I shot up from my bed awoken by the nightmare that plagued me since I was a child, every time I thought I was finally over it the nightmare would return. The egyptian police had told me that my father was killed by hyenas, although I accepted that fact it still didn't sit well with me. I got out of bed and gathered my things for school and getting dressed in a T-shirt hoodie and yoga pants before going downstairs for breakfast.

"Morgan after school I want you to come straight home" my mother said as she served breakfast. It was the same warning every day she had tried to convince me to homeschool but I wanted to go to actual school so that I had the credits to get a degree so that I could be a professor. I finished breakfast and went to grab the necklace my mother had made me wear it was an ugly bag of something that smelled awful and was a part of the ridicule I suffered from others. I left the necklace hoping that I might be at least partially accepted at school. I saw the small statue from Egypt on the ground in front of the door, I thought I had left it on my bedside table I must have been mistaken I picked up the statue before checking my watch only to see that if I didn't leave I would miss the bus. I stuffed the statue in my pocket before dashing out the door towards the bus. The school day passed by as boring as ever. as soon as the final bell rang I dashed to my locker so that I could get home sooner. I had my backpack and was making to leave when I saw the jerk squad Chuck, Tony and their leader Derek they had obviously seen me since they were heading towards me I turned and ran, I could feel the statue in my pocket it was like having a hand warmer. Unfortunately the jerk brigade caught up with me before I could ponder it further and grabbed me before dragging me to the courtyard using my long sleeved hoodie to tie me to a basketball hoop pole.

"Have fun freak." Tony laughed as he and his friends left for the bus. The other students walked by me either calling me derogatory names, mocking me, or pretending I didn't exist. I was stuck there trying to untie myself even after the buses had left. Once I was free I realized that it felt like I was being watched I looked around but I couldn't see anyone. I grabbed my backpack and started walking home since my mother was most likely at work. About a block away from school I felt like I was being watched again and when I turned around I saw a girl she looked about my age she wasn't close enough that I could see details but I could see she was in a brown dress. I continued walking when I reached halfway home I heard footsteps behind me. I looked behind me to see the girl again she was wearing a deerskin dress and looked like she was dressed up like a native american but the most surprising part was that she had the same native american skin tone as me even though I had never met anyone in this town who wasn't white. I started walking faster to the point where I was nearly running. I turned a corner only to come face to face with the girl her eyes and mouth were stitched shut her dark hair was in tight braids. I backed away from her as the statue heated up so much that it was actually burning me. As I moved so did the girl it felt as if the air was as cold as winter even though it was late spring I could see my breath even though it felt like I was being suffocated. I took the statue out of my pocket and saw that it was glowing, it was so hot that I had to drop it. As soon as the statue hit the ground it shattered and a large black cat leaped at the girl screeching and howling claws out. The girl backed away before making a noise almost like a hissing gurgle.

"Go away Morgana, leave the child alone or I will make you leave." the cat said startling me so bad that I fell backwards and landed sitting on the ground. The wind picked up and Morgana disappeared as the wind did.

"Are you alright." The cat asked turning towards me the cat's voice was male so I assumed he was male. I just nodded yes at a loss for words the cat was at least twice the size of a maine coon.

"Let's go, or else we won't be able to get home before dark." the cat said turning around to start heading home. I got up and walked with the cat not wanting to come face to face with Morgana again.

"So what should I call you." I asked the cat.

"I do not have a name any more." The cat replied.

"Well I have to call you something." I said.

"Do not call me by any name child." the cat hissed. The rest of the walk was spent in silence when we got home I went into the house and held the door open for the cat but the cat sat down outside of the door.

" I can't cross a threshold without permission." The cat said before turning his back to me, I reached down and picked the cat up. He was pretty heavy but I managed, I brought the cat into the living room and put him down before going to the kitchen to get an afternoon snack. I heated up a bowl of chile for myself and pour a glass and a bowl of milk. Once done I sat on the couch put the bowl of milk in front of the cat and set about eating my chile.

"What is that?" the cat asked looking at the chile.

"It's chile, careful it's spicy." I replied taking a spoonful of chile and giving it to the cat since I was full. He ate it and once finished he started panting, I pushed his bowl of milk towards him which he started gulping down before continuing to eat my chile.

"So what exactly are you." I asked pulling a notebook out of my bag and started sketching the cat.

"I was once human but as you can see I am now a feline." The cat replied.

"Well what kind of cat are you?" I asked trying to start a conversation and I had a feeling that he didn't want to talk about being human.

"Hey morg you were late getting home mom won't be happy."my sister Sorcha said walking into the room a towel containing her fiery red hair.

"She won't know if you don't tell her." I replied hoping that she would keep quiet, if mother found out I would be grounded for at least a year.

"I won't tell if you tell me why you were late." Sorcha said knowing that she wasn't giving me much of a choice.

"The jerk brigade." I replied looking away I hated how weak I was, I couldn't even protect myself it was like they said I was useless.

"You're not useless." Sorcha stated crossing her arms, I laughed at the pose she had taken.

"What is so funny?" Sorcha asked confusedly.

"Your the standard definition of an Irish woman, obstinate, red-haired, green-eyed, white woman." I replied I was so jealous of my sister she inherited all of mother's genes and was praised by the people in our community while I inherited all my father's genes even his freaky blue and gold mismatched eyes and in turn was hated for it.

" Morgan do you remember what papa used to say." Sorcha asked sitting down next to me.

"Ya why?" I asked knowing she was trying to change the subject.

"Good cause I can't remember can you remind me?" Sorcha asked.

"My practice is my life, my mind is my weapon, my studies are my joy, and my soul is my own." I replied.

"I'm jealous of you, you inherited all of mom and dad's smarts and intelligence you pick up skills so easily, you have straight A's without trying, you realize things before anyone else, I wish I could do that." Sorcha said smiling at me, I returned the smile and went back to sketching.

When mom got home she gave her usual greeting until she saw the cat she went deathly quiet and turned pale. Before Sorcha and I could act she fell backwards and fainted.

"MOM!" Sorcha and I yelled scrambling off of the couch to assist our mother. We picked her up and laid her on the couch.

"Don't call." The cat stated seeing me move towards the phone causing Sorcha to freak out.

"My mom needs help, you blasted cat!" I yelled at the cat.

"She will be fine in a few moments you only need to wait." The cat said in a monotone voice. We waited for about ten minutes before mom finally woke up she glared at the cat almost willing him to burst into flames.

"Leave servant of Set, leave our family in peace." My mother said in a loathing tone as she stood up.

"Oh calm yourself Aisling, do not insult me I am a servant of Ubesti not Set. In fact you should be thanking me I protected your daughter from harm." The cat replied

"What are you talking about you stupid cat?" My mother asked angrily her hands on her hips as she stood eye to eye with the cat.

"Well your daughter attracted the attention of a shade, and I saved her." The cat replied causing my mother to look at me with a gaze that said I was in deep trouble.

"Care to explain Morgan?" my mother asked in a warning tone.

" I missed the bus, so I had to walk home and then stitches girl scared me and the cat made her go away." I replied quickly.

"You were wearing your charm weren't you?" My mother asked and looked disappointed when I merely looked down as an answer.

"I have to go make some calls and figure this mess out." my mother said before leaving the room.

"So what do we do now?" Sorcha asked and to be honest I wasn't sure what to do. We had a talking cat, our mother was keeping something from us, and now I had a demon or something along those lines after me.

"I don't know, I really don't know." I replied as she and I sat on the couch.

"So what is going on cat?" Sorcha asked the cat.

"Simple, you're witches, your mother used charms given to her by your aunt to keep you two out of trouble." The cat replied.

"That's not possible witches don't exist." Sorcha rebuked the cat.

"Oh they exist and the two of you are descendants of two powerful lines."The cat replied unfazed by my sister.

"The blasted feline is telling the truth." My mother stated leaning against a doorway.

"Why would you keep something like this from us?" I asked incredulously.

"It was for your own good. your father was a brilliant man, a secretive but brilliant man. But he delved into something he should have left alone, and he payed for it with his life. I wanted to keep you two from getting dragged into some war between demon factions or giving your life for some spell that will fail in the end. I wanted you two to have a normal life the kind you deserve." My mother replied pleadingly. Sorcha huffed and ran to her room.

"You should probably go do your homework your aunt will be here by tomorrow then we will sort everything out." My mother said, I went up to my room and finished my homework. A little while after I finished I heard a knock on my bedroom door.

"I brought you dinner." My mother said holding a bowl of chile and a glass of milk, she was followed by the cat whom she back kicked out of the room.

"It's your favorite." my mom said sitting down on my bed next to me and giving me the bowl.

"Don't worry everything will be fine." Mom said hopefully.

"What really happened to dad?" I asked, if witches are real then maybe my nightmare is too.

"Your father took you with him to Egypt so that he could undo a vow that had been made by his ancestor. He tried to do something impossible and because of that Set killed him." Mother said her voice wavering towards the end. She got up and left the room, then the cat walked back into my room and jumped onto my bed before curling up to sleep. I finished my food and got ready for bed before going to sleep myself.