noun ~ death, destruction or some other terrible fate

My nose twitched as I searched for where the dark figure of my mother had disappeared too, but I came up short. I could not smell anything but the smell of woods and ash. I sneezed to dislodge the smell and then tried again but even Celimene could not sense anything.

Strange. Did I imagine it?

Definitely not. Cel huffed.

Why did it lead me here? What was it? Why did it look like my mother?

Cel grumbled as we continued to look around the area but I was drawn once again to that fallen tree. I stopped at the foot of it, looking down at its burnt and crippled trunk. The tree stump was still standing strong in the ground a little to the left. Although charred and splintered, it still highlighted where the tree had once been.

I crept closer to it, my nose to the ground as I tried to make sense of my surroundings. It was drawing me in, I could feel the way it called to me. I know what this meant. I had felt it when I looked at the book of my grandmother's writing. I swallowed harshly, braving myself to raise a paw.

Checking my surroundings and twitching my ears, I found no one nearby. The pull was too strong, I couldn't help but lower my paw towards the tree. Like a whoosh of adrenaline, I felt my mind go numb.

***

I blinked, shaking my head to clear the fog as I entered another place and time. Looking around, I found myself still in the forest, and still in my wolf form. I called Celimene but found she wasn't there and hummed in confusion. I have never had a dream where I was in my wolf form... Perhaps it was normal?

I heard voices behind me, hushed hurried ones. I tensed and turned my head to seek the sounds out. I wasn't prepared for who I saw, my mind going blank as I caught sight of them.

"Hurry, Raven, we need to get there in time."

Gaia ran through the trees, her back hunched as she dragged Raven behind her. I followed them steadily, keeping myself scarce even though they most likely couldn't see me. Raven was huffing behind her mother, looking less than pleased.

"Why do we have to mother, you have had many visions before, why this one?" She grumbled.

Gaia shot her a glare but kept her attention on avoiding low hanging branches and sharp sticks. "This one is important, this could change the whole planet's future if we are not careful."

"Whole planet?" She wondered.

Gaia nodded. "Werewolves are simple creatures, and if we do not go to where I am needed, then they will fall to the bad side, and take over. They are greedy creatures... we cannot let that happen."

I frowned but kept close as I followed them. The sound and smells of the river hit my nose and I watched as the two witches stopped on the edge of the river, the same spot I had stood before. They didn't move, merely waited for something.

My ears twitched as the sound of fighting and screams filled the air. Grunts of pain and screams of peril were shrill and caused me to wince as their frequency hurt my ears. I stood, waiting, much like the two people in front of me for the vision to unfold. I licked my snout eagerly, patience become thin as nothing happened. Even the two witches before me were breathing softly, Gaia's back tense.

A loud howl sounded from nearby and Gaia inhaled sharply. I grimaced, the sound telling me that someone was angry. Suddenly, Gaia and Raven moved along the riverbed, towards the right. I watched them until they were stood upstream and only followed when they stopped again.

A growl filled the air and I inhaled sharply as a familiar white wolf stepped through the trees. Its ears were down, lips peeled back in a snarl. It stalked forwards, hackles raised as it stopped on the opposite side of the river to the witches.

I expected a fight or mayhem, but I was surprised when the white wolf lowered its stance at Gaia's dismissal. It rose to its full height before sitting on its haunches, snout in the air.

"What are you doing here?" Gaia snapped.

The wolf cocked its head, a displeased growl escaping its mouth.

"You know what is to happen..." She grimaced after a long silence. "Are you going to talk to me?"

The wolf barked in what sounded like a laugh. Gaia huffed just as Raven sidestepped her to get a look at the white wolf. The wolf's dark eyes followed the movement, narrowing in curiosity.

"You are a traitor if you go through with this," Gaia grumbled, crossing her arms. "Your kind will perish. I have seen it happen."

The wolf growled again and was about to step closer when something caught its attention. It paused, ears twitching before it looked in my direction. Its nose twitched before his head turned away with a growl. Even Gaia was holding her breath, her face turned to the sound of a whimper.

I looked to where they were attuned to but saw nothing come into my line of vision. Looking back, the white wolf had vanished, the bushes swaying with where he must've gone. Gaia huffed before going downstream to where she had once been stood. She scanned the surroundings before nodding and walking further down.

Raven followed her begrudgingly, her hair covering most of her face and body. When they crossed the river, I caught the sound of crying. My fur stood on end as the familiar voice began to plead with her children. I leapt across the river, wandering my way around the back as the all too recognisable scene began to form before me.

"Please! Please help us!"

I winced at my mother's familiar cry and found myself stood to the side of Gaia and Raven. I could see my mother's face more clearly, however, myself and Pollux were always hidden. No matter how hard I tried to look at them, their face blurred or looked away, or my eyes were unable to focus for long. I grumbled as the scene unfolds before me.

My mother was speaking softly to us, tears in her eyes and blood coating her skin. She was weak, skin pale with sickness. From here, I could see large teeth marks in her skin; the bite of a vampire. Gaia was looking around wearily, her eyes falling to the area I resided in every so often. But when they fell back to my mother, she all but scoffed in disagreement.

"Your daughter... she has a different fate. I cannot take her."

My mother grew angry, as usual, spitting unjust words in my favour. Gaia took them all, her posture stern and strong as my mother grew weak. Eventually, she gave in, her face falling to the ground, hands shaking as she rubbed the twin's backs.

"I love you, my babies." My mother sighed with sadness.

Pollux cried and she smiled softly at him. "It's going to be okay."

This was the moment I hated.

Gaia let out a sigh, pushing Raven behind her as she raised her hands. The familiar strong tree cracked as it became alight with fire, its trunk beginning to bow as it splintered through its middle. Pollux had been pushed away and he collapsed to the ground, a cry leaving his lips.

My mother closed her eyes, her body still and shoulders sagged in defeat as the tree created her doom. As burning wood met flesh, my mother did not cry out in pain and I forced myself to watch as her body became limp and engulfed in the fire. I felt tears brim in my eyes but I pushed them away, wondering why I was so free to watch my mother's peril. The smell was awful and my ears rang with white noise as the sounds of the forest disappeared from around me.

The cry of my younger self met my ears and I saw Gaia watch as my small body began to roll and scrunch in pain. I winced, the ghost of my burning skin graced my arms. Younger me tumbled down the small clearing to splash into the water. Gaia sighed and I turned my gaze to her just to see Raven lower her arm. A crack sounded as a large branch fell from a tree and Raven grimaced as my smaller self clung to it.

So Raven was the one who supplied the branch for me.

I watched once more as my small body cried into unconsciousness, even as she passed behind me in the stream. Pollux's wailing floated into my senses and I turned to find Gaia chanting something that had him rolling in pain. Raven took his arms, trying to soothe him before finally, he fell unconscious. Gaia sighed heavily, glancing at the burning before chanting once more. Her eyes glowed white, her lips murmuring.

The crack of thunder sounded and I looked up as rain clouds began to darken the forest. The first rain splatter hit my cheek just as the portal opened behind Gaia and Raven. I inhaled sharply, knowing this was always the end of my vision. Gaia took Raven's arm and Pollux's infant limp body against her chest.

Raven's jaw clenched and she nodded, taking her hand. The rain began to fall harder, the fire hissing with protest. Raven's dark eyes flickered and a sting of memory hit me as they fell to the spot on the opposite side of the clearing.

The three of them disappeared with a shimmer and I found myself holding my breath. In every vision, she had found my gaze in the clearing as she disappeared. But this time she hadn't. However, this time, I was in a new place.

Prickling started on my arms, my fur standing to attention. I felt myself become drenched from the rain but I couldn't help the burning curiosity as my head turned slowly to that same spot. I felt myself freeze as my eyes fell upon dark wolf eyes. They were staring at the spot beside me where the witches had disappeared.

The wolf cocked its head, sniffing as water and fire fought to win their own battle. He looked away, back to the flames, his ears pinned back as he let out a soft grumble. He shook out his soaking fur before taking a few steps back. Another whimper left his throat before he turned and broke out into a run.

I felt my vision swirl, and I gasped as my legs gave out beneath me. The vision disappeared and I was once again met with the darkness of my mind. I groaned as new feelings overtook me, my legs and head aching as I came back to the present. I raised my hands to rub at my eyes, only to find them restricted.

Wait, hands? I had shifted back?

I blinked, coming to my full consciousness to find I couldn't actually see. I twisted and wriggled, finding my bare body covered in an itchy fabric. I couldn't feel anything else, could only wriggle my body. My ankles and hands were tied and as I pulled them apart, I felt a sharp burning cover my skin. I yelped, forcing myself to lay still as the smell of burning flesh met my nose.

I tried to crane my neck, to see past whatever was stopping me but my eyes blinked darkness every time. I knew nothing was on my face, so why could I not see? Why could I not smell?

I focused my breathing to slow down, to try and concentrate and not panic. But how could I, when everything was limited?

Cracks and shuffling met my ears, light breathing filling the air. I could hear nothing else, my hearing dulled and muffled. I tried my jaw next, finding it aching and sore. My tongue felt heavy in my mouth, a taste of blood coating my cheeks. I was confused, utterly bewildered.

What was going on? Where was I?

Where was Charlie, and the others?

"Stop stressing out. You're not going anywhere." A rasped voice huffed.

I froze, my ears picking out the familiarity of that voice anywhere. I wanted to open my mouth in question, to ask them what they were doing with me, but I couldn't. I couldn't do anything and it caused my heart to flutter into a frenzy.

Phoenix. I cried.

But I received no answer. Even Celimene had gone quiet.

I had no choice but to fall to silence, as tears began to build in my eyes. I blinked them away quietly, my throat dry and scratchy with emotion. I was scared, trapped and confused. I felt like I was floating, as though nothing was touching me but the burning around my limbs and the itch of fabric.

"We're nearly there."

I inhaled deeply, letting the words roll over me. There? Where was there?

More importantly, why was Raven leading me there?

••••
Ahhhhhhhh
So the plot thickens.
What's happening to nova? Who knows.....

See you Wednesday!

Question of the Day:
Something you are looking forward to this year?

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