Thanks for the compliments!
Here's the part where the wolf talks...His talking is supposed to be in italics, keep that in mind lol. It might be difficult to comprehend when he's speaking or when it's just a regular sentence.
Here's the rest of chapter one.
Yes.
It was nothing Tymber had ever heard. The wolf didn't move his mouth, nor did he speak outloud. The sound wasn't in her ears, but in her mind!
"You are my spirit bond!" Tymber was amazed. "A wolf. A wolf is my spirit bond. Won't Neolyn be jealous!"
Neolyn?
"My twin sister," Tymber explained. "We both turned sixteen yesterday, and so we both set out in search of our bond. Now, I found you -- well, I suppose that you found me! -- and...well, I don't know who Neolyn has found."
The wolf nodded. My name is Staar, he told her.
"Staar..." Tymber whispered. "That's a lovely name. Like in the story, Sunn and Staar." she smiled. "My name is Tymber."
Tymber. I am not tired in the least. We should move. Where do we leave to?
"I suppose we'd better start to go home. My home, that is. Although, I didn't get to eat breakfast. I was going to have fish; but there's no way I'm going back in the water." Staar dashed off and in doing so kicked a pile of dust into her face. "Wait! Where are you going?" Tymber worried herself completely. "Spirit bonds don't run off, they stay with their own bond,"she told herself. It was only when Staar came back that her anxiety ended. He dropped a rabbit at her feet. Tymber smiled at him, "So that's why you were gone! You scared me, running off like that."
Staar didn't look a single bit sheepish. Eat, and then we may go to your home.
Tymber found some fireweed and started a small fire. The rabbit tasted great once it was done cooking. She thought about going back to the cave, but Staar seemed so desperate to get home that she decided against it, and they started.
What is this home like? Staar asked Tymber.
"It is a nice home, I suppose. There are many families. Everyone lives in tents, not cottages like the outsiders. And everyone is happy. Well, not Neolyn. She's always mad at something or someone."
At you? Staar asked.
"Yes," Tymber replied. "Me most often. People tell me she's just jealous. Well, I don't know. But I do hope she's jealous that I have such a wonderful bond. She told me I'd get a fish."
A fish? Well I'm not a fish. Maybe she'll get a fish.
Tymber laughed. "I hope so! That would be funny. She's always saying how she is going to get something big and powerful."
Maybe she will surprise herself.
"Maybe she will."
It must have been past midnight. Tymber was so tired and her feet were aching, but Staar seemed so determined to be in his new home. So she tried to forget the pain, and went on for her new friend. She looked down at him. He looked like he wanted to run, but kept his pace minimal for her. They were both doing something for eachother. Tymber smiled. She was glad she ended up with a wolf. In the tribe, once you have your spirit bond, they will teach you how to use your new powers and how to communicate better with your bond. Tymber wondered what power she would have. Would she be able to shoot fire with her fingertips, like Bron? Or disappear, like Race? Or maybe she could even turn into water, like Faye.
The tribe tents were so camaflauged she could barely see them in the darkness. She stood at the edge of the forest with Staar.
Home? Staar asked.
"Home." Then she heard the drums. She ran to down the clearing and throught the forest again into another clearing. There was the entire tribe around the fire. They were celebrating -- but what? Then she noticed Neolyn. Everyone shaking her hand, putting their goblet to hers; Neolyn must have been the first to bring back her spirit bond. And Tymber was the last. the last was always excluded from the celebration; just like her mother.
"It's Tymber! Tymber is back!" Someone yelled. The drums stopped banging. Staar noticed Tymber's anxiety and his hackles raised. Her hand trailed his back.
"Tymber!" Berta ran up to Tymber. She held her shoulders firmly and looked into her eyes. "You know the rules, you were the last to find a spirit bond, and so you must sit out of the celebration."
"I know." Tymber said, dissapointed.
Berta looked down at the black wolf. Her expression was hard to read. Then she looked back at Tymber with a sweet smile. "Why don't you and your dog run along?"
Staar growled. Tymber squeezed the fur upright on his back. "He's a wolf, caretaker," Tymber said.
"A wolf!" someone nearby shouted.
Suddenly everyone started talking and whispering and looking at Tymber with accusing glares. The firelight flickered in Staar's yellow eyes as he growled at the stares.
Neolyn walked quickly towards Tymber with her new spirit bond; a mountain lion. Neolyn looked down at Staar and turned her glance back to Tymber like she didn't care. "What is all of this about?" she scoffed. "Why is everyone so interested in my stupid sister and her ugly dog?"
At this, Staar let out a loud snarl, obviously angry at the comparison. I don't like this one, Staar mindspoke with Tymber. When I look at her, I look into the eyes of evil.
Tymber nodded without looking at him. When people started moving closer to her, she turned and took off. She ran back through the woods and into the next clearing, in the small village where tents were set up everywhere. She ran past it and into the forest again, and pulled herself deep into a hole underneath a large tree. She clutched Staar close to her. They heard the villagers calling her name, searching for her. Tymber buried her face in the scruff of Staar's neck.
Why do they act this way? Staar asked.
"I don't know." Tymber replied, "They looked at you like they've never seen a wolf before. And everyone looked at me like I was a chicken over a fire but it was fasting season. I've never felt so judged."
I won't judge you, Staar told her.
"I know." Tymber answered. She loved his silent comfort. She loved how he could make her smile. She loved him. "You are my best friend, Staar."
You are my sister, and we are pack. I will always protect you, and follow you.
Tymber felt happy tears travel down her cheeks. "I know you will, my brother."
Tymber awoke under the tree. Sunlight shone through the opening. She hid the light by putting her eyes back into Staar's fur.
Do you come here when you are frightened? Staar asked her.
"Sometimes." Tymber grumbled. "I come here when I'm lonely or sad. I found this place when I was only about five summers old. All of the younglings were playing by the pond, and Neolyn pushed me into the water." She remembered getting up, covered in mud from head to toe. Her new summer hat sunk into the water and when she pulled it up it was covered in green slime. She started to cry, and all of the children laughed at her. Tymber ran into the forest and made friends with an orphan fox who was denned in the hole. She stayed there until the next day, and then went home and was punished by Berta for ruining her hat.
Where is the fox now? Staar questioned. I knew I smelled him.
"Fox?" Tymber asked. She had thought about the fox, she didn't tell him though.
I saw a fox in your mind. Just a pup. You held him and cared for him. Where is he now?
"You saw that!?" Tymber cried out, amazed. "You can see with MY eyes! I knew that spirit bonds had powers, but I've never heard of this!"
You didn't answer my question.
"Oh, I took care of him until he grew up and then he left and I never saw him again. I suppose he'd found a mate and went to have a family." Tymber could barely breathe. "This is amazing! I wonder if this is our power?"
Our power?
"Every spirit bond is supposed to share a power that the person uses."
Just the person?
"Hmm, I suppose you're right; you were the one who saw it, so maybe it's your power. Or maybe I'm projecting images to you."
And feelings.
"I project feelings to you?" Tymber was completely aghast.
You are happy.
"Of course I am, I've just disovered my power! Now whenever I need help, I don't need to scream because you'll be able to sense it!"
I don't know that, Staar said, I don't know how far away I'll be able to sense you.
For the rest of the morning, Tymber and Staar practiced projecting images from distances. Tymber soon discovered that if she tried hard enough, she could see the images Staar projected. She saw the hunt; and felt the thrill and excitement of the chase. Saw packmates, bold and regal. She went along with him as he chased a snowshoe harein the winter, and caught the spawning fish that jumped atleast a foot out of the water in the spring. Nothing was as fun as this, and nothing could have brought her closer to her spirit bond.
Tymber never realized how long she'd been out there until she heard her name being called. The shiver of anxiety called Staar over and they stood in silence as the search party approached them.











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