The Medallion

Nilla: Fight in the Meadow

Banta transformed into a brilliantly beautiful wolf. Her fur was the same caramel color as the fur clothing wrapped around her body while she was human. She bared her teeth and chased after Jace. He put his hand around the medallion and the earth started to shake opening a hold under Banta's feet. She jumped nimbly to her right narrowly avoiding the fissure. The medallion began to glow and a sharp series of rocks emerged from the ground all aimed at Banta before shooting towards her like bullets. She avoided most of them, jumping between and off the sides, but a few of them cut into her slowing her down.

Will put his muscular arm around me and shouted to Jace. "Dolphin! This one will feel pain if you do not come quietly."

"She will feel pain if I leave her, wolf," Jace replied. "I still have no plans of giving up."

The medallion began to glow again. A solid sheet of rock emerged quickly from the ground between me and Will. The wind picked up and the willow tree reached down and taking me into the branches high away from danger.

The sky filled with clouds that joined together blacking out the sun. It looked like nightfall only without any celestial bodies to give off their comforting light.

I strained to see something, anything that went beyond the outside rim of my own eyes. I saw a small hint of light, the medallion. I heard a series of growls, panting and scratching. Then I heard footsteps coming towards me. I leaned back on the tree, but without being able to see, there was really no place to could go where I would feel safe. I felt exposed.

I heard more snarling and then heard Jace scream. The sound of his pain was mixed with a squishing sound which I could only imagine was his blood.

"Jace!" I shouted giving away my position.

The snapping and snarling continued in the dark. I saw the medallion glow again. It was farther away than it had been before. I called out to Jace again.

Slowly I began to notice a subtle change in the light that may have gone unnoticed if I wasn't in complete darkness to begin with. In the midst of dirt that had begun to settle in the dim light that reminded me of a sunrise, I saw Jace. He was on the ground surrounded by wolves, their eyes glowing.

"No!" I screamed.

I broke free from the branches and climbed down from the tree as fast as I could. My foot slipped from the last branch and I fell hurting her leg. I pushed myself up and hobbled towards them.

"No! Stay there," Jace screamed.

He held his arm out to me. I could see the desperation in his eyes for a moment before turning and taking on a sinister edge. I backed toward the tree. The willow wrapped its branches around me again right before the wind picked up.

A tornado formed directly overhead. The base was thin and danced around the wolves picking them up one by one like a vacuum cleaner. Then, as suddenly as it appeared, it was gone along with the wolves.

The willow branches released me and I rushed over to Jace. When I got to him, the last of the roots that held him to the ground safe from the tornado had slid back to where they came from. The clouds dissipated and the sun shined brightly once again.

I placed a gentle hand on him. "Are you okay?"

He grabbed me and held me close to him in a tight embrace for a brief moment before pushing me back and looking me over.

"Are you alright?" he asked. "Are you hurt?"

He continued to inspect me. He ran his hands over my arms and my back down to my legs. I flinched when he touched my leg. He held his hand over the painful area and the medallion began to glow. The pain subsided to a dull ache.

"Is that better?" he asked.

I reached my arms around him and buried my face in his chest. "They could've hurt you."

He laughed. "I have the medallion, remember? They cannot harm me."

"About that medallion...." I pushed herself away and looked into his wonderful eyes.

"We have talked about this. You are still having trouble trusting me!"

It was an accusation, not a question. The words seemed to cut through me making me think that maybe Allison was right about him. Maybe she should be listening to the warnings. Allison wasn't the only one with warnings to offer. Two different sets of perfect strangers had also told me to never trust such a manipulative creature as a dolphin.

I let out a heavy sigh and looked at him. His eyes flashed for one moment. I didn't remember seeing that before. My heart began beating faster. I lost her breath. I wanted to believe every word he said. I wanted to hold him and apologize for being so ridiculous about everything.

I touched him gently.

"I'm sorry for not believing you," I said.

He squeezed me tightly.

"No. Let me apologize for my behavior. It was rude of me to yell at you. I will always tell you the truth about anything you ask of me and I promise I will never be so rough with you again. Did I harm you?"

"No," I said as I pressed my face into his chest once more. "Well, not physically."

He lifted my face to his. I could see the hurt in his eyes. He seemed genuinely pained by the thought he may have hurt me. He kissed me, gently at first. His gentleness soon turned eager as held me. He pulled my body into his as he kissed my neck. I felt a shudder move through my body as he took me to the ground, pulling at my clothes.