Chapter Five

Sequoia's POV

I crept around the pack house with Niylah following me quietly behind. The house was quiet and Sephora was not around. Niylah was nervous and she tried to stop me. She was always such a sticker for the rules. Everyone thought her to be the most disciplined wolf of our time.

"Sequoia, we need to stop this. We might get caught."

I hushed her and continued to creap around. I knew that sister Sephora was hiding something from me. I was seventeen and she had been really sneaky and secretive. She was always hiding stuff and talking in whispers to sister Artemisia. I hated Artemisia. She had this cruel look in her eyes and she was always very hard on me, especially when we trained. Having her take the fighting lesson was like living a nightmare. I was never good enough for her.

Suddenly, Niylah grabbed my arm.

"Sequoia stop this!" she said in a tense whisper. "Sephora will catch us sneaking around and you know how mad she will be."

I sighed and looked back at Niylah. She was always keeping the rules. She needed to explore more. She could be so boring sometimes.

"Niylah. Can you just stop this. You don't have to come if you don't want to."

I turned quietly around the corner and Niylah still followed behind. She didn't want to be here but she was my best friend and she would never leave me by myself. We looked around and I caught a glimpse of Sephora talking with another sister in hush tones. This was it. I had to find out what they were talking about. I knew it was about me. Everytime I passed her and she was taking to someone, they quickly and awkwardly changed the topic. It was frustrating.

Sister Sephora was like my big sister. We were very close and almost inseparable. We had the same element, the same fiery orange eyes and she was so wise, strong and funny. I love her so much. But these few months had been different. She kept her distance from me and we never had long talks anymore. She looked afraid and nervous when she saw me, she deliberately avoided me. I hated it. I just wanted to know what was keeping her on edge. Any caring sister would want to know. It was only right.

I closed me eyes and tried to listen as hard as I could but the whispering stopped. What had happened? I looked around the corner but Sephora was gone. Suddenly, Niylah and I jumped as we heard a voice behind us.

"Can I help you sisters?"

I thought my heart was going to explode. Niylah and I turned fearfully and looked into Sephora's eyes. She wasn't happy.

"We are sorry sister Sephora. Sequoia and I were..."

Niylah tried to explain but Sephora raised her hand to stop her mid-sentence.

"Niylah, go and find Artemisia. Tell her I sent you to her. She will understand."

Niylah looked at me sadly and walked away and I was left alone with Sephora. I lowered my head but I could feel her stare baring down on me.

"Come."

Her voice was not angry but stern and I followed behind her wordlessly. I didn't know how to start explaining myself to her.

"Sister Sephora, I am so sorry."

But she had no interest in what I had to say. We climbed up the stairs to the top of the pack house, to the balcony that overlooked the land below. The view was magnificent and always took me away anytime I came up there.

Sephora looked over the lands and I stood silently beside her. I wasn't really looking at the view. I was waiting for Sephora to chew me out. As loving as she was, her scolding could be unbearable.

"Sequoia, you are seventeen and you will turn eighteen in a few months. You need to stop this childish behavior. Sneaking around the house and taking Niylah with you."

My head dropped sadly. I hated when she called me childish.

"I am sorry. It's just that, you have been distant and we barely talk anymore and you don't want to tell me why. Your eyes look sad and your are always worried. I just want to know what's wrong."

I waited for her reply but she only sighed deeply.

"There is much that you do not understand. But you will know when the time is right."

I murmured in frustration. She always said that whenever I asked her. I hated when she tried to act like Mistress Kali. Always so secretive and mysterious.

She turned to me. Her beautiful orange eyes stared into mine. They were no longer hard and stern but soft and gentle, full of feeling and love, the love that I had missed whenever we talked and laughed together.

"Sequoia, I love you dearly and I am sorry for the secrets that I keep from you. It is hard for me as well. But it is not yet time for you to know..."

"Well, the Goddess says different."

We were both startled and turned towards the door. Mistress Kali glided in like a ghost. I never knew if she was smiling or not and I could never hear her footsteps. It was creepy.

Sephora and I bowed deeply and faced her. Black mist encircled her like a halo.

Sephora looked worried as she stared at Kali.

"It is time Sephora, you must tell her who she really is. She has but a few months to prepare. The Goddess has willed it."

I turned to Sephora and looked at her puzzled. What did she mean by 'who I really am'? And what was I preparing for. I could see the anxiety in her eyes as she looked back at me. She was apparently looking for where to start.

"If the Goddess says it is time then so be it. You have wanted to know what has been getting me so worried, well now it is time. Follow me. And grab the spears. We are going into the forest."

Sephora walked past Kali and I was left confused. What exactly was going on? I walked past Kali, who gave me a polite nod and grabbed two golden tipped spears from the rack. Where were we going? The secrecy was driving me mad. But most of all, 'who really was I'?