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// I See Something Move in the Jungle 
// Story: Her Eyes Reflect The Stars 
// by Lynwood 
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I see something move in the jungle where the village gives way to Mother Nature. I blink and it's gone.

A beast, I initially think to myself. Of course there are beasts on the island. The forest is huge. It makes sense. I keep an eye on the treeline and continue to follow my mother.

Uncle's already sold off our fish and has the empty sack around his neck by the time we― Uncle, Mother, and I, my cousins are old enough to venture off on their own― arrive at a building that looks different. It's no house, its open front gives that away. The entire bottom floor is devoted to tables and shelves, and what's more, I recognize what's on them. Fishhooks! Dozens, no, hundreds, more than I've ever seen in my life!

My uncle approaches the storekeeper and reaches beneath his wing, removing a small, cloth-wrapped bundle. He sets it on a table and undoes its knot, letting the cloth open and reveal a glimmering jewel. It's tinted gold and shines so brightly that it jostles my memory. That's what that claw left on the shore of that strange island.

The storekeeper's eyes widen, and I suddenly feel my mother's leg across my back. "Why don't you go wait outside, Shiney? We'll be out in a moment." Then she ushers me out, and I'm left sitting on the side of the road. That's when the trees catch my eyes again. This time, the culprit is obvious. Braves the Cold Waters is hiding in the bushes.

My spirits drop and I grumble. Just another trick played on the little colt. I roll my eyes and stick my tongue out at her. She returns it, then giggles and beckons with her hoof. I spot her mouthing the words 'come on!' Huh?

I glance back at the store. Mother and Uncle both have their backs to me. I get to my hooves and make my way over to the edge of the trees. Braves waits a little further in and snorts when I pause at the edge of the ferns. "What's got you so riled up?"

I trace a circle in the dirt with my hoof. "Mother said to wait outside."

Braves smiles and rolls her eyes at me, then winks. "You're with family, worst you'll get is an annoyed sigh."

"What's that weird wet smell? What do you two want? Is Rides hiding here too?" 

"Relax, Shines With the Wind. We're not just messing around with you this time, yes?" She beckons me over again. "Come on, we've got something really cool to show you." 

I stay close by her side as we venture in. She leads the way with confidence, forging through the greenery. We're not walking for very long before we near a burbling stream so shaded by the treetops that we couldn't have possibly spotted it during our flight over the island.

"Where are we going, Braves?" She hasn't said anything since we left the village's edge and that awful smell persists.

She doesn't speak, but she smiles back over her shoulder and moves aside a damp palm frond with her hoof.

My eyes widen and I walk forward, up to the edge of the glittering blue lake, but when I look back, my cousin has disappeared.

I'm alone in the jungle.