Chapter 6: The black nightshade

"Hello Griffin! Why did you call us?" I asked puzzled. Today the leaders called us at the castle saying that it's something urgent. "Sorry for disturbing you girls! We've just got terrible news." Hippogriff said in a tense voice. 'Why is everyone so worried? Did something happened?' I asked Spark, hoping to get some answers from her but she is always teasing me. 'Ever saw someone getting worried over nothing! Obviously, something happened! Jeez! You're so dumb!' And there she goes again laughing at me.

"Girls we called you here to tell you that the Dark Orphan bird has finally been found and it will soon get out of the dark lake." Roc came announcing the news. I must admit, that name gives me chills down my spine, even Luna was scared. "Will it attack us as soon as it sees us?" I asked. "It might attack or maybe not!" Roc replied sternly. "You see, Orphan birds are intelligent mythical creatures. It might not attack you but it will surely analyze you!"

"Whatever you do, don't attack unless it attacks you! Attacking it will only make it worse!" Hippogriff warned us. "As soon as you see it, make sure to inform us!" Griffin added. "But where is the dark lake found?" Luna asked. "Hannah do you remember in the forest where you fell unconscious, just a few miles behind you was the dark lake," Roc replied.

'How big is the Dark Orphan bird, Spark?' Spark was as worried as me but I can sense that she is the most worried one because if ever something happens to my body it will be difficult for her to fight in eagle form. 'It's almost the size of Roc!" her voice was filled with disappointment, fear, and sadness as she replied.

"One important thing that you must know! Make sure not to get ripped by those claws because it contains 'black nightshade poison'." Hippogriff frowned. "If you ever get touched or a slight cut by its claws you have to cure it with lavender as soon as possible, otherwise... You know the rest! You'll find lavender in here itself!"

After that, we left the castle. On our way home I kept thinking about what Roc told me before I left. "Maybe the aura of the dark lake made you imagine Jacob as an eagle!" those words that Roc said, it kept repeating in my mind. 'But why am I feeling disappointed?' I said to myself. 'Ahem!! Allow me to explain!'

'Spark!! What do you want to explain now?'

'When you saw Jacob as an eagle, you took him as your mate!'

"What do you mean my mate?!?" that was when I realized, I said that aloud. My face was all red and Luna was somehow happy even though I yelled. As for Spark, she had a huge grin on her face. Believe me, I just know it. "Who is it? Tell me! Tell me! Tell me!" As if Spark was not enough, now my own sister will be after me the whole day. 'This is all because of you, Spark!!' I shouted back at her. 'Hey!! Don't drag me into this! I'm out! See ya! Peace!'

"You didn't tell me who is it? ... Wait!! Is it Jacob?" How did she know? I mean I don't like him I just thought he was my- No wait what am I thinking?!?! "No! We are just friends!!" I said. 'Then why are you red?' that voice again. Spark! "I'm not blushing!" Yikes! I said that aloud again. 'I didn't say you were blushing?' Spark had a huge smirk on her face. "Stop it! We're just friends! I'm going home!"

I was so irritated that I had to transform and fly away. I could feel my face all flushed just before transforming. Luna transformed after me and was flying just behind me. If I only knew all the problems were not yet solved. As we were flying above the trees, I noticed a man with a gun in his hand ready to fire right at me. I decided to change direction but he was able to keep up with me. 'Spark! What do we do?' I called my eagle spirit for help. 'Let me mind link with Crystal to inform her about the hunter!'

After a while, I saw Crystal changing direction to avoid the gun. Now I'm all alone. 'Dummy! You're not alone you still have me! Did you forget about me?' I shrugged at her question. 'Then I guess I should say, WE are alone!' I said. 'I guess so!' she replied.

'Watch out Spark! He's about to fire!'

'I won't be able to dodge it! It's going to come straight at us!' As those words left Spark mouth, I heard the gunshot. We just kept our eyes closed for a few seconds until I noticed that we were not injured. 'Well look who just saved you!!' I turned around to see a dark gray-haired boy, grabbing the man's arm. The man threw his gun and walked away angrily. As I land on a perch, the boy turned to face me.

Just a few seconds later, Luna also came landing one branch away from me to avoid attention. 'Now! You do recognize those eyes don't you?' Spark grinned. He had the same wild sea-green eye color and the same hair color. It was Jacob. 'Hey! Can you hear me?'

'I can hear you Spark! It's just that I'm wondering what he's doing in the woods?' Suddenly I had the urge to fly towards him. 'Hey! What are you doing? Are you crazy? Stay on the branch!' My eagle-spirit was basically yelling at me to return back on that branch but I didn't even listen to a single word. As Jacob saw me flying towards him, he stuck his arm out for me to land on it.

The moment I landed on his hand, made me feel so happy. He didn't seem to recognize me because my eyes were not grey it was brown. He looked at me and gave me a warm smile. I slightly bent my head down telling him to pet it. It didn't took long for him to understand what I was telling him to do. He reached his hands to pet my head. Somehow the way he petted me made feel so good.

A loud and high-pitched call was heard from Luna, telling me we need to go. I flew off his arm and landed on another perch facing Luna, I looked him and then we decided to fly away.

As we reached home, we changed back to ourselves and we wore our clothes. Just as I was about to go get something to eat, Luna came rushing into my room. "What was that all about? If he had discovered our secret what would you do?" just after that, she went into her room. I tried to follow her, wanting to explain but she just slammed the door on me. I looked down feeling guilty about what I did and returned back to my room.

'Come on, let's go get you some food! You must be exhausted after that long flight!' Spark came to talk to me, helping me feel better. "I'm not hungry Spark," I replied. 'But if you don't eat you'll be sick. You need to eat' After a long silence, she finally decided to leave me alone. 'So you're going to sleep?' I nodded sadly and went back to sleep. Luna has never fought with me before and this time she was pretty upset.

The following day, I woke up with a painful headache. 'See I told you to eat! Now you're sick! Don't blame it on anyone it's your fault for not eating!' Even in the morning, Spark doesn't give me some peace. "Shut up Spark! With you talking it's making my head explode even more!" As soon as I got ready, I left my room, meeting Luna at the door. "Sorry about yesterday. I shouldn't have shouted at you!" She gave me a warm smile and we left for school.

By the time we reached school, my headache had already stopped but I was still feeling sick. We entered the class as usual and sat in our seats. A few minutes later, Jacob and Luka came to our desk to talk as usual. I had to turn my face away from him after what happened yesterday. But Jacob kept looking at me. "Why are you looking over there?" He asked. The way he asked me was as if he knew I was with him yesterday.

'Do you even know that you're blushing right now?' Spark interfered. "I'm just sick! Stop bothering me!" As I was talking to Spark, I ended up saying this aloud. "You're sick? Oh no! Is it because of me? I'm so sorry!" Luna literally started freaking out and Luka was trying to calm her down. Jacob kept giving me worried looks. Meanwhile, my illness was getting worse and worse. I was starting to feel light-headed.

'This is not how you should be feeling when you don't eat! Are you sure you didn't touch or eat anything weird?' Spark started getting worried too. 'What do you mean?' I asked her, confused about what she was trying to say. 'No way! Don't tell me! It's the Black nightshade! I can smell the Black Nightshade on you! How did you even touch that and how was I not aware?'

'Are you joking right now?' I asked her. The more I was trying to mind-link with Spark, the more I was feeling weak. 'Do see me joking? Nevermind whatever you do, don't let anyone touch you! Not even Jacob! I'm still not sure if he really is a human or like us! You need to go home now!' I nodded and did what Spark advised me.

"Where are you going?" Luna was about to grab my arm but I quickly moved it away from her and hurriedly walk out of the classroom. As I got out, my legs could not hold me anymore and I fell on the ground. 'Come on get up, you can do it!' I said to myself as I stood up again. Luna was behind me and was about to come near but was stopped by Luka.

I rushed outside the building but was immediately stopped by Jacob. He grabbed my arm and dragged me to the backyard of the school. "What is your problem?" I turned to face him but he immediately ran away. 'Wait what! Why did he ran away?' even Spark was confused after what he did.

'Anyway let's transform!' I flew in the forest towards the castle. In eagle form, I wasn't feeling sick; I won't say that in my other form I'm immune to sickness it's just that this form can handle more pain than my human form. While I was flying Spark saw another eagle.

'Hey that's your dream eagle right?' I looked behind me, noticing the harpy eagle I saw in the forest the last time but he was flying the other way and didn't seem to notice me. 'Forget about him! We need to find the Lavender flowers!' Spark seemed to get carried away as she looked at the branches.

'What happened?' I asked. 'This is where we were yesterday, that branch... It's poisoned with Black Nightshade!' Spark smelt the branch as we passed right beside it. 'You mean when we landed on that yesterday?' I asked. 'Yes!! Now that I realize that, it's already been so many hours, meaning it has already spread on your body but you're lucky it's not inside or you would have been dead!'

As we reached the castle we rushed into a room where there were lots of bottles of lavender. It was in liquid so it was easy to use it. 'You will only need one bottle, so take it and let's go back home.' Spark took the bottle in her beak but before leaving I had to mind-link Griffin to tell him that I took the bottle urgently. In the end, I spent my time at home and I had to explain to mom and dad that I was sick.