headache / jasper hale

16 | council meeting [1]

Thea

I had just finished my first movie of many when the front door slammed open. I jolted in my seat, fear coursing through my veins as I thought of the worst. But when Paul stuck his head into the room, a goofy smile on his face, I placed my hand over my pounding heart and was relieved.

"Jesus, Paul!" I snap at him, shaking my head. "Don't do that again!"

Paul shrugs, walking fully into the living room. I roll my eyes at his shirtless chest before patting the seat next to me. "Sit."

"Can't, I've been ordered to take you to the grocery store." He says, picking up Sam's car keys.

"By who and why?" I ask, lifting a brow at him questionably.

"By Sam and to get the campfire essentials." He says, sparking excitement in my stomach.

"We're having a bonfire?" I ask, jumping off the couch.

"We are - it's about time you hear the tribe's legends. There's so much you need to hear," Paul says. He picks up one of Sam's shirts, tossing it over his head before nodding to the door. "Let's go!"

•••

"Are you gonna eat that hot dog?" Paul asks me, nudging my side with his elbow. I roll my eyes, shoving my plate into his greedy hands with a huff. I wasn't going to but I still needed to act annoyed.

Next to me, Embry stifled a laugh as Paul devoured the hot dog. I roll my eyes at him, at all the boys who are wolfing down their food. Disgusting.

It seemed as if everyone was here. The elders - Billy Black, Harry Clearwater, and Old Quil were their names. Sam was here as well as Embry, Paul, and Jared, who brought his girlfriend Kim.

I was beginning to nod off on Embry's shoulder. "It's getting late."

"It hasn't even started yet, T," Paul laughs from beside me. "The best part is coming."

"The best part?"

"This is technically a council meeting. It's yours and Embry's first time hearing the legends." Paul said, shrugging.

"Legends?"

"The histories we always thought were legends," he said. "The stories of how we came to be. The first is the story of the spirit warriors."

It was almost as if Paul's soft whisper was the introduction. The atmosphere changed abruptly around the low-burning fire. Paul and Embry sat up straighter, Embry pulling me up with him.

I watched as Sam turned to face us, the same direction as the other elders then. I came to a revelation at this - Sam was part of the supposed council.

Billy cleared his throat, and, with no more introduction than Paul's whisper, began telling the story in his rich, deep voice. The words poured out with precision, as if he knew them by heart, but also with feeling and a subtle rhythm. Like poetry performed by its author.

"The Quileutes have been a small people from the beginning," Billy said. "And we are a small people still, but we have never disappeared. This is because there has always been magic in our blood. It wasn't always the magic of shape-shifting — that came later. First, we were spirit warriors."