Something about the next morning seemed off to Dani. Luma stood in a short-sleeved shirt and leggings, stretching her arms and back. She spotted Dani and smiled, revealing her fanged teeth.

"How did you sleep?" She asked, standing up straight. Sun light reflected off the snow, making Luma's skin sparkle with a thousand pinpricks of light.

Dani rubbed his eyes, and shivered. "Better than I have been." He admitted. Sleeping in a bed, instead of the hard ground had been kinder to Dani's body, and he felt refreshed for the first time in a long while.

"Well, I'm glad to hear that." Luma says. "Cold?"

Dani nodded. "I've never felt so sluggish in my life. It's like I've been turned on low-power mode."

Luma laughed, a sound that was barking, but in some way, a bright, cheerful noise. "Snakes are cold blooded, Dani." She reminded him, her eyes sparkling.

"Oh, yeah." Dani looked away. "I kinda forgot about that part."

When Luma laughed this time, Dani didn't feel embarrassed or insulted. Instead, he felt comfortable. "You remind me of your mother."

"I doubt that Zaza was this clueless." Dani muttered, looking at his feet.

"Don't jump to that so quickly." Luma cautioned. "Come here. Sit with me." She perched on the snow and patted a spot next to her. Dani did as she asked, and waited.

"I assume you know that Zammi is a demigod," She began. "Do you know why that's important?"

"Because the courts look down on bastard children." Dani said. Luma tipped her head back and forth.

"Yes, but something else as well." She urged. Dani thought about what she wanted him to say.

Important. Rarity. One in a million. A memory, a recent memory, floated back to Dani.

"Because demigod children of a demigod are rare." Dani said. Luma nodded. "You said that last night though. Why is it important now?"

"Not only are they rare, a demigod mother and a godly father is unheard of. It's never happened before." Luma told him. The awe in her voice lay heavy on Dani's chest.

Someone else who was depending on him.

"What do you think that means, Matriach Alpha?" Dani asked, worried about her response. Luma held his gaze with her steady one.

"I think it means you are going to be a very powerful demigod," She paused, like she was thinking, "Once you find something to motivate you."

Dani blinked. "My family motivates me." He said.

"Do they really? Zammi is raising a host in the south, while Seth chains your half-sister. They are far away." Luma commented. Dani felt a scowl work its way onto his lips. He didn't like what the woman was suggesting.

"What are you saying, Matiarch Alpha?" Dani questioned.

"I think you need to go have breakfast with my family. My mate died years ago, but Tora, my daughter, is a wonderful cook." Luma said. "I think you'll like her."

Tora. That name seemed familiar to Dani. "Okay." He said, unsure. Her argument had changed too quickly. Dani got up, and walked back to the house.

***

The kitchen was situated in the back of the house. A small table was shoved against a wall, and it was empty.

"Hello." A high pitched voice said. Dani looked down, and saw a little girl sitting under one of the chairs.

"Oh," Dani said, recognizing her. "It's you. Topaz."

Topaz crawled out from under the chair. "Yep." She confirmed. "And you're the," She looked away for a moment, frowning. "Serpent." She said. "My maman talks about you."

"Oh, she does?" Dani said, feeling a little uncomfortable being alone with a small child.

"Yes. She says you are a-"

"Topaz!" a new voice exclaimed. "Mon diu, I apologize."  A female werewolf with long, thick brown hair, scooped up Topaz. "She's so young, as she picks up things that my wife says."

"Your wife?' Dani asked. The werewolf blushed, pink flushing her cheeks.

"It's not so uncommon." She murmured softly. Dani suddenly understood what she must think of him, and waved his hands wildly.

"No, no, no! I sorry, I didn't mean I like it's a bad thing! I was just wondering who you're wife was. That was rude of me." He looked down at the floor. "I'm sorry."

"Well, I think we both jumped to conclusions. Let's start over. I'm Tora. My wife is Tolva and this is our daughter Topaz." Tora gestured at her daughter.

"So, you're Luma's daughter." Dani commented. "I'm Dani, by the way."

"Yes. And, we know who you are." Tora said. Dani scratched his neck.

"Sorry. I'm still used to not being... known."

"I know how you feel. Children of leaders." Tora acknowledged.

Dani nodded. "Exactly."

"Well then. Can I offer you some breakfast?" Tora said. "I have bread made with wild berries I picked this summer, along with some honey butter."

To Dani, that sounded delicious. "That sounds amazing. I would love some." He said, already feeling his mouth water. Tora smiled, as she pulled a blue, glass, loaf pan from a breadbox and cut off a slice of bread. Dani could see the many different colored berries in a cross section as she put it on a plate, and then smeared golden buttered all over it.

"Here you go." Tora said, and Dani took a bite.

Heavenly. That's what it was. Heaven. The bread was sweet and the honey made is even better. "This is amazing!" Dani told Tora, who smiled widely, exposing large teeth.

"I suppose I should start to make dinner." Tora said. She looked at him. "Would you like to help me?" She offered softly.

Dani considered it for a moment, although it wasn't even a decision in his mind. "Of course."

***

The next day, when Luma called Dani to her office. It wasn't an office, not in the true sense of the word, but the dining room table, cleared of the morning's meal.

Luma sat in a chair across form Dani, staring intently at him. "So." She stated. "Dani."

"Matriarch Alpha." Dani didn't know why he didn't saw 'Luma'. He felt stiff and ridged, the situation profession now. "Do we have a plan of attack?"

"Of course I do. But you aren't going to be following it." Luma unrolled a map on the table. She placed a few cups at the corners, to keep it from rolling up. "You have your own mission. We are ready to ride when you are."

"What is my mission, Matriarch Alpha?" Dani inquired, confused. He wasn't expecting this. 

"I can't tell you, not down to the last detail. This is your battle as much as it is ours. This man tore your family apart. What do you think you need to get back at Seth?" She asked. Dani looked away from her. "Do you know what you need to do?"

"Yes." Dani whispered. "I do."

"Then you must do that. Now, about the rest of my troops. Werewolves, travelling in a pack, can bend time and distance. Unlike Selkies, we can also transport you and Amber with us, as long as you are shifted."

"I'll freeze." Dani said, worried.

"Not immediately. You just need to keep moving. Plus, it'll be sunny tomorrow." Luma assured Dani, smiling.

"And if it's not?"

"I'll bring a small space heater." Luma chuckled. "Now, my daughter is downstairs with her daughter. She's got soup for you."

"They're staying here, I assume?" Dani said, studying the battle plan quickly. It was just a straight frontal attack, good for numbers and power. As a distraction, it was perfect. And since it was supposed to be a distraction, it would be perfect.

"My granddaughter, yes, but not my child. She's on the front lines with her mother." Luma pounded her chest. "We don't run!"

"Of course not." Dani said, smirking. This would be a triumph.

***

The kitchen, Dani had decided, was the best place in the whole house. It was warm, with a wood stove and pristine stone floors. There was no electricity, but that didn't matter. Tora was there, and therefore, the best food in the world.

"Dani, have some soup!" Tora called out. Topaz was sitting on the counter top, eating jerky. Dani wasn't hungry, but he wasn't foolish enough to pass up her cooking.

"Is Ylva coming to join us?" Dani asked.

"Nope." Topaz announced. She tore off a piece of jerky with her little, sharp, teeth. "She's busy."

"Topaz, you're going to ruin your teeth like that." Tora scolded. "Don't do that again." The little girl didn't seem to care, as she rolled her eyes. Dani chuckled and took a sip of soup.

Lemming and hare had obviously gone into the soup, and Dani had discovered that both types of meat were savory. Something sweet and tangy was also present. "Mhm! Did you put syrup in this?"

Tora lit up in excitement. "I didn't think you would notice! I did." She beamed in happiness.

Dani had realized, about halfway through his first dinner with Tora, he realized complimenting the chef made her more cheerful and happy. It was a small thing Dani could do to repay her for all the kindness she'd shown him.

Tora wasn't really a fighter, but she had a stake in the war. Ylva, who was most definitely a fighter, was fighting tomorrow. Ylva was going to be in the front lines tomorrow, and Tora wasn't going to leave her.

Dani, however, couldn't help but feel guilty. Dani couldn't leave Topaz with one mother, or worse, orphan her. He couldn't help but feel like it would be his fault.

'So just make sure everyone makes it back.' A voice in his head said.

***

The next morning was sunny, but Luma still brought the space heater. Dani carefully stripped off all his layers, until he stood in his tee-shirt and sweatpants.
             "Bring it, Coatl!" One of the werewolves cheered. "Let's see it!" Dani rolled eyes, and tugged on his powers, letting it rip through him. One moment, Dani had two feet on the ground, next his scaled stomach shivered as it touched the glittering snow, his wings tented around himself.

"Alright, up you go." Ylva gathered his coils in her arms, hoisting him around the exposed skin of her neck, where it was warm. He wriggled around her, shivering.

"So, how are we traveling?" Amber asked, her skin already wrapped around her shoulders like a cape. It was significantly smaller than before, and looked shiny and supple.

"Pack bending." Luma smirked. "Bending distance and time, we should get there in no time."

***

Guard duty was boring, and the kamaitachi hated it. He not brave or smart, but he was tired of being tread upon. Seth was strong, and he'd wanted power. Chattering, the kamaitachi shivered. The Silver Mage was reminiscent of a weasel, but didn't have front paws. Instead, long, sickle-like claws extended over three feet, and he could use them with fatal accuracy.

There was thrumming in the distance, like something was running across the land. Maybe an escapee, the kamaitachi thought excitedly.

Looking around for any sign of fugitives or Mages trying to apprehend them, the kamaitachi didn't see the rising cloud of mist on the surface of the ocean.

"What is that?" Falk, the zhenniao who'd killed the old King, screamed. "What is that!"

The kamaitachi looked out to the sea, and let out a screech of warning, finally seeing what Falk had.

In the distance, was mist that rose from the pounding paws of a pack of werewolves. At their head, a thick, crimson, coil of a snake winged towards them, the sun glittering off its opalescent scales.

Red as blood and a sailor's warning.

"Brace for impact!" Falk screamed, and flapped off to warn Seth.

Shaking, the kamaitachi let out a battle scream.

The wolves responded with a howl of their own, this one fresh and excited. They were coming.

They were ready.

***

Battle was Zammi Coatl's natural habitat, the rush of her fists against the air, blue fire blazing at her fingertips.

Thought she never believe the story her mother told, Tiamat Coatl was a great warrior.

Hence how she attracted the gaze of Huitzilopochtli.

When Zammi had been very young, and her Tiá Coaxoch had been Advisor, Tiamat would often tell Zammi the story of how Huitzilopochtli and her had meet.

"Never wish for war, my little snake." Tiamat warned. "It is never truly the answer. However, when I went to battle..." She smiled, darkly.

She was talking about the second World War that had happened years before Zammi's birth. Tiamat had fought in it, and had met Huitzilopochtli there.

"Mamá, does Father love me?" Zammi said, and Tiamat frowned, her eyebrows creasing in concern.

"Little snake, you are the only thing he sees." Tiamat replied softly. She sighed, rubbing her temple. "I've said enough. Time for you to train."

            "No, mamá, tell me more!" Zammi complained, but Tiamat waved away her words.

            "Maybe later."

            That was always her response.

            But now, almost fifty years later, Zammi refused to take 'maybe later' for an answer. All her life, her actions sparked controversy and distaste. They told her, maybe later, she would change the world for the better, maybe later, she could protect all Mages, maybe later, her son could integrate back into the Silver Mages.

            Oh, she was done taking maybe for an answer.

            "Atención!" Zammi called out over the crowd of Mages. She recognized a few faces, her cousins and even her late husband's sister. However, there were many faces she didn't know. An adarna, dressed in medical white, prepared to heal the wounded. A thunderbird towered above every other Mage, their electrical currents forcing the surrounding Mage's hair to stand on end. A few kelpies, their human forms just as ragged as their equine one. Kitsunes, hellhounds, djinns, and many more that Zami didn't recognize.

            They all looked at her, waiting. "I'm not one for big speeches," She began, "But my family was taken, and I want them back. Your family was taken, and you want them back. So, let's waste no time. If we want them back, we're going to have to fight."

            The host that she'd gathered roared in approval, and the sound of shifting mages ripped across the beach.

            "What are we waiting for?" a new voice said.

            It was a young man, with dark brown hair and muddy green eyes. He wore a dark green cloak, the hem covered in mud, and a golden necklace with a triskelion pendent. One hand holding a staff and the other wrapped around a second man, this time with auburn hair and piercing blue eyes.

            "Brendan." Zammi's shock was audible. "Cáel."

            Brendan, the first druid, smiled widely. Unwinding his arm from Cáel's waist, he held them out like he wanted a hug. "Zammi! You haven't visited in such a long time." He pouted, and kissed her cheek lightly. Cáel kept his distance, his piercing blue eyes distrustful.

            "The Druids were staying neutral, weren't they?" Zammi asked, stunned that he was here.

            "Yeah, well," Brendan held up a hand, shimmering dust falling from his fingers. "I was never good at following rules."

            "Amber's our friend." Cáel added softly, meeting Zammi's eyes for a moment, before looking away. "We're not going to leave her to fend for herself."

            "She's not exactly by herself," Zammi corrected, and Cáel shrugged, unconcerned. He stared out over the expanse in front of them, as if he could see where Seth sat, the fat pig.

            Once, Zammi had triumphed the same cause, but he'd taken it too far.

            For that, Seth's defeat was inevitable. She smiled out among all the astounded Mages, feeling the moral rise tenfold. This was something they could win.

            "Well, if you're here, we have the best change." Zammi announced, and Brendan winked.

            "If you have the best chance with us, let's take our shot." He agreed. He raised his wooden staff above his head, and facing Ireland, slammed it down. A golden bridge arched across the water, wide enough for an army to walk thirty abreast. The Mages cheered.

            Zammi, however, leaned close to him, whispering in his ear. "Are you alright?"

            "Of course." He murmured back to her, but a bead of sweat trickled down his freckled neck. "Let's go."

And we meet the Druids!

Uh, so yeah, we're almost done! Four more chapters left, including the epilogue thingy.

QOTD: What do you think I could do better with this? What do I need to improve?

I just want to know for editing purposes. Thanks!!

C.J out!!