Finding Truth Behind Legends
by Wizardtho
Chapter 42:
Though I’m suddenly nervous, I know I have to let everyone do what’s best for their own tribes. I see many of them conversing amongst themselves, even more of them have shifted into their animal forms.
I take a few minutes to regroup, then look for my Dad. He’s talking to Will and Ahanu. I tell him softly as I pull him into a hug, “Thank you for what you said. It means a lot to me that you recognize that I don’t make rash decisions. I might get half my genes from Mom, but I don’t take after her. I take after you… thoughtful, caring, cautious, and steadfast.”
He beams at me with pride, but before he can say anything, Taha’s hand slides across my back tenderly. “Your presence is requested.”
When I turn around, I see most have gathered. Malachi explains, “Jake spoke to us about how Taha relived his memories to him and Sam. I think if you would be willing to share your memories of these rulers, of anything having to do with them, we would have more information to relay to our tribe chiefs.”
My eyes seek out each of theirs as I try to convey my honesty, “Absolutely. Whatever you need. My thoughts are probably a bit scattered, and I’ve not shifted very many times yet, but I’ve recalled the memories enough lately that they should be pretty clear.”
Without another word, I slip off my flipflops, back up a safe distance, then close my eyes. I hear Taha softly reminding me, “Focus, Sweetheart. Channel the fear. You’re the one in control.”
After 3 deep breaths in and out, the tingle rips down my spine as I land on 4 paws. I nudge my mate’s side in thanks, then hear Kai giggling, “You’re pretty, Miss Bella.”
Turning around, Lily has Kai in her arms, and his face looks like pure elation. I nudge her hand, then touch the tip of my nose to Kai’s cheek in a kiss. He pats me on the head, then Lily promises, “You can see her more in a bit. Miss Bella needs to talk to the other protectors now.”
I turn back around to see Taha shifting, the others following close behind. Soon, every shifter that made the journey here is in their animal form in my backyard. It’s a sight to behold, that’s for sure. I lay down in the grass with Taha next to me.
When everyone else settles and lets me know I have their attention, Taha thinks to me, Go back to the beginning. Think of anytime the leaders were spoken of.
I let out a long breath as the first memory comes to me. It plays out in real-time, and another surfaces right after. Memory after memory, consisting of my talks with Carlisle or my time with Edward. Some are snippets, but most are full scenes. I try to keep on task, but some of my relationship with Edward slips through… the unevenness of our relationship, his insistence that he could keep me safe and human… always human and never his equal, and his suffocating need to have the final say in everything.
They see snippets of him leaving me in the woods, Sam finding me, and even my dark period. Jake is next, and how he became my sun. Then comes Italy and my race to save Edward. I show them those days in great detail before giving them snippets of the next few months. How Edward was sure it would take years before they would check on my status, and how he would run with me to keep me safe. Our breakup and my graduation are quick to follow, then moving, meeting Taha, and his injuries from the fight with the Volturi scout.
Many of the shifters gasp at my memories of that time, so I quickly fast-forward to Edward finding us and my first shift. Following that are snippets of my dream state and imprinting on Taha. The last thoughts I share are of how I reached this decision. Every thought I’ve had on how I made the decision to ask for their support, including my conversation about it with Lily after they were called.
I try to clear my mind after that. I know there will be questions, but I need a few minutes. Reliving so much in such a short time has my chest feeling like it’s going to cave in, so I rub my nose against Taha’s while thinking, Come for a run with me?
It takes only seconds for him to stand and think, Let’s go check on the cave. We haven’t been there since the meeting.
As we run together, I can feel it building. My breathing hitches and I can feel the tears coming. There’s no stopping it; I feel like everything’s toppling down around me. I just want to reach the cave.
My thoughts swirl and my breathing becomes ragged. Taha isn’t thinking anything directly at me, but I can feel both his love and concern. His presence is welcome. The problem is that I can still hear everyone else, and there are way too many people in my head.
I barely have time to recognize that any scents near the cave opening are old before I’m on 2 shaky legs and gasping for air. Taha is quick to shift and catch me. Before I know it, I’m clinging to him as my body wracks with huge sobs, fat tears streaming down my face.
Part of me faintly registers that 2 flyers have landed at the cave entrance to protect us while we’re vulnerable, but they’re quickly forgotten about as Taha holds me and whispers into my bare shoulder, “Let it out, Isabella. Don’t hold onto this. I have you, my love.”
I don’t know how long it takes, but when my cries calm to small gasps and hitched breaths, I’ve got both my arms and legs wrapped tight around my mate. Taha is rubbing my back to calm me, but when I lift my eyes to his, he gently wipes the remaining tears from my face. His eyes are sad, so I place a kiss under each one and whisper hoarsely, “It was crappy timing, but I guess that needed to happen. Too much unprocessed shit piling up in the IN box.”
He chuckles and shakes his head, then cups my face, “Please don’t take this as a demand. I’m asking you as your mate… please slow down. Or at least give yourself time each day to deal with things. You also need to hunt more regularly. You aren’t eating and hunting enough to keep your energy level up. I can feel how much energy it took just for you to share your memories with everyone. You more than any of us, Sweetheart, need to stay in top form.”
I nod, place a soft kiss on his lips, then promise, “I will. I’ll make a plan to accompany a few shifters once a day before dinner. If I haven’t gone by then, you have clearance to push me out the door to hunt. If you want, we can even hunt with our current company before heading back.”
I smile as I hear talons clicking on the rocky cave entrance, and Taha nods, “I think all 3 of us will take you up on that invitation, Miss Swan.”
His fingers brush through my hair tenderly as he asks, “Are you sure you’re okay now? We can stay longer if you need more time.”
I nod, saying, “I’m getting there. I know it’s not a popular opinion among shifters, and Edward was insane when he attacked, but I took a life. They may not have heartbeats, but his coven is going through real grief over his final death. I hadn’t really taken time to deal with the fact that I took the life of someone I once loved. Instead, I pushed it aside, brushing it off as something that had to be done. Then I still had pent-up anxiety and fear over your injuries and how close you truly were to dying. My nervousness about calling everyone didn’t help, then I pretty much laid open every bit of myself to them tonight. Yet, now all I can do is just hope they deem this a worthy cause. One thing on top of another, just compounded on top of yet another… and this was the result. I think I got most of it out of my system, though.”
He stands with me still wrapped around him, then as he places me on my feet, he places tons of soft kisses all over my face. With a final kiss to my lips, he assures me, “We’ll come back here whenever you need to get away for a bit and think. Just say the word, Isabella.”
Taha and I both shift and make our way to the cave entrance. I can sense a collective feeling of relief almost rippling out in waves as we reach the flyers, who happen to be the owls from North Carolina, Finn and Willow. Finn gives Taha’s side a nudge as Willow thinks to me, Ready for that hunt, Bella?
Somehow, I feel like everything’s going to be okay, even with so much uncertainty. I nod and think, Wanna find me a big elk?
Without a word, she’s in the air and waiting on me, so I chuckle in Taha’s direction, Come on, Slowpoke. I’m hungry.
Though I’m suddenly nervous, I know I have to let everyone do what’s best for their own tribes. I see many of them conversing amongst themselves, even more of them have shifted into their animal forms.
I take a few minutes to regroup, then look for my Dad. He’s talking to Will and Ahanu. I tell him softly as I pull him into a hug, “Thank you for what you said. It means a lot to me that you recognize that I don’t make rash decisions. I might get half my genes from Mom, but I don’t take after her. I take after you… thoughtful, caring, cautious, and steadfast.”
He beams at me with pride, but before he can say anything, Taha’s hand slides across my back tenderly. “Your presence is requested.”
When I turn around, I see most have gathered. Malachi explains, “Jake spoke to us about how Taha relived his memories to him and Sam. I think if you would be willing to share your memories of these rulers, of anything having to do with them, we would have more information to relay to our tribe chiefs.”
My eyes seek out each of theirs as I try to convey my honesty, “Absolutely. Whatever you need. My thoughts are probably a bit scattered, and I’ve not shifted very many times yet, but I’ve recalled the memories enough lately that they should be pretty clear.”
Without another word, I slip off my flipflops, back up a safe distance, then close my eyes. I hear Taha softly reminding me, “Focus, Sweetheart. Channel the fear. You’re the one in control.”
After 3 deep breaths in and out, the tingle rips down my spine as I land on 4 paws. I nudge my mate’s side in thanks, then hear Kai giggling, “You’re pretty, Miss Bella.”
Turning around, Lily has Kai in her arms, and his face looks like pure elation. I nudge her hand, then touch the tip of my nose to Kai’s cheek in a kiss. He pats me on the head, then Lily promises, “You can see her more in a bit. Miss Bella needs to talk to the other protectors now.”
I turn back around to see Taha shifting, the others following close behind. Soon, every shifter that made the journey here is in their animal form in my backyard. It’s a sight to behold, that’s for sure. I lay down in the grass with Taha next to me.
When everyone else settles and lets me know I have their attention, Taha thinks to me, Go back to the beginning. Think of anytime the leaders were spoken of.
I let out a long breath as the first memory comes to me. It plays out in real-time, and another surfaces right after. Memory after memory, consisting of my talks with Carlisle or my time with Edward. Some are snippets, but most are full scenes. I try to keep on task, but some of my relationship with Edward slips through… the unevenness of our relationship, his insistence that he could keep me safe and human… always human and never his equal, and his suffocating need to have the final say in everything.
They see snippets of him leaving me in the woods, Sam finding me, and even my dark period. Jake is next, and how he became my sun. Then comes Italy and my race to save Edward. I show them those days in great detail before giving them snippets of the next few months. How Edward was sure it would take years before they would check on my status, and how he would run with me to keep me safe. Our breakup and my graduation are quick to follow, then moving, meeting Taha, and his injuries from the fight with the Volturi scout.
Many of the shifters gasp at my memories of that time, so I quickly fast-forward to Edward finding us and my first shift. Following that are snippets of my dream state and imprinting on Taha. The last thoughts I share are of how I reached this decision. Every thought I’ve had on how I made the decision to ask for their support, including my conversation about it with Lily after they were called.
I try to clear my mind after that. I know there will be questions, but I need a few minutes. Reliving so much in such a short time has my chest feeling like it’s going to cave in, so I rub my nose against Taha’s while thinking, Come for a run with me?
It takes only seconds for him to stand and think, Let’s go check on the cave. We haven’t been there since the meeting.
As we run together, I can feel it building. My breathing hitches and I can feel the tears coming. There’s no stopping it; I feel like everything’s toppling down around me. I just want to reach the cave.
My thoughts swirl and my breathing becomes ragged. Taha isn’t thinking anything directly at me, but I can feel both his love and concern. His presence is welcome. The problem is that I can still hear everyone else, and there are way too many people in my head.
I barely have time to recognize that any scents near the cave opening are old before I’m on 2 shaky legs and gasping for air. Taha is quick to shift and catch me. Before I know it, I’m clinging to him as my body wracks with huge sobs, fat tears streaming down my face.
Part of me faintly registers that 2 flyers have landed at the cave entrance to protect us while we’re vulnerable, but they’re quickly forgotten about as Taha holds me and whispers into my bare shoulder, “Let it out, Isabella. Don’t hold onto this. I have you, my love.”
I don’t know how long it takes, but when my cries calm to small gasps and hitched breaths, I’ve got both my arms and legs wrapped tight around my mate. Taha is rubbing my back to calm me, but when I lift my eyes to his, he gently wipes the remaining tears from my face. His eyes are sad, so I place a kiss under each one and whisper hoarsely, “It was crappy timing, but I guess that needed to happen. Too much unprocessed shit piling up in the IN box.”
He chuckles and shakes his head, then cups my face, “Please don’t take this as a demand. I’m asking you as your mate… please slow down. Or at least give yourself time each day to deal with things. You also need to hunt more regularly. You aren’t eating and hunting enough to keep your energy level up. I can feel how much energy it took just for you to share your memories with everyone. You more than any of us, Sweetheart, need to stay in top form.”
I nod, place a soft kiss on his lips, then promise, “I will. I’ll make a plan to accompany a few shifters once a day before dinner. If I haven’t gone by then, you have clearance to push me out the door to hunt. If you want, we can even hunt with our current company before heading back.”
I smile as I hear talons clicking on the rocky cave entrance, and Taha nods, “I think all 3 of us will take you up on that invitation, Miss Swan.”
His fingers brush through my hair tenderly as he asks, “Are you sure you’re okay now? We can stay longer if you need more time.”
I nod, saying, “I’m getting there. I know it’s not a popular opinion among shifters, and Edward was insane when he attacked, but I took a life. They may not have heartbeats, but his coven is going through real grief over his final death. I hadn’t really taken time to deal with the fact that I took the life of someone I once loved. Instead, I pushed it aside, brushing it off as something that had to be done. Then I still had pent-up anxiety and fear over your injuries and how close you truly were to dying. My nervousness about calling everyone didn’t help, then I pretty much laid open every bit of myself to them tonight. Yet, now all I can do is just hope they deem this a worthy cause. One thing on top of another, just compounded on top of yet another… and this was the result. I think I got most of it out of my system, though.”
He stands with me still wrapped around him, then as he places me on my feet, he places tons of soft kisses all over my face. With a final kiss to my lips, he assures me, “We’ll come back here whenever you need to get away for a bit and think. Just say the word, Isabella.”
Taha and I both shift and make our way to the cave entrance. I can sense a collective feeling of relief almost rippling out in waves as we reach the flyers, who happen to be the owls from North Carolina, Finn and Willow. Finn gives Taha’s side a nudge as Willow thinks to me, Ready for that hunt, Bella?
Somehow, I feel like everything’s going to be okay, even with so much uncertainty. I nod and think, Wanna find me a big elk?
Without a word, she’s in the air and waiting on me, so I chuckle in Taha’s direction, Come on, Slowpoke. I’m hungry.