Beyond the stars
by sleepless (aka Ghost)

Beyond the stars I will always dwell,
I love them more than anything on Earth.
I am boundless and carefree.
I love the stars and life.
Without my freedom I could not exist.
Beyond the stars my heart dwells.
I live for them and my freedom.
Outlaws never go down easy.
I will always be an outlaw.
I live for adventure and freedom
I come and go as I please
I live as I wish
and if given the choice between heaven and life,
I would choose this.
Freedom, beyond the stars...

Chapter One: The biggest shock

All Gabe could do was stare at his father, leader of their 'clan'. "We have given you so many chances." Gavin looked at his son with sympathy, and regret. "You are no longer an active member of the clan. You must earn your way back in." With that the small group of humans that had gathered for this 'trial' dispersed.
Gabe was led aside by his dad. "To the west in the forest there is a cave where you can take refuge. I'll get you some provisions and clothes." All the younger man could do was stand there.
He had inherited all his looks from his dad: his normally glowing silver eyes, that became any color in the gray spectrum; his black as night curly hair; his lean muscular 5'10 frame; and his fathers taste for adventure. This coupled with his mother curiosity, which he got from her, had caused him to get in a lot of trouble the past 17 years.
Gavin came back with two packs, "Here. You have a better chance then me and your mother did when we first got here. You know the land, and mom gave you her Book." He put a hand on his sons shoulder and looked into his sullen gray eyes. "You can always come back and try and be accepted again. I would welcome you with open arms." He hugged his only son, then quickly turned. Gabe didn't see the lone tear trace its way down his father's face.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~That night~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Gabe's eyes were alert in the growing dusk, looking for any predators, his ears listening. He looked up at the stars and remembered a poem from his father's books. Beyond the stars my heart dwells. / I live for them and my freedom. / Outlaws never go down easy. / I will always be an outlaw. / I live for adventure and freedom /I come and go as I please/ I live as I wish. He couldn't remember the rest, but that's how he felt. Like an outlaw, with unlimited freedom, but at the moment he wasn't feeling brave, or like he could live much longer.
His sharp eyes picked up a glow, coming from what must be the cave his father had mentioned. He cautiously walked forward, making no sound. "Hello?" He called into the light.
"Come on in Gabe. You are welcome to stay here." He walked further into the cave to see a fit middle-aged man, with long white-silver hair and cat-like gold eyes.
"Who are you?" Gabe had learned to be cautious of strangers.
"Michael. Here." Michael handed him some meat.
Gabe looked at it, and tentatively took a bite. "Why are you here?"
"To help you. If you don't mind, your help is needed."
"Really?" he asked sarcastically.
"Do not joke. You sleep tonight, but do not expect an easy day tomorrow." The man used the log as a pillow, and left Gabe to figure out his own comfort system. He didn't git to sleep until about 2 Am.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~In the Clan~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Cam looked up at the stars, her first, and only, child had been as well as disowned. She didn't want to raise another child, and have the possibility of her dying while it was still young. She was all of 35 but she could never tell in this world. It was dangerous enough when she was young. Cam felt an arm slip around her waist, and someone whisper in her ear, "Hey babe what's up?"
Cam leaned back into her husbands embrace. "Just thinking." Gavin knew better then to ask what about, he knew full well what it was.
"Some on back. Its almost midnight." Cam pulled away and turned to face her husband.
"I can't sleep, thinking that Gabe is out there all alone. You know what animals live out there." He saw a tear slide down her cheek, and wiped it away.
"He'll be ok." Gavin enveloped her in a hug; she relaxed in his arms, and let the tears come.
"I don't want to risk it. Gabe almost lost you so many times. I came close too. I cant raise another child like that." He stroked her hair, trying to calm her, though he was just as upset.
"He's ok. He's with Michael." Cam looked up, tears shining in the moonlight.
"Michael? Gabriel's friend, the warrior?"
"Yes. With Michael watching him, and training him, we have nothing to worry about."
"Yah, Gabriel took pretty good care of us."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~The next morning~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Wake up man." Gabe's eyes fluttered open, to see the older mans unnerving eyes in his vision.
"Yahhh!" Gabe didn't expect that. The other man sat back, and laughed. "What time is it?" Gabe rubbed his sleep-deprived eyes.
"About 7."
"7!!" I didn't get to sleep until like 2!"
"Get to sleep earlier then." Michael went about making breakfast. "Get up." He looked over and saw the young man with his arm over his eyes. "Now!"
"Fine Slave Master." Gabe got up, and started to grab his day clothes so he could go take a swim at the lake.
"Here, take these." The silver haired man held out a pair of black and red pants, and white tank shirt.
"What are these?"
"Fighting clothes."
"Huh?" He looked from the clothes to the man, and back to the clothes.
"I'll explain during breakfast." He motioned Gabe out.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The lake~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Yah, this is turning into a really great week. Get kicked out of my clan, then I'm supposed to be trained by some old guy for something I don't even know about." Gabe grumbled all through his wash. He had to admit, the bath did make him feel better.
"Whoa!" a voice yelled, and got fainter as the owner wheeled and walked in that opposite direction.
"Yah!" Gabe grabbed the pants and quickly got them on, not bothering to dry himself. "Who are you? I'm dressed!" He yelled into the forest, in the general direction of where he last heard the voice.
"Hey Gabe." Out of the woods walked a young girl, only about a year younger then Gabe's 17 years. She had long black hair, and black eyes. Her skin and features told of an Israeli heritage.
"Ceili (A/N: pronounced Kylie, it's a girls name)?" Gabe's mouth nearly dropped open, but he stopped himself.
"You. I didn't know you were still around." She had been incredibly surprised to see her best friend a natural. A blush crossed over Gabe's face.
"Uh, yah. There's a cave in that direction." He pointed to the east. "I'm 'training' with some guy up there." She raised a eyebrow to this. "Don't ask me."
"OK. You done here, or should I leave?"
"Uh, I'm done." He quickly grabbed the shirt. "Wanna see where I'm staying?" Gabe knew he couldn't live without contact of his life-long friends.
"Sure. Meet me down here after dinner?"
"Ok. I'll ask Michael." Another eyebrow raise from Ceili. "Again, don't ask."
"If you say so. Later." She looked at the unmoving teen. "Shoo!" she made like she saw shooing a fly away, and laughed at his confused look. "I came down here for a reason." He muttered an 'Oh', and left into the woods.