Scorched Future's

Pebble's

Tarius

I soon as I heard there was a new girl that moved to our tiny town I had to visit her myself. I did not want to chance the fate of Kamil, my nemesis, bonding with her first.

As I was walking toward her house a strong and beautiful scent filled my lungs and drew me closer. As I neared her house I soon realized that there was a presence that awakened something completely different, a new side, a feeling of greater life I didn't know I had. I at last reached a window that was partially hidden by a blueberry bush and it was high up but not high enough to have a balcony.

Finally I decided to be a Cliche and throw rocks and pebbles onto her window. After a few times of doing this a tall beautiful girl opened the window and went batshit crazy on me

"Who the hell are you now?" She snapped

And before I could answer she cut me off

"I move here this morning and you are the second asshole to come knocking on my door, or in your case window" she spouted and then continued

"How is anyone supposed to settle in when you have people demanding your attention all the damn time!" I made another attempt to explain or even get a word in edgewise but she cut me off again

"It's like one in the morning so why the hell are you here?"

I stopped for a second to make sure that she was done and then began talking

"Yeah, Hi, my name is Tarius and I live in town, i work during the day unlike a bunch of the dickheads my age so I had to come over now instead of---" I explained as she cut me off again only this time with he bellowing laughter that made me want to give anything to hear it again

"Ok so, between you practically giving me your resume, acting like we are on an interview, and the best part, you calling the people in this town dickheads, I am almost positive that we are gonna be friends" she said while chuckling

I laughed in response and said

"Well I only speak the truth from my experience"

She laughed again and began talking

"Listen Tarius, it was really great meeting you, but I have to get up really early tomorrow, well, today actually to help my mom unpack the house, so I really should go"

"Of course no problem, have a great night and see you again soon" I said and she nodded before closing the window and waving. As I walked away I could feel her eyes watching and observing my every move, but I didn't want to chance it so I did not look back at her, instead I continued home.

As soon as i knew she was done watching and closed her curtain, I turned and continued toward the woods and train track in the far back of her yard. Once I reached i turned around to double check she had gone and she had.

I once again faced forward and took a deep breath before shifting into my deer form. Yes, my deer form, I am a Reelora, however unlike most human deer hybrids my family and i are able to shift into full deer rather than the centaur types and we live in this small wooded town rather than the woods because of it.

As soon as I reached home I shifted back and went to my room, closed my eyes and slept heavily for the night

Athena

After Tarius left I shut my lights off and drifted off into yet another sleepless night, and I knew the dreams would begin again now. This time in the dream i rose above myself sleeping and was able to watch myself go through the screaming pain that was caused by God knows what.

Just as I am about to find out what happens I am shaken so hard it wakes me up from the treacherous reoccurring dream. When I opened my eyes I saw her, my mother, a worried and pained expression on her face as she said

"Sweetie, you were crying in your sleep again, are you okay?"

"I'm fine mom just the same dream again, only this time I had to watch instead of scream in pain." I replied with a somber face as I wiped a stray tear from my face

" I'm so sorry honey, I hope you sleep better now, I'll let you sleep in longer." She said sorrowfully

"Thanks mom, I love you" I said while plastering a weak smile on my face

Meanwhile she kissed the top of my her and said

"I love you too"

As soon as she left I rolled over meeting my pillow and drifted off into a now peaceful sleep

BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!

I woke to the sound of my alarm clock in my ear while I rolled over, shut it off, and took in a deep breathe. When I did this I inhaled the sweet homey scent of my moms famous bacon, eggs, and cinnamon roll waffles, best smell in the world!

I fumbled out of bed while managing to wrap my smaller blanket around me like a shaul and walked into the kitchen.

"Well good morning sleeping beauty." My mom said with a smile

I walked over and hugged my mom before saying

"Good morning mom."

"I'm making your favorite, bacon, eggs, and cinnamon roll waffles!" She said with a bright smile

I did and little hop like a three year old who just got the candy they wanted and responded with the oh so original

"Thank you so much mom, you're the best"

My mom chuckled at my words and movements with full amusement before saying

"Why dont you go sit on the couch and pull something up for us to watch. I'll just finish this up."

Obeying her I shuffled to the livingroom and found us young and hungry on Netflix to watch. My mom and i always liked stupid shows like this to take our minds off of everything and not have to think while were watching.

My mom came in with the two plates and sat down with me before saying prayers and then hitting play.

After breakfast, my mom and I cleaned up the dishes, and unpacked and placed about twenty more boxes each before realizing that it was already 3pm! So, my mom looking at the clock, laughed, and said

"Being inside for two days straight people are going to starting thinking things about us!"

I laughed at her remark and said

"Then how about we go for a walk, and I will take you out for dinner after? I earned enough money this week from writing my books and short stories!"

My mother gasped, started waving her hand around in a dismissing way and said

"No, no honey I'm your mother you will not be paying for dinner for me.)

"Mom, I'm twenty one and still living with you because of what happened in saintsburg" I said with sorrow and anger at myself for it being true before continuing

"The least I can do mom is buy you dinner after our walk."

My mother hesitated for a moment before saying

"Alrighty, let's go"

After we arrived at the towns diner (and only restaurant) we asked the sweet girl at the counter where we could sit and she said anywhere. So, we sat by the window. After a moment the same girl from the front came to our table to ask what we would like for dinner and my mother said

"I will have the buffalo ranch salad. Thank you very much"

I gave the girl a moment to finish writing my moms order done and once she looked at me I said

" I will have your barbecue burger."

The girl then finished writing and smiled saying

"I'll be right back with your food."

And then walked away

"She was really nice." My mom commented

I chuckeled and responded

"Mom, we are new to town and she is being tipped. Its obvious that she is going to be nice."

My mom rolled her eyes and said nicely

"Sweetie I understand that you are jaded by people and aren't the most approachable right now, but you have got to make friends at some point, so at least browse your option's."

"Yes mom, I understand thank you for the insight." I uttered in a half sarcastic manner

After the girl, kat was her name, brought us our food, we began eating and as I ate I glanced out the window only to see a large and magnificent deer in the wooded area across the way peering at me, studying me.

Tarius

I was out on a run for the night and I stopped to get a drink, but as I glanced over with my perifial vision I was Athena in the town's diner eating diner with another woman, middle aged I would say, a woman I only recognize from the scent as Athenas mother. I straightened my posture, well, as much as I could since I was in my deer form and got lost in thought thinking about last night when we met.

When I finally broke away from my thoughts I realized that Athena had noticed me staring at her and I thanked God I wasn't in my human form. As she turned to her mother I knew it was to tell her about the deer she sees, so I knew what I had to do, run, I jolted off and continued my run until I made it home. As soon as I walked through the door I could smell the wonderful food my mom was making for me, my brother Cassius, and my sister Talisa were sitting in the living room watching twilight which means it was Talisa's night to choose the movie, she's fourteen so I just let her, her sappy movies, and mood swings be. My brother on the other hand likes to provoke her, even though he seems to secretly be enjoying the movie. I guess I dont have to say that I'm the oldest out of us three. Like I said Talisa's fourteen, and Cassius is seventeen, so I am surrounded by multidirectional hormones all the time. I head into the kitchen to help my mom while she makes dinner.

I try to help her when I can, she's a single mom with three kids so she needs all the help she can get. My dad died eight years ago, Talisa was only six at the Tim's and Cassian nine. When I walk in the kitchen my mom is stirring whatever is on the stove while listening to music on her airpods and dancing. I walk up behind her, grab her free hand and spin her around taking her other hand and dancing with her. She smiles a laughs still dancing which makes me smile, she deserves to laugh and smile more.

After we stop dancing, we laugh some more and my mom says while smirking

"You came home late last night."

"I know mom I'm sorry, I got caught up at work and stuff. I wont be late anymore i promise" i said warily

My mom Turned to me taking my hands in hers and said

"Honey, you are so responsible and are always helping me here and with your siblings. You deserve to have fun" her eyes became slightly glossed over with sadness for me, I know she blamed herself for me not doing normal twenty four year old things so I responded

"Mom, I like helping out here and working."

" plus I would be boring without you Talisa and Cassius." I chuckled and so did she

"I promise mom, I have fun, i enjoy life."

I said solemnly and she nodded her head with a small smile.