Cloud Wrangler

By Janna Hill

Cloud Wrangler takes the Clan Destiny series to a new level, literally!
Book IV expounds the mystery and the history of the enigmatic Duffy MacDougal, the woman he loved and the daughter no one knew he had.
Have you ever wondered what is on the other side of a dream, if angels are real or what a rainbow looks like up close?
Cecilia knows.
Meet more members of the clan in Cloud Wrangler Book IV in the Clan Destiny series.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Janna Hill
• Release date: Jun 23, 2017
• ISBN: 9781370697915

Janna Hill

Janna Hill is an international author of fiction, short stories and poetry. She currently resides somewhere between the palm trees and pines and a forest in Texas. Her motto is: Fans are just friends and family I haven’t met… or wrote about yet. She has also been heard to say, home is where the blog is. You can follow her at home@ www.therealjannahill.com

Book preview

Chapter One

Cecilia MacDougal had long since overcome her fear of falling but the gravity of her descent, combined with the frigid temperature left Cici a little more than anxious and somewhat disoriented. The hair on her extremities curled backward like bent fingers, stinging every pore and follicle as she plunged toward the earth. Beads of condensation rushed upward, ahead of her weighty hands, some exiting at the bend of her elbows, pelting her face and ears with splinters of sleet.

Focus! She commanded herself, grappling with her cold, wet palms as they clapped, one against the other until each hand clasped the opposing wrist. Her fingers fumbled, strummed, and dug their way to her upper body. Cici gripped her shoulders and pressed forward, sending streams of tiny glaciers mingled with frigid dew dancing back into the clouds.

The motion eased the prickling in her flesh but still, she was freezing; freezing, and descending entirely too fast. She flexed her feet and lifted her arms to no avail. Birds were built to fly, Cici was not a bird.

Her hair whipped above her, lashing and clinging to her naked arms as she continued to drop.

You can do this! Just focus! Cici strained, flexing every muscle in her small frame forcing her arms back to her side. She repeated the words several times, each time with more conviction until she believed.

I am molecular… I am the air and the earth… oxygen, hydrogen, carbon. Nothing more. We are one.

Within seconds, she was able to slow her descent. The hair settled on her forearms as her long, damp mane came to rest on her back.

She had done it. Cici had not only made the journey on her own, she had mastered the elements.

This is awesome! she squealed, stepping lightly onto a swelling altocumulus. Cici laughed at the reverberation of her own voice. Hello. Hello, the echo returned like a distant harp.

She skipped playfully from one billow to the next, slowly sinking to a more tolerable climate. Cici was grateful for the rising warmth. She paused and marveled as it met with the chill and swirled in a gray fog around her ankles. As the mist rose, droplets of moisture rolled from her skin and vanished in the cloud beneath her feet. Her tongue darted out along her lips, drinking in the charged electrolytes and immediately she felt invigorated. She cupped her hands to her mouth and yodeled, do, re, mi, fa, sol, la, ti - do and delighted at the much-improved tone. Doe- a deer a female deer, ray- a drop of golden sun, me- a name I call myself, fa- a long long way to –whoa!

Thunder rumbled to her left and in a split second, the girl was reeling forward with the turbulence. She had never dove head first, not intentionally anyway. Up? Down? It did not seem to matter, the direction was irrelevant, and friction was friction regardless of the spatial relation. The prickling, like a million hot needles, started again – it was something she had not learned to ignore.

Remember what Da told you. She reminded herself, straining to inhale against the pressure.

Cici had learned firstly not to open her eyes during such upheavals and secondly to flow with the forces like a tidal wave. Exhaling slowly she stretched her arms over her head, raised her feet to meet her fingertips and rolled.

Her flesh felt like fire by the time she reached the dark Nimbostratus, nonetheless Cici was relieved. She preferred the low-level clouds, not only because of the temperature but because the dark nimbus was an excellent place to hide.

The precipitation was dense enough one could swim in it if they wanted to. Cici chose to lie back and float.

She had barely nestled into the cloud when she saw the first burst of electricity in the distance. Five seconds later, there were two more, then six. Before she could shift upright the flickering was all around her.

What are you doing out here? the man asked.

Hey Da. What’s up? Cici spoke with an insinuated brag.

You haven’t answered my question. What are you doing out here? The man’s reply was unimpressed.

I wanted to see you. Cici’s arrogance melted away.

Okay… fair enough. He conceded. She could not yet see his face but there was a definite smile in his tone. Have you seen anyone else?

No. I can't see anything. Cici answered looking in the direction of the voice, The humidity is too high and I took a tumble Da! It was pretty scary but I curled up and rolled just like you showed me.

You shouldn’t have come out in this. He scolded.

Please don’t be angry with me. I couldn’t help it, really I couldn’t.

I’m not angry.

I couldn’t help it Da, really. I was just-- despite her accomplishments or her age Cici always felt like a child in his presence.

I believe you. He said, staring down at her, We might as well make the best of it. So tell me lass, what can you see?

Cici glared in wonderment at the bare feet now inches from her own. She watched as the last embers melted into pools of liquid light between his toes. What is that? She wondered as she bent down to touch it.

Uh! he grunted, placing his large hand beneath her chin and guiding her upright. Answer my question.

Oh Da! she huffed, Nothing. I swear I can’t see anything at all.

Surely you see something.

Umm… I see you. She smiled.

Of course you do. He replied, allowing a slight laugh to escape. Let’s be serious for a bit now, he added with as much firmness as he could muster tell yer ole Da what you see.

Cici concentrated. She crinkled her face and strained to visualize the details, I see gray clouds… a few spots of blue and – oh look! Look! she screeched pointing toward the prisms of bright color, There is a rainbow forming to the north. Let’s try to touch it – see if we can find its end! Cici bounced up and down excited at the thought.

It is truly a miracle one never tires of. He spoke meekly with a sense of wonderment then beamed at his daughter, Look at you, you’re handling that cloud like a pro. You treat it as if it were a trampoline. The girl stopped bouncing and considered her achievement – it paled in comparison to the idea of chasing the rainbow.

Please Da; go with me to the rainbow. You have said so many times that we would go together and solve the mystery of the rainbow.

That I did and now I am ashamed to tell you that there is no mystery. That it is only a token of God’s promise -- more real than the tooth fairy but just as elusive, a thing only appreciated from a distance.

You’re not much fun anymore.

Okay. Where is it again? he asked.

Right there. She pointed again.

And where is ‘there’ little lady?

It’s to the north. She answered, facing eastward.

Where are you Cici? Where does the sun rise?

Oh. My bad. she snickered. I mean east. Can we-

Not today. He interrupted, his face contorting to convey the seriousness of the matter, Forget the pretty bow for now and look past the clouds Cecilia what else do you see?

But I -

We’ll go in the next soft rain, I promise. Now try closing your eyes for a bit. Cici closed her eyes but the spectrum of color persisted. Clear your mind and when you open your eyes don’t look easterly. The girl obeyed and held her eyes shut with such force it caused her cheeks to throb. When the last shade of indigo disappeared behind crinkled lids she eased them open, but all that lay before her was a mist.

I smell something, does that count?

Aye, of course. Tell me what it is you smell?

She twitched her nose and sniffed before curling her lip, Something nasty. Shoo... no wait it’s gone. Cici waived the air toward her nose and continued, Now it’s… it is nice. Something sweet... Her face relaxed, it smells like cake. Like a warm chocolate brownie. What is it?

Excellent, excellent. The man said ignoring the question, Now listen. Can you hear anything?

The girl pushed back her hair and held a damp hand to her ear, first the left, then the right. Crying... someone is crying. I can barely hear them. Her father attempted to speak and Cici swiftly hushed him, Be quiet and give me a moment please. She leaned forward pressing against the dank air as if it were a wall. It is not very loud- ah there it is. It’s a woman and…oh dear I think she is lost.

Why do you say that Cecilia? What makes you think she is lost?

Because she can’t see and she is calling for someone.

Good girl! I’d better hurry then.

Who is it? she asked, straining to see who owned the cries she’d heard. Who is it Da? What is wrong with her?

I’ll explain later. He smiled, extending his hand. Cici took the large hand; the same hand that had reached for her as long as she could remember. The one that picked her up each time she fell, the one that brushed the dirt from her knees as a toddler and the tears from her cheeks as a woman. It was the same hand that brought her into this world and showed her this path to the other. Guide me to her. Let’s see if your sense of direction has improved any. The girl walked slowly in the direction of the voice. I hear her now. He whispered as if he had not heard the first of the wayward calls, You best wait here. This won’t take but a moment.

I’ll go with you. She quickly volunteered.

Not this time love. I’ll be back in a jiff. Now be a good girl and wait for me in this very spot. Promise?

Yes sir. Cici agreed as she let go of his hand, I’ll stay put, but you’d better hurry.

He lovingly patted her head and disappeared into the gloom, his rapid steps leaving a trail of tiny blue sparks. The girl smiled coyly at his back then sprinted to catch the bits of light that flickered like fireflies in his wake. She had barely caught a scrap of the elusive glow before his voice rumbled.

Cecilia!

Yes sir. She giggled and hurried back to the designated waiting area. Why can’t I hold the light Da? Where does it go? she bounced between questions, her voice growing louder, Have you ever touched a rainbow? I don’t hear the lady anymore. Can you hear me? You said you’d be back in a jiff.

Within a few moments Cici could see the tiny shards of light coming toward her. When he was in plain view she leaped and wrapped her thin arms around his waist. Where is the lady who was calling?

I took her home.

Is she okay?

She’ll be fine now.

Relieved Cici began bouncing again. Where is her home? Why was she lost? Why was she crying?

Such big questions coming from a wee girl. He laughed, We had better get you back lest your mum find out and begin to worry.

Oh but Da I am just starting to have fun. Cecilia made no rebuttal to being called a wee girl, in fact she hadn’t argued against it in several years. In truth she was no longer a child but being in the presence of her father; surrounded by billowing clouds and rainbows made her feel like a child. A feeling she wasn’t ready to relinquish. When can I come back?

I don’t know but we don’t want to upset your mother now do we.

No sir.

Are you ready? he asked. Cici nodded and closed her eyes. She remembered the former times he had asked that question; the first time he had escorted her home through the damp haze… When he taught her to wrangle clouds and roll with storms and play hide and seek among the gods. In a flash, she was back in her bedroom inside the quaint house on Chancy Boulevard. His mouth was against her head now just as it had been so many times before. He leaned down and softly kissed the mass of wet curls resting against her forehead and whispered,

Soon you will awaken and remember this game we played. Remember this also, I’ll forever be with you Cecilia MacDougal.

Chapter Two

As a child Cici frequently dreamed of falling; she'd had the same recurring dream since the death of her father.

What's wrong darling? Ms. Fetmore would ask each time pulling the sweat drenched girl to her chest, Did you have another bad dream? Cici would nod, burrowing her face between her mother’s hand and bosom. Do you want to tell your mum about it? Cecilia usually shook her head, yawned and promptly went back to sleep.

Falling didn't scare her now; in fact, she looked forward to the celestial upheavals she had once believed to be nothing more than dreams.

…

See you later mom. She yelled through a mouth full of dry toast as she hurried across the yard.

Not so fast young lady. Ms. Fetmore called back shoving her garden trowel into the dirt and leaping up with her arms extended.

"I’m