Astral plains

"The wolf, a symbol of strength, wisdom, courage and family. It can also have bad symbolic meaning like greed, fear and rage, but what you all should know is, the wolf brings our tribe strength for the hunt" Old nanna Shey said to the children as they sat around the campfire.

"No matter how scary they may seem to you young ones, remember this is their land, just as it is ours, we must respect them"

Blair stood one side behind a large totem post listening to the story, she was considered an outsider, to the children at least, to the adults an omen.

Her heart cramped, she wanted to be treated normally, she wanted to be a child, a friend, why is her gift being frowned upon? She rubbed her tearing eyes.

'Ssh little one, don't cry...'

Blair heard the voice and looked up, no one paid her any attention, Shey kept telling her story and the fire still crackled happily, happiness, it's what Blair wanted most, she didn't hate anyone, she wanted friends, she wanted love from her clan.

'Doesn't it... Anger you somewhat child...?'

Blair listened to the voice, gave it thought, anger her? She looked at every face slowly, they really didn't even care to look where she was, no one even worried. She scanned the other adults around the camp, even her mother and father, busy with their own thing.

'You don't need to hate, in order to be angry child, have you ever been angry before?'

"Once, someone stole my toy..."

'No, that's childish things, I mean, were you really, angry at something? It need not even be a person?'

Blair thought deeply "No"

'Come to me, I will show you the anger of fire...'

Blair finally saw the source of this disembodied voice, it was the fire speaking to her, the element itself. Just as water, earth and wind spoke to her in the past, now fire's voice came to her clear as it's hot embers.

"Fire, is dangerous" She whispered.

'Thats what the adults told you, to keep you away from me, I can warm you Blair, I can keep you safe, be your friend, your guide to happiness'

Blair gave a step forward.

'Thats it, reach to me, I will light your path, little sorceress'

Blair kept walking, her hand stretched out towards the fire. When she came in between Shey and the children they all frowned at her.

"Blair? What are you doing?" Shey asked.

"The fire, it's calling me" She answered right next to it.

The flames peaked and reached back to her, then it enveloped her violently, her entire body erupting with flames reaching higher than the tents, the children screamed running, Shey fell over backwards also giving a wail.

Blair was caught unprepared for this, it was horrifying to herself seeing her body go up in flames like oil, she screamed and ran! Not caring if the fire didn't burn her, the very experience supernatural to her and she was terrified beyond reason! She ran to the safest place she could think of, her mother! But her mother ran from her!

"Help...!!? Someone help me!" She screamed seeing even her father ran from her, the tents she passes set on fire, the grass for the horses, the wood for the fire, no matter where Blair ran to the fire followed her! Setting ablaze everything she passed, until she stumbled and fell into a water bucket, the fire doused out, steam emitted from her with a hiss, even the horses 'neyhed' and ran into the dark.

"She's a witch! We need to end this now!" One of the tribesmen yelled slapping at the flames with a hide.

Blair sat up in the bath, it wasn't even cold, regardless of the snow falling all around them.

"An omen! Abomination!"

Blair started crying, the words themselves she couldn't understand, but she didn't like the faces that went with them, it clearly told her, that she was now not welcome, more than ever.

"Get her!"

Blair made no attempt to flee, she got yanked from the water and tied by her wrists.

"Lets go, to the altar!"

Another term Blair didn't understand yet, in her mind she will now receive her punishment, and the rest of her days will be in total isolation, no one would ever befriend her now, no one could love her.

At the large stone her tribe gathered, they in did the ropes around her wrists, then one man picked her up onto the altar, then spread her arms and legs, tying them down.

'You are in danger child, call on me!'

"No" Blair said in her mind "You are dangerous, I am in danger from you"

'You don't understand!'

Blair closed her eyes, she didn't care of fire anymore, she was tied here as her punishment, she will probably be left here in the cold, for days on end, until the tribe decides she's had enough.

Then the piercing pain!

Blair opened her eyes suddenly her mouth wide gasped, the blade in her heart, deep, thoroughly in!

"Wha...!" She couldn't speak what is this!? Is this death? Is this what the elk feels when the arrow hits it!? Is this the pain!? No! How cruel! Blair felt weaker and weaker, then dropped her head, it wasn't slow, it wasn't quick either, but she had no energy, her last glance down to the knife... That one given to her pa, by the western settlers! Said to be coated in silver! What... Is... Silver...?

"Hush...

There is one, thing, no one could ever explain, is why an adult would kill, a child...

You did not deserve this young Blair..."

She opened her eyes, a space far, wide, beautiful and brilliant, stars around her so bright she was in awe at it all, her eyes never found a pinpoint, everything needed to be seen, and it was too wide to comprehend it all.

"Where? Am I? This place is amazing!" She said with a smile broad on her face.

"This is the Astral plains child, where the spirits of your ancestors dwell, and the spirits of the animals who left the living"

Blair looked down, but her smile instantly vanished when she saw the gigantic wolf stand off one side, it turned and slowly walked to her, making her back off as now it got bigger still, so big Blair couldn't get her into her perspective, she only bucked her neck to look up at the purple eyes that sat high in the sky.

"Oh no! Please don't eat me!"

The female voice of the wolf laughed softly "Be calm Blair, I will not eat you"

She swallowed "O, ok?"

"You came here because of your gift, your ability to hear the elements, you are one in a billion people over hundreds of thousands of years that can hear these elements, but unfortunately there was no reason for you to have it, there was no reason yet for you to be able to hear the voices of them, and unfortunately that caused you to meet an untimely death"

Blair didn't quite understand it, she was only ten years old, how should she?

"There is a threat that looms over the living Blair, and you are one of the chosen few that was brought forth by the astral plains, in order to protect the living"

"Protect? From what?"

"Spirits, unrested, unsettled and also from the Astral plains"