This is a Story-outline for the novel I am presently working on. This short story will be expanded to cover many more weeks and will include many chapters between the last 2 scenes (where Star developes her Telapathic ability which is barely noticable in this story unless you are looking for it). E-mail me with any suggestions/critiques. As long as they are constructive, give me a reason why, I can handle negative critiques.

I now present to you "She Flies With Her Own Wings" written/last updated on May 17, 2001.

"She Flies With Her Own Wings"

Sunlight poured through a small opening in the trees, showering upon a dark haired girl. Star leaned down and picked up yet another rock for her collection. She put the gray rock into the pocket of her leather jacket and continued east toward home. Within the next sunspot she saw another rock, this time green, among the pine needles, twigs, and leaves. While leaning down to pick it up, she heard a high pitched squeaking noise. She listened for a bit. A mouse. It sounds like a mouse, she thought. She tucked the little rock away in her pocket and headed toward the sound. It wasn't far off; maybe ten yards or so. She pushed her way through the undergrowth until she came to a clearing. Across the center of the clearing was the large trunk of a fallen tree. Sitting upon the trunk was an overgrown mouse struggling to get its leg unstuck from a crack.

"Calm down little one," Star said to the frightened mouse as she walked toward it. It froze and stared at her with wild eyes. "Easy. I'm gonna help you, so don't bite me, okay?" She knelt down beside the log and slowly put her hand over the mouse's back. The mouse stayed still. With her other hand she gently pushed the stuck leg back to a wider part of the crack and pulled it free. "Let me see if it's hurt," she told the mouse as she picked him up.

While examining the mouse's leg, a large shadow began to creep up behind Star. Slowly, the shadow overtook her own and continued to grow. When it stopped advancing, the shadow was almost twice her height. The mouse looked up from its nest in Star's hands and stared at the large creature.

"Dinnerrr," came a throaty purr. The mouse squeaked once, leaped from Star's hands, and scurried under the log. Star turned to face a large beast. Brown feathers covered its hawk like head and continued down to broad shoulders where two large powerful wings were connected to its body. The creature's front legs were covered in a scaly dark skin and ended in long sharp talons. A lighter brown fur covered the back and continued down thickly muscled hind legs. The hind legs ended in large feline claws that were about the size of Star's head. From her position, Star could see a mighty lion's tail swaying back and forth. She could also see a hint of a short feathered tail. Star stared up into the gryphon's eyes.

"Griff!" she yelled at the creature. "Why did you do that? I was making a friend."

The gryphon lowered his head, flattening his feathered ear tufts in apology.

"I'm sorrry," he replied turning his head to the right a bit. "I brrrought you thisss." He picked up a large round stone with his talons. Star relaxed her stern glare and took the large rock in both hands. Within moments her attention was completely focused on the rock, examining its every nook and cranny.

"Thanks!" she told the gryphon. "I'll bring it to the fort tomorrow." Star looked up to the sky to locate the sun. "We better get home or we'll be late and Mom will get mad."

Star and Griff made their way back to the main path and continued heading east.

"Momma, Momma, guess what!" Star yelled as she entered her house.

"I'm busy dear. Tell me later," came the reply from the kitchen. Star hurried into the kitchen and jumped onto a stool near the stove. Standing at the sink, on the opposite side of the room, was a dark haired woman peeling freshly picked carrots. Star could tell they were just picked from the dirt that still clung to her mother's normally spotless apron.

"But Momma, guess what!"

"Go set the table, Star. The boys should be back shortly and dinners almost ready."

"But Momma . . ." Star's mother dropped the carrot she was peeling into the sink and slowly turned toward her only daughter.

"Go set the table, Stardust. Now!" Star scrambled off the stool and back into the living room where the sideboard and dinner table sat. She grabbed the stool that was next to the sideboard and placed it in front of the old wooden heirloom. She stepped up and opened the top drawer. Inside were a stack of six ceramic plates and six sets of newly bought silverware. Retrieving these items, Star placed them around the table. When finished, she ran back into the kitchen and up onto her little stool.

"Momma, guess what," she tried again.

"Can you take this to the table?" her mother interrupted, handing her a basket of sliced bread. She didn't wait for a reply before she returned to the counter, where a small cooked pheasant sat, waiting to be carved. Star gave up on her mother and returned to the living room with the bread.

Predawn light was visible from Star's second-story window. Inside her room a small oil lamp burned, giving Star just enough light to read the weekly paper. Her mother had required she read bits of it every day so that she knew what was going on in the Kingdoms and to improve her reading skills. Currently she could read better than her two older brothers who had learned from comic books. Her mother wouldn't let her make the same mistake even though it would be a lot more fun. This week the main story was about a psychic's prediction that a war was going to start soon. The psychic didn't know which kingdoms were going to be involved in the war but she did know that it would be in the west. Star paid some attention to this article since she lived in one of those western kingdoms and close to its southern border. She soon forgot the issue as she turned to the "Pets For Sale," section.

As true dawn came about, Star put down the paper and opened her window to let in the chilly air and the smell of the forest. She stuck her head out the window, shut her eyes, and took a long deep breath.

"What doing?" came a purr from a few feet below. Star kept her eyes shut, ignoring Griff. "Come play?" he tried instead. At that, Star looked down at him.

"Let me get my jacket and the rocks," she said as she moved back into her room. She grabbed her leather jacket and a backpack which she had placed the large rock in. Next to her window was a long knotted rope with one end attached to the foot of her bed. She grabbed it with both hands and threw it out the window. She climbed up onto her windowsill and down the ten feet to the ground.

"We rrrace?" Griff asked.

In response, Star started running for the trail into the woods. Behind her she could hear the flapping of wings and was almost knocked over by the powerful wind gust. She looked up while running. "No fair flying!" she shouted as Griff disappeared over the tree tops. She kept running even though she knew she had no chance of catching up.

While running along the trail Star noticed a section of brush that was crushed. She stopped and examined the wounded shrubs. Some creature, most likely human or humanoid, had passed through here since yesterday afternoon. Looking closer she found a scrap of navy blue fabric with gold stitching. Her curiosity was piqued by this little scrap and she decided to follow the crushed trail into the thick woods.

Whoever had come through here had tried to hide their trail but didn't do a very good job of it. Star used the tracking skills her father and Griff had taught her and slipped through the brush as silent as a deer. Soon she came upon a small encampment. Ducking down and peering through the branches of a bush, Star examined the camp. On the right were two small tents made of navy blue cloth. The two tents looked as if they could hold two people comfortably and three if needed. In the center was a small campfire, hot embers still glowing, around which were large logs to use as seats. On the left was a much larger dome-shaped tent, also made of navy blue material. A flag hung on a pole above the tent. It was of the same navy blue material and had a bald eagle above a shield embroidered in gold. Below the shield was the number "1859," and above the eagle were the words "Kingdom of Oregon." Oregon!? The Oregonians shouldn't be in Washington! Star's mind was racing, telling her this could not be, she must be imagining it.

The bushes at the other end of the encampment parted and two men carrying piles of wood stepped into the clearing. The men stacked the wood near the fire, then went over to the large tent and rang a small bell. "Marshal and Jones reporting, sir," the men said as they saluted the tent. Within a few moments the tent flap opened and a tall, extremely muscular man stepped out.

"Good, good," said the man from the tent, whom Star believed was their Captain. "Chris should be back soon and then we can plan our next move. Both of you clean up and report back."

Star stared at the strangers while confusion filled her mind. She still couldn't grasp the concept of why these men were here. She had never seen Oregonians in Washington before. The two Kingdoms had not been on good terms a long time. A young boy, wearing a day pack and panting as if he had been running for a long time, came through the brush just a few feet away from Star. She held her breath and tried not to move. The boy didn't notice her. He looked to be only a few years older than Star, maybe 12 years old or so. He walked over to the tall man. "Thompson reporting, sir," he said, saluting. The Captain patted the boy on the head. The boy then started walking in circles around the camp to slow his breathing and stretch his muscles .

"Jones. Marshal. Get over here." Jones and Marshal came from behind one of the smaller tents. Both had wet hair and were pulling on their navy blue jackets. The Captain instructed them to move the logs from around the fire to another location. He then disappeared into the large tent for a moment, returning with a roll of paper and a short folding table. The Captain set the table up near the fire pit between the two logs the men had moved. The paper was unrolled on the table with three of the men sitting around it. The boy walked around the camp a few times before taking off his day pack and joining the others.

"Report," the tall man commanded of the boy. The boy stood and saluted.

"Yes, sir, Captain, sir." He placed both arms at his sides and stared straight toward the bushes Star was hiding behind, though his eyes weren't focused. "There is a small dwelling a little under a mile to the west." The boy pointed to a spot on the paper then resumed his stance. "It is inhabited by four children and two adults. The children range in approximate age from seven to fifteen. All are boys except one girl, the second youngest by appearance. The adults number one female and one male. They look to be in their thirties or forties. The male has a muscular build and could be a threat. The house is large as well as the barn. There is a grain field not far from the house which can be harvested in the next month or so. The next closest house is five miles down the main road." The boy saluted again and took his seat.

"This looks to be the most strategic position for our base. Any objections?" the Captain asked his men.

"No, sir," the other three replied in unison.

"Inform the others when they return that we will be departing this evening for this dwelling."

"Yes, sir."

"Dismissed." All four men stood up from the table. Using this distraction Star backed into the woods. When she was certain she was out of range she stood and ran for the trail.

"Wherrre you been?" came a worried cry from Griff as Star neared the fort. She stopped, dropped her pack, and tried to catch her breath. "What happened?" Griff asked as he ran over to her.

"Home . . . danger . . . soldiers . . . Oregon," was all Star could manage. Griff seemed to pick up the urgency in her voice and manner.

"Come," Griff said as he headed into the woods. Star took a deep breath and followed, leaving her pack on the ground.

It didn't take long for them to reach an open area. Griff knelt down. "Get on," he instructed. Star had never ridden on him before; she didn't even know it was possible. Finding nothing to hold on to, she gripped with her thighs like she would on a horse and leaned forward, stretching her arms as far around Griff's neck as she could. Once she was settled, Griff stood up and ran across the meadow. Within moments they were in the air heading toward home.

Star watched as the trees flashed by below them. The ride was enjoyable even with impending danger ringing on her mind and it was over before Star realized it. It hadn't taken even one tenth of the time it had for her to run it. She climbed off Griff's back and ran around the house to the front door.

"Momma!" she yelled as she entered the house. She was met with silence. The lights were all out and a note was laying on the table. Star picked up the note and read it to herself. Her mother had gone to town and wouldn't be back until dinner. Nobody would be home until dinner! She paced across the floor trying to figure out what to do. She could run and get her father and brothers, but it was forbidden for her to go into the fields. Last time she did, she had distracted her oldest brother and he lost control of the machine he was using. The machine had come back at him and chopped up part of his leg. Star's father had been very mad and had threatened to break her leg if he ever came to the field again. All Star could do was wait.

Star was asleep at the table when her mother came home. A gentle shake of her shoulder woke her up. She stretched, a little groggy from her nap and watched her mother walk into the kitchen. Her mind slowly cleared and she remembered why she had come home so early in the first place.

"Momma," she called into the kitchen. Her mother peeked her head back into the living room.

"Yes, dear?"

"Oregon soldiers are planning to come take our house," Star said as she slowly stood. Her mother smiled and shook her head.

"It's just a dream, dear. There aren't any Oregon soldiers for miles and if there were they wouldn't want our farm." Star's mother pulled her head back into the kitchen. Star followed.

"But, Momma, it wasn't a dream," she pleaded.

"I don't want to hear anymore about your fantasies," her mother said firmly. "Now, come and help me bring the groceries in." Star didn't argue any further; the soldiers may be scary, but they didn't compare to her mother when she got mad. Star didn't need two scares in one day.

After helping her mother, Star tried to find Griff again. She looked all over their property and even a little into the woods. After an hours searching she went back inside. "Momma, have you seen Griff?" she asked.

Her mother nodded. "I forgot to send a package to your Aunt Olivia in Olympia so I sent Griff with it." Star stared at her mother open mouthed. The one night she really needed Griff and he was going to be gone.

When dinner came around Star was very anxious and could hardly sit still. She had tried to tell her mother twice more about the soldiers, but she wouldn't listen. Maybe her dad would... A knock at the door stole her opportunity. Her parents looked at each other and shrugged. They both got up from the table and opened the door. Star couldn't see the visitors around the door.

"Excuse the intrusion, my Lady, my Lord," came a man's voice. "My son and I have been traveling and one of our horses went lame. We were planning to stay in town but we don't want to injure the poor creature further. Would it be too much trouble if we stayed with you overnight? We can offer what we would have payed for the inn." Star relaxed. It was only travelers.

"Come in and share our home," Star's mother offered. "We have an extra room upstairs where you can stay. My husband will see to your horses." Star's father nodded at this and disappeared out the door. Star's mother closed the door and watched the men out a window to the left of the door. In a few minutes, she opened the door again and all three men came inside.

"Thank you my Lady," said the hooded traveler as he and his son bowed to Star's mother. Once all the introductions were made the travelers took off their hoods and capes. Star stared at their faces in shock - that was the Captain and the boy! Star stood and pointed at the pair.

"That's them, Momma! They're the men I was telling you about! They're Oregon soldiers!" Her mother's face flushed red and her father stared at her, aghast. Both the strangers wore expressions of shock.

"Stardust, up to your room now. That is no way to talk to guests," her mother scolded her.

"But, Momma-"

"Now!"

Star fled from the table and into the kitchen toward the stairs. "I'm sorry about that. She normally doesn't behave this way," she could hear her mother saying.

Star slammed the door to her room and threw her herself on her bed. Why wouldn't anyone listen to her? She cried into her pillow, cursing her parents for not listening and herself for not standing up to them. She cried herself to exhaustion and finally passed out.

A scream woke her from her dreamless slumber. Star sat up and listened to make sure it wasn't in her dream. Another scream pierced the air. Momma!

Star jumped out of bed and ran down the stairs to the kitchen. Just short of the doorway to the living room she froze. On the floor by the front door was her father's motionless body in a pool of blood. By him were her two older brothers staring at her with sightless eyes. Star stared, unable to move until another scream drew her attention across the room. Three soldiers surrounded her mother and little brother. Her mother was curled up in the far corner with blood trickling from a cut on her cheek. With a bread knife in his hand, Star's little brother stood, protecting their mother. The soldiers were laughing at him. They were treating this like a game! One of the soldiers advanced and her brother slashed with his knife. He missed and was stabbed in the shoulder by one of the other soldiers. The boy fell back and struggled to get back to his feet.

"Gotta save momma. Gotta save momma."

"Damn brat. Out of the way."

"My babies. My poor babies."

"I want her first."

The voices pounded through her head all at once. The strength in Star's legs gave out and she fell to the floor. "No!" she screamed. The men stopped what they were doing and clawed their ears. One of the men fell to the floor with blood flowing out of his ears. Star's brother looked confused at their actions but took the opportunity to recover and launch another attack of his own.

"Sorry."

Star's screaming stopped abruptly as something hard smashed into the side of her head sending her sprawling on the hard wooden floor. She could no longer hear the soldiers laughter or her mother's screams. Everything seemed to be in slow motion. Her vision faded as she helplessly watched her brother receive another blow. Then there was darkness.

A bright light beckoned to Star. She was worm, the breeze was cool, and something was tickling her nose. Star opened her eyes, then shut them again quickly as the morning sun blazed spots into her vision. This made her head hurt a lot. She reached up and felt the side of her head. There was a large bump there and she could feel dried blood. Slowly Star opened her eyes again. She was laying on the forest floor. Her nose was tickled again. She moved a hand to her nose and felt a pillow of feathers she hadn't noticed. Then her pillow moved. "Morrrning," came a sleepy purr from behind her.

"Griff!" Star sat up, turned around and give Griff a big hug. She held the embrace and soon tears were running down his bloody feathers.

Home - Griff's Lair

Copyright 2001, K.C. Ramey. Don't take this without my permission. you can read it but don't steal it as your own. If you want to use it as an example please e-mail me with what you want to use it for. sardogmom@yahoo.com