Elementals 9

    "What the hell was that?" I yell once I'm back on my feet. I rub my throat and glare at Alexis. Tony stops tickling Misha who is now sitting on his chest apparently having tried to choke him the way Alexis had choked me. Alexis gives me a crooked grin with her hands behind her back and says "It worked, didn't it? You were able to think clearly and get out of a tight situation without using your powers." 

    I take a few deep breaths trying to calm the increasing heat that is growing inside me. Alexis turns to walk away from me. "Duck!" She says spinning back around and throwing a small knife at me. I move just in time and here the knife digging itself into the tree I burned the first night.  At that I lose the little control I was maintaining. The heat inside me is on full blast as I get to my feet and throw a fireball at Alexis. She dodges out of the way and the ball of flames lands in the grass. 

     Tony is on his feet in seconds putting out the fire. Misha wraps herself around my legs whispering "mommy, no". Tony stands between Alexis and me one hand stretched out towards me the other towards Alexis. "Don't make me drench you two." He warns. Alexis walks over to the tree and pulls her knife out. "I think we're done for tonight. It's late, the little one should get some rest." She says  before heading back to the cabin. I peel Misha off my legs and take her by the hand. 

   When we're back inside I sing quietly to Misha while I give her a bath in Alexis' bathroom. I'm not ready to talk to Alexis yet, I'm still struggling with her training methods. "Mommy, why do you burn and I don't?" Misha asks me. I wrap a towel around Misha to dry her off. Wet curls cling to her shoulders. As I help her put on her warm pajamas I tell her my short theory. "We all have a gift, but all of our gifts are different. No two exactly the same. I burn because that is a gift Mother Nature granted me. My flames are strong because I create them with the love I have for my parents, your dad, Tony, Alexis and especially you. You're only five your gift will present itself when it's ready." I hope that she believes me. I take Misha to the extra room and pull out the brown teddy bear she has sweetly named Virgil. It was a gift her father purchased before she was born and has quickly become her favorite toy. Misha lays in the bed with Virgil cuddled to her chest. I watch her until my eyelids get heavy and I fall asleep.