creatures. One turned into a nightmare. He woke, sweat dripping off his body. He shuddered, looking around. He wasn’t one to dream—dreams were your fate and if read correctly, his future didn’t look good.

  His determination to ignore them grew, though it never worked. He tried not to sleep and became a shadow of his former self; not the strong, arrogant leader, now a pale face with black shadows under his eyes. The village people looked at him, some laughing behind his back, enjoying his downfall.

  The time had come for Contra to visit—not that he knew his life was about to change forever.

  Mitsuoshi sat in his chair in his bedroom, his eyes wide, his brain asleep; his dreams seeping in.

  The river was loud. The water thundered along at a rapid pace, dirty from the recent rains. Mitsuoshi stood and watched, his hands in his pockets, totally unaware of his surrondings for a moment.

  His eyes blinked. He hurriedly stepped away from the river’s edge, not wanting to be caught in its rage. He looked behind him to find a lush green forest. He walked up the riverbank, his eyes searching for he knew not what.

  “Where the hell am I?” he muttered.

  “You’re in Chantari,” said a soft female voice by his side.

  He looked over and stumbled backwards over a root, landing on his butt. “Who are you? Where did you come from?”

  “I’m Avrain, your trainer.” She smiled.

  “Trainer for what? I don’t understand, this is a dream,” he replied, looking her up and down.

  “I’ll train you to battle the shadows. My friend here is your energy.” She grinned as Contra popped her head up with a hiss.

  Mitsuoshi scrambled backwards on his butt, his eyes wide with fear. “Shit, there’s an anaconda behind you!—You’d better move,” he cried out, obviously not hearing what Avrain had said.

  “Contra is your anaconda, she will give you the energy you need to train and become Bul’ith.”

  “I don’t want an anaconda,” he cried out, his fear great.

  “Come now, you’re a big strong young man. You love to lead—surely you can cope with little Contra now.” She laughed, stroking her head.

  “W-what will she do to me?”

  “Come and say hello, she’s friendly.”

  Contra hissed, her tongue flicking out as she smelt him approach unsteadily. Nervously, he held out his hand. She flicked her tongue out to touch and taste him. Sliding forward, she curled part of her body around his feet, her head appearing over his shoulder, as she continued to smell and feel him.

  “She likes you, Mitsuoshi,” Avrain laughed.

  “She’s beautiful, though, so big,” he muttered, trying hard not to move.

  “Relax; she needs to pass her energy to you.”

  “How does she do that?”

  “She will bite your shoulder and sink her fangs in.”

  Mitsuoshi shook with fear.

  Avrain calmed him with a chant, though she didn’t put him in a trance.

  “I-I can’t do this,” he muttered.

  “You’re chosen; you have no choice in the matter, Mitsuoshi.” His top disappeared; his heart rate soared. “Relax, you’ll feel better. It won’t hurt, you’re Bul’ith.

  Contra opened her mouth, lowering it over his shoulder and bit deeply. A surge of energy flew through Mitsuoshi, so powerful he closed his eyes, clenching his fists, his body jerking in welcome. Releasing him, Contra licked his wound and the bite disappeared from sight.

  “My god, what was that?”

  “Your energy,” Avrain smiled.

  “I don’t feel any different,” he frowned in puzzlement.

  “You are no different in your dreams and the human world.”

  “What’s Bul’ith?”

  “Kendrall will visit and tell you all you need to know,” she replied.

  The dream faded and Mitsuoshi woke suddenly, his whole body shaking in…he didn’t know…he remembered every part of the dream and tried to work out what it meant.

  He wandered around, bemused with what he’d dreamt. Had it been real? He touched his shoulder; it didn’t hurt at all, no marks, nothing. His attention span was short; to the other workers’ amusement, Mitsuoshi was yelled at several times.

  It was during lunch when Kendrall appeared in front of him, his purple hair sticking out a mile. Mitsuoshi gaped at him for a moment. “Where did you come from?”

  “Remember your dream, Mitsuoshi.” He smiled.

  “Y-yes.”

  “I’m Kendrall. Avrain will come for you on the morrow.”

  “Where will I go?”

  “Back to Chantari to train in the Bul’ith ways,” he said.

  “What’s Bul’ith?”

  “You are.” He smiled and faded away.

  “Well, that didn’t tell me much,” he muttered.

  “Look, see,” chuckled one of the workers. “He’s going mad; he’s talking to himself.”

  They all laughed, though Mitsuoshi ignored them, returning to work. He’d be glad to get home and ponder over his dream and the little lady called Avrain.

   

  Farron’s Encounter

  They just wouldn’t leave me alone; shadows were always making a grab for my legs, trying their best to pull me into their world. It never worked of course. I was far too quick for them.

  Though I was late in learning about the Bul’ith race, I gained the knowledge quickly. Qwain was impressed—I could see it in his eyes.

  “Sharam stop,” I hollered out to my darling wolf: we’d become inseparable, much to Qwain’s delight.

  He skidded to a halt and bounded back to me, knocking me flat on the grass and washing my face. “Gerroff you nut,” I said, shoving his face away, wiping my arm over my own face to get rid of the slather. “I wish you’d not do that, Sharam,” I said. He just lay down and rolled over, expecting a rub on his tummy.

  Sharam bit me nightly now. I was used to it. The surge of energy was most welcome. My powers of the wolf grew stronger. I could hear better, my sight had improved dramatically. Nothing passed me without notice, though I am sure Qwain had something up his sleeve to trick me with.

  Out of the weapons of choice, I still preferred my dagger. I had a quick hand, as well as quick feet.

  “Qwain, tell me why the Shadows keep attacking me?”

  “Remember your dream, Farron.”

  I lay back in the grass, leaning my head on Sharam’s stomach, closing my eyes. I thought back to the night I thought evil had caught up with me.

  “I remember some voices calling me a saviour, and a white light, who took me out of danger.”

  “The shadows were drawing you to them—the Mistress took you out of danger; it’s not yet your time to confront them.”

  “How close are we to battle?” I asked opening my eyes.

  “You still have much to learn and others to meet, Farron,” he said in an amused voice.

  “Where are you?”

  The light distorted and Qwain appeared beside me.

  “I’m here,” he chuckled.

  “How do you do that?”

  “One day you will learn, though ti
s not for you just yet.”

  “So what’s next? I’m sick of the forest, could do with a change of scenery.”

  “What sort?”

  “Somewhere hot?” I said. “Eek, how the…” I trailed off, looking around in wonder at the Savannah and all the wild animals surrounding me. “Wow,” I whispered.

  “Good enough?”

  “Yeah; can we go and explore?”

  “Of course you can. Stay with Sharam though, Farron; he will protect you if the need arises.”

  “This is cool,” I said, though Qwain wasn’t there.

  We watched the animals saunter along, the elephants in a queue, the old bull elephant leading them, the cute babies running to keep up, trying hard not to get stepped on. Gazelles jumped and ran like delicate ballerinas pirouetting in the air after each jump. The lions, tigers and cheetahs stayed in the background, watching, hunting; waiting to pounce.

  “It’s beautiful here,” I muttered, wishing there was someone to speak with.

  A cheetah walked out of the grass, sauntering over to us. Sharam growled low in his throat, before sniffing the air. Tongue hanging out, he bounced forward, and they—to my utmost disbelief—began to play, racing around like kids.

  “Seems they like each other,” said a male voice beside me.

  “Aargh, where the hell did you come from?”

  “Sorry, didn’t mean to startle you,” he smiled. “I’m Praxel; who are you?”

  “Farron,” I said gruffly. “The wolf is Sharam.”

  “The cheetah is mine and we roam the Savannah together.”

  “Are you Bul’ith?”

  “Yes, and no doubt you are too,” he smiled, holding out his hand to shake mine.

  “Yes,” I smiled. “Though I’ve much to learn,” I said taking his hand.

  “I have known all my life, though only through dreams, which I honestly thought were only dreams,” he laughed, dropping my hand.

  “Who’s your trainer?”

  “Trainer.” He frowned. “I have only got cheetah,” he said.

  “Weird, we’re all meant to have trainers,” I replied with a frown.

  “Who’s your trainer?”

  “Qwain; he’s great.”

  “You called?” He smirked when we both jumped.

  “Qwain this is Praxel; he says he doesn’t have a trainer.”

  “Hello, Praxel.” He grinned. “You do have a trainer; you just haven’t met her yet,” he laughed, “she’s, how do you say…”

  “You can stop right now, Qwain,” hissed out a little, musical voice. “I can’t help being late,” she harrumphed.

  “Ngaire, you were meant to start training him days ago—how he got here without you I’ve no idea.”

  “Coz he’s an intelligent young man.” She grinned.

  “Thank you Ngaire.” He smiled. “Does cheetah have a name?”

  “Yes, you can call her Kobi.”

  The wolf and cheetah raced up at that moment, pouncing on Praxel and me, taking us to the ground. Ripping our tops they bit us hard with their fangs. The sudden burst of energy had us screaming out in shock as it poured through our veins. Licking the wounds closed, they lay beside us and went to sleep.

  “What the hell?” I said.

  “Well, that was interesting.” Qwain smirked to Ngaire.

  “Why did the cheetah bite me?” I asked.

  Praxel was looking at me, his eyes wide in shock; he shook his head and smiled at Sharam.

  “Thank you for your confidence in me Sharam,” he said gently, receiving a lick.

  “W-what…is…going…on?” I said, getting to my feet.

  “We’re betrothed, Farron.” Praxel smiled.

  “What the hell does that mean?”

  “After the battle, we will marry and have a child.” He grinned.

  “Hell!—no way,” I said, stumbling back.

  “The animals have chosen, there is nothing you—” He grinned. “Nor I, can do.”

  “You have to be kidding me,” I yelled out. “Qwain?”

  “What he says is true, so I suggest you start getting to know each other. And you can train together too.”

  “Well, crap, what happens if I don’t like him?”

  “Tough. Anyway, I’m a nice guy, honest,” Praxel replied.

  “What do you do for a living?”

  “I’m a writer of novels, fantasy,” he replied, walking away from Qwain and Ngaire. “What about you?”

  “Computer graphics,” I muttered hunching my shoulders.

  “Hey, it’s not so bad, Farron,” he said, gently pulling me into his arms.

  “Gerroff, me,” I said, trying to pull away without success.

  “We’ll deal well,” he murmured smoothing my hair out of my face.

  “You like motorbikes?”

  “Hell yeah—they’re awesome—I have a Harley at home!”

  “Ok,” I muttered against his chest, “maybe this could work.” I looked up, seeing a smile flash across his face. Our eyes clashed and I couldn’t drag mine away. He kissed my hair softly before releasing me. Taking my hand, we went for a walk, Sharam and the cheetah on either side of us.

  We turned back to the shady tree. Qwain and Ngaire had gone, leaving us supplies for the following few days.

   

  Maxwell Grange

  Max loved life and lived it to the fullest; surf, sea and good friends were all he needed. The Raglan coast had the best surf on the planet, as far as he was concerned.

  He was standing on his surfboard, dancing through the waves towards the sands, when a guy appeared behind him on his surfboard. Yelling out, they both plunged into the cold sea water, Max trying not to gulp too much saltwater down, swimming to the surface. Max looked around for the dude with no success. He hurried into the sand, to raise the alarm, only to find him standing beside him in dry clothes.

  “What the hell?!—How did you get dry so quickly?” He glowered.

  “Sorry Maxwell, I mistimed my landing,” he chuckled.

  “How the hell do you know my name?” he said, shaking his hair out of the way and dragging his board up the beach.

  “I know lots about you, Max. Don’t worry though,” he replied, “I’m not going to hurt you.”

  “As if,” he tossed over his shoulder. “So what do you want?”

  “Just here to prepare you for a dream you’ll have this night, Maxwell, your destiny lies elsewhere.” He smiled and disappeared.

  “What the?” he muttered.

  “You all right, Max? You were doing so well and then suddenly, for no reason you went under, never seen the like before.”

  “Soz, Garth; lost my concentration for a moment.” He shrugged.

  “Not like you to do that.”

  “Everyone has off days, Garth,” he said mildly.

  “Well, its competition tomorrow, so you’d better keep practising.”

  “You too, Garth; I aim to beat you again,” they high-fived and went their separate ways.

  Sun, salty air and the roar of waves put Maxwell to sleep that night. Exhaustion set in with all the extra training he’d done. He’d pleased his coach in the end after his slip up that morning. Arms behind his head, he relaxed. The image of a guy with purple hair came to him; he frowned, so not understanding what the hell he was on about.

  “Dreams,” he muttered with a shrug. Closing his eyes, he did exactly that. It was the most vivid dream he’d ever had.

  The ocean disappeared, as he dragged his feet inland to his home in the mountains. He was footsore, weary with life and what it did to him. It wasn’t fun anymore. His friends left him to his solitude. Sighing deeply, he trudged up the last hill and over the rise, looking down at his hut.

  His mouth opened in shock; blinking his eyes, he slowly opened them again to find his imagination wasn’t playing games with him. He sat abruptly on the dirt track, scratching his head, trying to work out why a huge, dragon-like lizard sat in front of his door with a tall Maori f
ellow leaning against him.

  “Kia Ora, Maxwell, come, let me introduce you,” he said with a huge smile.

  Climbing to his feet, Max walked down the slope, still wondering about what he saw. “Who are you?”

  “I’m Nikau and this is Jenga.” He smiled.

  “Why are you sitting on my doorstep?”

  “Coz, we couldn’t get in bro.” He grinned. “Would love a cuppa tea too,” he said climbing to his feet.

  “You want to come in?”

  “What—don’t you like visitors bro?”

  “Not used to them,” he muttered, “people don’t like me.”

  “Well, we do,” he chuckled, ordering Jenga to his feet.

  “You do what?”

  “Like you, of course, you daft sod,” he said, putting his arm around Max’s shoulder.

  “Oh, right, of course,” he said, opening the door. “You’d best come in and tell me why you’re here,” he added, shuffling through the door; plonking himself into a chair. “Help yourself to tea; sorry, I’m exhausted.”

  “You’ll be okay Max,” he said cheerfully, helping himself and making a cup for Max.

  “Thanks; you didn’t have to,” he muttered. “What did you want?”

  “Well, as this is a dream, you need to get to know Jenga. She’ll give you an energy boost you need to get to Bul’ith.”

  “What’re you on about?” he asked.

  “I’m going to train you to fight in the battle of the shadows; first you need your animal energy boost, so you can return to Bul’ith in two days.”

  “Where’s Bul’ith?”

  “Not too far—just around the corner,” he chuckled.

  “How do I get the animal energy?”

  “Oh, that’s easy, Jenga bites your shoulder,” he said gravely.

  Max spat out the tea in his mouth, gaping at Nikau. Jenga rose to his feet and approached Max, her tongue flicking out.

  “That thing ain’t biting me; it’ll kill me,” he said, shoving his chair back, banging into the wall.

  “It won’t hurt Max,” he said. “She’ll heal you too.”

  “Of course it’ll bloody hurt; it’ll rip me sodding shoulder off.”

  “No, she won’t; she’s as gentle as a giant.”

  Max closed his eyes, hiding the terror in them. His top disappeared and Jenga the dragon dripped saliva on his shoulder. Shuddering in terror, he waited and waited. A sudden shot of pure energy hit him hard, making him scream out. Then it stopped and he was sitting by the hearth, once more fully dressed.

  “See, it wasn’t that bad now was it?”

  “D-did it bite me?” he stuttered.

  “Yes, Max.”

  “So what happens now?”

  “I think I’ll send Kendrall back to see you; you seem a bit of a mess.”

  “Th-the man with purple hair?” he asked.

  “Yeah.” He grinned. “He can’t seem to help loving purple.”

  “Tell him tomorrow night, if he’s going to come here,” he replied.

  “You rest now and get some much-needed sleep. I’ll see you in a couple of days.”

  Max woke early feeling totally refreshed, his energy levels high and alert; he was determined to do well in the competitions today. Rolling off his bed, he found a toy dragon on the floor; puzzled, he looked at it before picking it up and tossing it over his shoulder.

  Soon he was sprinting along the beach, a smile on his face, enjoying the salty air. He knew he’d have a great competition day; he’d show Garth what he was capable of.

   

  Briar’s Breakthrough

  Ruben stood waiting, looking around him in awe at the magnificent building which surrounded him.

  “Hi,” said a voice, “I’m Joz; you must be Ruben. Will you come this way, please?”

  “You’ll take me to Briar?” he said urgently.

  “Yes.” She smiled, taking his hand. “Don’t worry so; she’ll be fine. The Mistress and soul keeper will bring her through.”

  “Are you sure, Joz?” he said, his face still pale from all the tears he’d shed.

  “Yes Ruben.” She smiled gently, leading him to a room where he could rest. “I’ll tell Mistress you’re here,” she said and disappeared through an archway.

  The Mistress’s worry heightened; she didn’t know if Briar would like the change in her life.

  “Mistress, Ruben is here.”

  “Thank you, Joz, I’ll see him shortly.”

  “Will Briar be all right?”

  “Yes; though I need to speak with Ruben first. He may be able to answer a question for me.”

  Ruben was startled when a beautiful woman appeared in front of him. Her golden hair shone in the light. Blue eyes smiled at him.

  “Ruben,” she said.

  “Yes, are you the one they call Mistress?”

  “Yes.” She smiled. “I need for you to answer a question to the best of your knowledge.”

  “I’ll do anything to help.”

  “How would Briar react to being human and no longer Bul’ith?”

  “Oh god; is this what it comes down to?”

  “Yes,” she nodded.

  “She’ll be devastated, though I’ll be here for her; I love her.”

  “You’d have to be strong to get her through this.”

  “What happened for it to come to this?”

  “Her gem has been stolen,” the Mistress sighed.

  “Her gem?”

  “All Bul’iths have gems in the heart of their souls. Briar’s is fake, meaning someone stole hers.”

  “How could this happen?”

  “The shadows will go to any lengths to gain control over your world.”

  “Will she still train?”

  “Yes; she’s one of the chosen. She will still train, though you’ll need to be with her.”

  “I would be happy to stay.” He smiled.

  “You love Briar a lot.” She smiled. “I’ll do my best Ruben,” she said, shimmering from view.

  Briar didn’t know where she was. It was dark; she couldn’t see anything at all. No sound; nothing. She wondered if this was what death was for Bul’ith. Briar stood up trying to look harder. She didn’t like the darkness; she wished Ruben was with her. Wrapping her arms around her, she spoke, wondering if she’d get a reply.

  “Hello, is anyone there?”

  “Be calm Briar, we’re trying to help you,” said a soft, female voice.

  She felt a hand on her arm, heat flooding her body, and she calmed. Sitting down, she closed her eyes, relaxing into sleep.

  “How much longer, Soul Keeper?”

  “We’re at the tricky part. You’ll need to keep her calm; one small move and…” he replied. He opened the soul jar, nothing happened.

  “Hurry,” the Mistress said.

  “Her soul must still be inside of her,” he muttered.

  “Yes; of course it is—she came here from the human world.”

  “It needs pulling out of her. I need to take her gem out of the soul’s heart.”

  “Will you hurry before we lose her, Soul Keeper!?” she murmured.

  He pulled out her soul and delved into her soul’s heart, mumbling and muttering as he cut layer after layer until he found the fake gem. “It’s a mess, there’s a protection shield.”

  “Break it!—Take it out—I’m losing her—she’s getting agitated.”

  He cracked the shield. A loud scream rent through the air; the fake gem dropped into his hand. Quickly, he closed the heart back up, sewing her soul and replacing it inside her body.

  Ruben burst into the room; the scream had seized him, his pale face full of fright. “What happened!?” he yelled.

  “Calm down, Ruben; she needs you calm,” said the Mistress. “What you heard was evil protesting its eviction.”

  He walked over to Briar, touching her warm skin. Her eyes flickered open, a small smile on her lips.

  “Ruben,” she said then closed her eyes settl
ing into a deep sleep.

  “Call Qwaun,” the Mistress said, “she’ll need energy to get better for training.”

  “When will you tell her she’s human?”

  “When the time’s right, Ruben, and not before,” she said sternly.

  They transferred Briar to a more comfortable room with en-suite facilities. Ruben sat in the chair beside the bed and soon fell asleep.

  The falcon flew high, looking for Briar. She was getting anxious not seeing her; it was nearly time for another energy boost. On and on she flew until Briar suddenly appeared by the pool at the Oasis. She flew down, landing on a rock close by, looking at her. She seemed different. Dulcie called.

  Briar lifted her head and smiled, holding out her arm. “Come here Dulcie,” she said. “Let’s walk for a while.”

  Dulcie flew up and carefully landed on Briar’s arm, keeping her talons withdrawn.

  “How are you?” she murmured. Dulcie hopped onto her shoulder and nuzzled her cheek, nipping her ear. “Behave, you scoundrel.”

  Qwaun materialised in front of her, smiling. “How are you feeling Briar?”

  “A bit sore,” she replied. “Is it time for Dulcie to give me some energy?”

  “We thought you’d like a bit extra.” He smiled.

  “Thank you, Qwaun.”

  Qwaun started to chant a relaxing tune. Smiling, he held Briar’s hands, watching Dulcie get ready. Both knew it would probably hurt Briar—it was different for each human and at least she’d had her first energy as Bul’ith, they hoped it would help.

  Dulcie’s talons bit into her flesh, digging deep; Briar winced, though she relaxed, listening to Qwaun.

  Suddenly Briar’s body started shaking. A powerful energy boost rippled through her body, throwing back her head. She cried out, her body jerking in shock; her heart pounding faster and faster until she blacked out.

  “Hell,” said Qwaun, picking her up. He looked at her shoulder; it had mended slightly, though it would leave scars.

  Qwaun chanted her back out of the dreamscape; she smiled at him and settled back into her normal dream patterns.

 

  Ruben had jumped at her cry, though he saw she was still sleeping deeply. He sat on the edge of her bed, moving her hair from her eyes and kissing her cheek, praying she’d get better.

   

  Mitsuoshi and Contra

  Mitsuoshi woke to find Avrain standing by his bed; an enormous anaconda beside her; its head on her shoulder. He shuddered before remembering they were taking him to a place called Chantari.

  “Why are you choosing me? I have a good life here.”

  “You are Bul’ith and chosen to train; you are honoured.”

  “I have no idea what Bul’ith is,” he whispered.

  “You will learn, Mitsuoshi,” she said, placing a hand on his arm. His surroundings changed and he found himself back at the river of his dream, from the night before.

  “Is this place real, or am I in another dream?”

  “It’s as real as you are, Mitsuoshi.” She smiled.

  “What happens now?”

  “You need more energy, and then we’ll train.” Avrain smiled.

  “N-no way is that creature biting me again,” he stuttered out.

  “You won’t feel anything. You’ll be fine; I promise.” She smiled. “Come let’s walk.”

  “W-what about the energy?” he asked.

  “You’re too nervous; you need to calm and accept your destiny.”

  “What is my destiny?”

  “To battle the shadow realm and keep them from breaking free.”

  “What happens if they break free?”

  “They will invade the human world and cause chaos from deep inside each and every person they can get into.”

  “Why would they do this?”

  “It is part of the evil of life,” she murmured.

  “Why don’t they invade the Bul’ith?”

  “It’s happened on the odd occasion, though they have survived and turned to human.”

  “How does a Bul’ith change to human?”

  Avrain stopped; turning to stand in front of him, she placed a hand on his heart. Mitsuoshi looked down in surprise.

  “Deep in the soul of your heart is a gem,” she said. “It’s this gem which makes you Bul’ith. You were born to Bul’ith parents.”

  “M-my parents were human,” he said.

  “Your adoptive parents were human.” She smiled. “Your birth parents are still Bul’ith and very much alive.”

  “Why did they abandon me?”

  “A Bul’ith child is reared in the human world until the age of twenty-one. At this age, they can become a chosen one like you. Your parents decided to stay as Bul’ith; they wished to carry on working in this realm.”

  “Couldn’t they live as Bul’ith in the human world?”

  “No; it’s not possible—they’d have died quickly. We can only visit. This is why you’re given a choice after the battle is over.”

  “So I can go back to my village or stay here.”

  “Yes, the only other thing you need to do is produce a Bul’ith child before you decide where you’ll live.”

  “I-I don’t have any…”

  “Don’t worry, you will be betrothed before the battle begins.”

  “Oh, err, right, I think,” he replied, making her chuckle.

  Looking up at him she smiled; Contra was behind him, ready for the bite. Avrain nodded her head. Contra opened her mouth, her fangs biting deeply into his shoulder. Mitsuoshi felt the surge of energy pump through his body; he turned to look at Contra, her fangs firmly implanted in his shoulder. He sighed. His body jerked when she released him, closing his wounds and healing them. She wound her body around him, her tongue flicking out over his face. He smiled, feeling no terror anymore.

  “Hi, Contra,” he said, sliding his hand over her head.

  “She likes you, Mitsuoshi,” Avrain laughed.

  “So what’s next, Avrain?”

  “I’ll leave you two to get to know each other.”

  “When does my training start?”

  “Soon,” she said, shimmering out of sight.

  “Well Contra, what would you like to do then?” He smiled at her.

  She hissed, uncoiling her body from around him and slid off into the undergrowth, lifting her head she looked at him. With a grin, he followed her; excited about his new life.

   

  Kalos the Wild Boar

  Kalos, the wild boar, raced through the field, heading for the forest to scrounge for food. He was starving and knew the bugs were bigger in the forest.

  His tusks curved like mighty armour, his short brown hair covering his body was rough and tough. A grunt of pleasure and he was nosing under a log sniffing out his food.

  A sudden noise made him lift his head.

  “Kalos,” a voice yelled, “where the hell are you?”

  He snorted in amusement. He loved hiding and charging at the Bul’ith when they least expected it.

  “Kalos,” shouted Kendrall, standing on the forest edge, hands on hips, his purple hair ruffling in the breeze. Kalos charged, missing Kendrall by mere inches. He skidded, turned and charged again. Kendrall grabbed his tusks, flipping him over and landing on his stomach, tickling him. Kalos grunted in pleasure. “Behave you old…” He grinned.

  A young woman appeared before them; she screamed and jumped away.

  Fleur loved her dreams; they’d taken her to visit some unusual places since she was a little girl. Arriving in this dream, she screamed when she saw a purple head and an animal, which looked like a pig.

  “Hello,” said Kendrall, “you must be Fleur.” He smiled, standing up, the pig-like animal standing at his side.

  “W-who are you? Where…” The boar walked forward making her back away.

  “Hey, don’t worry, Kalos won’t hurt you.”

  “Where am I?”

  “You’re in Chantari, the realm of the Bul
’ith,” he said, “my name is Kendrall and I’ll be your trainer for the up and coming battles.”

  “Battle?”

  “What do you know of the Bul’ith people?”

  “Nothing, who are they?”

  “Well, for a start you’re a Bul’ith or you wouldn’t be here.” He smiled. “We’re the protectors of the humans.”

  “Protecting them from whom?” she said, her curiosity pulling her forward, past Kalos, her hand trailing down over his back.

  He shivered with delight. “The shadow realm,” he replied.

  “This is real, and not a dream, or just a different dream?”

  “This is a different dream. It’s genuine, and you will remember; you’ll have two of these before you I collect you to train.”

  “What happens next?”

  “Sit down, Fleur, and you can get to know your animal.”

  “Kalos is my animal?” She looked at the huge ugly boar in amusement.

  “He will give you the energy you need to train and fight.”

  “Energy?”

  “Hold out your hands.” He took them with his, stroking the back of her hands, making her smile. “Relax and enjoy the energy surge.”

  Kalos sank his fangs into her shoulder, she winced at the discomfort when an electric pulse hit her. She yelled out, her whole body lighting up with pure energy.

  “Stop Kalos,” he said urgently. Kalos removed his fangs, looking at Fleur with curiosity. “She’s the one,” he muttered in shock.

  The Mistress appeared before him; Fleur slumped to the ground unconscious.

  “Wow, that was spectacular,” she said mildly.

  “We’ve not had a star since…I can’t even remember,” he mused.

  “She’ll need extra tuition Kendrall, bring her to me before you go and train,” she said patting his shoulder.

  “Yes, Mistress.” He smiled, pulling Fleur into his arms and disappearing back into the human world.

  “Sleep now Fleur, you are very precious. Kalos will visit you again, and then I’ll collect you the following day. Be at peace.”

  He left Fleur sleeping deeply.

  Fleur woke to the thunder of footsteps. Rolling over with a sigh, she looked at her alarm. Her door burst open and the footsteps leapt up onto her bed, some paws landing on her bladder.

  “Will you horrible lot get off me,” she called out, rolling onto her stomach to prevent more bruises.

  “They wanted to snuggle,” giggled a voice from the door.

  “I do wish you’d not let them in,” she muttered.

  “It’s good fun, Fleur,” she giggled.

  “Not when they land on me it isn’t,” she grumped, sitting up, accepting all the licks from the pups. “Away now; let me get dressed. I’ve much to do today,” she said pushing them off her bed. “Willow, take them to the park to play, please.”

  “Do I have to?”

  “Since you woke me up?—Yes, you do.”

  “I’ll see you in an hour,” she muttered, taking the pups with her.

  “So now what am I supposed to do?” she murmured. “How can I leave Willow and the pups by themselves for a dream?”

  “We’ll make sure they all stay safe Fleur,” a voice whispered through her mind.

  “It’s all very well saying that—I don’t know you though,” she shouted out. Scrambling out of bed, ducking into the shower, Fleur let the heat of the water ease her thoughts.

  “Settle Fleur, you need not worry about Willow; we have everything in hand,” the voice said gently.

  “Who are you,” she whispered out, “why can’t Willow come with me?”

  “She’s not Bul’ith, Fleur.”

  “How come?—She’s my sister,” she retorted angrily.

  “Bul’ith only bear one Bul’ith child if they decide to stay in the human world.”

  “My parents are Bul’ith?”

  “Yes, they were, though as you know they are gone now.”

  “So trust you to care for Willow, and all will be okay?”

  “Yes, Fleur,” the voice said.

  “What happens next; who are you anyway?”

  “I’m called Mistress. I rule Chantari,” she replied. “You will dream tonight; the following day Kendrall will collect you.”

  “What do I tell Willow?”

  “A twin will replace you; she’ll never know the difference.”

  “She’s not daft you know, Mistress.”

  “We know; she’s very bright for her age. She’ll do well in life, though she won’t see anything other than you.”

  “Good, now if you’ll excuse me, I need to get dressed and see to breakfast.”

  “Call out my name if you have further questions, Fleur.”

  “Thanks,” she muttered, drying her body and dressing quickly in a skirt and tank top.

  Wandering through to the kitchen, she groaned at the mess Willow had made. Dishwasher loaded, benches clean. The door slammed open with Willow and pups bouncing around happily.

  “You need to remember to clean up after yourself, Willow.”

  “Sorry,” she replied, dropping her bottom lip.

  “Come here, you scoundrel, and give me a huge hug,” she laughed, enjoying her sister’s warmth. They wrapped their arms around each other.

  “I thought I heard voices?”

  “Just me talking to myself, Willow; you know I do that sometimes,” she laughed.

  “Were you practising for the next play?”

  “Yes love, it’s going to be…” she trailed off, realising she wouldn’t be participating.

  “Fleur?”

  “I’m all right.” She smiled, pulling her into her arms for a hug. Let’s go out today and have some fun.”

  “Are you sure you’re feeling ok, Fleur?” she said, putting her hand up to her forehead.

  “Of course. I just decided I needed a day off.” She smiled. “Come on. Let’s pretend we’re tourists.”

  “What about the pups?”

  “They’ll be fine for a few hours,” she said, grabbing her arm and dragging her out of the apartment.

  “What about your coat?—It’s icy cold out there.”

  “Oops,” she chuckled and ducked back inside for her winter coat.

  “Now you look better. Where should we start?”

  “At the beginning, of course,” Fleur replied.

  “Silly me,” laughed Willow.

  Kalos came to her that night; she smiled in welcome, stroking his hairy back. He rolled over with a squeal, making her laugh and scratch his tummy.

  “You’re not bad for a boar,” she whispered in his ear. “I suppose you’re here to give me more energy?”

  He licked her face, making her laugh.

  “Where are we anyway? This doesn’t look like a forest—more a private garden.”

  “Yes, Fleur, you’re in my private garden,” said a lovely woman appearing before her.

  “Who are you?”

  “I rule Chantari. They call me Mistress.” She smiled. “Now take my hand and we can let Kalos do his job.”

  Fleur held out her hand; Mistress held it tight. A warm feeling flooded through her. Kalos pushed his fangs into Fleur’s shoulder; her body jerked, her back arched. Mistress held her tight as her body shone brightly.

  “Enough Kalos,” she said, and he removed his fangs, licking her wounds and healing them. Kalos, the boar, put his head on her knee, waiting for her to return.

  “Come on Fleur, time to come back again; you’re fine,” the Mistress said softly.

  “W-what happened?” she finally said.

  “You’re very special Fleur; your affinity with animals gives you more energy than we’ve seen in a long time.”

  “More energy?”

  “Yes; you are blessed. For the first few energy strikes Kalos gives you, it will be a bit more powerful than your body can take; which is why I’m here with you.”

  “When will I be able…” she trailed off.

 
“Very soon, now go back and sleep deeply, Kendrall will come to you on the morrow.”

  “Thank you, Mistress.” She smiled, closing her eyes, her dream fading and her sleep deep.

  Kendrall arrived early; Fleur was still sleeping. Picking Fleur up gently, her replacement smiled. Kissing her forehead, she transformed into Fleur.

  “Be good to Willow; she’s an incredible young woman.”

  “Yes Kendrall, go before she wakes,” she replied.

  Kendrall disappeared back to Chantari with his trainee; laying Fleur on a bed, he sat in a chair at her side, looking forward to the days ahead.

   

  Maxwell’s Big Break

  Maxwell was all fired up and ready to go for the competitions. He looked forward to putting Garth’s nose out of joint. Flexing his arms above his head, he grinned at the young women whispering behind their hands at his muscular body.

  He’d been tormented as a youngster, especially by Garth, who was always calling him a wimp. He took up surfing and weightlifting to prove he was as good as anyone else. It had worked to a degree, though Garth still irritated him.

  Well, today was the day he’d show him how a guy won the regional champs. The surf at Raglan was tremendous. It would be great getting out in the ocean.

  Kendrall watched, amusement lacing his face with each high score Maxwell achieved. Nikau appeared beside him.

  “So what do you think?”

  “He’ll be okay, Nikau. I think he just wanted to finish proving himself to the most unworthy, snide Garth.”

  “Yeah; must admit he seems a nasty piece of work.”

  “Karma will get Garth eventually,” Kendrall chuckled.

  “So when you going to chat with him?” asked Nikau.

  “After the competition, like he asked; be great to have a surfer dude in Bul’ith.”

  “Why they leave you in charge of all this, I don’t know,” said Nikau as he faded from view.

  “Coz they like my purple hair,” he chuckled.

  “Yeah, right bro,” whispered Nikau’s voice on the gentle breeze.

  Kendrall leant against a tree, watching the event unfold. Maxwell’s incredible skills and strength showed through. With his power matched with Jenga, they’d be a force which would kick ass.

  Kendrall caught up with Max as he walked down the beach. Dusk had fallen, though it was still warm.

  “Max?” he said.

  Max stopped, turning he smiled.

  “Hey, Kendrall isn’t it?”

  “Yeah. Well done on your win today; you deserve it.”

  “You were watching?”

  “Aye, for a while.” He smiled.

  “So you’re here about the dragon?”

  “Jenga is her name; she’s a beautiful, strong creature.”

  “Jenga,” he murmured. “It was a weird dream last night, though, for some reason, I was a hermit with no friends.”

  “You chose the dream Max; we only decided when to visit.”

  “So what’s all this Bul’ith stuff?”

  “You’re Bul’ith, you’ve had one animal energy strike, after the next you’ll live in the Bul’ith realm and train; just like Nikau said.”

  “The shadows,” he muttered.

  “You leave tomorrow morning; Nikau will collect you.”

  “Thanks.” He finally grinned. “I’d better go and celebrate with everyone for a while. Pleased to meet you, Kendrall,” he said, looking up into a woman’s face.

  “Who’s Kendrall?” she asked, “I can’t see anyone but you.”

  “Hi Vanya.” He smiled. “I was talking to myself—was thinking… Never mind; let’s go get some beer and some food,” he said, putting his arm around her shoulder as they walked to the pub.

  His dream came swiftly; he was sitting on the beach when Jenga walked out of the palms, her tongue flicking out as she made her way over to Max.

  “Hello,” he said, turning to look at her. She towered over him, her tongue flicking across his ear, making him laugh. “So this time I have to cope with any pain; no Nikau tonight?”

  “A strong young man like you shouldn’t need me,” said Nikau, appearing out of nowhere.

  “Well then; I suppose I’ll see you in the morning Nikau,” he replied.

  “As you wish,” and he disappeared again.

  “Do you want to share now Jenga?”

  She flicked her tongue over his naked shoulder, opening her mouth. She bit him hard. He sighed. Powerful energy moved through his body at a rapid pace. Removing her fangs, she healed him and lay down on the sands beside him. They sat there watching the waves crash on the shore.

  “Thanks Jenga,” he said, scratching her tummy. The dream faded and he continued to sleep.

  Nikau found Maxwell asleep on the beach; he grinned and sat down beside him, waiting for him to wake. He enjoyed the sun warming his face as it rose above the ocean. He really missed his people and their traditions, though loved the new ones he’d learnt over the years with the Bul’ith.

  He remembered being a trainee—it was over a hundred years ago now. He remembered the battle, which had been fierce; the shadows were getting better as each battle progressed.

  “Morning Nikau,” muttered Max.

  “Morning Max. You ready to go?”

  “Yeah; may as well,” he said, sitting up.

  “Jenga is waiting for you, like an excited puppy instead of an adult dragon. What on earth happened last night?” he chuckled.

  “Nothing,” he said. “She gave me energy and I scratched her tummy after.”

  “Oh; friends for life now Max, she loves having her tummy scratched.”

  “Well, are we going or what?”

  Nikau put his hand on Max’s shoulder. The beach disappeared and he shivered when he landed in the snow.

  “Shit, you could’ve warned me,” he yelped, standing up.

  Once Max was on his feet, his clothing had changed to winter wear.

  “Apologies, Jenga didn’t say,” he said.

  “Thanks for the clothes, what’s next?”

  “You two get to wander the landscape; getting to know each other, after which training will begin.

  “Nikau how many destiny trainees are there?”

  “Seven.”

  “Will we meet?”

  “The first trainee you meet is your mate, the others you’ll meet just before the battle.

  “My mate, what the hell…”

  “Your animal will guide you to your mate. In your case, your future wife.” He grinned.

  “I don’t want a mate,” he said.

  “It is the way of the Bul’ith, Max,” he said before disappearing.

  “Oh great; this is all I need,” he said, sitting down on a rock.

  Jenga approached him, her tongue flicking out. Licking his hand, he stood and they wandered off on a trip of discovery.

  Bunita meets Maxwell

  Running through the snow, Boss padding along at her side, she laughed in the sheer joy of the cold. Where she came from, the land was always hot and dry. She couldn’t get enough of the white stuff which Avron called snow. Her joy was so great she didn’t see Max standing in her way; his reaction was so slow that Bunita crashed into him. His arms went around her body as they hit the snow; he rolled over to find himself looking into the most gorgeous brown eyes he’d ever seen.

  “Hey.” He smiled.

  She put her hand up in wonder, stroking his cheek when Boss grumped.

  “Who are you?”

  “Max,” he replied. He stood up holding out his hand to help her up. “What’s your name?”

  “Bunita.” She smiled, awed by his curly, golden hair and sky blue eyes.

  She looked around her and saw Boss looking at some kind of lizard, an enormous lizard.

  “That’s Jenga; my animal.” He grinned, much amused.

  “What is she?”

  “A Komodo dragon,” he replied, “and it looks like they rather like each other.”


  “Bit weird that, though Boss isn’t fussy about his friends.”

  “So; Bunita with the gorgeous, brown eyes,” he said, watching her blush. “Where are you from?”

  “India,” she said. “Where it is hot and dry most of the time, what about you?”

  “I’m from a small town called Raglan, in New Zealand,” he said.

  “I’ve heard of your country.” She smiled. “It is gorgeous.”

  “You’d be right,” he said, looking up at the animals. They approached together, the dragon in front of Bunita and Boss in front of Max.

  “Looks like they’re up to something,” said Bunita nudging Max.

  “Yes, they are,” said Nikau, who suddenly appeared, Avron at his side.

  “Relax and take the energy,” Avron smiled as she began to chant softly holding Bunita’s hands.

  “What’s going on,” said Max, his eyes widening when Boss stood behind him.

  Nikau just smiled, nodding his head and the animal’s fangs sank into the shoulders of Bunita and Max. Energy surged so suddenly, both whimpered. Jenga licked Bunita’s wound as Boss did the same to Max.

  “Why did her animal bite me?”

  “Bunita is to be your wife.” Nikau smiled. “You’re betrothed, your lives linked.”

  “We don’t know each other, Nikau,” he said, his eyes widening.

  “You will get to know each other Max; now take her hand and go discover some joys, your training starts in the morning.

  “He is my husband?” Bunita asked, shocked.

  Avron smiled. “He will be.”

  “He’s very handsome,” she giggled.

  “Said the woman who has the most gorgeous, brown eyes.” He grinned, taking her hand in his.

  “I don’t think we have anything to worry about with these two,” Nikau chuckled.

  “An excellent match, I must say,” she replied. Grabbing his hand, they disappeared back to the Mistress.

   

  Human Trainee

  Briar stretched and yawned. Looking around her, she saw Ruben by her bed. Puzzled, she realised she wasn’t in her own room. It sure wasn’t a hospital either.

  Thinking back to her dream, she remembered Dulcie, her falcon had given her more energy; it was a bit painful that time. Rolling to one side, she watched Ruben sleeping. Smiling, she climbed out of bed.

  A beautiful woman materialised in front of her. “Good morning Briar; how are you feeling today?”

  “Really good,” she said. “Who are you and where am I?”

  “You’re in Chantari, the realm of Bul’ith. My name is Mistress; I’ve been taking care of you.”

  “Why is Ruben here?”

  “You need him; he is your partner in life.”

  Ruben opened his eyes; seeing Briar talking to the Mistress he smiled. Standing up, he pulled Briar into his arms, his head resting on her head, his heat warming her body.

  “I will partner a Bul’ith,” she replied. “Ruben let go of me; this isn’t meant to be.” Mistress shook her head at Ruben, making Briar glower. “What’s going on?”

  Ruben held her tighter, his face appealing to Mistress, to tell Briar the truth.

  The Mistress sighed in distress, she hated doing this.

  “Sit down, Briar,” she said gently. Ruben pulled her onto his knee as he sat back in his chair.

  “Tell me,” she snapped out.

  “You were attacked by someone from the shadow realm; they stole the gem from your soul’s heart. They collected some of your energy every time Dulcie gave you some.”

  “Th-they stole my gem?”

  “Yes; they put a fake in its place. To stop them getting your energy, we had to remove it.”

  “So I have no gem now, which means I’m not Bul’ith?”

  “Correct; you’re human now.”

  “What about my training and Dulcie?” she asked.

  “Due to receiving your first energy as a Bul’ith; you will be able to train and battle. It will be slightly different for you—the energy you receive may hurt, and your shoulder will forever have scars.”

  “Why can’t you replace my gem?”

  “You’re born with it. Unless it’s retrieved from the shadow realm, you’ll never be Bul’ith.”

  “So it is possible then?”

  “It’s never been done so we’re unsure.”

  “What about me, Briar?” Rubven asked softly.

  “I don’t know; I need to think about what I want.”

  “I love you, Briar,” he said, kissing her forehead.

  “You’ll work it out,” said Mistress.

  “When does training begin?”

  “You’ll both be trained together. Qwaun will collect you both tomorrow.”

  “Both of us?” said Ruben in astonishment.

  “Yes. You’ll need each other to survive; it’s different for humans than for Bul’iths.

  “He has no animal, though,” said Briar.

  “He can’t take the energy, Briar; though you’ll need him to help you.”

  “Thank you for saving my life, Mistress.”

  “You’re welcome,” she said, shimmering out of the room.

  Qwaun entered via the door.

  “Tis good to see you awake, Briar—we were worried about you for a while,” he said with a smile. “Ruben, welcome to our realm. Tis not often we have humans here.”

  “What training will we be doing?” he asked.

  “We start tomorrow with running.” He laughed at Ruben’s groan.

  “I hate running.”

  “Tis easy; you’ll do well,” said Briar gently.

  “It’s all right for you; you have extra energy,” he replied gruffly.

  “Relax now, I’ll tell you more in the morning.”

   

  Fleur and Mitsuoshi

  Kendrall continued to watch over Fleur, waiting for the next energy she was to receive. It was hard, seeing her unconscious, though it worked better for her this way.

  “A star. How about that,” he muttered. “You don’t see one for centuries and then…”

  “Are you talking to yourself again, Kendrall?”

  “Joz,” he smiled, sitting up. “How are you?”

  “All the better for seeing you, Kendrall.” She smiled.

  “You’re a saucy wench, Joz,” he chuckled.

  “How is she?”

  “Fleur is fine; she’ll improve after a few more energy pulses from Kalos.”

  “Kendrall,” she said softly.

  “I know Joz,” he said, standing up, pulling her into his arms. “I know,” he added, kissing her, making her sigh. “The time is not quite right, though,” he muttered against her lips as he pulled away.

  “Why not, Kendrall?”

  “Soon, Joz, my sweet.” He smiled, wondering how he got so lucky, having a woman’s love.

  “Well; you know where to find me,” she sighed, pulling out of his arms and out of the room.

  Fleur was in a bright, shiny place, with all colours of the rainbow surrounding her. She wandered around, her eyes lighting up at the sight. She could see figures surrounding her, though she couldn’t touch them. Puzzled, she spoke out. “Hello, is anyone here?”

  “Come, Fleur,” said a voice, “join us in our ceremony.”

  “Where am I?”

  “You are in the Star realm,” a soft voice said.

  “Why can’t I see you and what’s the Star realm?—I thought I was Bul’ith?”

  “You are a Bul’ith star Fleur. You’re very rare and need training from both realms.”

  “You can see us, dear. Open your heart to us and you’ll see,” said another gentle voice.

  Opening her heart, she stared, astonished to see people of all races; colours. All in bright garments, their bodies sparkling like crystals in the sun.

  “Wow,” she whispered. “You look so beautiful.”

  “Thank you, child,” said the first voice she’d heard. They stepped forward and took her h
ands, pulling her to the Star Master.

  “We are pleased you’ve joined us at last, Fleur,” he said kindly.

  “How did I get this star thingy?”

  “You were born with star power. It became stronger due to your kindness to people and animals. All will help you on your journey into the shadow realm and meeting your mate.”

  “My mate?—Do you mean boyfriend?”

  “I think tis what humans call them.” He smiled.

  “So how do I meet this mate?”

  “You will gain further power from Kalos. As your power extends, you will grow and become a stronger force.”

  “Is this a dream like when I first met Kalos?”

  “No, Fleur. You’re asleep in the Bul’ith world and your soul is visiting us as a means of helping you learn. You will continue to sleep until Kalos has given you the energies you need; at present it is slow, due to your humanness.”

  “What about Kendrall?”

  “Kendrall is keeping watch over you Fleur; he won’t leave your side unless it’s an emergency. Someone will always be with you.”

  “She needs to go and rest, master; her energy pulse is due shortly.”

  “You mean Kalos?” She smiled.

  “Yes, Kalos.”

  “He’s lovely.”

  Suddenly Fleur screamed in agony; electricity pouring through her, her arms held wide. Star power shot out of her body, throwing rays of pure energy around. She collapsed on the floor. This was her worst yet.

  “I thought it was meant to get milder for her, not stronger,” said the Star Master.

  “It is; I’m not sure what happened.”

  “She may need her mate soon. Return her to her body and talk to Kendrall; something is amiss.”

  Kendrall was alarmed when Fleur screamed out in her sleep; he eased her into his arms until she calmed. Mistress arrived in a hurry, wanting to know what had happened.

  “I don’t know Mistress.” He frowned in concern.

  “I do,” said a voice from the door.

  “You’re a star like Fleur.”

  “Yes, I am. Fleur needs her mate; she needs his strength to help her through the next few days.”

  “Can you find Kalos and Contra?—We need to find out if they like each other. Bring Mitsuoshi too,” said Mistress.

  “What about Fleur?” he said anxiously.

  “We’ll look after her, now go.”

  Mitsuoshi was having fun learning the way of a snake; she had incredible speed and agility. Mitsuoshi ran hard as Contra slid through the undergrowth, encouraging him on. Suddenly she stilled; her head level with the grasses.

  “What’s the matter Contra?” he hissed.

  The next moment a wild boar stepped out from behind a tree, sniffing the air. He approached slowly, shaking his head until he too stilled.

  “Kalos; come here,” said Kendrall, stepping out of his hiding place.

  “Oh, it’s you Kendrall; what do you want?”

  “I need you and Contra to come with me, your mate requires your assistance.”

  “I don’t have a mate,” he said with a frown.

  “Look at the animals,” he chuckled.

  Contra was wrapped around Kalos; they were face to face, their mouths touching.

  “Wow,” he muttered.

  “Your mate is Fleur; she’s in need of your help.”

  “What’s wrong with her?”

  “We think she needs your strength to get her through the next few days,” he replied. “Will you come?”

  “As Contra wishes.” He smiled.

  “Good,” he said, touching his shoulder. They all appeared in Fleur’s room. Joz choked back a scream when she saw the Anaconda, making Mitsuoshi smirk.

  “Don’t worry, she’s safe,” Mistress said.

  Contra slid over to the bed and looked down at Fleur, her tongue flicking out over her face as if she was giving her a kiss. Fleur squirmed; then was still. Turning, she looked at Kalos. The wild boar approached Mitsuoshi, then licked his hand.

  “Sit down, Mitsuoshi.”

  “Why?”

  “The animals have to bite their Bul’iths’ mates to seal the deal.”

  “So Kalos has to bite me?”

  “Yes,” Kendrall smiled.

  Sitting down on the carpet, Kalos moved behind him. Connecting eyes with Contra, they both bit into the shoulders hard. Fleur screamed and calmed in an instant. Mitsuoshi watched, stunned at the sight of Fleur lighting up like a fairy. His mouth hung open as Contra and Kalos healed their wounds.

  “Why did she shine so bright?”

  “Fleur is unique and you are a very lucky man to be her mate.”

  “She’s gorgeous.” He smiled. Standing up, he crossed over to her bed and sat beside her.

  “Let us hope this works; when she gets her energy pulse tomorrow from Kalos, all should be calm.”

  “What happens if it isn’t?”

  “We will work through this until it does.”

   

  Farron and Praxel

  We sauntered back to the tree, finding Sharam and Kobi snuggled together fast asleep.

  “Well, they obviously approve of our union,” laughed Praxel, yanking my arm and pulling me back into his arms, “so how about...”

  “Let go, Praxel,” I muttered.

  “I was only going to ask for a kiss, Farron.” He smiled.

  “Oh, fine then,” I mumbled, lifting up my face and quickly kissing his lips.

  “Oh, come on Farron; you can do better than that surely?” he laughed. He held my chin, his lips descending on mine. God, they tasted fantastic—I think I even moaned. He put more pressure into the kiss, sliding his tongue over my lips. I don’t know when, but I found my arms were around his neck, pulling his face closer, his lips tighter to mine. I opened my mouth to him and was a goner—well for a moment.

  Coming to my senses, I pushed him away, sitting down by Sharam and investigating the packages, not daring to look at Praxel. I felt like a fool.

  “I enjoyed your kiss,” he murmured in my ear, making me jump. “Thank you.” He smiled.

  I felt the heat rise in my face. Looking back down at the bag, I noticed my hand was trembling. God; I’d never really had a boyfriend and now I had a fiancé. Sighing, I took the items out one by one until Praxel’s hand covered mine. I lifted my head to one side.

  “Why are you so nervous of me, Farron?”

  “I’m not,” I muttered.

  “Yeah, you are,” he said gently. “I’m not going to hurt you, Farron.”

  “I’m not used to hanging with guys. I’m a loner,” I snapped out. Getting up, I wandered out of the shade, looking over the Savannah to the distant hills.

  He came and stood by me, hands in his pockets.

  “Before I came here, I was a bit of a hermit. I’d lock myself in my study and write for hours or days on end—it used to irritate my mother to no end,” he said. “If I wasn’t writing, I was off on my Harley, speeding down the highway to the beach. I’d stand and throw stones into the ocean, wondering why my dreams were so vivid.”

  “What sort of dreams did you have?” I asked, turning to look at him.

  “Dreams of Bul’ith and the city of Chantari.” He smiled. “It was like I was like having a history lesson,” he said softly.

  “Sorry; I’ve never read your novels,” I said.

  “Well, they hit the bestseller list and though my mother lets me be now, she still hammers on my study door.” He grinned.

  “My mother yells,” I said. My lips quirk in memory. “I miss her,” I sighed.

  “Farron?” he said slowly.

  “What?”

  “Whatever happens during training and the battles we’ll be together—We’ll both get used to it, eventually,” he said.

  “I know,” I replied. “Look, Praxel, it’s not that you make me uncomfortable, it’s just something which will have to grow on me. You’re a handsome man,” I said, looking up at him again. I cup
ped his face with my hands pressing another kiss to his lips. “I’m, sure we’ll deal well, just give me time.”

  “Aye, of course Farron.” His smile lit up his whole face, his eyes crinkling at the corners, his eyes alive and sincere. “Thank you for the compliment.”

  “You’re welcome,” I laughed, still unsure of myself.

  “You’re a rather stunning person, Farron.”

  Sharam licked my hand, making me jump, bumping into Praxel, who caught me.

  “Behave, you villain,” I said to Sharam, when just as suddenly, Praxel was pushed into me by Kobi. Arms around each other again, we smiled, bursting out laughing at their antics.

  “Well, when push comes to shove,” he muttered, leaning his head on mine.

  “Kiss me again, Praxel,” I said.

  His breath hissed in, his heart starting to pound. Lifting my chin, he did as I requested.

  Oh god, it was so beautiful, his smell and taste; he had a hint of sandalwood about him. I breathed it in deeply, moaning when he deepened the kiss, holding me closer. I closed my eyes in bliss, trailing my hands through his short black hair. He pulled back with a moan. Our foreheads touched.

  “You are beautiful, Farron,” he muttered, his breathing easing our heart rates, slowing to normal.

  “God, I’m hungry,” I replied, giving him a wicked smile.

  “Good idea; we also need a change of scenery. I think we should continue with our training, well proper training.”

  The Savannah disappeared. Before they knew it, they were shivering. Sharam and Kobi jumped through the snow with joy, racing around.

  “I really don’t like it when they do that,” muttered Praxel, making me giggle.

  “Well, you did ask,” said Qwain, tossing some winter coats over our bodies. “Thought you might like to see where Farron was training.”

  “Thank…” He choked on the snowball I threw at him. I bent over, holding my tummy, laughing hysterically. Narrowing his eyes, Praxel collected some snow and charged. I ran for the trees, running full pelt. It was not to be—Cheetah energy was faster. Grabbing my arm, he swung me into his arms, pushing the snow down my back, making me scream.

  “Well, I see you two don’t need any help at the moment,” said Qwain with a laugh. Next moment, snowballs were heading his way, one hitting him square in the face before he disappeared.

  “That was great fun,” laughed Praxel.

  “Be careful of the ground shadows in here; they grab your feet when you least expect it,” I said, pulling my dagger out with a sigh, stabbing the hand holding my ankle.

  “Are they the same shadows we’ll be battling?”

  “You know, I didn’t ask Qwain.” I shrugged. “Anyway, let’s go eat, my hut isn’t far from here.” I grinned, my stomach grumbling. I grabbed his hand, tugging him after me, looking forward to showing him my home.

   

  Bunita and Maxwell

  They stared at each other for a moment, not sure what to do with this new information. Max was bemused; here was this young Indian woman with lush curves and black hair which hit her butt. Behind her; a huge male bear was standing; Boss was nearly twice her size. Jenga nudged him forward; he looked at her and frowned.

  “Will you stop it, Jenga?” he hissed out.

  “You’re so different from what the men in our village are, Max,” murmured Bunita.

  “A different culture and lifestyle does that.” He smiled.

  “Tell me more about your country?”

  “It’s young and unstable; we have many earthquakes which can be very scary.

  “What about where you’re from?”

  “Raglan is a beach community,” he said. “We have a lot of surfing competitions there.” He grinned. “I won the last competition before coming here.”

  “To live by the ocean,” she sighed. “Until I arrived here, I’d never even seen snow.”

  “Tell me about your village?”

  “I lived in a mud hut with my family; we slept on the dirt floor and had to go walk to the river for water every day.”

  “You sleep on the ground?” he asked in astonishment.

  “Yes.” She smiled up at him. “What about you?”

  “I had a bed,” he replied.

  “I think this is going to take some getting used to; we’ll have many differences between us, including marriage.”

  “What’s different about marriage?”

  “Maybe it doesn’t matter here, Max,” she sighed, “in my village we married to improve our circumstances, it is rare to see a love match.”

  “Well, this isn’t a love match,” he said.

  “No, you’re right, though you are very handsome.”

  “Bunita, come here,” he said.

  Slowly she walked towards him, her body swaying in time to her movements. She held out her hands to his, he took them and looked into her dark eyes.

  “You are beautiful, Bunita, and I’d like to kiss you,” he said pulling her closer.

  “I’ve never kissed,” she replied, looking up at him a startled look in her eyes.

  “It doesn’t hurt—it’s rather nice,” he chuckled.

  “Show me then, Maxwell,” she smiled shyly.

  Hands on her shoulders, he lowered his lips to hers, brushing them firmly across warm, moist lips. Angling his head, he nipped her bottom lip, deepening the kiss slightly, inhaling her scent as he did so.

  Bunita stood still, enjoying the sensations flickering around her body. She stepped closer, opening her mouth slightly, feeling his tongue probing against her teeth gently. She sighed, her arms slipping around his neck, accepting more, enjoying his taste and the ocean smell of his body.

  Maxwell pulled back, smiling down at her leaning against his chest, hiding her blushes.

  “How very wanton of me,” she muttered.

  “Not at all Bunita; you’re a delight, and I look forward to getting to know you better,” Max replied softly.

  “Your body is so hard yet the skin is so soft Max,” she said without thinking; she looked up and blushed, making him chuckle.

  “I have to train to be a top surfer, Bunita.”

  “Yes, of course,” she sighed, still in his arms, enjoying his warmth and the beat of his heart. “So what happens now?”

  “I believe we train together, Bunita. Maybe Boss and Jenga will…”

  “Maxwell,” she said, feeling him still, his heart rate speeding up. His face was ashen. She turned, her eyes widening in fear. “What do we do?” she whispered.

  Boss and Jenga stood in front of them. The shadows approached quickly, menacingly, their weapons cutting through the air with a swish.

  “We fight,” he said calmly.

  “With what?” she said.

  “Ask and receive the weapon of your choice,” said a whisper on the breeze.

  “Two swords—not too heavy for Bunita,” said Max quickly as the animals charged at the Shadows. “You know how to use a sword, Bunita?”

  “Swing it?” she said in question.

  “Yeah; just swing it at them—not me or the animals.” He smiled.

  They stood back to back, watching the animals kill and maim some of the shadows.

  “Get ready, Bunita,” he said, raising his sword. “Now, attack,” he yelled.

  Swinging her sword, she yelled out. Bunita’s sword went right through the shadows; heads bounced on the ground, their bodies disappearing into the ground. She shuddered, continuing to swing from left to right. Boss joined her, flinging bodies far and wide. Max yelled in triumph. Slowly, the shadows were no more and Bunita and Max stumbled to the ground, exhausted, their animals lying beside them panting.

  “We did it,” Max grinned, looking down at Bunita, who was fast asleep. Getting to his feet, he picked her up and looked at Boss. “Show me home,” he said and off they walked.

  Claire Plaisted’s Bio & Links

  Claire Plaisted was brought up in Cheshire, England with awesome parents and siblings. A
fter living in North Wales, Claire decided to settle in New Zealand and marry the man of her dreams.

  Claire has three out of four children, losing the youngest as a baby, and with two cats.

  Claire have a variety of books written for entertainment, from Adults to Young Childrens. At present she has all has published 11 books with a few more to be published by the years end. Claire also runs her own small Publishing House, helping Indie Authors get their work formatted and for sale online.

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  She Was Like the Island