Chapter 4

Jacob awoke groggily. Where was he? He felt like he was lying on some great pillow. He looked up into the night sky, the wind buffeting his face. And then he realized that he was flying!

He sat up, taking in his surroundings. He was high in the air on the back of some giant eagle. "What's going on?" He thought out loud.

"You're with me." The great beast replied.

"Shala?" He exclaimed incredulously. "But that's impossible. You were…I mean…I saw you die!"

Shala laughed. "Yes, I was the serpent. Sorry about that. I'm afraid I attacked you. After I died, I found myself here. But we don't have to run anymore. The great eagles rule this world. We can do whatever we want now."

Jacob sighed. "That's a relief. But what about…I mean I'm…and you're…"

"I'm a great eagle, and you're a human." Shala finished his sentence. "But what's wrong. Don't I still please you?"

Jacob lay his head across her feathery neck as the undulating flapping of her wings lulled him into a trance. He gazed up into the night sky. "I'm sorry. You're right. I'm tired of the running. I'm tired of the fighting. Let's stay here, like this. I don't care if you are a bird, you are still my star in the sky."

"I didn't know you were such a philosopher." Shala replied.

Jacob smiled. "Not so much philosopher, as hopeless romantic."

Shala screeched out her joy across the countryside. "So what do you want to do?"

Jacob pondered. "Let's take one last night out. I just want one night under the stars. We never did finish our night, did we?"

"No, we didn't." Shala replied, carrying her love off into the night. As they soared through the sky the stars twinkled down at them, like lone lights guiding them through the darkness. But as long as they had each other, they would always know their way.