Hika pulls the blanket tighter around her shoulders as she looks over the back of the couch towards the opening to the face of the mountain. She may not get truly cold anymore, she hasn't since they opened the star-orb, but she shivers regardless at the wisps of wind that sneak through. She can hear the howling outside, the winds moving at gale-force speeds. Just as she looks, Jaak emerges from the crack, brushing the last flakes of snow from his arms.

"There's a strong storm brewing out there, the lightning is already flashing, which is unusual in itself."

Hika straightens. "What do you mean?"

"We don't often get thunderstorms, and when we do the lightning is usually accompanied by thunder."

Hika frowns, rising from the couch. "Could I see?"

Jaak shrugs. "I don't see why not, but be careful. The winds really are as strong as they sound."

A smile tugs at Hika's lips. "I'll keep that in mind."

Hika drops the blanket onto the couch and stands, carefully navigating around the furniture. She doesn't want these strange wings to burn anything. She still can't control them, but at least they've been disappearing while she's been sitting or lying down, so she doesn't have to worry about that.

She shakes her head and concentrates, catching herself just a few heartbeats before the tip of one wing touches the wood of a table. She stretches her arm behind her to tuck the wing against her back, the only way she can manipulate them at all. When she touches them, the wings are a solid mass.

Slippery and hard to hold on to, but they are there. With anyone else, it seems as if the wings are just fire, intangible beneath their touch. The other wing gets close to a chair and she tucks that one back as well. This positioning is awkward, but at least they won't burn anything. She can free the wings when they are outside.

Hika squeezes through the crack in the stone after Jaak, emerging to wind biting at her skin. She manages to keep her footing this time, but she scowls at the angry wind. It doesn't feel cold anymore, but the sensation of it against the skin of her face is still unpleasant. Hika forces her way through the winds to where Jaak is standing, looking up at the storm.

She looks out at the dark clouds, watching lightning flash. Hika waits, counting silently to herself. Only three seconds after the first flash, there is another. A third follows within the span of a heartbeat. There is no sound of accompanying thunder from any of them, yet there should be.

This storm is almost right on top of them, they should be hearing thunder but all there that they can hear is the sound of rain pounding on the stone. When one flash of lightning flashes close to them and the next does the same, Hika knows. She turns to Jaak, swallowing the lump in her throat.

"You might want to go inside."

"Why?"

"Someone is going to need to warn your family."

Jaak frowns in confusion. "Warn them about what?"

Hika nods up at the storm. "My mother is coming."

Jaak darts inside, but Hika is surprised when he is only in there for a minute, maybe two. Based on how quickly he was moving, she was beginning to think that he was running from this encounter. He seems to sense where her thoughts were going and leans toward her.

"I'm not going to leave you alone out here, especially not with these winds and those wings."

Hika snorts. "We don't even know if they can catch the wind, they haven't been. Do you really think that I'm going to start flying?"

Jaak shrugs. "Who knows. I'd certainly like to not find out in a situation where you aren't going to be able to control where you're going."

Hika laughs. "That's fair."

Her expression sobers as she stares at the lightning, moving ever closer. Jaak shifts beside her and opens his mouth. He closes it again, but speaks a heartbeat later.

"Why do you think she's here?"

Hika frowns. "At a guess, Kanaloa told her that he saw me and she's coming for answers. What I don't know is if she thinks I'm still dead." Hika sighs. "I guess we'll find out."

At her last word, lightning strikes the rock in front of them, at the edge of the ledge. When they can see again, Hika's mother is standing on the starburst patterned black rock. Hika raises an eyebrow at her mother.

"You're as dramatic as 'Anakē Pele."

Hi'iaka takes one look at Hika, one that lasts for only a heartbeat, and pushes forward, striding through the strong winds with ease. She folds Hika into her arms and rests her chin on Hika's head. She's hugging Hika so tightly that Hika can't help but squeak out a sound of protest. Hi'iaka loosens her grip slightly, but she doesn't release Hika for a long time. When she at last pulls away, she cups Hika's cheeks, the flickers of energy crackling off her hands giving away her nerves if there was even a possibility that Hika hadn't already noticed them.

"Hi'ilani, I thought you were dead. Do you know how much it scared me when Kanaloa told me?"

Hika winces. "I'm sorry, Makuahine."

"Why would you trick us like that? Why?"

"I didn't trick you. I was dead. But I came back."

She shrugs slightly, feeling her wings move from the folded position against her back and spread out into the air, their flames stretching behind her. Hi'iaka gapes at them.

"What in the world is on your back?"

Hika frowns. "Wings? I'm not really sure why I have them, they just sit there and occasionally try to burn things. I can't control them at all, nor can I get rid of them."

"How long have they been there?"

Hika winces. "Ever since I died and came back. I can't control my flame right now either, only my stars."

Hika brushes back the strand of golden hair that falls into her face, tucking it back behind the fiery crown nestled on her forehead. The movement draws Hi'iaka's attention to the crown, and her eyes narrow.

"What's that?"

Before Hika can answer, Jaak cuts in from behind Hika. "Could we go in before this conversation continues? This is quite a strong storm."

Hi'iaka levels a glare at him. "Who are you?"

Hika groans and tugs on her mother's arm. "Makuahine, can we please just go inside?"

Hi'iaka doesn't look away from Jaak, but she lets Hika pull her through the opening into the rock and into Skadi's home.

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Kanalima kūmāhiku = fifty-seven, when counting

'Anakē = aunt

makuahine = mother

What do you think if Hi'iaka finding Hika? What's going to happen next? Tell me your thoughts!

Happy reading and I'll see you next chapter!

~ Goddess of Fate, signing out