MOONLIT SECRET

CHAPTER 4: UNCOVERING SECRETS

Then Lira shared the contents of her talk with Aiden and Evelyn listened carefully. Did he have a point, do you think? Lira asked when she finished.

Evelyn chewed on her lower lip, thinking. "It’s possible. What if our economic model is broken: we can't discount it — but equally, cannot afford to let in tear us apart? CAUTIOUS AND WATCHFUL WE SHOULD BE!!!

Lira nodded, somewhat relieved. She looked at Yulay, all of a sudden serious: “I have more dreams about Selene too. She’s playing me, leading to something—a relic called the Moonstone.

Evelyn's eyes widened. "The Moonstone? That’s a powerful artifact. It is bound to be vital if Selene is leading you to it"

Lira sighed. "It is. Also, my parents I believe. These are the sentinels of the Moonstone, Marcus told me.

“Before anyone else does,” said Evelyn. "Especially Aiden’s pack. Who knows what will happen if they get it."

The more the two ventured into research, when it became clear Lira had unique talents. Absolutely in tune, as awakened beyond anything she had ever experienced now; the energy of the forest quivered her senses — underfoot and below. It was terrifying and exciting at the same time.

Somewhat of this man are training Lira during the afternoon, then he suddenly felt a strange power surge.She closed her eyes, concentrated on the energy and was taken into vision. The Moonstone, a place of peace was in the hands of two warring packs that had reduced it to ruin. She was the thing that could rip them apart and saw herself trying to keep everyone on peaceful grounds.

"Lira!" At the last second, Gideon's voice cut through her inner eye and she snapped back to reality just in time for breath.

"What did you see?" he asked, his tone urgent.

“Combat,” she stated, and her voice quavered. Both packs were battling not just each other, but for that "The Moonstone. We have to find it before it is too late.

Gideon sighed and c****d his head. "We’ll need to prepare. We have to be prepared for a confrontation, if that is what lies ahead.

In the days that fo llowed, Lira trained heavily and applied herself further in an effort to master her abilities, desperately wanting answers about who she really was. Hours were spent with Gideon, working on her craft and readying herself for the battle that would come eventually. But the farther she got into it, Wilson says, “the more I knew what you don't know.”

One dusk, while preparing hard as regular Lira was stroked with another vision. This time, she discovered a secret chamber deep within the woods holding ancient relics and hints to the whereabouts of Moonstone. She knew she had to find it.

She looked for Evelyn again. "Evelyn, I need you to help me." "I had another vision. The fact is that in a hidden chember of our territory there are some answers and elements related to the Moonstone’s behavior.

Evelyn agreed, her eyes filled with fierce resolve. "Let’s find it."

The former Avatar walked alongside Lira while they roamed the woods, tracking her instincts and what little energy she could sense. They searched for hours before they found it — a hidden doorway hidden by vines and moss.They shoved their way in through the door, it opened to reveal a chamber full of ancient scrolls and artifacts.

“Wow,” Evelyn breathed, awed.

An aged chart was laid across a pedestal in the center of the room and Lira ascended to take it. Picking it up, her heart raced. This map points you to the Moonstone location, however it is an incomplete map. There’s a piece missing."

“Do you suppose Aiden's pack has it?” Evelyn asked.

Lira nodded. "It’s possible. We need to find out."

Join us on THE NEXT PAGE for the next pack meeting… Lira felt her packmates eyes on her, then their curiosity mixed with distrust. She closed her eyes, took a deep breath and faced what was to come.

Powerful because it was the presence she had felt that one day. Aiden and his were pack snucking in looking guarded. Lira gazed into the eyes, somewhere between attraction and a sort of strange wariness towards Aiden.

‘We have to talk,’ she offered as a step forward.

Aiden raised an eyebrow. "About what?"

The Moonstone, her voice was firm. You’re looking for it too, I know. We need to work together."

Surprise went through both packs like a murmur, but Aiden's face was neutral. "And why should I trust you?" he asked.

“Because if the two of us are unable to uncover it, all may perish,” Lira replied, her gaze into his unwavering. We really need to unite if we're going to defeat anything, for our Two legs and those babies from your pack

Aiden looked at her for a second, then nodded his head. "Alright, Lira. See if we can find this Moonstone of yours.

There was so much tension in the air, both packs agreed to an uneasy truce. This was just the start for Lira. What lay before her was dangerous and unclear, yet she continued on unfazed.With Aiden at her side, with Selene to guide her — she would find out the truth about both the Moonstone and herself.

The way Lira's pack and Aidens were forced to ally, it was a battlefield of walking on ice. They had to step softly, weigh their words carefully. And the forest felt like it held its breath waiting for a collision or perhaps an alignment of astronomical proportions. For years, Lira and Evelyn toiled in the hidden chamber sifting through countless ancient texts deciphering bits of history and prediction.

That night around dusk, as the sun started to set behind him leaving long shadows from the trees across his lap, Lira once again found herself telling her all to Evelyn. They took a seat by the fire which popped and hissed, outside air chilling them to their bones.

Lira frowned, thinking hard. "I feel like we're missing something big and obvious, Evelyn…"

Evelyn nodded, the firelight flickering in her eyes. "Agreed. The map we found is not complete, but without the missing piece, we will be unable to locate the Moonstone.

Before they could continue, a sound of rustling broke out and Marcus (Lira's foster father) came out from the darkness. He had a worried look on his countenance and he held an old, leather vest pocket edition in this hands.