Twilight: One Foot in Front of the Other

Bored and Restless

“Emmet! It’s good to see you!” Carmen was hugging him even before he was in the house “where is everyone else?”





“Hey Carmen” a boyish grin on his face “I was bored so I came early, they will be here sometime tomorrow”





“I see you have meant our newest member” smiles Carmen looking past him at Shan





“U mm yeah! Quite the surprise,” stammers Emmet as he rubs his neck and smiles boyishly





“O, have I missed something?” Carmen was now looking at Eleazar with curiosity





“It would seem he is enjoying his new found freedom” explains Eleazar rolling his eyes





“Okay in all fairness I didn’t know, it’s not like anyone has said anything” sneaking a quick wink toward Shan, he was still wearing that boyish grin, “I thought I was just saving a cutie lady in distress, not family”





“Lady in distress?” Carmen was still puzzled





“I am afraid I found me self in a bit of a tangle with a very angry momma bear” blushes Shan “Emmet kindly distracted her for me”





“Than proceeded to flirt with her” interjects Eleazar still eyeing Emmet





“I thought it would clam her down, even now her heart is racing” teases Emmet “just trying to be a gentleman and all”





“It most certainly is not!” exclaims Shan stiffing her back in the chair and crossing her legs





“Shanndalynns' heart is always a bit faster and louder than most; you get use to it after awhile, even miss it when she is out. So are you going to compete this year?” smiles Carmen trying to change the subject seeing that it was making Shan nervous





“Yea I want to get in on the wrestling this year, I hear there is a lot of contenders” He was leaning back in the couch with his long legs stretched out and crossed





“I can’t believe how many there are this year, they have been pouring in for the last week,” Comments Eleazar sitting in his chair





“Cool, than the competitions should be challenging, have you entered any?”





“No, not this year, thought I would sit it out and enjoy the company. It has been a long time since we have gotten together just to visit. Plus I am very excited for all of you to get to know Shanndalynn, well almost all of you” answers Eleazar shooting a glance from Emmet to Shan





“Eleazar,” Scolds Carmen giving him a firm look, than turning towards Emmet” the girls are still hunting, so it is just the four of us this evening, is there something you would like to do?”





“O don’t worry about entertaining me Carmen, if I get bored I’ll find something to do.” Emmet’s eyes followed Shan as she left the room, “So is she always this quite?”





“She is a little shy until she gets to know you” Smiles Carmen





“Thought maybe I said something” he was looking very confused at the door she had disappeared though and softly comments “she smells different”





“She is different in many ways,” Begins Carmen slowly, “but that is for another time”





“Sure” nods Emmet as he sits up and leans forward “so where did the girls go hunting at?”





“Up on Mt. McKinley. They didn’t want to go far” Eleazar was heading in the direction that Shan had gone when he answered.





“She’s fine, leave her” Carmen quietly comments’, knowing that he was going to drag her back “give her a few minutes”





Stopping only a few feet from the door, he sighs and returns to his chair “ten more minutes” he growls





“Leave her!” hisses Carmen





“She is not going to hide, not while family is here.” Scowling again Eleazar bits back





“U mm did I do something,” Emmet was looking from Carmen to Eleazar





“No, as I said she can be quite shy, you just have to give her some time” even though she was answering Emmet Carmen was looking at Eleazar forcing a smile, hissing the words





Before Emmet had a chance to respond Eleazar was standing up “You baby her too much, she is part of this family”





Deciding that they need some privacy, Emmet headed to the kitchen.





“Hi,” smiles Shan as he came in “they fighting again?”





“AH Yea, You mind if I sit for awhile” pointing to a chair as he chuckled





“Sure, so what is Eleazar mad about?” taking a small drink of ice tea and looking at the table





“I take it they do this a lot?” Emmet was staring at her with his eyebrows raised





“Yea, usually over me” she rolled her eyes and scowled “sorry, Eleazar he is kind of, well I seem to annoy him a lot. We don’t always see eye to eye”





“Why is that” chuckles Emmet with a very devilish grin





“We just don’t” looking up confused as to what was so funny, “this amuses you?”





“Well yea a little bit, I have never seen him so…. Touchy before”





“Touchy?” still confused shaking her head at him





“Never mind” chuckles Emmet “so how long have you been here?”





“A month or so I guess” shrubs Shan, “the others will arrive tomorrow?”





“Others?” not quite following what she was asking





“Your Family,” she was trying to keep busy.





“Yea, they should be here in the afternoon. Sorry but am I making you nervous?” He was watching her as she wandered around the kitchen





“No, just don’t know you” she lifted her right shoulder and gave a little shrug while biting down on her teeth





“I don’t bite, well unless you’re a grizzly” smiling very amused “but if you like I can leave”





“Your okay,” rolling her eyes and sighing a bit at him “just not sure what to say”





“That was meant to make you smile” his smile now gone and dipping his head slightly





“Sorry been a long day” trying to manage a smile, “I wish they would stop fighting, what did I do any ways”





“He thinks your hiding”





“Urge” gritting her teeth and stomping off to the living room “Sorry I just wanted a drink, didn’t realize it was not aloud with family here.” Smirks Shan flopping down in a chair.





“You could have waited until Emmet was more settled” growls Eleazar glaring at her





“He looked settled to me” waves Shan toward the couch where he had been sitting all stretched out “I was thirsty, besides you said to treat them like family not guest”





“I defiantly feel like family” smirks Emmet as he sits back down looking at Carmen “They do this a lot do they?”





“Yes, they both are pig headed” Raising her eyebrow and shaking her head, “Thus the bear problems earlier”





“He always expects the worse” complained Shan waving a pointed finger toward Eleazar





“Just going by the past” countered Eleazar





“Enough! Already! I have had it with both of you” Throwing her hands up in the air “It would be nice to make it though at lest one evening with out the two of you fighting”





“I am finding it very entertaining” chuckles Emmet





“Don’t you dare encourage them” Scolds Carmen





“So glad we can entertain you” scoffs Shan rolling her eyes





“Kind of like dinner theater without the dinner” continues Emmet wearing his boyish grin again





“Ha ha very funny” trying hard not to smile Shan was biting her lower lip





“Why don’t the two of you go have a look around town” suggest Carmen smiling





“Town? Why?” Begins Shan





“Shan!” growled Eleazar





“That sounds fun!” Replies Emmet enthused





“Fine! Let’s go” groans Shan heading for the door, has to be better than spending any more time with grumpy





“Take it your not a be fan of town?” raising his right eyebrow looking down at her as he caught up to her and opened the door





“Not a fan of crowds” wrinkling her nose and sighing





“Crowds, hasn’t any one ever told you that the more the merrier” winks Emmet





“You’re very odd” raising her eyebrows at him and shaking her head a bit





“Why thank you kind lady” waving his hand to her to go though the door





“O Gees! You’re not really that corny are you” throwing a glance toward Carmen who was chuckling





“Stay close to her Emmet” warned Eleazar





“I can take care of me self thank you very much” Responded Shan





“Guess it’s only bears that you need protecting from” grinned Emmet while thinking she is kind of a nice sweet smell, like honeysuckle. Wonder if bees like her? Chuckling to himself





“O no! You’re never going to let me live that down are you?” groaned Shan going though the door between him and Eleazar this is going to be a very long visit





“Nope!” Laughed Emmet following her out





“Emmet!” Softly but sharply Eleazar spoke “I mean it stay close to her, nothing happens to her got it”





“Okay” he had turned to look at Eleazar confused as he closed the door “something I should know” leaning his head in to softly speak to Shan and once again noticing how warm she felt.





“As much as I seem to have annoyed him this week, you would think he rather I got lost” shaking her head speaking seriously but softly





“You really don’t believe that do you” he bumped her arm and was giving his boyish grin again





“No, just annoyed that’s all” smiling Shan bumping him back wow seriously did Carlisle bit a mountain, he is huge, he makes me feel so little





“I have to admit I have never seen him so protective before. It makes me curious, why you chose to come here” He was walking slow looking at her out of the corner of his eye taking in more of her smell and noticing how loud her heart sounded





“A friend told me to come here, said I would be happy here, so here I be” explained Shan thinking he likes to stand close “So where to first”





“Well? Are you happy here?”





“Yea, actually I am, I mean Eleazar and I seem to fight a bit, but yea” smiling and shrugging her shoulders a bit with her hands in her back pockets kicking rocks as she walked trying to distract her self from his closeness “Tanya and I we can fight a bit too but she is cool, Kate other than her being kind of embarrassing with her guy obsessions is sweet, and Carmen well she is very kind.”





“Gee thanks,” playfully pouting Emmet stopped still watching her





“I.e., and of course” very sacristy “Emmet he is well annoy but what can one do”





“Annoying? I save you from a crazed bear and this is the thanks I get. I see how it is now” smiling devilishly





“O please tell me what I can do to get you to forget that” pleads Shan tipping her head up and rolling her eyes





“I will take it to my grave dear lady” flirts Emmet and bumping her again still smiling; dang is she always this warm, and those eyes,





“You’re so corny” chuckles Shan shaking her head,





As they drew near the sounds of people talking and music filled the air. The fields surrounding Denali had large sections marked off with ropes and hay bails for varying events all with long lines of would be contenders. Such events as archery, fencing, sword fights, and martial arts, hand to hand combat, and wrestling were just a few. It defiantly looked and sounded like a festival but yet a tension seemed to hold in the air; the people them selves were all edgy.





“Emmet, is it always this tense?” Quietly asked Shan leaning close to him as they got in line so Emmet could sign up for wrestling





“Yea, that is part of the fun” Smiling he leaned down and whispered back “makes it more intense” while thinking Okay you have got to get hold of your self man, yea she smells good, and yea the warmth is nice but really Emmet she is different, very different according to Carmen what are you thinking man!





“If you say so” still not quiet sure what to make of the tension or the huge crowds





“Well look what the cat drug in” exclaims Tanya while Kate gives Emmet a big hug





“Your back early” smiles Shan relieved to have them there





“Have been for a few hours, we just thought we would be nice and spare you the crowds.” Teases Tanya, she could see it in Shan’s eyes, that the crowd was already getting on her nerves.





“Thanks” moans Shan “Carmen did not share your kindness”





“So where is everyone?” Kate had been looking around for them





“They’re suppose to be here tomorrow” Comments Emmet as he fills out his registration form, “I came early, it was taking everyone too long to get around, I got boarded”





“Did you see the dance tent yet?” Kate had moved to the other side of Shan putting her in between her and Tanya





“Nope” sighed Shan knowing that Eleazar was going to expect her to go “So what have you been up to”





“I signed us up for the hand to hand combat” smiles Tanya waiting to see her reaction





“I didn’t know you were competing Kate? Thought you were planning on camping out at the dance tent” teases Shan





“I’m not” grins Kate while flirting with a guy just down from them O my your very cute now aren’t, perhaps we will dance later





“O No, U uh! You did not! Sputters Shan as she realizes who the we was





“Relax it will be fun, besides it should keep Eleazar off your case” Laughs Tanya





“She will be a little u m at a disadvantage won’t she?” Comments Emmet looking from Shan to Tanya





“O don’t under estimate our little Shan. That could be costly” laughs Tanya “very costly”





“Funny! And what is with the little comments. I am not that little just a wee bit shorter than you all” defends Shan





“Don’t look now but that guy over there is checking you out” Whispers Kate to Shan “I bet he asks you to dance”





“I don’t dance and don’t be setting me up nether, I mean it Kate”





“You don’t or you don’t know how?” asks Emmet





“Both” replies Shan “at lest I don’t think I do anyways”





“Well than tonight we will have to just find out one way or the other” smiles Kate





“You don’t know if you can dance?” Emmet was looking at them very confused





“I thought this was suppose to be fun, not an excuse to touchier me” moans Shan “I don’t want to dance, or compete”





“You really think Eleazar is going to let you sit everything out?” Replies Tanya looking at Shan than turning to Emmet and explains “She does not remember much about things in her past, so some things she has to try first to know if she can do them”





“O, what is with Eleazar any ways, he is acting weird?” continues Emmet still confused





“He is just a little protective of Shan” giggles Tanya





“Little?” repeats Shan sarcastically “He treats me like I be a child” the four of them had headed into town and was talking as they walked.





Town was decorated for the occasion with ribbons and balloons of all shapes and sizes even a huge banner hung across the street “Welcome to Denali”. Street corners held carts full of goods; store fronts lined the side walks with samples and displays. Though one could find every style of dress imaginable from plain and simple to bright and flamboyant, it looked more like a huge family reunion than a festival; everyone had the same pale skin, dark eyes, and beauty. It was becoming more and more obvious that Shan was drawing a bit more attention than any of them wanted. There was lots of comments as to her heart beat, and her smell that was being whispered among the crowd.





“Maybe we should head back home?” Comments Kate the worry strong in her voice





“And let them run us off? No way” scoffs Tanya “if they don’t like it they can leave”





“Perhaps we should until there is more of us around” hissed Kate gritting her teeth “or would you like to explain to Eleazar if a fight brakes out” She had grabbed Tanya’s arm and was pulling her towards the house





“Is this one of those half breeds that we have been hearing about?” the voice came from a olive skinned man of 5’11” black hair, and very muscular. He was staring at Shan, looking very curious.





“I be mixed blood, not a half breed” Hissed Shan drawing herself up into a defensive stand, flanked by Emmet, Tanya and Kate.





“I meant no harm, just curious is all. Don’t get in such a huff. By the way the name is Jeab , perhaps you can hold a dance for me” he smiled a big some what friendly smile.





“Nice to meet you Jeab, guess we will see you around the games” Emmet had moved in between Jeab and Shan, he made it clear the only way to her was going to be though him





“Yea sure” Mocked Jeab move back toward the crowd “like I said meant no harm, just curious”





“Be curious else where” Emmet’s voice was firm as was his glare “She is not an attraction, but a friend of mine”





“Okay, easy. Your friend is kind of cute. Thought I would get my request in early for a dance, I hear there will be a long line” Jeab was chuckling as he disappeared into the crowd.





“A long line? What is that suppose to mean?” repeats Kate





“Nothing” muttered Shan as she turned heading back home “just let it go, and I am not going to any dance”