As the night passed, the forest went eerily silent. Knowing their pursuers were near Jonathan quietly woke Gloria and motioned for her to stay silent. With a nod she helped to wake the girls as quietly as possible. Tired yawns and soft groans were the girls’ only sounds before they awoke enough to understand that something was wrong. Knowing that Gloria would not be able to help defend the twins while the shield barrier was erect, the adults shift into their wolf forms. Kaycee and Katherine instinctively refrain from speaking even to each other as the crunching-rips from the transition, the loudest noise created by the anxious family, filled the area. Fully shifted, the wolves laid down, the girls mounting their backs as before. Burrowing their hands in deeply into the wolves pelts, the girls hold on tightly as the wolves move through the barrier which shimmers as it falls due to the girls passing through it.
The wolves barely make any noise as the family pursue their bid for safety once more. Dodging around trees, the wolves move swiftly towards the rising sun. Ducking beneath a fallen log the wolves and the girls found themselves crossing a large clearing. Running even faster to get out of the open space Jonathan was forced to skid to a halt as a fireball flew into his path just before the tree line. This caused Kaycee to fall from his back, as he struggled to keep his own feet. Gloria and Katherine made it to the tree line without realizing Jonathan and Kaycee were no longer behind them. Going to Kaycee to insure she was okay, Jonathan heard their pursuers approach from behind him. Kaycee caught the scent of sulfur on the wind, looking around trying to locate the source of the smell only to spot two men approaching on foot. Crouching between Kaycee and the threat, Jonathan growled protectively as he watched the two men approach.
One of the men had an air of cockiness about him as he moved his broad lean muscled, five foot ten frame dressed in a dark grey dress shirt that was tucked into dark colored jeans and covered in a black tweed jacket, towards the growling wolf. His mud brown hair was cut and styled so the flow of hair lead away from his face, blue eyes flashing in triumph seeing that the wolf was protecting the small girl, metallic dark silver aura that marked him a Mage flashing as his sense of victory grew.
His companion was his opposite, the slim, lanky man trembling in fear at seeing the growling wolf. As he wiped his sweating palms on his black slacks, looking more at place in an office in his light grey cardigan sweater than the woods, his light green eyes glancing at the other man as he shook his shaggy dirty blonde curls out of his face and pushed his thick framed black glasses firmer over his nose, his own aura wavering a metallic silver. Both men had large silver seax knives tucked into their belts.
“Now, now. You didn't really expect us to give up so easily?” the cocky man queries venomously, earning a growl that causes the blonde man to stumble over his own feet in fear.
Jonathan stalked closer to ready his defense while keeping himself between Kaycee and the men. Kaycee, seeing her father facing off with the men, rushes behind a tree to hide. As the men began to throw spells, which Jonathan avoids as best he could, the sulfur smell now filling the clearing, Kaycee cupped her hands around her mouth and let out a loud howl hoping they were close to an active patrol line for her uncle's pack, so perhaps someone would come help them.The brown haired man, upon hearing Kaycee’s howl lashes out at the more timid man.
“Get the fuckin' kid Thomas,” he screamed at his companion.
Kaycee looked around the tree to see her father cut Thomas off from coming for her. The distraction of blocking Thomas causes Jonathan to lose focus on the spells being thrown by the other man, allowing him to be hit by a blast of lighting from the confident man. The force of hit caused him to fly through the air to crash against a nearby tree. Kaycee watched in horror as he lay unmoving, his attacker walking straight to him. Pulling the seax knife from his belt the man knelt next to Jonathan body and uses it to stab through Jonathan’s chest to pierce his heart, his aura disappearing like a snuffed out candle.
“DADDY!” Kaycee screamed, her barely awakened Wiccan powers melding into the tidal wave of pain, terror and grief that ripped through the small girl causing an explosion of electricity to propel from the hand reaching towards the now lifeless body of her father, hitting a nearby tree. The shock wave from the release of magic reverberated through the trees throwing the attackers into the air, the rush of wind accompanying it bringing the fresh smell of Wiccan magic.
“Wha...what happened Daniel?” Thomas stutters out as the two men struggled to return to their feet.
“Damned kid has magic, idiot. Quick, kill her before she lets another burst out.” Daniel yells at Thomas who, despite being thrown a farther distance than Daniel, was still closer to Kaycee.
Kaycee was frozen from shock as Thomas began moving closer to her to insure a hit. He was suddenly knocked once more to the ground as Gloria’s wolf came barreling out of the forest to protect her pup. Ducking away from Thomas to avoid a spell from Daniel, Gloria places herself between the men and Kaycee growling menacingly in warning. Kaycee found herself being grabbed and pulled by Katherine towards her father’s body as Daniel and Thomas regrouped to confront her mother.
“Kake! We have to wake up Daddy! Come on Kake.” Katherine yells at her twin who was barely holding herself up from the emotional, energy draining turmoil running through her.
Reaching Jonathan’s side, Katherine tries to shake the wolf to get a response,not knowing what the lack of aura surrounding him meant, “Daddy! Daddy! Mommy needs help. Wake up Daddy. Please wake up.”
Kaycee, her emotions too raw to face her sister’s frantic pleas to her father’s body, felt herself drawn to watching the melee upon hearing the crunching-rip of her mother shifting from wolf to human. Gloria threw a spell as the shift completes to block another fireball from Daniel, the scents of sulfur and freshness colliding with the collision of spells. Seeing her naked form, Daniel smirked ominously, only to lose it as he ducked to avoid a large boulder Gloria had thrown using a strong gale of wind. Focusing a moment on Thomas, Gloria called forth an army of vines to bind him, bringing him to his knees. As Thomas was unable to attack her or her daughters, Gloria focused all her attention on Daniel who was looking between her and Thomas with disgust as he watched Thomas struggle to free himself
“You are such a waste, Thomas,” he huffs as he moves to shield himself behind a tree rather than attacking once more.
Gloria seeing his lack of action against her, glances behind to check on her daughters. Her heart clenches as she sees Katherine’s crying form hunch over Jonathan's body watching as it begins to return to its natural human form, and Kaycee’s dark eyes staring blankly back at her. Anger infusing her soul, her Wiccan powers began to unleash on their own, causing the wind to rush through the trees pushing the lingering sulfur smell away from Gloria as the earth began to tremble. The tips of her hair began to smoke as if on fire and her grey eyes took an icy demeanor, her aura brightening as the strength of her emotions brought her more power. Thomas, fearing her wrath would first fall upon him, struggled anew to free himself.
“Why?” Gloria asked, her voice amplified by the flow of power fueled by her emotions. “Why are you attacking us Daniel? What did we ever do to you to deserve this?”
“You allowed the mutt to change you into an abomination Gloria. Then you go and reproduce with the flea ridden scoundrel. We couldn't stand by and watch those monsters you call children grow up to destroy our world. We Mages are through with the intermingling of the races. Weres are the worst offenders. Calling someone your mate and turning them to be like you. It’s fuckin’ sick. We won’t allow this to stand any longer. My clan is leading the attack to stop you and your kind.” Daniel laments in reply from behind the cover of the tree.
“What do you mean your clan? We grew up together Daniel. My coven is closely tied to your clan. We were not taught to fear the mingling of the races. How could you have fallen into this twisted understanding of the world?” Gloria snapped, lighting flashing from her hands with a gesture, hitting the tree hiding Daniel.
The force of the shock tossed Daniel from his hiding place. Regaining his feet quickly Gloria and Daniel face off, throwing a wide range of spells between them as they tried to defeat each other, sulfur and freshness battling upon the wind as the Mage and Wiccan magic filled the clearing. Thomas, seeing that the focus was not on him, calmed and was able to work his arms free of the vines at last. Glancing at the combatants, he burned off the larger vines holding his legs. Standing and moving away from the fight, Thomas noticed the girls where they sat beside Jonathan’s body, both now watching their mother as Katherine tired of trying to wake their father. Looking once more to ensure Gloria’s attention was only on Daniel he began to move slowly around the trees between the twins and him, trying keep his movements unnoticeable.
Gloria was able to get past Daniel’s guard, bringing him down. Quickly moving to pin him physically she called a ball of electricity to her hand, holding it at the ready. Again she implored Daniel for answers. “Our people are allies Daniel, neither the clan nor the coven have your attitude about those of hybrid races. What happened to turn you against them, against me?”
Daniel smirked at Gloria, “I am no longer with the weak, moronic clan anymore. My new clan is stronger, smarter. We will destroy you and anyone who stands against us.”
“Does our friendship mean nothing to you,” Gloria asked softly once more, the pain of seeing her childhood companion with such hate in his eyes, her mate’s death and the tragedy all this has put her young daughters through causing her emotions to simmer to a softer degree as her wrath is matched by a grief fuelled murmur within her.
Before he could answer, howls could be heard from the surrounding forest. Thomas, hearing them made the final run for the girls grabbing Kaycee, who was sitting docile behind Katherine, just as a large group of Were materialized from between the trees. Holding his own seax to Kaycee’s throat, wrapping her hair around his hand, Thomas used her as a shield against the encroaching wolves. Kathrine turning to see what was going on behind her screamed when she realized her sister was in the clutches of one of their attackers as the wolves surrounded them. A blond colored wolf placed herself between Thomas and Katherine, holding the little girl back from running to her sister. Gloria, hearing her daughter’s scream, looked up to see Kaycee standing in Thomas’s grasp, locking gazes with her captured daughter as the girl started to struggle to free herself. Daniel, making use of Gloria’s distraction, pulled out his seax and stabbed it into Gloria’s side, piecing a lung.
Pushing her off of him, he leaned over her, sneering as he watched the life drain from her eyes as she gasped for breath. “Our friendship died the moment you chose him over me.” Daniel revealed arrogantly a smile of madness upon his face.
“MOMMY!” Kaycee screamed as she watched her mother's aura fade into nothingness.
Her cry caused several of the wolves to follow her gaze to see Daniel standing over Gloria’s lifeless body, instantly moving to attack the Mage. Seeing the wolves rushing towards him, Daniel swept his hand before him, a line of fire appearing between him and the wolves. The smell of sulfur from the flames overwhelm the wolves, causing them to pull back, sneezing to clear the smell from their noses. Having stopped the wolves Daniel looked toward the surrounded Thomas and shook his head with disdain.
“Find your own way home” Daniel spat out before he transported out of the area, leaving Thomas to deal with the pack of angry wolves.
Thomas, seeing himself abandoned, was terrified in the knowledge that he was out of options. With a deep breath he pushed the knife harder to Kaycee’s throat, causing her to gasp as it cut into her skin, stuttering out at the wolves, “St...stay back….O...or I’ll….I’ll kill her.”
The largest wolf remained in place as the others moved back slightly. The crunching-rip of the shift revealed a goliath of a man, his amber aura shining brightly, whose features matched those of Jonathan, his greying hair and extra six inches the only differences between them. Having seen Jonathon’s lifeless body the large man’s body started shaking in barely controlled rage. Watching Thomas, with his dark eyes, the man carefully held out his hands to show non aggression that contrasted with the snarl that formed upon his face. Attempting to step forward the man froze as Thomas pushed the knife even firmer against Kaycee’s throat, a whimper escaping her lips as a drop of blood from the cut runs down the blade’s tip beneath her left ear. Fearing Thomas would just out right kill Kaycee the man chose not to continue his movement closer.
“Your life in already forfeit Mage, not only for killing on my lands but for it being my niece you are threatening to kill in this moment. Release her now and I will promise to make your death painless,” the man, David, warned around a deep growl as he tried to reason with Thomas to protect Kaycee. “I doubt very much you truly wish to hurt an innocent child.”
Thomas fearfully glanced around at the wolves surrounding him and Kaycee seeking a means to escape. He saw Katherine struggling against a wolf who in an attempt to hold her back held the back of her shirt between her teeth, but with no one standing between him and the girl. Calculating quickly, Thomas elected to throw the seax at Katherine, pulling the knife across Kaycee’s chin to leave a long cut as he immediately invokes one last spell, all while still holding tightly to Kaycee. The wolves lunged forward as the knife hit Katherine’s shoulder in an attempt to stop his spell but none of them were close enough do any good. An explosion of sulfur smell filled the clearing as the sound of Katherine and Kaycee screaming “Kat-Kat” “Kake” respectively echoed through the woods as the spell burst forth from where Thomas had held Kaycee, the two of them transported away in a single moment that left to question whether either of the girls had survived.
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