Chapter 12: Mazie

12

MAZIE

T he water's gentle babble was like a private serenade, just for me. I dangled my bare feet in the cool stream. The sun warmed my skin and made the surface of the water sparkle as if it were sprinkled with diamonds. Nature had always been my go-to when the world got too loud, too flashy, too much. Here, surrounded by whispering trees and soft grasses, I could just be me—no filters, no hashtags, just the girl who sometimes wondered where she truly belonged.

I was lost in thought when movement caught my eye—a flash of mousy brown against the vibrant greens. A young girl was sitting alone on the other side of the stream. Her knees hugged tight to her chest. Her hair, an untamed cascade of locks, was thrown into loose pigtails that seemed more like an afterthought than a fashion statement. Something about her stillness among the rustling leaves tugged at something inside me.

Curiosity nudged me to my feet, and I crossed the distance between us with a cautious grace. "Hey, I'm Mazie. Mind if I join you?" I called out gently, not wanting to startle her.

She looked up, and I was struck—not by the expected youthful innocence—but by the depth in her big, brown eyes. They were the eyes that had seen too much, carried stories in their corners, and carried wisdom far beyond their years. There was a seriousness to her maturity that seemed at odds with the playful pigtails.

"Kayla. Hi," she replied, her voice a delicate mix of melancholy and warmth.

"It's nice to meet you, Kayla," I said, settling beside her but giving her space. "It's a beautiful day, isn't it?"

She nodded, her gaze returning to the stream as if it held answers to questions I hadn't asked. I watched her, this slip of a girl with the demeanor of someone who knew pain, who understood loss. And right then, I knew—I wanted to understand her story, to offer a piece of the solace that nature had given me so many times before. There was more to this girl, Kayla, and I felt an unexpected pull to discover the heart behind those old-soul eyes.

"Skipping stones?" I offered, picking up a flat pebble and flicking it across the water's surface. It hopped three times before sinking, sending ripples out like whispers of a secret being told.

Kayla's eyes flickered with a brief spark of interest. "I used to be pretty good at that," she confided, a ghost of a smile touching her lips.

"Used to be?" I teased, nudging another stone her way. "Sounds like a challenge."

She hesitated, then gave in to the moment, her throw smooth and practiced—five skips, each one a perfect leap. "Wow," I said, genuinely impressed. "You've got skills."

"Thanks." Her voice was soft, but I caught the hint of pride. "My dad taught me."

"Your dad," I echoed, careful not to push too hard. "He must have been quite the stone-skipping master."

The mention of her father seemed to open a door, and Kayla's guard dropped a fraction. "He was great," she murmured, her fingers tracing circles in the dirt. "Both my parents were. They loved nature. We'd camp, hike, do all sorts of outdoor stuff together."

"Sounds amazing," I said, keeping my tone light even as I sensed the shadow of loss behind her words. "Do you still go hiking and camping? "

"Not really. Not since..." She trailed off, her gaze anchored to the stream as if the flowing water could wash away the weight of her following words.

"Since when?" I prompted gently, allowing her to share whatever she wanted to.

"Since they were killed," she uttered so softly it was nearly lost in the rustle of leaves around us. "Hunters. They thought my parents were just animals."

My heart clenched, a knot forming in my throat as I absorbed the raw pain laced through her simple statement. The world can be brutal, and I was sitting next to a girl who had experienced that truth firsthand.

"Kayla, I am so sorry," I whispered, my losses resonating with hers, amplifying the ache in my chest. "That's an awful thing for anyone to go through."

She pulled her knees to her chest, wrapping her arms around them. "Yeah," she breathed, a single tear breaking free to trace a path down her cheek. "But I guess I've learned that life goes on, even when you don't want it to."

"Life's stubborn like that," I agreed, resisting the urge to wrap her in a hug. Instead, I plucked another stone from the ground, offering it to her as a distraction and a symbol of continuity. "Want to teach me how to get more than three skips?"

A small laugh escaped her, and she accepted the stone. "Sure," she said, her voice steadier. "Just watch closely."

As we threw stones and talked about trivial things—like the best type of sneakers for running from trouble or the tastiest way to cook marshmallows—there was a healing kind of magic in the air. Nature has that power, I thought. To comfort, two blind strangers together over the shared loss and find friendship. And maybe, just maybe, to help a broken girl skip stones again.

"Look at that one," I said, pointing to a stone that skimmed across the stream's surface, bouncing six times before sinking into the murky depths. "Six skips! You're a natural."

Kayla's laugh was like the tinkling of wind chimes, delicate yet resonant in the quiet of the woods. "You're doing great, Mazie. It just takes time."

"I'm just thankful for the great company," I quipped with a wink, but my heart swelled watching the joy dance in her eyes—a stark contrast to the sorrow they held moments ago.

"Thank you... for listening," she said, her gaze dropping to the pebbles between her feet.

"Anytime, kiddo." I scooped up another handful of stones and offered them to her. "Everyone needs an ear now and then. And I've got two that are pretty good at their job."

"Most adults don't..." she trailed off, fiddling with a remarkably smooth stone. "They don't usually care what kids have to say."

"Most adults forget they were kids once," I shrugged, tossing another stone. That's a big mistake. Kids see the world without all the messy filters."

"Filters like what?" Kayla asked, a curious tilt to her head.

"Like fear, prejudice, or too many bad experiences," I explained. "Sometimes, those things cloud judgment, make it hard to see what's important."

"Like skipping stones and eating marshmallows?" Her voice was playful, but there was a weight behind the words.

"Exactly like that." I smiled.

Our moment of shared understanding was abruptly shattered by the sound of snapping twigs and the rustle of leaves. We both turned toward the disturbance to find Raylene Thompson emerging from the shadows of the trees, her stern expression cutting through the tranquility like a knife.

"Kayla Jenkins!" Raylene's voice boomed across the clearing, her gray eyes zeroing in on Kayla with an intensity that made me uneasy.

"Raylene,"Kayla responded, standing up quickly and dropping her collection of stones. The joy had vanished from her face as if wiped clean by fear.

"Running off again?"Raylene's tall frame towered over us. Her silver hair pulled back so tight it might have contributed to her sour mood. She grabbed Kayla's arm with more force than seemed necessary and yanked her a step closer. "How many times must I tell you not to wander off?"

"Sorry,"Kayla mumbled, her eyes fixed on the ground.

I stood, brushing off my jeans, feeling my protective streak flare up. "She was just?—"

"None of your concern,"Raylene said sharply, silencing me with a glare that could freeze fire.

The air tingled with tension, and I could feel the unspoken questions piling up between us like logs waiting for a spark. Who was this woman to Kayla, and what gave her the right to handle her with such brusqueness? I bit back my retort, sensing that now was not the time.

"Come,"Raylene commanded, and without another word, she steered Kayla away, leaving me alone by the stream with a hollow feeling in my stomach and an unshakeable sense of unease.

Confusion swirled within me as I watched Raylene's rigid back march Kayla away from the serene bubble we had created by the stream. A pang of concern gnawed at my insides, urging me to follow despite my better judgment. The way Raylene's fingers dug into Kayla's arm seemed less like guidance and more like a vise—tight and unyielding.

"Raylene, wait!"I called out, my voice more potent than I felt.

They stopped, and Raylene turned her head, a silver-haired sentinel in the dappled sunlight. Her eyes narrowed slightly, scrutinizing me with a look that could strip paint from wood.

"Is everything okay?"I asked, trying to keep my tone light despite the hammering of my heart. "Kayla's not in any trouble, is she?"

"Trouble? With you?"Raylene's voice dripped with condescension. "Hardly."

"Are you her mother?"The words tumbled out before I could stop them, driven by a wild hope that maybe this was just some family squabble I'd blundered into.

Her reaction was swift: a firm and final shake of the head. "No,"she said curtly.

That solitary word hung between us, heavy with implications I couldn't grasp. My gaze flickered to Kayla, whose big, brown eyes met mine momentarily, a silent plea echoing within their depths.

"Then who?—"

"Questions are a dangerous pastime, Mazie Green,"Raylene interrupted, her voice low and threatening. "Some stones are better left unturned."

With that cryptic warning, she turned on her heel, propelling Kayla forward with an urgency that seemed to brook no argument. I watched them disappear among the trees, a knot forming in my throat.

"Careful, Mazie,"I muttered to myself. This situation looks sticky." But even as I said it, I knew my curiosity wouldn't let this go—not when Kayla's sad eyes seemed to haunt me, pulling at a thread inside my chest I hadn't known was loose.

"Kayla, I said we're going!"Raylene's voice cracked like a whip through the serenity of the forest, breaking the spell of our shared solitude. I watched, aghast, as she reached for Kayla's arm, her grip firm enough to make the girl wince.

"Ow, Raylene, you're hurting me,"Kayla protested, her voice small but laced with defiance that seemed to come from somewhere deep within, somewhere wounded.

"Then listen when I speak to you,"Raylene snapped back, not an ounce of softness in her tone. It was all edges, hard and cold, like the steel-gray of her eyes.

I stepped forward instinctively, my heart pounding against my chest. "Hey, there's no need for that,"I said, my voice steadier than I felt. "She's just a kid."

Raylene turned her gaze on me, and I could almost feel the chill coming off her in waves."This is none of your concern,"she said, but Kayla's big brown eyes swimming in unshed tears told me it was exactly my concern.

"Kids need understanding, not..."I gestured helplessly at Raylene's vice-like hold, "...this."

"Your world of coddling and hashtags doesn't apply here,"Raylene retorted, her lip curling. "You know nothing of our ways. "

"Maybe not,"I admitted, "but I know about compassion. And whatever 'ways'you're talking about, they shouldn't leave room for making a little girl scared and hurt."

"Scared and hurt is how they survive,"Raylene said, a note of something like anguish flickering behind her icy demeanor before it vanished, hidden beneath layers of frost.

"Survival doesn't mean living without kindness,"I shot back, feeling my anger flare up, hot and fierce. "There has to be another way."

"Enough!"Raylene barked, and this time, her hand flew to Kayla's shoulder, propelling the girl forward so quickly she stumbled.

"Kayla,"I called out, reaching towards her, but they were already moving away, Kayla's small frame nearly swallowed up by Raylene's tall shadow. My hand fell to my side, useless.

"Come on,"Raylene's voice trailed back to me, a command that brooked no argument. But Kayla's eyes lingered on mine for a split second longer, her silent message clear: Help.

"Dammit,"I muttered, watching them vanish down the path. This needed to be corrected. This couldn't be right.

"Okay, Mazie,"I murmured, taking a deep breath to calm the storm inside. "Time for some answers."

And with that, I made up my mind. I might not have known much about umbra shifters or the complexities of their pack dynamics, but I did learn one thing: I couldn't just stand by and watch a child suffer. Raylene might be a force to reckon with, but I had always been a sucker for a cause, especially one that looked at me with eyes that echoed the loneliness I knew all too well.

I marched through the woods, my boots crunching against the fallen leaves, each step fueled by a cocktail of concern and determination. The image of Kayla's wide, frightened eyes wouldn't leave my mind. It was like they were etched onto the insides of my eyelids, haunting me.

"Hey!"I called out as Ajax's hulking frame came into view. He was doing something with a large pile of logs, his back to me, muscles flexing beneath his flannel shirt. Even when moving lumber around, he looked like he could grace the cover of an outdoorsy romance novel. But there was a better time to get distracted by the rugged umbra animal magnetism.

He turned at my voice, those piercing blue eyes locking onto mine. "Mazie? What's wrong?"Concern laced his voice, and that soft side was peeking through despite the authoritative exterior.

"Raylene,"I started, my words tumbling out in a rush. She was... Her grip on Kayla was rough, and there was zero warmth. That's not normal, right?"

Ajax set the log down and wiped his hands on his jeans before walking over to me. His presence alone seemed to calm the jittery squirrels in my stomach. He had that effect—solid like the trees that surrounded us.

"Tell me exactly what happened,"he said, his gaze steady.

I recounted the scene by the stream, how Raylene's stern expression had morphed into outright anger, and how she'd grabbed Kayla so carelessly. By the end, my hands were shaking—not from cold but pent-up frustration.

Ajax listened without interruption, nodding occasionally. When I finished, he sighed, a deep sound that seemed to come from the earth we stood on.

"Raylene has always been... gruff, especially with the young ones. It's not uncommon for umbra parents to be strict, to prepare their cubs for the harsh realities they might face,"he explained, scratching the back of his neck.

"Strict is one thing,"I countered, crossing my arms over my chest. "But that didn't look like tough love to me. That looked like someone about to snap."

"Her methods are less pleasant than most, I'll give you that."Ajax'sgaze shifted away, scanning the tree line. But Raylene is fair. She's taken on the role of guardian for many of our orphans, including Kayla. It's not easy; she does it without asking for anything.

"Fair doesn't feel like the right word when a kid looks at you with eyes screaming for help,"I said, the image of Kayla's gaze burning behind my lids again .

"Kayla's had a hard life, Mazie. Raylene pushes her because she knows what it takes to survive. And survival isn't always pretty."

I chewed on my lip, considering his words. They made sense in a twisted, umbra logic way. But they didn't sit right in the pit of my stomach.

"Thanks, Ajax,"I finally said, my voice softer. I just needed to understand. I wanted to make sure she's okay."

He nodded, a silent promise passing between us: "I get it. Your heart's in the right place. Just remember, our world isn't straightforward. You're still learning the ropes."

"Complicated seems to be my middle name lately,"I quipped, forcing a smile. But inside, the turmoil hadn't settled. Not by a long shot.

I left Ajax with a nod, my boots crunching over the forest floor as I returned to the stream where I'd first spotted Kayla. The peaceful burble of water did nothing to soothe the whirlpool of emotions churning inside me. Had I just stuck my nose in where it didn't belong? Raylene's icy glare was etched into my memory, and the thought that I might have made an enemy out of her sent a shiver down my spine that had nothing to do with the evening chill.

"Great, Mazie,"I muttered to myself. "Way to go. Make friends with the umbra cub and piss off the grizzly."Sarcasm was my shield, but it was flimsy against the onslaught of doubt. Raylene wasn't just anyone; she was an elder, a pillar in this bizarre umbra world I'd stumbled into. And here I was, still fumbling around like a toddler taking her first steps.

I perched on a rock by the stream, where Kayla had been sitting earlier. Her pigtails, her big brown eyes—she looked so vulnerable, yet there was a steeliness to her that both intrigued and worried me. "You don't need another project, Mazie,"I scolded myself. But who was I kidding? My heart had always been a sucker for the underdog, and if Kayla wasn't one, I didn't know who she was.

"Complicated"didn't even begin to cover it. Making friends in a new town was tough enough without adding supernatural politics. I realized then that I was alone here, an outsider among umbra's. The irony wasn't lost on me .

The rustle of leaves announced the night's approach, and with it, a blanket of uncertainty settled over me. What was I doing here? Was I cut out for this life? The questions swirled like the leaves in the autumn wind, leaving me more unsettled than ever.

"Survival isn't always pretty,"Ajax's words echoed in my head. Maybe he was right. Perhaps I needed to toughen up. But at what cost?

"Guess we'll find out, won't we?"I whispered to the trees, the only witnesses to my inner turmoil. The first stars peeked out from the darkening sky as I stood, shaking off the residue of my contemplation. Tomorrow was another day, and I vowed not to let fear dictate my actions.

As I walked home, the last light fading behind the mountains, I couldn't shake the feeling that my bond with Kayla—and whatever was brewing with Raylene—was far from over. It was like standing at the cliff's edge, not knowing whether the next step would send me soaring or tumbling down into the unknown.

"Here's to hoping for wings,"I said to the evening star before slipping into the sanctuary of shadows and the quiet promise of tomorrow.

Stepping into the kitchen, I noticed the room was empty, save for the ticking clock and a note on the fridge that read, "Gone hunting. Don't wait up."

"Great,"I muttered. "It's another cozy evening alone."I snatched an apple from the bowl on the counter and sank my teeth into it, relishing the crisp sound more than the taste. It would be one of those nights—quiet and reflective—where your company feels like a crowd.

"Okay, Mazie,"I addressed my reflection in the toaster, "you've got two choices: wallow in self-pity or do something productive."The Mazie in the chrome smirked back at me, her eyes challenging.

"Productive it is,"I announced, tossing the apple core into the compost bin and heading for the living room. Books were strewn across the coffee table, representing my scattered thoughts. I picked up a romance novel, its cover featuring a chiseled hunk with a penchant for plaid and axes.

"I hope it's heavy on the smut and light on the angst,"I quipped to the empty room, then groaned. "Talking to myself. Great sign, Mazie. Peak sanity achieved."

I couldn't shake the image of Kayla's face when Raylene had appeared earlier, the way her eyes had dimmed like headlights in fog. Despite my best efforts, concern knotted in my stomach, twisting tighter with each thought of the young girl's situation.

"Focus on the hunky lumberjack,"I instructed myself, flipping open the book. But the words blurred before me, sentences running together like they were late for something I hadn't been invited to.

"Ugh, useless."Tossing the novel aside, I stood up, restless energy propelling me towards the window. Outside, the trees stood like silent sentinels against the night sky, their leaves whispering secrets I yearned to understand. I couldn't see Ajax, but I wished he was beside me.

"Maybe you're not cut out for umbra politics,"I told the nearest maple, whose branches swayed noncommittally. "But if there's one thing I know, it's how to stand my ground—even if that ground is shaking like a leaf blower in a tremor."

The thought brought a smile to my lips, a reminder that humor could be my shield, even against the likes of Raylene. With newfound resolve, I headed upstairs to my room, plotting my next move in this strange new world that had claimed me as its own.

"Tomorrow, Raylene,"I said, slipping beneath the covers and turning off the light. We're going to chat—and I'm bringing my A-game."