Lost Paradise

The water was cool and refreshing as Arrow tilted her head back to wet her hair and lathered up to wash with a handmade soap with a rosemary aroma. She lathered up her thick red gleaming curls and smiled in relaxation at the simple action; it felt nice to be clean. She washed it out, taking her time as she listened to the bird's of paradise caw over ahead and all around her, hearing the village children laughing and bustling about not far away. The waves gently lapped at her body created a relaxing surrounding.

A tiny cry from the beach brought her from her reverie as she lifted her head and pushed her hair out of the way. On the beach sat her growing friend who was now the size of two footballs and looking like an awkward teenager with tufts of fur sticking out on his forehead. His blue eyes were trained on her figure as he tested the water and jerked back after getting his paw wet and cried out again, calling her back to the shore.

Laughing, she squeezed the access water from her hair as she waded toward the beach where she ruffled his fur fondly and stepped onto the sand to grab her towel and dry off. She heard her name being called and turned to see Isola walking toward her with a smile, waving her hand in greeting and returned it.

"Washing up, are you? Good idea, you were starting to smell something fierce," she teased with a wrinkled nose and Arrow rolled her eyes and nudged her with her elbow as the young woman laughed. Bending down, she gave some of her love and attention to the always eager Theo and straightened with a sigh, gazing out over the ocean.

"It's such a beautiful day. What do you say we take a stroll around the island? There are many hot spots you've never seen before," she said with a wink and Arrow grinned.

"Sure, that sounds great! What do you think Theo?" she asked, gazing down at her friend as Isola went silent. "Still not talking, huh?"

Looking up, she saw Isola staring out over the ocean with wide eyes of fear, her golden features deathly pale; she seemed frozen in time. Confused, Arrow followed her gaze and blinked when she saw a ship sailing in their direction. Her heart gave an unsteady thump, sensing that something was wrong. They weren't usual sailers. In the next instant, she was slammed with an unseen force and the world flashed before her eyes.

She saw the ship inching closer until a loud blast sounded and a black cannon ball slammed onto the beach, spraying sand. Arrow cried out in surprise and Isola grabbed her arm tightly and dragged her away from the beach. More blasts ensued as they rushed into the panicking village and a hut was blown to pieces. Both women shielded themselves with their arms from the spray of debrie and continued on until they found the Chief and Talon with all the men, the warriors armed and ready to protect.

A whistling sounded as another cannon landed on Amil and Honora's home, crushing it to pieces and heard Honora cry out in horror.

"Rayne!" she shrieked and Arrow realised that her daughter had been inside the hut. Feeling sick and confused, she grabbed Theo tightly against her chest and followed Isola and Honora to the safety of the forest while the battle ensued.

Women and children were huddled together in the deepest part of the forest crying and embracing each other through their tears. Arrow stared at the once happy faces filled with horror and sorrow. Her heart tightened when she saw the animals gathering around the humans ready to protect on land.

"How is there a ship sailing on the ocean?" she asked Honora over the blasts destroying the village and the woman stared at her with heartbreaking eyes.

"There is another island protected by the Barrier. It is an island for rogues, pirates if you wish," she breathed and was unable to speak anymore, for she collasped into tears and Isola knelt beside her for comfort and to console. She had lost her daughter.

Curious and angry, Arrow set Theo on the ground and rushed away from the group, tearing through the forest until she came to a high raised cliff and overlooked the ocean. There she saw the ship had gotten closer and saw the people aboard. Just like the fairytales, the pirates were dressed in dirty tunics and trousers with piercings, crooked teeth and shaved heads. The leader stood tall and mighty at the head of the ship with his large black hat with a single bright blue feather plume. His hair hung to his shoulders in pitch black against his tanned, weathered skin with eyes as cold as ice and deadly as steel. He was dressed in his finest, a slick black jacket with silver buttons and black trousers and shoes. Resting against his side was a long, deadly sharp sword with a silver handle encrusted with sapphires and aquamarines...

As if she had been pushed, Arrow blinked and found herself standing on the beach beside Isola with Theo down at her feet. His eyes were wide and alert as he stared up at her and she read the fear in them. Whatever she had just witnessed, he had too. Looking to Isola, she saw the familiar look and her heart stuttered unsettling in her chest and she grabbed her arm.

"Isola, we have to get off the beach and warn the village. Those are pirates that live on the separate island, I saw it!" she said hurriedly, but her friend could only stare out over the water at the ship coming closer to the island.

Impatient and afraid, Arrow shook her until she blinked and stared into her eyes with fear. "We have to warn the villagers! It's the pirates!" she cried loudly and saw the understanding in her friend's eyes.

Grabbing hands, together they ran up the beach as fast as they could into the village bustling with life and happy people. Theo ran alongside them and let out a roar when they entered the village. At the sound, everyone turned to stare in surprise but the animals understood and began calling all around the island before the villagers understood and began to panic.

"They are coming! Women and children, hide in the forest!" Isola shouted as she grabbed a stray child and began to run, herding the others into the depths of the forest while Arrow searched for Amil and Talon. When she found them, she ran over just as the first cannon blasted onto the beach. In that moment, she remembered Rayne and took off, Amil shouting after her.

She bolted through the village, cannon balls falling around her until she reached the hut and found Rayne huddled in the corner, tears streaming down her golden cheeks and quickly pulled her to her feet. Together, they rushed out of the hut and made it a few feet before the entire home was blown apart. Arrow felt wooden splinters pelt her flesh, spreading a burning pain throughout her body but she grit her teeth and pulled Rayne toward the warriors rushing over.

"Rayne, thank god!" Amil breathed as he gathered his hysterical daughter into his arms while Arrow tried to catch her breath. Theo rowled, his paw touching her leg with concern as she swayed dizzily.

Talon looked up from his sister just as Arrow began to fall. He bound over and grabbed her in his arms before she hit the ground and shouted to his father. Rayne was passed off to a close friend and Amil rushed over and knelt down beside the young woman who stared up at them, confused and injured.

"It hurts..." she whimpered as Amil lifted her arms and checked her body until he saw the dripping blood on the sand and his eyes widened.

"Splinters from the hut when it shattered. She's badly injured. We need your mother and quickly," he said to Rayne who had regained her composure and took off into the forest to seek out her mother.

Arrow watched the clouds roll by, her hearing faint from the blast and felt oddly drugged. Talon and Amil's faces rested before her with worry, their mouths moving but she heard nothing but the sound of her own heartbeat. A paw touched her face and a cold nose touched under her jaw.

Arrow? Arrow...can you hear me?

Finding the strength to turn her head, she was captured in a set of very blue eyes filled with worry and fear. His fangs flashed with a call but she heard nothing. Confused, she began to wonder if the voice had come from her little friend.

Arrow, can you hear me? Please snap out of it! Please be okay! The voice belonged to that of a young teenage boy on the verge of adolesence.

Theo? She stared deep into the depthless blue eyes and saw the pure joy and love filled in the heart of them.

You're okay! What happened?

She watched as he sniffed her arms and her torso before running his tongue over the wounds to clean off the blood and she winced.

The hut...Rayne was still in there

You saved her, Arrow. That was very brave of you, I'm so proud He continued to clean all of her wounds until Honora arrived and Arrow managed a weak smile as her surroundings came back to her, the noise now quiet and calm as the ship had disappeared.

"I can hear him, Honora. My little Theo can communicate with me now," she said lovingly, feeling dazed as she reached over and stroked his head affectionately.

Honora overlooked her body and shook her head, tears cascading down her cheeks at the sight before her.

"You suffered grave injuries to save my daughter. Thank you, Arrow, thank you so much for saving my child," she said through tears, holding her hand close to her heart and Arrow watched in surprise as the woman kissed it repeatedly and felt oddly touched.

"I saw it..." she said hoarsely and focused on their faces. "I saw it happen before it actually happened..."

Everyone staring down at her exchanged a glance before staring down at her in surprise.

"You saw the ship coming before it even came?" Amil asked, astonished and Arrow managed to nod her head before wincing at the pain that burned through her body.

Honora rested a hand on her husband's arm, her eyes wide. "She had a vision, Amil...she had a premonition!" she whispered hurriedly.

"That would mean..." he said, confused as he looked down at Arrow and realisation dawned and his mouth opened in amazement. "This is huge."

Arrow, too confused and exhausted from the pain, tried to listen to more but everything went black before she could hear the rest.

Sleep well, Arrow. I'll be waiting for you when you wake up...