Hola all. This is going to be short because I'm typing on my phone and despite the screen being large (I have an iphone 6s), using it to type gives me headaches and takes much longer. BUT I woke up with the words on my mind so I'm going to get them outta my head after the second time my power went out last night, it has yet to return... and there's another storm.

Kid you not, the pieces of hail falling are like a toddler sized fist.

I feel like losing power happens too much when it storms like it did last night and today. Then again, it's not like it goes out EVERYTIME it rains, just when the winds are strong and even large branches of trees don't make it...  And my mom and dad have called the city to come and cut down this one tree, heck I think everyone has called about it. But when the city comes they cut these like little twigs off the darn thing, BUT LEAVE the wide branch that is running between the electrical lines that we called about in the first place LOL Okay... I'm done. Enjoy :)

Chapter 50 – On The Road (Ansel Conrad POV) Pt.1

After three hours on the road, I check in with Antone. It is not a conversation, more like Morse code so I know that he is well and that they haven't run into any troubles.

Andy and Naomi, decide to watch a movie, giving me time to digest the information that Naomi revealed. When dad pulls over for the tiniest bit, just to stretch out his legs, behind Liam, the others that were following stop as well.

It's only a brief break, but I use the opportunity to take a pause from the crowd, going a short distance away. With my back turned away from the family, I watch as Naomi walks back to the truck Liam drives, going to the van and pulling out a silverish type trunk. She walks past everyone going back onto the bus, Andy following her.

Kalenah and my parent's head back onto the bus, and soon Trevor comes out, stretching his hands up above his arms and twisting to the side and back. Angela begins the walk towards me, her laptop tucked under her arm.

"Ansel, this girl..." she shakes her head at me, "You have no idea, but I researched this Hawkweed that her and mom were discussing," I nod, at her pause. "It is only found in the mountain range of Glyderau. In Northern Wales, Ansel, Northern Wales!" I stare at Angela blankly, her point completely above me right now.

"The Were King and Elders, they came from where?"

I furrow my brows at Angela, "Uhm, present day Northern Wales?"

She nods furiously, "Yes. I mean the plant was found in 1880, but as soon as it was found it disappears Ansel. And it doesn't show up again until the late 1960's. Apparently, right after this plant is found again, soon after it goes extinct again!" Angela says animated.

"Then, they find it again, one single bloom in 2002."

I nod slowly as the pieces fall together. "It's a pattern."

"In the human world, but still... you heard Naomi," she jerks a thumb towards her back. "And also, it has never been tested either yet she says it keeps the mind safe."

How does she know that?

"Speak to her Ansel," Angela whispers in the night, bouncing in place. "I mean I looked up Cassia Tea and there is nothing about it online," I snort.

The faux shock on her face makes me chuckle silently.

When that moment of mock horror passes, she takes to steps closer to me. Resting her side against mine. "Are the others safe?" she whispers in the night. Placing my arm around her shoulders I hold her close, giving her the comfort she craves though I'm betting whom she really is longing for is Courtney and her kids.

"Yeah sis, they're safe." Her body deflates.

Another five minutes spent in silence and then we walk back to the bus, everyone following our lead. When I enter the bus, Kalenah is at the stove her back to Naomi who is sitting on the floor with the large trunk I witnessed her carrying back to the bus.

"Just in time," she smiles politely, touching the latches on the front of the trunk. Dented, the leather handles worn and locks nearly rusted she flips the first two locks before leaning forward and pulling off a silver chain from around her neck. Sitting in my spot from before, I watch as she takes a key, fitting it into a padlock on the front of the trunk, throwing the container open.

Instantly, the earthy lavender, lemon, cinnamon aromas hit me, a few I cannot identify on smell alone, but mom leave the seat next to my fathers, coming and leaning over Naomi's chest.

More than the smile on Naomi's face, I take in the great concentration that is there as well. It's strikingly abnormal. The intensity I see as she leans over, lifting a tray cover and setting it down before quickly going in again. When Naomi lifts the two-inch thick container, I see utensils, empty tea bags, wood spoons, and different strainers. Some tin cans sit stacked while there are some rounded containers with clear covers showing the multi colored herbs inside.

She stands putting them on the table, where mom looks like a kid at Christmas, her eyes gleaming down at the supplies.

"Ohh," mom whispers her eyes bulging when Naomi removes the second lid. With great concentration and carefulness, she brings out an entire tray with nearly fifty rounded two- three inch tall containers each filled with seeds, powders, dried leaves and herbs with clear covers.

Kalenah turns to watch, a far away look in her eyes that she quickly puts away when she feels my gaze on her. "Hmm I do not know this one here," mom points to a container and Naomi rests back.

"These yellow ones here," she points, "these are the Snowdonia Hawkweed. They look like dandelions petals, but they are not. I have just these two canisters," she fingers the two yellow herbs, "and I have this powdered version here," she lifts a metal canister from the first tray.

Nodding mom, reaches out to take one of the canisters from the second tray, halting and asking permission with her eyes. Bowing, Naomi waves her forward. Treating the thing with tenderness as Naomi had, mom lifts the cover, bringing the petals to her nose, trying to gather a scent.

Her face scrunches up, "not the most pleasant smell." Naomi giggles, nodding, "yes, but I serve it with ginger to mask it, or honey for a more sweetened taste." Mom nods, placing the lid over the canister and returning it to its chosen place.

I speak up for the first time since we've returned to the bus. "And what exactly does the Snow-dough-hawkweed-"

"Snowdonia Hawkweed, Ansel," my mother snaps, ensuing cackles from my wife and sister. I click my tongue when my father lets out a chuckle, "Yes, your Snowdonia Hawkweed," I ask dryly, "what does it do exactly?"

The kettle that Kalenah is tending to, start a low buildup whistle.

"Well, many years back, when my family was traveling, we came across the rare plants." Naomi tilts her head to the side, "We were actually looking for something, and we met another family. A werewolf family, and this tea, the plant, it is all they drank and when questioned they said it protected their minds from the Elders."

"They gave us six seedlings, and two fully bloomed plants. They were meant to give the rest to the Were King – the informed us that the consumption of the tea made the mind impossible to be entered and controlled. We went on our way parting with them, trading our spices," I listen intently, not missing the fact that Naomi includes herself in the story.

This wasn't something that was passed down, not according to her word choice.

"When we were traveling back, many months later, we stopped at the family homestead, only to find that their gardens and home had been burned, and the animals they grazed slaughtered."

"Upon returning home," She paused, lifting a final tray lid, "my family planted the seedlings, and with those we trust, only Kitsune's, we gift them a seedling and one plant after they've learned a traditional Japanese Tea Ceremony."

"The younger Kitsune, they do not much care of traditions, especially those I practice."

Mom, Kalenah and I nod slowly, where their minds are I have no idea. "This set of cups were gifted to me by Otagaki Rengetsu, a Buddhist nun-" she pauses lifting five tea cups one by one, all engraved in script I cannot read. "In 1850."

"So you're – that makes you over 265 years old?" Angela blurts out.

Naomi, tilts her head to the left, appraising Angela with a keen thoughtful look on her face. "Why do you believe so?"

Angela face reddens, and I almost want to laugh at her bashfulness, "it's just that... I've been looking online..." as she speaks her cheeks flush more. "It says that you spend a hundred years as a fox before you get a human form..." Naomi lifts a brow at Angela.

"And everything you read on the Internet is true," Naomi says with a straight face, sending Andy chuckling, beaming at Naomi.

Though her face is red, as I've ever seen it, Angela nods sharply, "everything," the two of them staring at one another for a beat before they fall apart in giggles. The first true smile I've seen on my sister since she's said goodbye to Courtney and the kids.

"That is all myth," Naomi says when she's settled down, "I was born human and when I turned nineteen I met my first Charge, almost three hundred years ago. We do not control when or who are Charges are. So after my first Charge, I did not have one for nearly ten years. Yet, I've never found one so swiftly as I did with Andy."

I nod, staying in the background as Naomi sets up tea for Andy, Angela, Kalenah, mom and herself.

"With Danny, he's been under Cynthia's spell for so long that it will take much time and patience before he is of sound mind again," Naomi tells us, moving around her instruments, filtering her tea and offering my family the different kinds. "So you just started giving him the tea?" mom asks.

Naomi nods, "Yes, I first did not believe that she would just feed on the family, or use spells with her husband, that is very unheard of. It wasn't until a year or two ago that I realized she would use the family, and so to counter her actions I made snacks, protecting not just Andy but the others. However since I could not insert the tea into their daily diets, Cynthia was still able to use them wrongly." Naomi grits, her face growing flushed as she shakes her head angrily.

The true first sign of her emotions since she's shown up.

"It is not just about getting your Tails," I speak; unaware I've even spoken until Naomi turns to me. "You do not become a Kitsune because you crave Eight Tails," she answers, leaving it there before returning to serve Kalenah a cup of tea.

.

.

.

__________

© 2016 roxann_season All Rights Reserved

anyways... if you're reading the other stories, you're probably bouncing in your seat after this chapter... especiallyyyyy about the Were King part...