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under his hand. It felt cool and warm at the same time, as if thrilling to his touch.
     He stopped moving and waited to sense what called to him next. In a few moments he noticed a pile of mud behind a nearby tree. Surrounded by weeds, it was oozing, and seemed perpetually damp.
    Cooper went over to the pile of mud and gently flattened it. As he did, he felt something hard to the touch. Excited, he brushed more mud away quickly. Something was buried beneath it. He scratched at what was left of the mud fiercely and uncovered an old, gnarled wooden box.
    Cooper lifted the box from its burial place and, ecstatic, held it up close. The box smelled of pine leaves and musk. The wood was damp, almost rotting. It seemed to have been buried there for ages. It was beautiful.
    Cooper held it to his face and breathed it in. The wood held ancient secrets. The lid on the box was closed by a copper latch. He picked at it and it came undone easily. In a flash he knew this was what he was seeking. This box, its contents, belonged to him.
    Barely breathing, squatting under the tree, Cooper lifted the lid slowly. Inside was an old piece of parchment paper. He took it out with the greatest of care so that it wouldn’t crumple. Was this the letter? Would it lead him back home?
    He held it up and to his surprise, on the parchment was a faded image, of someone he could not make out. The picture was so old, so faint, he could barely discern the features. He turned it over, hoping for more, some message written just to him.
    There was no writing anywhere. The back of the page was completely empty. Cooper breathed a painful sigh. This was just a first step. Where to go from here?
    The late afternoon sun shone through the trees at that moment, warming and encouraging him. It amazed him that he could actually enjoy the warmth of the sun. Usually he hid from it, it burnt his skin. Since he’d been with Keira, though, he could bear the light and sun so much more. Was her human nature rubbing off on him? He smiled, suddenly wishing she could be besides him, enjoying it too.
    The wish to have her near, frightened him though. He knew the Shadows were on their trail. If he indulged these feelings, his Shield would go down and it would be easier for them to track and destroy them. Yet, the thought of Keira, a few feet away, sitting back in the cottage, gave him an odd strength and courage. He felt complete when she was close by. What was it about her that so gripped his heart? He didn’t know, and he didn’t like feeling this way either.
    Cooper folded the parchment paper into the box, and started back along the bumpy road to their cottage door.
    *
    When Cooper walked in, Keira looked up from the journal she’d been writing in. Her face had an odd flush and her eyes were glowing. She looked more beautiful than he’d remembered. He longed to rush to her side, hold her close, tell her all he was thinking. The longing struck so strongly, he forced himself to withdraw and raise his shield even higher than before.
    Safe behind his shield, Cooper just held out the box formally. It was as if he’d returned from a routine expedition and had an object for her to inspect. As he became distant and stiff, he saw the look of sadness cross her face. She lowered her eyes to hide a tear. It was the last thing he wanted. It killed him. But at the same time, he had to keep them safe.
    “I found this under a pile of dirt down the road,” he announced in a monotone.
    Keira stood up from the couch she was curled up on. Despite her sadness, she seemed curious and came closer.
    Cooper put the box in her hands. “There’s a photo inside,” he said. “I don’t know who it is. It’s very hard to make it out.”
    Keira took the box, opened it slowly, lifted the faded parchment paper and gazed at it for a long time. Her perplexed expression suddenly gave way to a one of certainty.
    “I see a woman,” she said.
    Cooper’s heart started pounding.
    “It’s your mother.