10 Coming of Age

When Kian and I arrived back in the village, it just occurred to me that I didn't know what they call their Village. Not at all trying to find a reason to grab Kian's hand, I touched his fingers and he turned to look at me. "Does your village have a name?"

"Drop Loch." He said. We were twining our fingers together, a slight smile creeping on our faces when a frightening voice rang out.

"Kian, where were you? I've been looking all over!" I pulled my hand away, avoiding eye contactwith Jinn.

I glanced at her and she was gawking at me with hateful eyes. "What are you two doing together? Why does she look like she's aglow?"

I swallowed hard, given my mouth was suddenly dry and looked at her.

Her white hair was dressed elegantly with a soft braid that traveled along her head, starting from the right and hanging over her left shoulder, a waterfall of soft tendrils hung beneath the braid.

Her dress was a pearl white, a wide neckline swung from one shoulder to the other with open sleeves that parted from the shoulders and hung down to the floor with her flowing skirt. A slit from middle thigh allowed her to walk without tripping on the amazing gown. White pearls adorned her ankles and wrists. It would be a vision to behold if her face weren't crinkled up in anger, spiteful jungle eyes trying to murder me by a mere look. What. A. Hateful. Goddess.

"We are on the surface gathering material for jewelry." Kian said.

"Jewelry?" She said, looking at Kian in naked hope. "Are you making something for someone Kian?" She asked, eyes a-flutter. So sad that she has no idea that Kian has no interest in her. His cool demeanor says it all. How can she not see it.

"No. Wren wanted to make something for Lonna for the coming of age ceremony. I went to help her find some." Kian said with a drawl.

"Sounds like you had fun." She giggled, misunderstanding the exasperation in his voice. "Your father and brother are also looking for you Kian. Probably something to do with the ceremony. I'll take you to them. Good luck with your jewelry making Wren." She grabbed Kians arm and started dragging him away, giving me a smug look before they wandered away. Even though I knew Kian didn't reciprocate Jinns feelings, there was an ache in my heart as I watched him wander away with her. For all I knew, the call could change his feelings and he could end up with her. After all, their way of finding true love is completely different than humans. I wonder why they don't have much of a choice who answers their heart song?

I wandered on the outer skirts of the crowd gathered to watch the coming of age ceremony. I was holding a necklace that I made with the three jewels and twine. It looked pretty wonky to me, since I never made jewelry before. The three stones where met together side by side and the necklace itself was done in a simple braid with a knot to tie in the back.

I searched around the crowd and then found four girls including Lonna a little away from the crowd. I smiled and ran to her. When she saw me coming, some of her nervousness dissipated. "Hey, I was looking around and saw that tree right there." She said, pointing to one behind me, "It gives a great view."

I looked at the big tree and it even had a branch above where the ceremony would take place. "Yeah, I could even drop in if I feel so inclined." I joked.

"Please don't." She said laughing.

"Please do. If you offend everyone, they'll get rid of you sooner." Jinn said.

Ignoring her, I shoved the necklace into Lonnas hand. "I made this for you. You don't have to wear it, but the stones themselves are edible and will gift you vitality."

Lonna gasped, "Life stones?!" She held the necklace up. "Ohhh it's pretty!" She slipped the necklace over her head and then hugged me.

"How did you find life stones?" Jinn asked.

"I didn't." I stated.

"Kian gave you life stones??" She asked, shocked.

"Yes. Four of them. But the red one he slipped into my mouth." I said, a little surprised that I was rubbing it in her face. I guess I'm just sick of her attitude.

Her mouth hung open.

"Kian fed you a red stone?" Lonna asked. She looked worried.

"Yes. Why?" I asked.

"Well, it's just that-"

"EVERYONE? IT'S NOW TIME TO WELCOME OUR BEAUTIFUL GIRLS INTO THE FOLD AS MATURE FEMALES!" We all looked at Lok, who had shouted over the loud crowd. He stood with a beautiful light tanned woman with a blonde braid hanging over her shoulder, tiny white roses weaved into it. She had light blue eyes, a small pouting mouth and heart shaped face. She wore a simple white halter dress, her swollen belly showing that she was pregnant. There were two other males standing with them.

"Go into the tree Wren. Hurry." Lonna ushered and I hastened over to the tree, grabbing low branches and using knobs to clump up into the tree. I found the branch that hung over the crowd, allowing me to see the girls in full view from where they were going to enter the circle.

The ceremony took place in the woods, white sand brought to a clearing and glowing grass torches where placed around the circle of trees and a smaller circle around the sand. There were some people sitting with basketball sized mushrooms, others with bamboo flutes, and large blue berry vines that looked an awful lot like rattlesnake tails and, not surprising as the snake-like tails rattled when you shook them. Sitting on the very wide branch with my long hair hanging over one shoulder in a simple tie, I watch as everyone sat on the ground, ready for the ceremony to begin.

Three blue moons hung in the sky like three points of a triangle, not a cloud to be seen. The King sat a little behind me with Lok and his mate on his left and Kian on his right. Seeing Kian look up at me, I turned my body so my back wasn't completely turned on him. I was a little embarrassed at the thought of him looking at me with my back to him, not sure how my body looked sitting on a tree branch. And for some dumb reason, I was trying to look pretty and graceful for him.

The King held a bone staff and pointed it at the girls. Drums started to beat slowly, girls moving in sync with the drums, and my heart began to swell. The rattles chimed in with two shakes, a pause, and two shakes. I began to feel antsy. But when an alluring flute sound began to play, my head shot back and my vision blurred. I suddenly dropped from the tree branch with a twist, but instead of seeing the king and his two sons, I saw a beautiful woman's figure, doused in a bright light. I couldn't quite make out her features, but there was flowing light blue hair and a pair of silver eyes. I could still hear the music and I was moving according to the tune. It was as though my body knew the music, swaying, spinning, stepping, and leaping to the music in such an expressive way. All the while, my focus was on the moon goddess before me. I knew in my heart that it was her. The one who blessed me with this new life. I danced expressing gratitude, acceptance, and power. I felt strong, loved, and at home. By the time my dance finished, I was on my knees and leaning backward, hands next to my head and looking into Kians jungle eyes. I then looked at the king, Lock, and saw that they were all staring in awe. I rose up from the ground, Lonna, Jinn, and the two other girls were in the same position I had been in on either side of me. Their eyes were like blue moons for a moment before fading to their natural color. I turned to the king and knelt down on my knees and said, "Please forgive me. I don't know what happened. I didn't-"

"You have been welcomed by our goddess into our clan." The king said. "There is a mark of a crocodile below the back of your neck."

I couldn't see it, but I tried to feel it and there was slightly raised skin below my neck. I could feel the long shape of a crocodile.

I looked at Kian and he had a knowing smile. Before what had just happened could continue to settle in my already blown mind, my body began to quake. At first it was a tremor and then turned into full out seizure like shaking. I collapsed to the ground as I felt the bones in my body shifting, growing, shrinking, and changing until I was on all fours and severely low to the ground. I could see clawed and scaled orange croc feet.

I stood up on my now hind legs and looked at myself in panic mode. "What the flying duck?!?!" I growled. Paws touched my long A snout. Tears began falling from my eyes. "I have actual crocodile tears!!!" I wailed and turned, running on hind legs out of the crowd. I could hear people shouting for me, but I seriously couldn't stop running and crying. I was now a crocodile, one of the most powerful predators from my world!!!