Nationals this year was in Utah. To win here could lead to an international assignment. Every gymnast dreams of not only making the national team, but getting sent on assignment abroad. I was now old enough to vie for a spot on the senior squad. The juniors could only do dual meets, and meets between just two countries often took place within the United States. As a senior I could hope for the World Championships, or in three more years, the Olympics. I just had to stay healthy and focused.
I had my nerves in check as my roommate and I got ready for our first day. Coach was already at the venue as our gym had a girl in the junior session earlier in the morning. Today was actually just a training session to let us all get used to the equipment. I was excited to see friends from other meets that I havent's see since last year. I was looking forward to showing off my new skills.
Mom was with me as always,
I hope your enjoying it so far. Do you think the dragons will get Katalea? Let me hear what you think...
Subtlety was not an issue for whatever was rampaging my way. It wanted me to know it was coming. Perhaps it got a thrill from the pungent odor of fear. I scented sulfur and ran away from it, towards the scent of water. Ahead I saw a small ravine, man-made near the highway, one of those built to keep it from overflowing in severe weather. I could use some severe weather right about now. I thought of the drawings I had done as a child. I have loved weather catasrophes for a long time. The thought of a violent storm had not been relevant for so long but maybe I could use those thoughts now to my advantage. I picture one of my favorite drawings of a tornado, the details becoming clearer as I lose myself to the memory. The murky clouds clashing together, causing thunderous booms and formidable lightning strikes. Wind so fierce the trees were bent in arcs or snapped at the base and tossed heavenward
Reminiscing was fun, and all these childhood memories had me nostalgic for the care-free days of my youth. In a few short hours I would be officially eighteen. High school was a distant memory having graduated early. I still trained with the local werecats here in California, until the school year was done. In a few short days we wold all be making the permanent move to Egypt. On my eighteenth birthday many things would take place. I would take over the Pride as Alpha, I would be crowned Princes Katalea, and as the werecat world had not had a princess in thousands of years, it would be quite a celebration. I would also be eligible to find my mate. This thought excited me and terrified me at the same time. We would celebrate at home here in typical human fashion. Music, food, friends, and more food. Many of the kids from the high school actually had become decent people in the last year and all were invite
Packing up a life is hard work. I had piles for donation, piles for storage and piles to send to Egypt. Most of the things going to Egypt were weapons. Now, I understood the need for a private plane! How in the world did one ship countless weapons commercially without bringing in law enforcement and their myriad of questions. I made one last trip to the gym where I had spent my youth. I wanted to give my old leotards away to someone who could use them. Walking in the front door brought waves of memories. Countless hours of my younger years had been in this building. Soaring high days when everything just clicked, lonely low days where nothing I could do was right. Pulled muscles and overworked joints could not compare with the feeling of perfection when you hit a spectacular routine and stuck the landing. I saw Coach, a little olde
When we finally arrive in Egypt, Maggie is there to meet the plane. I didn’t know I could love another like I love Maggie. It is so good to see her, we hug forever before noticing we are the last ones on the tarmac. After the long flight we all piled into different cars and vans sent by Grandfather. Maggie and I rode together in the first car. Dalya was probably jealous about that too, I couldn’t keep up with her emotions. When we finally pulled up to the ferry I noticed the long line of cars waiting to be searched before entering. To the left I could see the walk-on customers in a single file line that snaked around the Ferry Master’s office. It looked as if everyone had some sort of ID they had to show before they were searched. I wondered what they could be searching for.
“No more, I just can’t.” I whimpered. I had been trying on dress after dress, approving fabrics and style. How many outfits does a princess need after all? I had seen silks, satins, linens, and lace, what I had not come across was good old denim. My days clad in jeans and a t-shirt appeared to be at an end. The room was cleared and a delicious smell wafted in….Grandmother in her infinite wisdom had called in a caterer. Scrumptious grilled tuna over a bed of asparagus, a milky cream sauce and a mixture of tropical fruit. I gorged myself on the tuna to the p
Taken!” I felt panic in my chest. “Taken where? By whom?” Dakari was one of my best friends, how could this have happened here on the island. Maybe he was just off in town, chasing some girl. I dismissed this thought as ludicrous. It was not in Dakari’s shy nature to seek entertainment from the local girls. He was content to wait for his mate and spent his time studying his craft and training. “He was supposed to be home hours ago. We were having some trouble at the ferry dock and he went across to lend a hand.” Mr. Toma explained.
I took the police report back to my room. By the time the sun started showing signs of life over the horizon I was very familiar with the case. I knew I wouldn’t be able to leave the island, but I wanted to show support to those who would. I grabbed a light sweater and headed to the docks. As I approached the soldiers all dropped to one knee. “Please rise.” I said, “It is I that come to honor you this day. Be tireless, and bring Dakari home!” Everyone cheered, the mood was confident. As the ferry departed and became a speck on the water, I wa
The grin on Maggie’s face matched the crazed one on Daniel’s friend. He looked like he had just been hit over the head with a hammer, and liked it. As he started to make his way towards her the others started to clue in. “Not another mate bond?” Abe spoke in disgust. “She doesn’t even know his name.” Daniel spoke for the first time, “This is my best mate, Geoff.” Geoff muttered hello to all of us, but never let his gaze leave Maggie. They were only separated
The Hunt for Knowledge“The journey is the treasure.” Lloyd Alexander~~~“The true secret in being a hero lies in knowing the order of things. Things must happen when it is time for them to happen. Quests may not simply be abandoned; prophecies may not be left to rot like unpicked fruit. The happy ending cannot come in the middle of the story.” The Last Unicorn~
As they unpacked the helicopter, Dakari noticed a backpack wedged in the corner of the little cargo area. It was old, and filthy, and had the stench of the dragon lair on it. He called to Paolo and his team. “Did anyone grab this bag from the caves before we left?” He questioned. Each man shook his head, looking just as baffled as Dakari. “I had this area pretty packed when we left home, with all the blankets and medical necessities. It had to be put in there while we were down with the kids.” Paolo advised. Dakari knew he had to open it, but the thought of finding those disappearing embryos caused him to hesitate. What would they do then? He reached to undo the zipp
Dakari and his team took off at first light. The air was crisp and cool, visibility at its best. They gratefully accepted another boost from Mr. Toma, and they arrived back in Ireland in less than an hour. Penny had wanted to join them but her body wasn’t up to the task yet. The blast of electricity had done far more damage than anyone expected. Without Penny’s invisibility cover, they actually flew the helicopter right to the cliffs. They pretended to be watching the ocean churn below, when in fact they were watching to see if there were still dragons about. Thirty minutes later, Dakari was satisfied that eve
After the coroner arrived, they trudged back inside Grandfather's house. They needed to see to the living, mourn the dead, and find a way to celebrate the victory.The leaders from the different groups gathered, ready to put a plan into action.It was hard to concentrate on all there was to do when Kaya, her panther, kept screaming about their mate inside her head. She looked over shyly at Dakari. He was looking at her too. The look he was giving her made her insides turn to mush and her mouth go completely dry.Grandfather came to them both, put his hands on their shoulders. The corners of his mouth turned up in a way that let you know he completely understood what they were feeling. “Why don't you two see to what needs doing, then
Katalea stood, her heart in her eyes, looking at Dakari. Grandfather smiled when he recognized the look. “Dakari, welcome to the family. You two found a hell of a time to find each other.” He chuckled at the irony. “You will have time to develop your mate bond later. Now, we need to see to our injured.” Dakari only had eyes for Katalea. She was the most beautiful sight he had ever seen. How had he missed it? He thought back to her school days and laughed at her early attempts at conjuring.
“Hold On!” Penny screamed as they soared into a cloud of dragons.“Where did you come from?” Katalea screamed back, trying to be heard over the endless noise.“Just be glad we came in time!” She said in her mind. Why in the world were they trying to speak over the Armageddon surrounding them.Katalea thought flying would be smooth. This was like trying to ride a rocket hurtling through time and space. The charred air was so hot, and they moved so fast that everything was blurred. Katalea called a tornado, a steel grey funnel reaching from the churning clouds, reminiscent of days long gone. She directed in with her mind, a heavenly vacuum capturing countless dragons in its downward spi
The emergency meeting on the beach was in stark contrast to the one the day before. Gone were the happy feelings and hopeful outlook for the future. Those feelings had been replaced by dread, fear, and anxiety. Katalea stood before the Pride and delivered the premonition. Somber faces listened as she told what transpired in her dream. The weredragons would be attacking by nightfall. It was time to come together and make sure everyone knew the plan. They had been over this scenario so many times before, the difference was, this wasn’t a drill. Some of them wouldn’t see the sun rise in the morning. Others would lose a loved one. No one questioned the authenticity of her dreams, she had never been wrong before. It was time for the prophecies to play out.&nb
They took off with bombs exploding all around them. Blinding streams of blue, flashing lights of red, and once an explosion of diamonds that glittered and flittered down to the sea. The fireworks display was breathtaking to behold and a fitting send off to the little girl they had all come to love. Maggie was pretty sure she never wanted to be this close to a firework again.Dakari thought of Lainey, and knew her bracelet would be glowing red. She wouldn’t know what that meant yet, but he had charmed her memory enough to enable small bits of him to filter in as the years went by. For now, he would be happy that she would sleep without nightmares. It was the least he
They brought the sandwiches back to happy soldiers, who were content to eat before starting out. The park was full of people anyway, out enjoying a rare warm day in winter, so there wasn’t any rush. Children played football, couples shared smooches on blankets, and students studied out of doors in groups and by themselves. As the day wore on, more people began to arrive. They came in groups, with heavy blankets and looked as if they meant to stay awhile. Dakari, bewildered by the behavior, gave up and went to take a nap under a tree. Curious by nature, Maggie set out on