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Chapter 35 “You must pay more attention,” Cha-Lee’s admonishment echoed in Katrina’s ears as she hurried away from her first lesson with that Zanespot. He had droned on and on about the history of each and every Zanespot since Guardian had chosen to separate his powers. When he had finished that he had begun telling what had happened to each offspring of the Zanespots then their offspring. By the end Katrina had felt lucky that she was still awake. It wasn’t that she didn’t care; some of the Zanespots were actually quite interesting. Some had fought in wars or saved entire planets. One Zanespot had personally killed three Sith, unarmed. Cha-Lee was a horrible storyteller. His voice spoke slowly, constantly in the same monotonous tone. Had he been reading the information it couldn’t have sounded any more forced. Later that night, she promised herself, she would use her powers to look into the past and see for herself how the Zanespots had lived and died. Cha-Lee was sure to quiz her about some of them and Katrina wanted to prove that she wasn’t the sorry student he thought her to be. The fourteen-year-old also knew that if she was to live and die a Zanespot, especially that of the past, it would be good to know about those that came before her. Katrina hurried through the common area of the Tri and into the red wing. Though she could not see outside she was sure that night had fallen on the planet and all would be pitch black outside. The door leading into the meadow beside the red wing swung open without a sound, nearly proving the girl correct. Two half-moons shone silver light down on the blowing grasses of the meadow and billowing leaves of distant trees. Chalee-Siri stood off to the side, her pale hair waving slightly in the light breeze and glowing in the darkness. Her white teeth shone brightly under the two moons as she smiled at her new friend. “It is a glorious night,” Chalee-Siri said in greeting. “Come, follow me.” Katrina breathed in the fresh air as it brushed past her on the way to ruffle blades of grass and tease the leaves. It was a great night, she thought, though she had experienced so few that she was unsure that she could justly compare them. She kept close to the older girl, knowing that if she were not nearby when they entered the shadows of the tree line she would lose her guide. “Don’t worry,” Chalee-Siri whispered back to her, as though reading Katrina’s mind, “enough of the moonlight comes down between the trees that we won’t be completely in the dark.” Katrina nodded but took hold of the Caminee’s sleeve just to be safe. The branches of the trees were more than a few inches over Katrina’s head but the taller Chalee-Siri had to bend over to pass under the lowest of them. Light skittered across the forest floor as the breeze teased the slightly damp leaves, back and forth, up and down. A recent rain had left small drops and pools of water on the glossy surfaces, breaking the light into separate beams and turning in strange, unnatural angles. In the distance feathers beat in the open air and several rodent-like creatures scurried about. Somehow, none of it seemed real. Only when the winged creature caught hold of one of the rodents, making the prey squeal in protest, did Katrina feel grounded. A jolt of pain shot through her then disappeared. She sighed and shook her head. “Feel that?” she asked Chalee-Siri. “Feel what?” “Something very small, dying.” “Hmm, morbid,” Chalee-Siri said. “You always feel stuff like that?” “Sometimes,” Katrina shrugged. “It’s usually just the big things, mass deaths and such. They send me into something like a coma. I don’t remember feeling the smaller, single deaths before, maybe I just wasn’t around any.” “My father could probably help you control that.” “Great, as thought I wasn’t bored enough from the last few hours.” “He’s not always that bad,” Chalee-Siri said sincerely. “He’s tough sometimes but he’s very good at being a Zanespot and looking out for what’s best for those he cares about. That includes you now.” Chalee-Siri pulled back one especially low branch and held it out of the way for Katrina. The trees opened into a small clearing filled with a few large rocks, some grass, and a small stream. The water trickled between stones and flowed over and around others. The two moons were hidden behind trees but their light still flooded the opening. “Isn’t it great?” Chalee-Siri breathed. Katrina agreed just as quietly. She stepped forward and knelt at the water’s edge. Warm water flowed against her fingers, pushing gently on them. She kicked off the thick boots Chalee-Siri had loaned her and let her toes dangle just within the water. She giggled at the tickling feeling of the water on the underside of her foot and stepped fully within the stream. The bottoms of her pant legs became soaked and the sharp-edged stones on the floor of the stream cut into the skin of her feet, still Katrina enjoyed it. “I knew you’d like it,” Chalee-Siri crowed. “I just knew it.” |
