Phoenix Secrets

“Fine, fine!” Alanka glanced around, checking to see if anyone besides them was around. “I took it… I stole the eggs.”

Kat smirked. “I knew it! It was you!”

Alanka twisted her purple and black hair into a braid. “They were so pretty! I couldn’t help it!”

“Alanka!” Kat shook her by the shoulders. “Phoenix eggs are precious! You can’t just steal an egg and hope it hatches! They require lots and lots of work.” 

Alanka bit her lip. “I know… But haven’t you ever dreamed of owning one? If it hatched, and I kept it a secret until it’s old enough to hunt, maybe father would let me keep it. Besides, father needed something to catch the mice, and he’s allergic to cats.”

“Are you crazy? He’s never going to let you! And you wouldn’t be able to keep it a secret that long. How would you feed it, anyway?”

Alanka grinned. “I built a hut in the forest a while ago! There’s a river there with plenty of fish, and lots of trees. I could hide the egg there.” 

“And where are you going to keep it warm? Also, what about all the wild animals that might want it for dinner?”

Alanka took Kat’s tan hand. “That’s where you come in.”

Kat rolled her eyes. “You are not talking me into helping you.”

“Please?” Alanka begged. “Pretty please?” 

“You aren’t going to get my help.”

Alanka’s innocent face hardened. “Remember when you told me about your crush?” 

Kat’s mouth dropped. “You wouldn’t.”

Alanka nodded. “Oh, yes. Yes, I would.”

At midnight that night, Alanka and Kat snuck out to the forest. 

“You’re lucky I haven’t told on you.” Kat’s lemon-yellow eyes glew in the darkness. 

Alanka ignored her. “The hut should be around here somewhere…” Every few seconds, she glanced down at her satchel where the egg lay. The phoenix inside had a warm glow that brought light to the egg. 

A branch smacked Kat in the face. “Yowch!” 

Alanka snorted, holding in the laughter that bubbled in her throat. 

Kat rubbed her face. “You are seriously going to pay.”

At last, they reached the hut. Branches were tied together with vines, and staked into the ground for the walls. Then a chipped wood roof was nailed to the top. 

Alanka crouched inside the hut. It was about fifteen-feet long and eight-feet tall. Kat threw down a handful of brush she had collected for a fire. She then placed stones around it. 

Alanka revealed the egg from her satchel, and cradled it in her arms. Her stomach churned. What if their plan didn’t work?

“Alright,” Kat said as she lit the fire. “I stay the night with the egg, and you’ll stay during the day.”

“Right. But just in case I’m gonna have to leave it...” She handed Kat a walky-talky. “If something goes wrong, the code will be cinnamon.”

“Cinnamon?” Kat glared at her.

“Oh, c’mon. You have to admit, cinnamon is delicious.” She placed the egg on top of the crackling fire. 

Kat yawned, watching Alanka pull a quilt from her bag. 

“I have a fishing net over by the river hanging on a tree limb,” Alanka said. “If you get hungry, feel free to use it.”

Kat nodded. “What if I get bored?”

“Amuse yourself with your thoughts.”

Kat crossed her arms.

“I’m joking!” Alanka giggled. “Here.” She took a leather notebook and pencil from her satchel. “You can draw, or take notes, maybe even play some tic-tac-toe with yourself.”

Kat pulled the quilt up over her shoulders. “Just set it by my backpack.”

Smiling, Alanka lay it by her leather backpack. “Remember, if anything goes wrong, say cinnamon.”

Kat nodded, and flipped her walky-talky on. “Got it.”

Alanka then left Kat, wondering if she should’ve taken night duty. Her stomach twisted. What if while Kat slept, something came and ate the egg? What if Kat ate the egg? No, she wouldn’t do that, would she?

After an hour of tossing and turning in her bed, Alanka sat up. Something didn’t feel right, as though leaving Kat was a mistake. 

The cool, nighttime breeze blew through her window. The screech of an owl echoed. Wait. Was that really an owl? Again, the screech rung in her ears. Then came a voice.

“Cinna—” the walky-talky cut out again. 

Alanka jumped out of bed, and flew downstairs to the door. On the way out, she twisted her coat on. The night was peaceful. The stream of silver stars twinkled in the darkness. A scream pierced the peacefulness.

“Kat!” She tried to catch her breath as she ran. “Kat!” Her heart sunk to the pit of her stomach at the sight. Fire. “FIRE!” 

She entered the burning forest, leaping over fallen brush. Flames licked up the hut, crackling. A wave of red burned up an old oak tree. 

She heard a distant cry. 

“Kat!” She dashed for the river, leaping over logs, and twisting around tall pines. Her heart went to her throat. The river was empty. No Kat. 

Suddenly, her eye caught Kat’s jacket floating downstream. It was ripped and torn. She even thought she spotted blood stains. 

Her eyes watered, escaping down her cheeks. “KA—” She broke out in choking sobs, slipping to her knees. This was all her fault! She should never have taken that phoenix egg. 

A chirp caught her attention, and beside her, sat a flaming phoenix. It was small enough to fit in the palm of her hand. It cocked its head, and blinked its jet-black eyes. 

A hand brushed Alanka’s shoulder. “This little guy really needs to learn how to control his flames.” 

Alanka’s chest lifted like a balloon. “Kat!” She embraced her in a tight hug. “I thought you had burned in the fire, or drowned in the river!” 

Kat chuckled. “Nope. Still here.” 

Alanka’s blurry eyes caught the unmistakable, flaming red phoenix. She gently ran her fingers through its feathers. She gasped. The tingling fire didn’t burn her. 

“You’ve gotta be kidding me,” Kat said. “Now you’re never gonna let go of her.”

Smiling, Alanka looked up at her. 

The phoenix’s fire burned out, and the burning trees lost the flames. 

“Wow,” Alanka gasped, wiping away her tears. Suddenly, she was shoved backwards by Kat. The back of her head pounded. “Why’d you do that?”

“Alanka, get up!” Kat stared down at her with something in her hand.

Rubbing the back of her head, Alanka sat up. “I think my head hit a rock.”

Kat shoved a letter into Alanka’s face. “Where in the world did this come from?”

She read it. 

Zoriph does not belong to you. Bring him back, and you shall be rewarded. Keep him, and the world’s fate is in your hands.

—The phoenix of The Auburn Clouds

Kat and Alanka both stared at each other. 

Kat sighed. “Keep him, and the world’s fate is in our hands.”

Alanka scooped up the tiny, blinking phoenix. “I’m not taking him back. Not without knowing what’s really going on.”

“Alanka, we have to go…” She hung her head. “I promised we’d bring him back.”

“Why?” She took a step back.

“Or I’ll be the world’s fate.”

“But…” Alanka’s heart ached. Tears slipped down her cheeks. “You’re my best friend. You would never—”

“We’re not friends. We’re enemies.”

Alanka breathed shakily.

“Join me.” Kat held her hand out.

“O—okay.” Alanka would get help. She wouldn’t let Kat be the fate of the world. She placed her hand in Kat’s. 

“Promise you won’t tell anyone?” Kat’s eyes narrowed.

Alanka swallowed. “Y—yes.”