Bella's 19th part 10

Part 10

Edward and I made it down third, Esme followed after us. I walked over to Alice who had an amused look on her face. I eyed her with a curious look and let my eyes wander around the room from Alice to Jasper-Carlisle-Esme, They were all seeming to look in opposite directions of each other, then finally resting on Edward. "What is it?" I asked him.

His eyes softened as he looked at me. "Nothing to worry about just Emmett and Rose." He answered softly. I turned back to the staircase and closed my eyes attempting to concentrate. My hand flew over my mouth as I attempted to contain my laughter. I threw my head in Alice's direction and watched her eyes narrow. She wore the same expression on her face. Edward's arm wrapped around me, as he steered me in the direction of the door. "We're heading out now, they can catch up to us." He told me.

"Are they always like this?" I asked in an incredulous tone. Edward just laughed at me.

"Only after a big fight or after a hunt sometimes before one too, so yes often."  I laughed lightly and climbed into Emmett's jeep. Edward strapped me in considering I still couldnt figure all the buckles out.

"Im a bit nervous about chasing an animal down." I told him in a whisper although I knew everyone could hear me anyway.

"It'll be fine Bella. Eveything will come naturally."Edward took my hand and pulled me against him but my worry didn't fade. "Anyway I'll be here if you get out of control." My mind began to wander at his words. 'How bad could I get?' I thought about all the possibities, killing the wrong animals, taking on one I couldn't handle, and the worst thought, making my way back to civilization and harming humans.

I looked at Carlisle as he continued to drive, Esme sitting next to him, then I flicked my eyes next to the Jeep at what I used to notice as a blur when I was human, were three vampires keeping pace with the Jeep. I leaned over twards Alice, who was cramped into the back seat next to Edward and I. "If it's Emmett's Jeep why are they running?" I whispered to her.

Alice's lip curled into a smile. "Well the boys love a good run." She rolled her eyes and laughed as she leaned closer to me. "As if they won't get one later. Rose is just there to avoid being in here." She cleared her throat. "So have you decided what you're going to hunt?" She asked casually. I thought about how I hadn't made much progress with getting on Rosalie's good side...if she had one.

"I hadn't really thought about it. What is there to choose from?" I asked her. I was supprised at how naturally I could talk about killing an animal.

"I suggest going after deer since it's your first time out." She looked past me. "Right Edward?"

"What, Alice?" Edward broke away from what he was thinking of and looked at Alice who was obviously comunicating with unspoken words. "Oh, yes, Bella it's best you go after small prey your first couple of times then work your way up." He said in a flat voice.

"Edward are you ok?" I asked him. He took my hand and nodded.

"I'm fine. Enjoy the ride Bella." He told me as he looked back out at the rest of his family running. I tore my eyes away from him and focused on the road ahead although my thoughts could not leave his troubled face.

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Eventually the Jeep came to a halt. My mind was off somewhere else and I didn't realize Edward had unbuckled me until his hand guided my face in his direction. "We're here." his tone was flat as he helped me out of the jeep.

"Oh." I gasped, as I looked around at the wooded areas and the rocky cliffs and I suddenly felt as if I couldn't do this. "So do I just go off looking?" I asked puzzled. I turned back to him just in time to see him turn his head away from Rosalie's direction.

"Yes, I'm heading off with Alice I have some thing I want to discuss with her. You'll be fine Bella just remember, ...deer."He gave me a half smile and darted off into the woods.

Alice started to  skip off backwards in Edward's direction. "Don't worry I'll be keeping an eye on you." She said as she tapped her forehead. She eyed Rosalie for a second then turned around and caught up to Edward easily.I  let out a sigh and turned back around to everyone. I quickly noticed everyone else had already left so I started off into the woods slowly dragging my feet.

I stared at the fallen leaves as I started wandering farther into the woods, my mind on my earlier thoughts. I started daydreaming about what would happen if I found a way back to forks, Jacob and his pack waiting to ambush me. Someone would get hurt.

My concentration was broken and my head snapped up as I heard hoofbeats running away. I instinctivly raced after the deer who was only inches away now. The smell of blood was thick in the air almost as if the animal somehow escaped from another predator. The scent seemed to trickle down the back of my throat pushing my legs farther. I was amazed at how the deer kept such a large distance between us. I heard the hoofbeats slow then suddenly stop ahead. The clearing was still a few seconds away, but with my speed the distance soon became a memory as I lept into the moonlit opening.

Carefully I began to acess my surrounding. Trees surrounded the clearing, old and thin, breaking one would almost be like snaping a twig. I could still smell the blood so the animal couldn't be far and that's when the cave off to the corner caught my eye. The only thing I could smell was the deer and my surroundings so after deciding there was no threat I cautiously ventured into the cave. After a short search not only was there no bear but no deer either. I felt defeated loosing my first meal as I slowly walked out kicking up some dirt occasionally.

My mind felt so clouded with thoughs of what to do next it was no wonder I didn't recognize the heavy, dull sound of stampeding footsteps rushing straight towards me. Ever movement I made seemed to be in slow motion, my head taking forever to look up, the signal my brain was yelling at my legs - move! I think he figured out even though I was a threat, I was no threat to him. "Brains over brawn." I thought with a chuckle. I had the strength to fight but not the skill to win. As I closed my eyes the last thing I saw was my body engulfed in the shadow of the massive animal as he lept over me.