Pernisia and Rowan--a chapter in which Caleb gets kicked in the shins a lot

I know that I should probably write more of Katrina Bale's story... and Wyn's, and Arawyn's... but Poem Girl got her next chapter ready, so I just decided to post it. :) Pernisia's chapters are by her, and Rowan's are by me.

P.S. I wanna thank you guys sooooo much for being such wonderful friends!! :)

Pernisia

I leaned over to Rowan as we walked towards the mall. “You handled that like an expert, Rowan. I’d never guess that you didn’t belong here.” 

She shrugged modestly and glanced behind us; Caleb was sulking, his hands in his pockets and a face that looked like he’d eaten the sourest lemon on the planet. I giggled a little and he turned to me.

“Hey, I thought we were going to the park.” 

“Change of plans,” I said casually.

“Where are we going then?” he grumbled, kicking a stone at nothing.

“To the mall silly, didn’t you gather anything from out little conversation a moment ago.”

Caleb folded his arms and glared at me. “Well I’m not going.”

“Suit yourself, oh and remember to get out your best clothes; I’m not going with some weirdo dude so I guess weird dudes understudy’ll have to take me. 

Caleb’s frown deepened. “If you’re referring to me than you’re out of luck; I’ll take Rowan if she wants but definitely not you, sis.” 

I rolled my eyes. “Sure you won’t Caleb sure you won’t.” 

Caleb sauntered off towards home and I turned my attention back to Rowan, she’d been terribly quiet for awhile and that was strange even for a girl like her. “What is it Rowan? Is something bothering you?”

“Um… yeah, I didn’t want to mention it with your brother around but….that’s not a dog following us.”

I whirled around, and felt shivers descend down my spine as I stared into the icy cold eyes of a huge wolf that only me and Rowan appeared to see. Rowan grabbed my wrist and pulled me forward. 

“Hold on!” I yelled, spitting pieces of windblown hair out of my mouth. “Hold up Rowan shouldn’t I be leading, I’m the one who knows this place!” She murmured agreement and pushed me forward nearly throwing me off balance. I now found myself struggling to stay in the lead as I clearly wasn’t even half as athletic as my seasoned forest friend.

When we’d finally reached the Mall I was huffing and puffing. I couldn’t say the same for Rowan, who was taking something from her backpack. “That wolf he, he used to tail me when I was young he haunted my nightmares but I haven’t seen him in years he…he’s never shown so much interest in me before?” She looked down at the shiny Emerald Violet stone in her hands it pulsed strangely illuminating everything around us. 
“I don’t think you’ll need to worry about getting dresses for this “dance” anymore.” She grinned mischievously and held the stone out to me it glowed brighter.

And than Caleb ran into the store… 

Rowan

"What on earth is that?!" shrieked the Caleb boy.

I groaned. Why did he have to tag along with us? I couldn't go and explain what this stone really was--the stone that I'd always had, the stone that got me out of troubles beyond imagination. The one that had always saved me from the wolf.

Before I could do anything, Caleb snatched it away. I glared fiercely and yelled, "GIVE THAT BACK!!"

But Caleb, who happened to be about three inches taller than me, held it above his head so that I couldn't get it. Pernisia was even shorter than me, so of course she couldn't reach it. I glared fiercely at him. He was smiling smugly.

"Want it back, Rowan? Then you'll have to promise me something."

"I won't promise you anything," I spat. Then I kicked him in the shins.

He howled loudly and dropped the stone on the floor.

"IS THAT A DIAMOND?!" shrieked a woman who'd just come out of a store called Old Navy. (What a weird name...) She scrambled for it, but I managed to hit it underneath a bench before she could grab it.

"HELP ME!" I shouted over my shoulder towards Pernisia.

I managed to grab the precious stone and scramble out from underneath the bench. But before I could blend in with the crowd--one of my many instincts--Caleb grabbed my arm.

"Not so fast," he glared.

"Caleb!" cried Pernisia. Then she kicked him in the shins.