#there are 2 wolves inside of me and one is POSITIVE i am unable to feel those feelings and the other wants to be k*ssed

[beetlesayz]

[minghaocouture]

Fearless: Chapter 12

Pairing: Werewolf!Jeon Wonwoo x Vampire!Reader Genre: Romance, Fantasy, Non-Idol Au WC: 3.5k+ Warning: Language, Mild Violence, Gun Usage AU Lore: Vampire Coven Info/Wolf Pack Info/Lore Info Tag List: @moon-asia @uglychildd​ @skjdln​ @darkacrimson​ @woozisnoots​ @hwangjangmi​ @rjsmochii​ @fluffyhyeju​ @svtjuniverse​ @karmacqre​ @dwcljh​ 

Unable to tag: @Unbaeknownst @peachescherryheart

A/N: Again thank you guys for being patient with me <3, I’ll try to be better about updating this lol. I did in fact finish this chapter during a four hour road trip lol. Also i’d just like to put this out there, fight scenes are hard to write. I am not any good at them ^^;; this was my best attempt lol.

Chapter List:  Chapter 1/Chapter 2/Chapter 3/Chapter 4/Chapter 5/Chapter 6/Chapter 7/Chapter 8/Chapter 9/Chapter 10/Chapter 11/Chapter 12/Chapter 13/Chapter 14

If you were being honest, you couldn't remember the last time you had slept so well. So you were pretty peeved to wake up to the sounds of snickering and a the sound of a camera shutter.

"Dude I told you to turn off the sound, they're gonna wake up." You heard a hushed whisper fill the silence of the room, followed by more soft snickering.

"It's fine, we came to wake them up anyway. It's their own fault that we caught them all cuddly." That voice you distinctly recognized as Mingyu, and you were almost certain that the other voice belonged to Vernon. A light sense of irritation swelled in your chest. Almost on instinct you began to pull away from Wonwoo, only for the arm around your waist to pull you closer.

"Do you think if we stay quiet they'll go away?" he muttered, his voice so soft and laced with husky sound that had been lacking this morning. Which made you curious how long he had been awake before you had woken up. You were more than a little embarrassed to be caught like this. Soft moments like this definitely weren’t something you were used to letting others see.

"I doubt it, they're annoying," you retorted, loud enough for your guests to hear. Which earned a irritated exclamation of denial from Mingyu, and a laugh from Vernon. "Besides, we need to get up. We have to get set up for tonight." Despite saying this, you didn't bother moving, after all that would mean you would have to move his arm from you...and you weren't quite ready for that yet. The feeling of his arm around your waist made you feel warm, in fact his whole presence did as well. You had honestly forgotten how wonderful it felt to feel warm. It hadn’t really bothered you before, you had gotten used to not retaining any kind of warmth, so feeling this even if it would only be for a little while, it was...a nice reprieve.

Sadly, Wonwoo agreed with your statement far too quickly for your liking, and pulled his arm away so that he could stretch out. Which caused you to unconsciously grumble out of irritation at the lack of contact.

"You guys are so gross." Vernon complained, while Mingyu fake gagged next to him. 

Rolling your eyes, you sat up and followed Wonwoo’s lead. Stretching a bit to work the muscles that had gotten stiff from sleep. “I mean, you two were the ones who interrupted us. So this is on you.” 

"Ugh, we were told to wake you up.” Mingyu began, thankfully done with his ridiculous display of disgust. “Your vampire friends came back with your leader guy, so whenever you two are done...being gross." 

"We'll be down there in a bit." Wonwoo yawned out the words, just wanting to just get the males out of the room, which worked. They gave a few more teasing looks of disgust before leaving together, taking their future black mail materiel with them. You'd have to steal his phone and delete those photos before Hyunjin saw them. You did not need that boy taunting you about this, especially since he wasn't exactly aware of what was going on between Wonwoo and yourself. Hell, you weren't exactly sure what you wanted to call this either, but that was a thought for another day. Right now, you needed to be focused, if any of you were off tonight then that could mess up the whole plan and put Minah in even more danger.

As the boys left the room, you felt Wonwoo’s hand reach out and lightly grip your shoulder. Turning to face him, you couldn’t exactly describe the look on his face. It looks like a cross between comforting and admiration but you couldn’t be sure. All you knew was that it brought that previous warmth and placed it inside your chest, as opposed to being something physical you felt. You honestly weren’t sure how he managed to do this, if you didn’t know any better you would think he was a witch. But it was common knowledge that Wolves couldn’t produce magic.

“Don’t worry so much.”

“How do you know I’m worried?” Seriously, magic. It was almost ridiculous how well he could read you. 

A soft laugh left his lips and shook his head. “You’re not as straight faced as you think you are.”

With a small grumble of irritation, you pushed his hand off of your shoulder with a small pout on your lips. This prompted another laugh from the male as he watched you quickly leave the room.

***

As soon as you entered the living room, you were taken back by how noisy the room was. It seemed like everyone who was involved tonight had arrived. You were also pretty surprised to see that those gathered hadn’t separated themselves by species. Maybe things would change after all this was over. As your eyes scaned the room, you noticed that the only one missing was Minghao. Which caused a bit of anxiety to swirl in your gut, but you didn’t have time to think about it as you heard the loud voice of Soonyoung greet you. 

"My baby bat!" he exclaimed, rushing over to pull you into a crushing hug. This was always how it was when you saw him again after one of his long trips. You honestly couldn't even remember how long it had been since you had seen, or hell even heard from him. You were also pretty grateful that he wasn’t yelling at you again, that was something you really hoped didn’t happen again soon.

"What did I tell you about calling me that, Hamster man." You groaned, returning the embrace. Despite your hatred of the nickname, you knew it came from a place of love. He was the only reason you were still here, and you owed him a lot but you would never admit that out loud to him. 

"I'm not a hamster! I'm a tiger!!" Obviously offended at your title, and pulled away much quicker than he normally would. You heard the familiar laugh of Kevin ring out through the room, calling out that Soonyoung was definitely more like a hamster than a Tiger. It was an ongoing 'fight' in the coven, everyone would tease him about being a hamster and he would always argue back that he was a tiger. Personally, all you were sure of was that he was a furry. 

You heard a throat clear, and your eyes met with Seungcheol. A serious look on his face which cleared the air of any previous humor. A hush seemed to fall over the room and all eyes were on the three of you, waiting for Seungcheol to speak.

"It's about 5, sundown should be starting soon. We should probably leave in our smaller groups and not all at once." He advised, crossing his arms over his chest as he continued. “We should probably send out the fourth grouping first.” 

He was absolutely right, it would take them a bit longer to get to their position while remaining inconspicuous. The only problem was that you still weren’t sure where Minghao was. So you nodded to show your agreement, but turned your attention to Soonyoung. 

“I’d feel more comfortable sending people out if I knew where Minghao was.” Sure he a part of the first group, so he would leave last but it was still a small concern. His group was already one of the smaller ones, consisting of only himself, Wonwoo and Minhyuk. 

“What, you think I can’t handle the group with the little wolf boy?” Speaking of Minhyuk, he called out with a grin on his face. Which definitely didn’t fit the mood of the room, but that was just how Minhyuk was. 

“I don’t think you could handle a paper bag, Hyuk.” You retorted, and the male laughed at your joking nature. You didn’t...hate Minhyuk but he was definitely a lot to deal with at times. You decided to ignore his comment about Wonwoo, but found your eyes straying to him. To your surprise you felt...worried, if there were only two members in that team it would be easier for them to be overpowered. They would be more likely to get hurt.

You heard a small snort from Hyunjin, who had decided to stick by Kevin. Soonyoung also couldn’t seem to stop himself from chuckling at your antics with the eldest Vampire, before he returned to the situation at hand.

"He decided to stay back with Minah. He said it would be better to have someone trailing her from a distance." It wasn’t a bad idea but it definitely left the teams severely unbalanced now. You also wished that he would have told you about it before hand.

Taking a moment to think about the rest of the other team compositions, you let out a small sigh. The best option would be to send either Soonyoung or Vernon. Since Minghao had decided to change the plan on his own, you'd have to bitch about that to him later when everything is done. Ruined a perfectly good plan.

"Soonie, you're gonna go with team one now, you can blame Hao later,”  

"Since when were you calling the shots?" Honestly, it was a pretty damn good question since leadership wasn’t exactly your specialty, but the cheeky grin on his face made you a little bit irritated. You knew he wasn’t questioning your decision but that he wanted to give one last jab to you before everything went down. A very Soonyoung move. 

"Since you decided that vanishing acts would be your secret skill." 

***

The alley way was dark, and cold. The snow was coming down quickly tonight, making visibility a bit lower than you would have liked. Taking a look at your team, you were outnumbered one vampire to three wolves,  but you knew you could trust them. Or...at least you hoped. They wanted this to end so you would have to hope that they would watch your back. 

“Anything yet?” You questioned, phone in hand as you waited for a response from the first team. It had been decided that each team would have one of the Wolves keep watch, since even in their human forms their sight was definitely better than a Vampires. Being the technical leader of the second group you were trying to keep your hands on all part of the stake out. At the end of the alley was Vernon, his eyes peeled as he watched for Minah to travel down your designated stretch of road. Yubin stood closest to him, crouched and ready to run out at a seconds notice. You were standing closest to Hyunwoo, who while obviously tensed, definitely seemed more relaxed than the rest of you

"Nothing yet," he confessed, eyes not leaving the street as he answered. “Not even stragglers from the bars. It’s just...empty.” It was...definitely strange. It was as if the world could tell that something was off tonight. You attention was then taken by the silent vibrations of your phone going off. Glancing over the message you then relayed it to the rest of your team.

"Minghao says he hasn’t seen anything yet. No one has even approached her." That didn’t make you feel any better, a small sense of dread was pooling in your gut as your phone buzzed once more. Backing out you went to check the other message. 

"Soonyoung said that she just passed them, but it’s basically just what Minghao reported. There was no one near her, Wonwoo couldn’t even see Mingao following her." You heard a small noise of amazement from the younger male, obviously not used to hearing about Minghao’s skills. You were about to make a mention of that being a regular occurrence when you noticed Vernon lift his index finger to his lips. The action being followed by the familiar sound of footsteps in the snow.

The air around your group grew still, yet almost painfully loud. You forced your ears to focus on the steps you had heard instead of the rapid beating of hearts that belonged to the wolves. They were far too loud and were definitely setting your nerves on edge. 

It felt like forever as you waited, eyes never leaving Vernon as you clutched your phone in your hand. Your messenger was opened and you were ready to send a report to Kevin, just in case something happened in your area they would need to know instantly.

As the footsteps grew closer, you could see Minah for a brief moment through as she passed by the alleyway where you were hiding. Thankfully, she was unaware of where everyone was stationed so she wouldn’t accidentally give away your position.

The plan had been for her to appear to be heading home, make her seem more vulnerable. It had been a perfect plan, but so far was yielding no results. Your eyes trained to her form as a small sneeze escaped her, she quickly rubbed a gloved hand against her nose to try warming it up even if just slightly. 

You waited with bated breath for her to exit safely from your area, listening intently for Vernon’s queue for you to send the message to the next team. After what felt like an eternity, Vernon’s posture dropped and his eyes finally left the street. He turned back to the group and shrugged a bit.

A part of your was grateful that nothing had happened but the other part was still tense with anxiety. Quickly typing and sending your report to Kevin, you glanced back up at Yubin and Hyunwoo. 

“I want you two,” you gestured to the fastest and strongest members of your team “to head to the fourth group and be prepared to help them out when you get there. Vernon and I are gonna check in on the third group. Make sure you keep as hidden as you can, we don’t need the stray catching on if he does see you.” 

At your words, Hyunwoo and Yubin nodded and both dashed to the other end of the alley way, taking a sharp left in the direction of the last grouping of members. It was definitely strange being the leader, it was not a job that you ever wanted again. You'd have to ask Junhui how the hell he did this all the time. It was exhausting, and stressful to be in charge of others. 

As the two finished their reports to the other groups, you began the trek towards the fourth group, Vernon following close by you as you kept to the alleyways as much as you could. Doing your best to keep as inconspicuous as possible. This street didn’t seem as deserted as the one Minah had been walking down, lingering species from all walks seemed to be wandering down the sidewalk. This caused that small lingering dread to grow as you picked up the pace, taking quicker steps towards your destination. Feeling the familiar vibrations of your phone. Your heart dropped into your stomach as you read the message from Kevin.

“Fuck, they’ve got her! ” 

***

Wonwoo felt his heart beating rapidly against his chest as he dashed around the corner, following the perp and Minah, alongside Jacob and the female Vampire who he believed was named Gahyeon. Despite her small stature she was quite quick and was a good head in front of the two wolves. It made sense to him now why you had been so adamant about her being one of the powerhouses of the Coven, but that was a thought for another time. 

He had just made it to the third grouping when Minah had been ambushed. From what Jacob had said while they were running, there had been only one assailant, he hadn’t been able to catch any distinct features but he had seen the man grab Minah and drag her into an alley just a bit away from where the third group had been stationed. Just like you had anticipated, he would have to commend you on that later. Once this was settled. 

To his surprise, not only was the assailant in the alley but so was another male. For a moment he was worried that you had been right about their numbers as well, but that worry was quelled as Gahyeon rushed to the second male’s side. He could only assume that this was Minghao and hope for the best. 

“If you let her go then things will go a lot better for you.” Minghao (?) declared, his posture seemed almost too relaxed, but Wonwoo noticed that his eyes never once left Minah’s trembling frame. The captured female looked terrified, her hands gripped tightly against her captor’s arms that had wrapped themselves around her body. He didn’t bother to try and hold her hands back, knowing that there would be no way that a simple human could over power a vampire. It was sad but true, and it seemed like Minah had also realized this.

The unfamiliar vampire rolled his eyes, one arm seemed to tighten around her waist while the other reached up and grasped her throat. He forcefully jerked her head to the side, not hard enough to kill her but just enough to make her uncomfortable. Wonwoo could see tears begin to spill from the young woman’s eyes, too scared to even attempt fighting back. This action seemed to set Minghao off, his seemingly casual posture dropped as he took a threatening step forward. The rest of the group following his lead, only to be stopped as the Stray let out a soft chuckle. 

“You know, if you get any closer I could easily snap her neck. Dead or alive, I’m still getting fed, and her blood just smells...wonderful.” He said, making a large show of burying his nose into Minah’s neck. A small terrified whimper left the young woman, her eyes clenching shut. The tension in the air could practically be cut with a knife. “Is this little human worth all this fuss? Surely Soonyoung has better things to do than deal with, little old me?”

Minghao didn’t dignify him with an answer, simply staring him down but refusing to move as long as Minah was directly in danger. It seemed as if time had stopped, completely frozen inside the cold winter’s night. 

As quickly as time froze it seemed to restart again, almost as if someone had hit the play button on a tv remote. The Stray’s head was roughly pulled back, the surprise of the attack threw him off and caused him to release Minah. Before she could hit the ground, Minghao had rushed forward to grab her. 

Everything seemed to move so fast, Wonwoo hadn’t seen who had attacked the Stray but as soon as Minah was secured he felt his body move forward on pure instinct.  Heart throbbing in his chest as he aimed a punch towards the Stray’s head, which he dodged by just a hair, only for him to be tackled by the small frame of Gahyeon. They rolled for a moment and it looked like she had the upper hand, until a shot rang out, followed by a growl of pain from the woman. She recoiled, jumping off of the stray and looking around wilding for where the shot came from.

Just as there had once been more of them than the stray, now the small group was surrounded by people from all walks of life as they waited for their backup. From the brief glance, Wonwoo could see a plethora of Fae, wolves, vampires, and even a human. They were outnumbered 8 to 5, with a disadvantage because Minghao was attempting to protect Minah as well as fight. It didn’t look good. 

Wonwoo tried to keep his eyes out for his teammates as he fended off a summer fae, small flecks of fire sparked off of her hands anytime she got close, in hopes of burning the wolf. She didn’t pack as much of a punch as he was expecting, but she was quick and practically running circles around him. It made it harder for him to land a punch much less catch the Fae woman. She was careless though, leaving holes in her defense which Wonwoo was more than happy to take advantage of. At his neck chance, his hand shot out and quickly gripped her neck and slammed her smaller frame into the wall of the alleyway. Vaguely he heard the shout of an unfamiliar name, once again followed by a gunshot.

A gunshot that he felt. Another growl of pain rang through the air, except this time from him. The pain was enough for him to drop the Fae woman in shock. 

Trying to keep himself on his feet as the Fae began a fresh assault on him, his mind enveloped in the pain of the bullet wound. Which was honestly hurting a lot more than he thought it should. For a split second he wondered if the bullet had been a silver one, but the thought was ripped from his mind as the woman took advantage of his distraction, grabbing his face and soon all he could feel was fire.

[flowercrown-bard]

Birds Still Sing When They Fall From The Sky

part 1  part 2  part 3  part 4 part 5 part 6 part 7  part 8 belongs to this

The thing about storms at sea was that you could see them coming if you knew what to look for. A hardened sailor could smell it brewing in the air, while less experiences folk might still be enjoying the clear sky. If you didn’t listen to those who could read the signs, you would be caught in a storm you never saw coming with no time to evade it.

Geralt notices the sky change colour. He could smell the sharp scent of the storm approaching and still, he was caught off guard by how fast the towering clouds formed, dark and heavy and bursting with danger.

“We have to go,” he said harshly, turning to Jaskier who still sat next to him, serene, as though he couldn’t see the danger approaching them.

His eyes were wide, looking on as the wall of clouds drew nearer, threatening to rob the sky of the last patches of blue.

“It’s majestic,” Jaskier said, a dreamy expression on his face.

Sand was whipped up by a strong gust of wind, pricking into Geralt’s skin like a thousand sharp needles.

He needed to get Jaskier away from here, quickly before they got caught in the middle of the storm and swallowed by the raging sea. The first heavy droplets fell down on them, as he tugged Jaskier up, ignoring his protests.

“Come on, we have to go home. We’ll be safe there.” He froze. Home. Slowly, he turned to Jaskier. “You did close the windows before we left, didn’t you?”

Jaskier’s brows furrowed. “Of course I did. I told you I would do it.” His eyes drifted back to the storm clouds, uncaring of the rain that by now must be blurring his vision. “I wonder though…If I shut them too tightly… do you think I’d be able to open them again?”

The wind whipped Geralt’s hair into his face, making it stick to his skin with the sand.

“I am strong enough to open them for you again,” he said, urging Jaskier onwards.  

A strange smile appeared on Jaskier’s face that almost couldn’t be called such. “I hope you are.”

Geralt gave no reply. The storm-driven sand cut into their bare feet as he dragged Jaskier with him, hurting like each step hurt the mermaid in Jaskier’s story. Geralt shrugged off his coat, holding it over Jaskier’s head, fearing it wouldn’t do much to shield him from the worst.

When they finally left the sand behind, they were greeted by the stony path made slippery from the rain.

“Jaskier!”

Despite having his arm around Jaskier, Geralt barely managed to catch him, as his legs gave out under him, his feet unable to find purchase on the slick rocks.

“I’m fine,” Jaskier said, but he sounded breathless. “My hero. Always there for me.”

Geralt pressed his lips into a thin line. The rain fell so hard that it became hard to see even for him. He was soaked to his bones already and he felt Jaskier shiver at the whipping wind hitting him. Over the sound of the waves smashing against the shore and the wind howling like wolves, Geralt could make out the distinct chattering of Jaskier’s teeth. His grip around Jaskier’s thin frame tightened, as he took on the impossible feat of positioning himself in a way that would put Jaskier in his slipstream.  

Geralt squinted at the road ahead.

Their cottage was too far away. There was no way Geralt would drag Jaskier through this storm for any longer than he needed to.

Gritting his teeth, he pulled Jaskier forward, gathering him as close as he could without Jaskier stumbling again. Their walk was agonizingly slow, Jaskier’s feet scuffing across the ground, the cutting opposite of the way he used to dance and prance.

With a trembling fist, Geralt knocked on the first door they came across. A familiar fear that he hadn’t felt in years seized him. Like an old injury acting up. Like a beast rearing its head, the faintest disturbance enough to wake it from its slumber. They won’t let us enter. They will see a hurt bard and a fearsome witcher and they will shut the door in our faces. They won’t care if Jaskier dies, because he’s with me. They won’t open, they -

The door was pushed ajar, only enough to show the face of a young person, Geralt had seen around town once or twice. Kris, his mind supplied helpfully. They had a pinched expression on their face. Any moment now they will shut the door on us, telling us to get lost.

“For the gods’ sake, get in here. Quickly. Before you catch your death out there.”

Geralt froze. The words took a painfully long moment to registered. The door opened wider for them to enter. As soon as they were inside, the door fell close with a heavy thud.

The unexpected heat of the house hit Geralt like Jaskier’s tackling embrace whenever they had been separated for too long. He exhaled sharply at the unpleasant feeling of needles pushing into his skin.

Something warm and dry was draped over him. A towel.

“Here,” a concerned voice said. “We need to get you dry.”

“Jaskier,” Geralt croaked, still unmoving.

Kris smiled at him. “Don’t worry. I’ll take care of him. You make sure you’re alright.”

Jaskier’s weight was lifted from him and briefly, his hands tightened, unwilling to let go of him, when he so obviously still needed help. But Kris put another towel over Jaskier’s head, rubbing it carefully to dry his hair, before making to pull off Jaskier’s wet clothes.

Geralt’s eyes narrowed. “What are you doing?”

Kris didn’t look up from their task, but their fingers stilled on Jaskier’s jacket. “Helping. You two need to get out of these clothes if you don’t want to catch a cold.” After a brief pause they added with a crooked smile “And I would appreciate it, if you didn’t drench my home. You might not have noticed, but you are soaked.”

This shook Geralt out of his stupor. “We can stay here?” He asked, his anxiety slowly ebbing away.

“Of course,” Kris said, as they guided Jaskier to the living room, draping a blanket over him. “Until the storm is over. Or longer than that, if you need it.”

Geralt’s mouth went dry. “I – thank you.”

“No problem at all. What’s the point of living in a small village in the middle of nowhere, if not to have each other’s back?”

Geralt could only nod, forcing his breathing to even out. They were right. This wasn’t like it had been back then. No one here would just shut their doors in Geralt’s face if he ever needed help. Jaskier had made sure of that.

He wrapped an arm around Jaskier’s back when Kris left the room. They came back shortly thereafter, bearing dry clothes and two steaming mugs of tea.

Geralt took the offered clothes. They were a bright green colour. Jaskier would tease him mercilessly once he wasn’t shivering anymore. Or he would pout like a petulant child that Kris had accomplished in five minutes what Jaskier had tried to do for years.

“You don’t have to do that,” Geralt said, when Kris kneeled down in front of Jaskier to help him put on the trousers.

Kris looked up, a patient but exasperated look on their face. “Of course I don’t. But I know what I’m doing and you need to warm up yourself.” They nodded towards the mugs they had set on a nearby table and resumed their task.

Geralt hesitated, before doing as he was told. The tea tasted heavenly on his tongue, warming him from the inside out. He let out a much needed breath. All the while Kris was rubbing Jaskier’s hands until the colour returned to him and spoke to him in a soothing voice until the shivering stopped. Jaskier smiled at them, squeezing their hand in thanks, before laying down on the sofa and nodding off almost instantly. Kris pulled the blanket over Jaskier, tugging him in.

“Are you alright?” Kris asked, taking the second mug they had brought and sitting down across from Geralt.

Geralt grunted in response, unsure what he even wanted to say with the sound. It hadn’t occurred to him to ask himself how he was until Kris had asked. It hadn’t been important. Neither was it important now.

“Fine as long as Jaskier is.”

Kris heaved a sigh and set their mug down. “And when he isn’t?” They left a pause for Geralt to answer; a chance which he let pass by. “You don’t have to do this on your own, you know.”

Geralt’s grip on his mug tightened and his shoulders tensed. “I can do it. I’ve done it before. After the snowstorm in Kaedwen. After every goddamn monster that got him.” The words rushed out of Geralt without his permission, desperate to convince Kris – or himself? - that he was good enough at caring for Jaskier. He wouldn’t ever leave him. There was nothing that Geralt wouldn’t be able to see through with him.

A gentle but firm hand rested on his arm, making him look up. “I’m not going to take him away from you. All I’m saying is that you’ll need to look after yourself too.” They pulled their lip between their teeth, glancing over to where Jaskier was still sleeping peacefully. “I’m not going to push this, but if you ever need help, you can come to me. I’ve taken care of people before. I know how hard it is to do it alone.”

--

Kris’ words still tumbled through Geralt’s mind when the noise of the drumming rain subsided and the blue reclaimed its place on the sky and he and Jaskier left Kris’ home far behind.

He barely noticed arriving at their little cottage, until he automatically pushed the door open. His heart dropped.

Shock took hold of his limps, as he stared at their destroyed living room. Papers were strewn about, trinkets had fallen off the shelf and Jaskier’s lute was buried beneath his notebooks.

A light breeze ruffled his hair and his head snapped up to the window that was wide open, on one side unhinged.

“I don’t understand…” Geralt’s voice trailed off.

He heard Jaskier swallow thickly and turned around to see his eyes fixed on the window. “I think I’m starting to.” Before Geralt could ask what he meant, Jaskier left his side to stride over to the window, uncaring of the sheets of paper that littered his way. With a trembling hand he reached for the window, but hesitated. “You promise me you will try to help me open it again?” he asked with a shaking voice.

“Of course,” Geralt said. He meant it, though he had the creeping suspicion that he wasn’t completely certain what exactly Jaskier was asking for. But whatever it was, he would be there for him.

Kris’ words flashed through his mind and he shook himself.

They were quiet, when they picked up Jaskier’s notes, doing their best to sort through them, but the glum silence quickly got replaced by loving hums, when they discovered some trinket Geralt had brought back from one of his hunts, that had been gathering dust, almost forgotten.

They laughed when they deliberately messed up what pages belonged to which story, creating nonsense that Geralt threatened to publish under Jaskier’s name, earning him a playful slap on his arm.

They both sighed in relief when they opened the lute case to find the instrument unharmed. For a while the familiar soothing sounds of Jaskier plucking notes was the only sound in their cottage.

It was strangely serene taking care of this mess. After the storm they longed for calm and if they had to create it for themselves out of the shambles of their living room, then that’s what they would do.

Between the time spent putting everything back in its place and messing around while doing so, the afternoon passed by unnoticed and faded into night.

Jaskier put the lute away with a yawn and Geralt too found himself aching to get some rest.

Geralt’s breath hitched when he entered their bedroom. He hadn’t thought – it hadn’t crossed his mind –

“Oh.” Jaskier said and that small word sounded so big in the gaping hole in Geralt’s chest.

Of course the storm hadn’t spared their bedroom. There was not much of value in here, not much that could be broken anyway, expect –

Geralt lowered himself to his knees as he picked up the shards of the broken shell that would never again hang over their bed.

He knew that his quietness was deafening, crushing the unexpected cheerfulness that had embraced them while going through their stuff and being reminded of all the memories they had accumulated over the years, but he couldn’t bring himself to speak.

It was silly, he knew. There was no such thing as luck coming from sea shells or wishes from dandelions. Geralt didn’t believe in avoiding black cats or throwing salt over one’s shoulder. It wouldn’t do for a witcher to be superstitious.

And yet.

Seeing the pieces of the shell that was supposed to guard their luck lying on the floor like this, it felt as though his heart had shattered with it.

He picked up the pieces furiously, not caring whether or not the edges would cut into his skin.

He only stopped, when a hand took his, prying his fingers open more gently than he deserved.

“Jaskier,” he said, his voice broken. “Don’t bother. It’s gone.”

Jaskier didn’t listen and Geralt didn’t have the heart to close his hand and deny Jaskier to see pieces of Geralt’s first gift he had given him in their new home. He didn’t have the courage to look at Jaskier’s face as he did.

“Oh,” Jaskier said again, but this time it sounded excited, almost …happy?

Geralt raised his brows and turned to Jaskier, who held the biggest piece in his hand. It was the one with the hole, the thread still attached to it. Without hesitation Jaskier put it around his head.

“Jaskier, it’s broken. It’s not… it’s not the way it used to be.”

Jaskier’s smile turned radiant. “I know. It’s so much better now!” He lifted one hand to feel over his new necklace. “Now I can always carry a piece of our luck with me while some of it is still at home.” His eyes brightened. “Oh! We can take pieces of it anywhere we go. We can attach one to Roach’s saddle. We can bring one to the nice lady at the bakery who gave me some buns for free. And the fishermen for when they leave home. And the little forest on top of the dunes.”

Geralt watched silently as Jaskier rattled off all the names and places who deserved to have a piece of their luck and found himself smiling once more.

Jaskier was still brimming with excitement for his new stack of luck when they went to bed. Before Geralt closed his eyes, he made sure to put one of the pieces aside. Of all the people who deserved a share of their luck, Kris was surely amongst the ones who should have it the most.

[rebelquilts512]

Howls of the Past... and the Future

The long awaited sequel to Through the Fire is here! Also known as Part 2 of my Phoenix AU, or my Kanan Lives AU.

This took longer than I anticipated and ended up longer than I anticipated. I hope it’s worth the wait.

There are songs in this and they will be credited at the end.

This is over 14,750 words and around 75% of it is flashbacks. Hope you enjoy it.

Reblogs, likes, and comments are appreciated.

After they went around with introductions, everyone involved in the attack had gathered around to exchange stories of what they'd been up to.

“So let me get this straight,” Kanan was saying. “You had a vision of the Lothal Jedi Temple, convinced Sabine, Zeb, and Rex to help you get to the Jedi Temple, which was under Imperial excavation, snuck into the temple, touched a couple murals, then had to run as the temple collapses, after which it disappears, taking the Imperial excavation crew with it,”

There was a pause.

“Well when you put it like that it sounds crazy,” Ezra replied.

“It was crazy, Ezra,” Sabine said, giving him a look.

“Hey,” Ezra held up his hands. “The Empire can't find out anymore of the temple’s secrets, and they're short an excavation crew,”

“Still,” Hera put in. “Ezra, what you did was risky, and you don't know how bad it could have gone,”

“I don’t know,” Kasmir said from his seat. “From what I've heard this kid can handle anything,”

“Kasmir, you're not helping,” Kanan groaned, rubbing at the burns on the side of his neck.

“Hey, I remember some the crazy plans you had back in the day would…” Kasmir suddenly trailed off. He, along with everyone else, was staring at Kanan, or rather, what was behind him.

“What's wrong?” Kanan asked. Then the white Lothwolf exhaled, making his hair ruffle.

Kanan slowly turned around.

“Dume,” the Lothwolf breathed.

Kanan froze. The rest of the Ghost crew, Kasmir, Kleeve, Kallus, and the clones, who all knew about Kanan's old name, stared at the wolf in shock. The rest of the group looked terrified, and half of them were reaching for their weapons.

“What do you want?” Kanan asked.

“Follow,” the Lothwolf answered.

The wolf turned around and started walking. Kanan stood up and did as he was told. Hera, Ezra, Sabine, and Zeb exchanged glances before getting up and following him. Chopper rolled up behind them. Everyone else stayed where they were and watched them go.

***

The white wolf lead them into the cave Ezra, Zeb, Sabine, and Kanan remembered from when the white Lothwolf took them to this hemisphere.

The wolf stopped by the cave painting, the one with the temple, the Jedi, and the wolves. The wolf put one paw on the wall and tilted his head, gesturing for them to do the same.

He must’ve done something in the Force, because Kanan got the message and came up to place his hands on the wall.

Ezra put his hands on the wall next, standing between Kanan and the Lothwolf.

Then Hera came up on Kanan's other side and put her hands on the wall.

Sabine and Zeb looked at each other before taking spots on the other side of Hera, farthest away from the Lothwolf, and doing the same.

They all closed their eyes and suddenly it seemed like they were falling.

***

When they landed, even Kanan could see the grassy Lothal plains and rock spires that filled their view.

There was smoke in the distance. Then the thrum of speeder engines filled the air. A single speeder bike appeared from the direction of the smoke and the crew got the distinct impression that they were watching a flashback.

A human woman was driving the bike. She had chin-length brown hair and amber skin and was wearing a silvery-white cloak. She held a bundle protectively against her chest as she sped across the plains.

The roar of speeder engines got louder as a group of assorted beings on their own bikes and speeders followed her, at a distance that implied they were chasing her.

“Dume!” the Aqualish leading the group shouted at her.

{Kanan's eyes widened at the mention of that name, so did Hera’s, and Sabine's. Ezra gasped and Zeb’s jaw dropped. It seemed like this flashback had something to do with Caleb Dume’s family, Kanan's family.}

The woman looked nervously behind her. When she saw the size of the group chasing her, her eyes filled with fear and she pushed her speeder bike to go faster.

One of the goons fired at her. She barely managed to dodge the shot and darted into a cluster of rock spires. She weaved through them in an attempt to lose her pursuers. It only half worked. While the bigger speeders were unable to get through, most of the bikes kept up the chase.

Finally, the woman managed to temporarily lose them. She slowed her bike down until she stopped. She pulled her bundle away from her chest and looked down at it, then she sighed in relief.

The white Lothwolf appeared a few yards in front of her. He stood still for a few moments before he turned around and started walking.

There was a shout from behind the woman. She turned around and saw that her pursuers were starting to track her back here. The Lothwolf turned its head back; his eyes conveyed a promise of safety. The woman turned her speeder bike back on and followed the Lothwolf. The Lothwolf started running as the goons got closer. The woman followed the wolf until he disappeared into a cave. She made a move to follow, but then a blaster shot hit the back of her bike, causing it to spin out of control as it entered the cave.

There was a flash of blue light.

The scene changed and the speeder bike came spinning out of a different cave, preceded by another blue flash, and into view. The woman fell off and started rolling, practically wrapping her body around her bundle. She stopped when her head hit a rock and she went still; her bundle rolled out of her arms.

The bundle let out a whimper, surprising everyone. The white Lothwolf appeared and nudged it with his nose. A little arm emerged from the blankets and the crew got a look at the baby inside the bundle. It couldn't be more than a few months old and had the same brown hair and amber skin as its mother, and was now crying.

A brown Lothwolf came to see what was making all the noise. Following her were two pups; one was brown with gray mixed in, and the other was gray with brown mixed in. The brown Lothwolf, clearly a mother, took one look at the baby bundle and started trying to free the baby from the blankets. The white Lothwolf helped her.

Once most of the blankets were off, the brown wolf laid down on her side. The white wolf helped her move the baby so it was in a perfect position to nurse. The baby found a nipple, stopped crying, and started eating.

Certain members of the Ghost crew worried that the wolf's own pups, who were twice the baby's size, wouldn't take kindly to a strange creature drinking their mother's milk. To the crew’s surprise however, the pups calmly walked up to the baby and started sniffing it.

Eventually, they’re curiosity was satisfied. They laid down on either side of the baby and rested their muzzles on their front paws.

The next thing the crew saw was the woman again. She was still unconscious, but it was clear some time had passed. The white Lothwolf touched his nose to her forehead and she started to come back to consciousness.

The woman started feeling around her, searching for something. After about a minute of frantic searching, the woman started to panic. “Caleb!” she screamed. “Caleb!”

{Zeb and Sabine's jaws dropped, Ezra and Hera gasped, and Kanan looked like he was about to have a heart attack.}

The woman found her baby sleeping up against the brown wolf with the pups. She scrambled over and picked him up. When she saw that he was okay, she sighed. “Aren't you a strong boy,” she cooed, kissing him on the forehead.

That's when the baby woke up. He let out a tiny little baby yawn and opened his eyes.

Their teal color was the final confirmation the Ghost crew needed. The baby was Kanan. They were watching Kanan's childhood before the Jedi Temple, which was apparently connected to the Lothwolves.

Caleb smiled when he saw his mother. He laughed and reached up towards her face. She gave him a finger to hold and took the opportunity to look around their surroundings.

The rock spires surrounding them formed an oval shaped clearing, with a couple of openings into the prairie beyond, and it was full of Lothwolves.

The white Lothwolf appeared by her side, startling her. “You!” she yelped, jumping a little. She took one more look around; at the other wolves, who were relaxing or playing; at the small stream that made a pool in between two rocks; at the cave she came through; and at her damaged speeder. She looked at the white Lothwolf again. “You...you saved us. Why?”

“Dume,” the Lothwolf answered.

“I..I don't understand,” the woman hesitated. “I mean… my name is Rebekka Dume, but...how am I important to you?””

“Dume,” the Lothwolf repeated, leaning forward to point his muzzle at Caleb, who laughed and patted his nose with his hand.

“Caleb?” Rebekka asked. “Why do you care about him? He's barely three months old!”

The white Lothwolf sat down and cocked its head to one side. His expression read ‘You'll have to wait to find out’.

Then, Caleb started fussing.

“Oohhhh, what's the matter?” Rebekka asked, bouncing and rocking him in her arms. “Are you hungry?”

She checked. He wasn't.

Next, she turned him over and sniffed his bottom. She wrinkled her nose. “Someone needs a diaper chaaange,” she said in a sing-song voice.

After re-establishing her hold on him, Rebekka walked back to her speeder bike and grabbed one of the bags strapped to it. She sat down on the ground and took what was probably a changing mat out of the bag. Once it was smoothed out, she laid Caleb on it. There were a few more things she had to get out of the bag before she unbuttoned his onesie. Then she proceeded to change his diaper.

Caleb, for his part, put a hand in his mouth and lay mostly still while he was being changed.

Once he had a new diaper on, Rebekka cleaned her hands with some sanitizing wipes. Then she picked up the dirty diaper with two fingers and looked around bewildered.

“Now where am I supposed to put this?” She wondered aloud.

One of the pups, the gray one with brown added in, walked over, took her sleeve lightly with their teeth, and tugged. The pup pulled her over to a small dark space between two rocks. It released her sleeve and started digging.

When they had dug a good-sized hole, the pup sat back and cocked its head towards the hole.

Rebekka looked at the diaper in her hand, then down at the hole. “You want me to bury it?” She asked. She thought for a moment. “Well, I guess it is biodegradable,” She tossed the dirty diaper into the hole.

The wolf pup refilled the hole, letting Rebekka scoop in a few handfuls of dirt. When they were finished, Rebekka rushed back to Caleb.

Caleb was doing fine. The other pup had laid down beside him. They had a front paw across his chest and was resting their muzzle on top of his head.

When they noticed Rebekka, the pup moved its paw and got up, allowing her to easily reach him.

Rebekka picked Caleb up, checking him over before looking down at the pup, who had been joined by the sibling that helped her. She kissed his check. “I think you made friends, sweet boy,” she told him, pressing their foreheads together.

{Zeb couldn't resist snorting at the nickname. Ezra made a little ‘aww’ noise and Hera and Sabine giggled. Kanan was slightly surprised, and a little embarrassed, knowing the crew probably wasn't going to stop teasing him about it for a while.}

Rebekka held him in one arm while she picked up all the diaper changing supplies. Then she put the bag back on her bike. Her eyes landed on the smoking hole where the bike had been shot. She sighed. “I'm not getting back home am I?” She asked no one in particular. “It’ll be months before the Edgeherd Gang gives up, and I'm not getting far on this bike,” She reached into her cloak and pulled out what appeared to be a purse of credits. She looked inside it. “I think I have enough to buy passage off-world,” She sighed again. “But where would I go? And how will I know if it's safe?” she asked, hugging Caleb close to her chest and kissing the top of his head.

The white Lothwolf appeared beside her again.

Rebekka jumped and almost dropped her credit purse. “Would you please stop doing that!” She scolded. “Especially when I'm holding Caleb! Since he's so important to you!” She added, annoyed, shifting Caleb to one shoulder.

“Stay,” the Lothwolf said. “Here,”

Rebekka tilted her head to one side. “You want us to stay here?” She asked. Then she started to ramble. “But… How? What will we eat? I mean… I have some provisions, but they won't last long. And I'll run out of diapers. WHAT EXACTLY IS YOUR PLAN?!”

“Trust. Me.” the Lothwolf replied.

They stared each other down for a minute. The wolf’s yellow eyes against Rebekka’s sea green ones.

Eventually, Rebekka relented. “Fine, but you'd better know what you're doing. And if my son and I are going to stay here, I going to have to know what to call you. Do you have a name?”

The white wolf seemed to hesitate a moment, then he replied. “Ashla,”

Rebekka nodded. “Alright, Ashla,” She turned to where the brown Lothwolf was standing with her pups. “Do they have names?”

Ashla shook his head no.

“Well then,” Rebekka walked to them and reached out to stroke the brown wolf’s head. “Would you mind terribly if I gave you and your pups names?” She asked.

The Lothwolf closed her eyes in acceptance.

“Alright,” Rebekka replied. “Hmm....I think I'll call you...Maica,”

Maica licked Rebekka's arm, as if she was agreeing with her new name.

Maica’s pups started jumping up on Rebekka. Either they were excited to get names, or they wanted to get closer to Caleb, who was smiling and waving an arm at them. One of them managed to lick his foot, making him laugh.

“Do you want names too?” Rebekka asked with a smile. She squatted down to their level. They immediately stopped jumping and waited excitedly. Rebekka let them give Caleb attention while she checked their genders. “Well you're a boy,” she told the mostly brown pup. “And you're a girl,” she told his mostly gray sister.

Rebekka started petting the boy while thinking. “Your name will be….Teman,”

Teman gently licked her cheek, like he was thanking her for the name.

She moved to his sister. “And you can be...Sora,”

Sora energetically licked her whole face, with much less restraint than her brother.

Rebekka laughed. “Well I think this will work out just fine,”

***

The scene faded away and the Ghost crew wondered if that was all they were going to see.

***

Their question was answered when a new scene appeared. It was still the Lothwolf compound, but it was clear someone was living there now. There appeared to be a wash-line hanging between two rock spires; what looked to be some sort of hide tanning station leaning against another spire; an area that looked like a fire pit, with a bunch of cooking utensils stored beside it, was in between the two; on the other side of the washline was what was probably a garden; Rebekka's speeder bike was sitting with a crate attached to it by what the Ghost crew decided to call “the portal cave”; and a small cave entrance the Ghost crew hadn't noticed before appeared to have some significance.

They didn't see Rebekka or Caleb until they heard a laugh.

Rebekka was kneeling by a tub of soapy water. Her sleeves were rolled up and her hair was held back with a handkerchief. She was the one laughing. The Ghost crew wasn’t sure why until they noticed Caleb, who looked around five months old now, sitting in the tub. It took a second before they realized that Rebekka was giving him a bath.

Rebekka took a cup, and poured it over his head, using one hand to keep the water out of his eyes. Caleb smiled and splashed around when she was done.

Rebekka poured one final cup of water down his back before she took him out of the water and wrapped him in a towel.

“Now you’re all clean!” she cooed, cuddling him to her chest and giving him a kiss on the cheek.

After drying him off, Rebekka put Caleb in a diaper and dressed him in an outfit that vaguely looked like it was made of animal skins. Then she picked him up and stood.

It was then that the Ghost crew finally saw the Lothwolves in the compound. Maica, Teman, and Sora were lying nearby.

As soon as Caleb was dressed, Sora and Teman got up and walked over to him.

Caleb made happy baby noises and tried to reach down to them.

“Oh no you don’t!” Rebekka scolded, turning Caleb away from them. “I get to have my clean baby for a few minutes, thank you,”

The statement did not affect the pups’ behavior. They continued to try to get Caleb’s attention. Caleb, for his part, was trying to get down to them. Eventually, Caleb realised he wasn’t being let down and started to pout, and then to whimper.

Rebekka found herself up against three equally adorable sets of puppy dog eyes.

She signed. “Well, I tried,” She admitted.

Rebekka walked over to where the grass was shorter and set Caleb down. She produced a toy that looked to be made of Lothal grass and animal bones and gave it to him. Caleb laughed triumphantly.

Caleb, Teman, and Sora started to play, although it was mostly just Caleb alternating between chewing on the toy and waving it in front of the pups’ faces as they followed it with their heads. Rebekka walked over to a basket by the entrance to the smaller cave and took a few pieces of cloth out of it, which again resembled animal skins, and grabbed a needle and thread. She leaned up against the nearest rock and started to sew.

They stayed like that for a while. Rebekka sewed while Caleb and the pups played.

The Ghost crew’s view changed to the sun. It moved from the position of mid-morning to around high noon.

When they looked back at Caleb and Rebekka, Rebekka was putting her sewing away, as Caleb was starting to get fussy. She walked over to him and picked him up.

“I think it’s time for your lunch, sweet boy,” she told him.

She walked back to the rock she was leaning against earlier and sat down. She moved her shirt to expose one of her breasts and brought Caleb to it. He nursed while Rebekka hummed and brushed her fingers through his hair. When he finished one breast, she adjusted her shirt and moved him to the other.

Caleb finished eating a few minutes later. Rebekka fixed her shirt and propped him up against her shoulder. She patted his back until he burped. Then she set him down on her lap and tickled his tummy. Caleb laughed.

“Alright, now it’s Mommy’s turn for lunch,” Rebekka said as she got up and carried him over to the small cave and went inside.

“Let’s go see what leftovers we have,” the crew heard Rebekka say as she went further into the cave.

She returned a few minutes later with a covered pot in one arm and Caleb in the other. She walked over to the fire pit and hung the pot over it before she started the fire, which she made sure Caleb stayed away from.

After a few minutes, Rebekka took off the pot’s lid, revealing that there was soup inside, which she stirred with a ladle from the container of cooking utensils. Then she put the ladle down and went back into the small cave. She came back out with a bowl and a small spoon. She ladled a portion of the soup into the bowl, replaced the lid, and sat down.

Rebekka took a spoonful and moved it towards her mouth. Caleb, from his position on her lap, tried to grab the spoon.

Rebekka giggled. “This is Mommy’s food. You already ate,” she told him, patting his head.

After Rebekka finished eating, she gathered her bowl, spoon, the ladle, and Caleb and carried them into the small cave.

{The Ghost crew actually got to see inside it this this time.}

Inside the cave, it was much bigger than the small entrance made it seem, and almost looked like a room of a house. There was a large pile of handmade pillows and blankets that took up most of the floor, a tunnel that seemed to lead farther into the rock was across from the entrance, a stack of assorted dishes and cutlery sat in one corner, and a good sized bucket was near the door.

Rebekka put her dirty dishes in the bucket, then she went back outside and returned with the pot. She carried it, and Caleb, into the tunnel. It was surprisingly well lit, for a tunnel in a cave surrounded by rock. She walked down the tunnel for a couple minutes, passing by an entrance to a cavern or two, and when she came upon a fork in the tunnel she took the left path.

A few yards into the new tunnel, Caleb shivered and clung harder to his mother.

Rebekka set the pot down and hugged him close. “It’s okay, Caleb. It’s just a little cold, nothing you can’t handle, sweet boy,”

She wrapped him in her shawl and grabbed the pot again. She continued walking until she reached a small semi-dark cavern.

It was there that it became apparent why Caleb had shivered. The cavern walls were streaked with ice. They could even clearly see Rebekka’s breath. All around the floor were assorted food storage containers like the pot Rebekka was carrying, and slabs of home-butchered meat hung from a rack by the far wall. It was almost as if this was some sort of ice cave that Rebeka used as a cooling unit.

Rebekka placed the pot she was carrying down beside another pot. “There,” she sighed. Then she looked down at Caleb. “Now we can go back outside,”

Rebekka walked out the cavern.

The next time the Ghost crew saw her, she and Caleb had exited the cave and were being greeted by Sora and Teman, who had been spending the time since Rebekka fed Caleb with their mother. They all sat down in the middle of the grass and began to play some sort of game.

The Ghost crew got a view of the sun again. This time it was descending. Right before sunset the sky suddenly darkened, clouded over and there was a flash of lightning and a loud clap of thunder. A thunderstorm had started.

Rebekka and Caleb took shelter inside the small cave. They were huddled together in the blanket pile. Caleb cried every time the thunder boomed.

“Shhh, shhh,” Rebekka soothed, rubbing his back and rocking him back and forth, “It’s alright. It’s just a little thunder, nothing that’ll hurt you,”

Another thunderclap sounded and Caleb buried his face further into her neck and cried.

Rebekka sighed and reached down her shirt. She pulled out what looked like a small sound recorder attached to a string that hung around her neck.

She activated it and the sound of some sort of string instrument started to block out the sounds of the storm. Caleb, still sniffling, lifted his head and looked curiously at the music player.

Then Rebekka started to sing:

“You had your maps drawn,

You had other plans

To hang your hopes on,

Every road they lead you down felt so wrong,

So you found another way,

You've got a big heart,

The way you see the world

It got you this far,

You might have some bruises,

And a few scars,

But you know you're gonna be okay,

And even though you're scared,

You're stronger than you know,

If you're lost out where the lights are blinding,

Caught in all, the stars are hiding,

That's when something wild calls you home, home,

If you face the fear that keeps you frozen,

Chase the sky into the ocean,

That's when something wild calls you home, home,

Wo-o-OHHH

OH-OHHH

OH-OHHH-OH-oh

ohhh

ohhh-oh

oh-OH-Oh-oh-oh

ohhh

Ohhh-oh

oh-OH-Oh-oh-OH,

OH

Wo-o-OHHH

OH-OHHH

OH-OHHH-OH-oh

ohhh

ohhh-oh

oh-OH-Oh-oh-oh

ohhh

Ohhh-oh

oh-OH-Oh-oh-OH,

OH

Sometimes the past can,

Make the ground beneath you feel like quicksand,

You don't have to worry,

You reach for my hand,

Yeah I know you're gonna be okay,

You're gonna be okay,

And even if you're scared,

You're stronger than you know,

If you're lost out where the lights are blinding,

Caught in all, the stars are hiding,

That's when something wild calls you home, home,

If you face the fear that keeps you frozen,

Chase the sky into the ocean,

That's when something wild calls you home, home,

Wo-o-OHHH

OH-OHHH

OH-OHHH-OH-oh

ohhh

ohhh-oh

oh-OH-Oh-oh-oh

ohhh

Ohhh-oh

oh-OH-Oh-oh-OH,

OH

Wo-o-OHHH

OH-OHHH

OH-OHHH-OH-oh

ohhh

ohhh-oh

oh-OH-Oh-oh-oh

ohhh

Ohhh-oh

oh-OH-Oh-oh-OH,

OH

Calls you home,

Calls you home,

Calls you home,

Calls you home,

If you're lost out where the lights are blinding,

Caught in all, the stars are hiding,

That's when something wild calls you home,

If you're lost out where the lights are blinding,

Caught in all, the stars are hiding,

That's when something wild calls you home, home,

If you face the fear that keeps you frozen,

Chase the sky into the ocean,

That's when something wild calls you home, home,

Wo-o-OHHH

OH-OHHH

OH-OHHH-OH-oh

ohhh

ohhh-oh

oh-OH-Oh-oh-oh

ohhh

Ohhh-oh

oh-OH-Oh-oh-OH,

OH

Wo-o-OHHH

OH-OHHH

OH-OHHH-OH-oh

ohhh

ohhh-oh

oh-OH-Oh-oh-oh

ohhh

Ohhh-oh

oh-OH-Oh-oh-OH,

OH,”

Caleb calmed down during the song and now leaned his head against his mother’s shoulder with his eyes closed, clutching a lock of her hair in one hand.

Rebekka saw that Caleb was asleep and smiled. She leaned back against the pillows and kissed his forehead.

“Goodnight, sweet boy,” She said as she laid him down beside her, after untangling his hand from her hair. “I love you,”

***

The scene faded to black, and again the Ghost crew wondered if there was more.

***

Again, another scene appeared. Nothing in the Lothwolf compound appeared to have changed much this time.

Caleb, who now looked close to eight months old, was crawling around as Teman and Sora followed right behind him. Rebekka stood by the washline and was hanging up their laundry.

Eventually, after thoroughly exploring the open area he was in, Caleb wandered over to the fire pit. He approached the tall, narrow container of cooking utensils and, after failing to stand, sat down in front of it. Then he started reaching up to try and grab something from the container, all the while making little straining noises. Sora and Teman sat on either side of him and watched, occasionally poking the container with their noses.

Suddenly, the container appeared to have had enough of their shenanigans and tipped over, spilling its contents out. One particular knife flipped out and sliced across Caleb’s open left palm.

Then Caleb started screaming.

Rebekka dropped the shirt she was holding and came running.

“Oh, Caleb!” she cried, pulling him into her lap. “What happened?” She took his bleeding hand and tried to brush some of the blood away, but it was quickly replaced with more blood. “Oh I need the medkit,” she moaned.

Teman stood up and trotted over to the small cave and entered. He came out carrying something in his mouth before Rebekka had fully stood up. Of course, her progress was slowed by Caleb’s flailing and screaming, and his bleeding hand.

Rebekka saw what he was carrying and her eyes widened in surprise. She took a few steps toward him and knelt down. “Thank you, Teman,” she said as she took the medkit from his mouth.

She opened it and started digging through it. Once she found all she was looking for, Rebekka started cleaning the blood off Caleb’s hand. With most of the blood gone, the cut could be seen. It started at the base of Caleb’s left index finger and went down in a slight curve to the bottom of the opposite side of his palm. Rebekka covered it with an appropriately sized bacta patch and wrapped it in gauze.

“There,” Rebekka said when she was done. She finished with kissing his palm. “Is that better?”

Caleb was still crying, quietly now, but still crying.

“Oooh,” Rebekka cooed. She picked him up and stood.

Teman took the medkit in his mouth again and returned it to the cave.

Rebekka carried Caleb over to one of the rocks and sat down with her back against it. She pulled Caleb up to her chest, hugging him tight. Caleb snuggled into her hold and buried his face in her chest. Rebekka started humming. She rubbed his back and rocked him back and forth.

The humming turned into singing, but it was a different song than the one she sang before. This time Rebekka sang:

“Come stop your crying,

It will be alright,

Just take my hand,

And hold it tight,

I will protect you

From all around you,

I will be here,

Don't you cry,”

Caleb had managed to grab Rebekka’s music player. Rebekka gently took it from his hands and activated it. Light percussion started to play that grew into a orchestra as she continued to sing:

“For one so small,

You seem so strong,

My arms will hold you,

Keep you safe and warm,

This bond between us,

Can't be broken,

I will be here,

Don't you cry,

'Cause you'll be in my heart,

Yes, you'll be in my heart,

From this day on,

Now and forever more,

You'll be in my heart,

No matter what they say,

You'll be here in my heart,

Always,”

“Always,” Rebekka whispered, kissing the top of his head. Caleb had finally stopped crying and seemed to have calmed down.

They stayed cuddling like that for a while. At some point, Caleb grabbed a lock of Rebekka’s hair and held onto it.

Later that day, a dark grey Lothwolf appeared, dragging a lothelope by its hind legs. They dropped it a few feet in front of Rebekka.

Rebekka looked up. “Thank you, Venari. You’re just in time,” she said as she stood up. She carried Caleb over to an empty crate near the garden and placed him inside it. “Stay,” she told him firmly, pointing a finger inside the crate.

Caleb looked up at her innocently.

Teman and Sora appeared on opposite sides of the crate and put their front paws up on the top edge.

Rebekka sighed. “Think you can keep him in there ‘til I’m done?” she asked, ruffling their heads.

Instead of answering (not that they technically could), Sora and Teman stuck their noses in the crate, at which Caleb laughed happily.

“Alright then,” Rebekka said. She walked into the cave and came out wearing a large smock and carrying half a dozen empty containers.

She produced a vibroknife and knelt beside the dead lothelope. She proceeded to gut the animal and skin it. Much to the shock of the Ghost crew.

She brought the pelt to her hide tanning station and draped it over a frame.

She returned to the carcass and continued to butcher it.

Once she divided the meat into separate piles, Rebekka put the meat into the containers.

Then Venari came and dragged the remains of the carcass away.

Rebekka removed her smock and cleaned her arms. Then she carried the full containers into the cave, presumably to put them in the cooling unit cavern, or whatever they were going to call it.

Rebekka returned a few minutes later. She walked over to the crate and lifted Caleb, who had fallen asleep, out. “Did you get bored in there, sweet boy?” she asked, kissing his cheek and waking him up.

Caleb yawned and threw his arms around her neck.

Rebekka laughed. “Do you wanna go play?”

Rebekka pulled out a blanket and spread it on the ground by the garden. She placed Caleb and a few toys on it before sitting down beside it.

Caleb explored the blanket, careful of his injured left hand, as Rebekka entertained him with the toys.

Sora and Teman came over and poked their noses into whatever Caleb was doing.

Rebekka was jingling a toy that looked vaguely like a purrgil with bells on its tentacles when Caleb rolled over. He batted at the bells as Teman and Sora licked his cheeks and hands.

Rebekka put the toy down and started tickling his tummy.

Caleb laughed. He grabbed one of her fingers in his right hand. This prompted her to use her free fingers to lift his shirt and give him a zerbert. Caleb laughed even louder and released his mother’s finger.

Maica appeared and settled down behind Rebekka, offering some shelter from the wind.

Caleb rolled back over and started crawling again.

Rebekka laid down on her side and watched him.

Eventually, Caleb crawled over to her. Rebekka took him in her arms and rolled onto her back. She sat him on her stomach. Her hair was splayed around her face as she looked up at him.

Caleb leaned over and placed his hands on her face.

Rebekka took one of his hands in her own and kissed it. “I love you so much, Caleb,” she told him. “And I always will,”

***

The scene faded to black again, and at this point the Ghost crew assumed that there would be more.

***

The next scene came soon after. The speeder bike and the crate attached to it were gone, and Rebekka was nowhere to be seen.

Teman and Sora were squating in the middle of the grass. Caleb, now looking between ten and eleven months old, was sitting between them. The crew watched as Caleb grabbed a handful of Sora’s ruff and a handful of Teman’s ruff. When his hands were secure, Teman and Sora started to stand, slowly, and after a brief struggle, Caleb did too.

Then Caleb started taking a few shakey steps. Sora and Teman slowly walked forward, enough so that they were both still beside Caleb.

Caleb made it a couple yards before he stumbled and lost his grip. He fell on his bottom, hard. Then he started crying.

Teman and Sora immediately turned around and started licking his tears away. After about a minute, Caleb was laughing and he reached for their ruffs again. He was up in a few seconds and they started walking again. This time, Caleb managed to walk all the way to one of the rock spires without falling again. But then he, and Sora and Teman, tried to turn.

Caleb slipped and bumped into Sora, who was on his right. He made a frustrated noise that was somewhere between a whine and a groan and stomped his foot angrily.

Teman turned and licked his cheek.

Taking a determined breath, Caleb straightened up and started walking again. Teman and Sora stayed beside him the whole time.

They walked around the compound for a while longer. Then there was a flash from the portal cave.

Rebekka came riding in on her speeder bike.

Seeing her, Caleb burst into a huge smile and tried to run towards her. Unfortunately, it appeared he wasn't quite ready for that, and he stumbled forward before continuing at a slower place.

By the time he'd made it to where she had parked, Rebekka had already dismounted and was watching him with a smile on her face, even when he gave up on walking a few yards away from her and let go of Sora and Teman to crawl the rest of the way.

When Caleb made it to her, Rebekka picked him up. “Were you walking?” she asked, lifting him above her head and pressing their foreheads together.

Caleb just laughed and waved his arms around.

{The Ghost crew offhandedly noticed that Caleb hand a scar on his left hand where he’d been cut the last time they’d seen him.}

“Oh, I’m so proud of you sweet boy,” Rebekka cooed, as she lowered him down to her hip. She kissed his nose on his way down.

Caleb smiled, reaching out to grab at her hair.

“Do you want to try in front of Mommy now?” she asked.

Caleb responded by starting to struggle to get down.

Rebekka laughed. “Okay, okay, I’ll put you down,”

Rebekka set him down and made sure he was standing steadily, before taking a few steps back. Then she squatted down and held out her arms.

“Come on, you can do it,” she encouraged.

Caleb looked down at his feet, up at his mother, then back down at his feet again. He took a tentative step forward, then another. He wobbled a few more steps before falling into Rebekka's arms.

“You did it!” Rebekka cheered. She hugged him and kissed his cheeks as she straightened up.

Caleb hugged her back. When he pulled away, he had Rebekka's music player and was biting it, showing off his four top teeth and two bottom ones.

Rebekka gave him a stern look and gently pried it from his mouth. Then she glanced back down at him and her face softened. “Well, I guess you deserve a song,” she said.

Rebekka activated it and the same string instrument the Ghost crew heard before started to play. Rebekka started swaying in time to the music.

It wasn't long before she started to sing:

“You had your maps drawn,

You had other plans

To hang your hopes on,

Every road they lead you down felt so wrong,

So you found another way,

You've got a big heart,

The way you see the world

It got you this far,

You might have some bruises,

And a few scars,

But you know you're gonna be okay,

And even though you're scared,

You're stronger than you know,”

Rebekka started dancing in place with Caleb in her arms.

“If you're lost out where the lights are blinding,

Caught in all, the stars are hiding,

That's when something wild calls you home, home,

If you face the fear that keeps you frozen,

Chase the sky into the ocean,

That's when something wild calls you home, home,”

Rebekka took a step to the side and started spinning around the compound as she continued to sing.

“Wo-o-OHHH

OH-OHHH

OH-OHHH-OH-oh

ohhh

ohhh-oh

oh-OH-Oh-oh-oh

ohhh

Ohhh-oh

oh-OH-Oh-oh-OH,

OH

Wo-o-OHHH

OH-OHHH

OH-OHHH-OH-oh

ohhh

ohhh-oh

oh-OH-Oh-oh-oh

ohhh

Ohhh-oh

oh-OH-Oh-oh-OH,

OH”

Rebekka continued to dance around the compound.

“Sometimes the past can,

Make the ground beneath you feel like quicksand,

You don't have to worry,

You reach for my hand,

Yeah I know you're gonna be okay,

You're gonna be okay,

And even if you're scared,

You're stronger than you know,

If you're lost out where the lights are blinding,

Caught in all, the stars are hiding,

That's when something wild calls you home, home,

If you face the fear that keeps you frozen,

Chase the sky into the ocean,

That's when something wild calls you home, home,

Wo-o-OHHH

OH-OHHH

OH-OHHH-OH-oh

ohhh

ohhh-oh

oh-OH-Oh-oh-oh

ohhh

Ohhh-oh

oh-OH-Oh-oh-OH,

OH

Wo-o-OHHH

OH-OHHH

OH-OHHH-OH-oh

ohhh

ohhh-oh

oh-OH-Oh-oh-oh

ohhh

Ohhh-oh

oh-OH-Oh-oh-OH,

OH

Calls you home,

Calls you home,

Calls you home,

Calls you home,

If you're lost out where the lights are blinding,

Caught in all, the stars are hiding,

That's when something wild calls you home,

If you're lost out where the lights are blinding,

Caught in all, the stars are hiding,

That's when something wild calls you home, home,

If you face the fear that keeps you frozen,

Chase the sky into the ocean,

That's when something wild calls you home, home,

Wo-o-OHHH

OH-OHHH

OH-OHHH-OH-oh

ohhh

ohhh-oh

oh-OH-Oh-oh-oh

ohhh

Ohhh-oh

oh-OH-Oh-oh-OH,

OH

Wo-o-OHHH

OH-OHHH

OH-OHHH-OH-oh

ohhh

ohhh-oh

oh-OH-Oh-oh-oh

ohhh

Ohhh-oh

oh-OH-Oh-oh-OH,

OH,”

Rebekka stopped dancing and sighed. She sank down to a sitting position. “Wasn't that fun?” She asked Caleb, sitting him on her legs, with a smile.

Caleb laughed and clapped his hands.

Rebekka looked at him adoringly and kissed his forehead. “Don't ever forget how much I love you Caleb,” she said. “Because I always will,”

***

The scene faded away, and now the Ghost crew wondered what they were going to see next.

***

In the scene they were shown next, Rebekka had just pulled in on her speeder bike. She dismounted and grabbed her bag, looking around.

“Caleb!” she called. “I have a surprise for you!”

“Mama!” Caleb cried, appearing from behind a rock.

Rebekka smiled. “Oh, come here you,”

Caleb toddled over and Rebekka picked him up and kissed his cheek. She carried him over to a spot near the fire pit and sat him down.

Rebekka sat down in front of him and opened her bag. She took out a box and set it on the ground in front of her.

Caleb started to reach for the box, but Rebekka shook her head.

“You need to wait for it, sweet boy,” she said with a smile as she opened the box.

Rebekka reached in and pulled out a small cake, with white, green, and blue frosting, on a plate.

Caleb’s eyes widened as she placed it in front of him.

“Happy Birthday Caleb!” Rebekka cheered.

Caleb reached for the cake, but Rebekka scooted the plate back.

“Hold on. I need to sing first,” she insisted.

Then she started to sing:

“Happy Birthday to you,

Happy Birthday to you,

Happy Birthday dear Caleb,

Happy Birthday to you,”

Caleb waited a moment after she finished singing.

Then Rebekka enthusiastically shoved the cake in his direction. “Okay, now dig in!”

Caleb didn’t need to be told twice. He dug into the cake as soon as it was in his reach.

It wasn’t long before his face and hands were covered in frosting and cake crumbs.

{Zeb chuckled and Hera, Ezra, and Sabine covered their mouths to hide their giggles.}

Sora and Teman wandered over to see what Caleb was doing. Teman sat down on Caleb’s right and Sora sat down on Caleb’s left. Caleb laughed when he saw them and extended cake-filled hands towards each of them. Teman and Sora carefully ate the cake out of Caleb’s hands.

Rebekka laughed. “Caleb! It’s your birthday cake! You’re not suppose to share!” she scolded playfully.

Caleb ignored her and continued to give occasional bites of cake to Sora and Teman.

After about a minute of Caleb taking some time to eat the cake by himself, he looked up at his mother, who’d been sitting there smiling at him this whole time. Caleb grabbed a hunk of cake and stood up. He stepped around the rest of the cake and walked over to where Rebekka was sitting. Caleb then tried to shove the cake in Rebekka’s mouth.

Rebekka laughed, understanding what Caleb was trying to do, and let him feed her the cake.

“Mmmmm, thank you Caleb,” Rebekka cooed. “Now go finish your cake!”

Caleb smiled and walked back to his cake and sat down in between Sora and Teman. He buried his hands in his cake and started eating again.

Rebekka sighed. She pulled her knees up and draped her arms around them.

“This isn’t the way I originally pictured your first birthday, Caleb,” Rebekka admitted after a moment, while Caleb was still occupied with his cake. “I thought we’d be living in a nice little house and all our family and friends would be close by. You’d have friends that weren’t wolf pups,”

“Of course I still wouldn’t have made your cake myself,” She continued. “I can’t bake no matter how hard I try. Your father...” Rebekka paused to wipe a tear out of the corner of her eye. “Your father always said that I could make Croaker soup that could make a whole planet happy and roast fit for a king, but my pound cake was better off being used as a weight,”

Rebekka chuckled and sighed again. “He was always such a jokester,”

“We would have been married by now,” Rebekka lamented, letting out another chuckle. “He always wanted to be a father,”

Sora licked some frosting off Caleb’s cheek and he laughed.

Rebekka giggled and proceeded to talk about Caleb's father. “His name was Judah Braga. He worked as a docking controller, but then he got roped into working with one of the local gangs,”

Rebekka signed and shook her head. “Some gambling venture or something must not have panned out, because the next thing we knew, he owed the Edgeherd gang over 10,000 credits,” She paused to take a deep breath that almost caught in her throat. “They shot him when I was pregnant with you. I never even got a chance to tell him. After you were born, the Edgeherd came after me for the credits he still owed them,”

“So I guess they’re the reason we ended up here, huh Caleb?” Rebekka said after a moment.

Caleb, having finished his cake, toddled over and gave her a hug.

Rebekka smiled and kissed his cheek. Then she sat him on her lap and wiped the frosting and cake crumbs off his face and hands.

After he was cleaned up, Rebekka reached into her bag. “Now it’s time for your birthday present,” she said as she pulled out a larger box, this one wrapped in blue paper with a green bow.

Rebekka set it down in front of them and help Caleb rip off the paper. She opened the top and Caleb practically fell into the box. When his mom pulled him out he had fistfuls of tissue paper in his hands.

Rebekka reached her hand in and pulled out all the tissue paper. “Oooo,” she cooed as she pulled a toy hovertrain out of the box.

Caleb cheered and reached for his birthday present.

“You wanna play?” Rebekka asked cheerfully.

“Play!” Caleb cheered.

Rebekka laughed. “Okay, you can play with your new toy while Mommy cleans up,”

Caleb played with Teman, Sora, and his new hovertrain while Rebekka gathered up the boxes, paper, and the empty cake plate and set them by the firepit, probably so that she could burn them later.

When she finished, Rebekka walked over to where Caleb, Sora, and Teman were playing and joined them.

After a while, Caleb got tired (made apparent when he yawned) and snuggled up in Rebekka’s lap.

Rebekka smiled and kissed his forehead. “I love you, Caleb,” She said as he rubbed his eyes and started to fall asleep. “I always will,”

***

The scene faded to black and the Ghost crew waited for what they assumed would be the next scene.

***

The next scene gave them a clear view of the Lothwolf compound. They couldn't see anyone at first, but then they heard laughter.

Caleb came running into view, completely naked.

Rebekka appeared a few seconds later, running after him with a fistful of clothes. “Get back here you little hooligan!” She shouted.

{Ezra and Zeb burst out laughing, Kanan turned bright red, Hera covered her mouth with her hand to hide her giggle, and Sabine was tempted to put a hand over her eyes.}

Caleb just laughed again and continued to run.

Rebekka chased him around the compound.

Caleb managed to stay just out of her reach as he ran through the grass. He tramped through the garden, not caring if he trampled anything.

Rebekka followed, carefully stepping in between the rows.

Caleb ran under the clothesline with ease, but Rebekka got tangled in the clothes hanging from it.

While his mom was distracted, Caleb hid behind a rock a few yards away.

By the time Rebekka got untangled from the clothes, Caleb was out of her direct line of sight. She blew out a puff of air. “Caleb, not right now, sweet boy,” she said wearily. “Please, not today,”

Rebekka took a few steps away from the clothesline and glanced around. Not even a second later, she walked over and reached behind the rock Caleb was hiding behind.

“There you are,” She said as she picked him up and placed him on her hip. “We need to get you dressed,”

Rebekka carried Caleb over to a mat, presumably where she had been changing him before he took off.

Rebekka laid him down and started putting a diaper and pants on him.

There was a tooka doll lying about a foot or two away. Caleb tried to grab it, but it was about a foot out of his reach.

After about a minute of not being able to reach the toy, Caleb scrunched up his face in determination and concentration and extended his hand in the toy’s direction. A few seconds later, the tooka doll started to slide toward him.

{Ezra, Sabine, Zeb, and Hera all gasped. Kanan raised an eyebrow, but was mostly unsurprised. Growing up in the Jedi Temple, he knew that Force-sensitive children often showed signs early on, which was why the Jedi Order usually found them before they had a chance to have lasting memories of their families.}

Rebekka looked up just in time to see the tooka doll move the last few inches into Caleb’s hand. Once there, he pulled it to his chest and bit down on one ear.

Rebekka gasped and dropped the shirt she'd been preparing to put on him.

“Ca-aleb?” she sputtered. “Wha-what did you do?”

Caleb just stared up at her and clutched his toy.

Rebekka took a deep breath. “Well, I guess I’ll have to figure that out for myself,” She took the tooka doll out of Caleb's hands and deliberately placed it off the mat to her left, well out of Caleb's reach.

“Noooo!” Caleb whined, on the verge of tears, as his toy was taken away.

“Shhh, don't worry. You'll get back,” Rebekka soothed as she lifted him up to put his shirt on.

Caleb ignored her, stuck out his hand, and scrunched his face up again. Not a moment later, the tooka doll started moving in his direction.

This time, Rebekka had her eyes up and saw the toy move. Her eyes widened as it slid into Caleb’s hand again.

“Caleb,” Rebekka gasped. “Did...but...how… Did you just use the Force?”

Instead of answering her, Caleb sat up and lifted his arms off to Rebekka's right. “Ashwa!” He cheered.

Rebekka looked to her right and, indeed, Ashla had appeared beside her. “Ashla?” She asked. “Did you know about this?”

Ashla nodded his head.

Rebekka sighed and sat back on her heels. “What do I do?” She asked. “If he has the Force then the Jedi Order will want him, and I don't want to give him up,”

Her musings were interrupted when Caleb laughed. Ashla had leaned forward enough so Caleb could pat his nose. The laugh came when Ashla gently licked Caleb's forearm.

Rebekka giggled, then went back to her thoughts.

“Well, what's the likelihood that they'll find us here away?” She asked. “So I guess I shouldn’t worry too much about this yet,”

Ashla turned his head towards her. In doing so he turned away from Caleb, who protested for a moment before going back to his tooka doll.

“Time. Will. Tell,” Ashla told her.

“I guess you're right,” Rebekka replied after a moment.

“Well,” Rebekka said, scooping Caleb and his toy up. “I think it’s time we get on with our day,”

Sora and Teman, who had apparently been out of the compound doing who knows what this whole time, came trotting up to Caleb, Rebekka, and Ashla. Ashla left a few minutes later.

Caleb, Rebekka, Teman, and Sora spent the rest of the day playing with Caleb’s toys and doing whatever else they did on a day to day basis.

“I love you Caleb,” Rebekka said suddenly. “And I always will,”

***

The scene faded away and the Ghost crew was starting to wonder exactly how much of Caleb Dume's early life they were going to see.

***

The next scene showed the Lothwolf compound just like they always saw it.

Rebekka, Caleb, Sora, and Teman were gathered by the fire pit while Maica was lying down on the other side of the compound.

“Alright everybody,” Rebekka said. “I'm gonna cover my eyes and you three have to hide before I open them again. Then I have to find you,”

Rebekka put her hands over her eyes. “Okay, go!”

Caleb, Teman, and Sora all took off in different directions.

Teman disappeared behind some rocks and Sora buried herself in plant life.

Caleb ran around trying to find a suitable hiding spot, but he shook his head at every spot he checked and kept looking. Eventually his eyes landed on Maica and his face broke out in a huge grin. Caleb giggled as he ran over to her.

“May-kah! Shh!” Caleb whispered (not very well), pressing a finger to his lips.

Then he got on his hands and knees and started crawling. Caleb wriggled under Maica’s chest and front legs. Then he oriented himself so his head was sticking out.

If he positioned his head just right, Caleb’s hair almost blended in with Maica’s fur, almost.

Caleb burrowed into Maica’s fur while Maica relaxed and pretended he wasn’t there.

Rebekka opened and uncovered her eyes. “Okay, I’m ready to find you!” she announced as she started searching the compound.

“Hmmm... Where could they be?” Rebekka questioned dramatically.

Caleb giggled and Rebekka pretended to ignore him.

Rebekka continued to look in nearly impossible hiding spots as she wandered over to Maica and where Caleb was hiding.

“Oh, I just don’t know where Caleb could be hiding,” Rebekka said as she plopped down next to Maica.

Caleb giggled again, this time it was a bit muffled, like he was trying to cover his mouth with his hands.

Rebekka raised an eyebrow, but otherwise acted like she didn’t hear anything. “He must have disappeared,” she continued. “I think I’ve searched every place he could have hid,”

After a moment of thought, Rebekka shot up. “Unless..”

Then she whirled around and stuck her hands in Maica’s fur, right where Caleb was hiding.

“Ha! Got you!” Rebekka exclaimed triumphantly as she pulled Caleb out and held him in the air.

Caleb laughed and clapped his hands.

Rebekka put him down. “Wanna help me find Sora and Teman?” she asked.

“Yeah!” Caleb cheered, giggling and dashing off to check possible hiding spots.

Rebekka chuckled and followed after him.

They search for a while until Rebekka spotted a familiar gray-brown ear peeking through a pile of grass. “Caleb, look!” she pointed.

Caleb walked over to where his mother had pointed and grabbed a clump of grass that was in front of the ear. He pulled and threw it away, revealing Sora’s face.

“Found you, Sora!” Caleb shouted.

Sora stood up and shook the remaining grass out of her fur. Then she licked Caleb’s cheek.

“Good job, Caleb,” Rebekka praised. “Now can you find Teman?”

Caleb wandered near the rocks Teman was hiding behind. Then he saw a brown-gray tail sticking out from behind two rocks. He grabbed it.

Teman’s head appeared from behind one of the rocks.

“Found you, Teman!” Caleb cheered.

Both pups licked his cheeks and Caleb laughed.

Rebekka clapped her hands. “You did it, Caleb! You found both of your friends!” she crowed.

Caleb, Sora, and Teman gathered around her and Rebekka squatted down to her level.

“Who’s ready for another game?” she asked.

The four of them played hide-n-seek for almost the entire day.

Then, later that evening, Caleb stumbled towards the end of a game and sat down. He rubbed his eyes and yawned.

“Alright, that’s enough for today,” Rebekka announced, picking him up. “I think it’s time for bed,”

Caleb just rested his head on her shoulder and grabbed a lock of her hair in his small fist. Teman and Sora went off and laid down next to their mother.

Rebekka carried Caleb into their “house” cave and changed him into his pajamas.

They both laid down in their home-made bed and Rebekka wrapped the fur covers around them.

“Do you want a song to help you fall asleep?” Rebekka asked.

Caleb nodded sleepily.

Rebekka took out her music player and activated it. Familiar string music filled the room.

Then Rebekka started to sing the now familiar song:

“You had your maps drawn,

You had other plans

To hang your hopes on,

Every road they lead you down felt so wrong,

So you found another way,

You've got a big heart,

The way you see the world

It got you this far,

You might have some bruises,

And a few scars,

But you know you're gonna be okay,

And even though you're scared,

You're stronger than you know,

If you're lost out where the lights are blinding,

Caught in all, the stars are hiding,

That's when something wild calls you home, home,

If you face the fear that keeps you frozen,

Chase the sky into the ocean,

That's when something wild calls you home, home,

Wo-o-OHHH

OH-OHHH

OH-OHHH-OH-oh

ohhh

ohhh-oh

oh-OH-Oh-oh-oh

ohhh

Ohhh-oh

oh-OH-Oh-oh-OH,

OH

Wo-o-OHHH

OH-OHHH

OH-OHHH-OH-oh

ohhh

ohhh-oh

oh-OH-Oh-oh-oh

ohhh

Ohhh-oh

oh-OH-Oh-oh-OH,

OH

Sometimes the past can,

Make the ground beneath you feel like quicksand,

You don't have to worry,

You reach for my hand,

Yeah I know you're gonna be okay,

You're gonna be okay,

And even if you're scared,

You're stronger than you know,

If you're lost out where the lights are blinding,

Caught in all, the stars are hiding,

That's when something wild calls you home, home,

If you face the fear that keeps you frozen,

Chase the sky into the ocean,

That's when something wild calls you home, home,

Wo-o-OHHH

OH-OHHH

OH-OHHH-OH-oh

ohhh

ohhh-oh

oh-OH-Oh-oh-oh

ohhh

Ohhh-oh

oh-OH-Oh-oh-OH,

OH

Wo-o-OHHH

OH-OHHH

OH-OHHH-OH-oh

ohhh

ohhh-oh

oh-OH-Oh-oh-oh

ohhh

Ohhh-oh

oh-OH-Oh-oh-OH,

OH

Calls you home,

Calls you home,

Calls you home,

Calls you home,

If you're lost out where the lights are blinding,

Caught in all, the stars are hiding,

That's when something wild calls you home,

If you're lost out where the lights are blinding,

Caught in all, the stars are hiding,

That's when something wild calls you home, home,

If you face the fear that keeps you frozen,

Chase the sky into the ocean,

That's when something wild calls you home, home,

Wo-o-OHHH

OH-OHHH

OH-OHHH-OH-oh

ohhh

ohhh-oh

oh-OH-Oh-oh-oh

ohhh

Ohhh-oh

oh-OH-Oh-oh-OH,

OH

Wo-o-OHHH

OH-OHHH

OH-OHHH-OH-oh

ohhh

ohhh-oh

oh-OH-Oh-oh-oh

ohhh

Ohhh-oh

oh-OH-Oh-oh-OH,

OH,”

Caleb was fast asleep.

Rebekka smiled and kissed his forehead. “Goodnight sweet boy. I love you,” she said. “And I always will,”

***

The scene faded to black and the Ghost crew had questions other than why they were being shown all these events from Caleb/Kanan’s past.

***

The next scene brought a change of pace as it showed the open plains of Lothal instead of the Lothwolf compound.

Rebekka’s speeder bike came riding into view. Rebekka was driving at a leisure pace with Caleb on her lap.

“How did you like your first trip into town, Caleb?” Rebekka asked, smiling down at him.

Caleb smiled back up at her. “It was fun!”

Rebekka slowed the speeder to a stop. She got off and picked Caleb up. She held him up in the air as she looked at him.

“Oh, you’re getting so big!” she cooed. “I can’t believe you’re two already!”

Rebekka kissed both his cheeks and moved to get back on her speeder bike.

Then the sound of an approaching ship filled the air and she froze.

Rebekka looked up as the ship passed overhead and gasped. It was a Jedi corvette.

The Jedi ship landed about 150 yards away.

Rebekka stood stock-still as the ship’s ramp lowered and three Jedi stepped out. From this distance, one was short and green, one was a dark-skinned human, and the third looked like a Cerean. The Jedi approached and Rebekka could do little more than stare.

“Greetings,” the bald dark-skinned human said as he bowed when the Jedi reached her. “I am Master Mace Windu of the Jedi Order,” Then he introduced the others. “This is Master Yoda and Master Ki-Adi Mundi,”

“Call us here, the Force did,” Master Yoda stated. “See why, now I do,”

Rebekka hugged Caleb to her chest and waited for them to continue.

“What are your names?” Master Mace Windu asked.

“My name is Rebekka Dume,” Rebekka answered. “This is Caleb,” She tilted her head toward him.

“Ms. Dume, you may not know this, but your son is strong with the Force,” Master Windu told her. “Very strong,”

Rebekka nodded. “I know,” she murmured.

“Then you must understand that it is only proper that he is trained as a Jedi,” Master Ki-Adi Mundi said.

Master Windu held up a hand to stop him from continuing.

“Of course, that’s entirely up to you to decide, and you don’t have to decide right now,” Master Windu said. “But know that he will receive the utmost education and have every opportunity to decide what he wants to be,”

“I..I’ll have to think about it,” Rebekka answered.

Master Windu nodded. “Very well,”

Master Yoda seemed to consider something for a moment.

“But this, you must know. Important to Lothal’s future, he will be, if trained as a Jedi, he is,” Master Yoda said.

Rebekka nodded, filing that information away for when she considered the possibilities for Caleb’s future.

“Return to Lothal in a few months we will,” Master Yoda said. “Make a decision by then, you must,”

Rebekka sighed in relief. “Thank you,”

“Could you tell us where you live, so we can visit you when the time comes?” Master Mundi asked.

Rebekka shook her head. “I’m afraid not,”

“Well, then we will have to meet you here,” Master Windu said.

“How will I know when to meet you? And how will you know where to find me?” Rebekka asked.

“Bring us together, the Force will,” Master Yoda answered.

Rebekka nodded. “Alright, see you then,”

Masters Yoda, Mace Windu, and Ki-Adi Mundi said their goodbyes and went back to their ship. Then it took off and flew away.

Ashla appeared beside her as Rebekka watched them leave.

“The Jedi came for him,” Rebekka told him, turning to face the Lothwolf. “I have a decision to make,”

Ashla just nodded at her.

“Mama!” Caleb whined, tugging on her hair. “Go ‘ome!”

Rebekka patted his hand. “Okay,” she said. “Let’s go home,”

Rebekka got back on her speeder bike and started for the compound. “I have a lot to think about,”

Rebekka, Caleb, and Ashla made it back to the Lothwolf compound a few minutes later. Rebekka put Caleb down and let him wander off to find Sora and Teman. Then she unloaded her bags.

Rebekka set the bags down by the entrance to the “house” cave. Then she pressed her back against the rock and slid down to the ground.

“I know the Jedi mean well,” Rebekka said, to no one in particular. “But that doesn’t make this any less hard,”

Caleb had found Teman and Sora and they were playing a few feet away. Rebekka smiled at the sight. Then she looked around the Lothwolf compound and sighed.

“This isn't the kind of life Caleb deserves,” Rebekka continued glumly. “He shouldn't be living in the wilderness all his life with only his mother and wolves for company and only an occasional trip to the nearest town. Caleb deserves the kind of education the Jedi can give him, the kind I'll never be able to,”

Caleb, probably sensing his mother's distress, left Sora and Teman to walk over to her.

“Mama,” he said as he gave her a hug.

Rebekka smiled and hugged him back. Then she pulled him into her lap and kissed the top of his head.

“You deserve to have your best chance,” Rebekka told him, hugging him closer to her chest.

“Even if it's not with me,”

***

The scene changed to the open plains before anyone in the Ghost Crew could think of a response to what they just saw.

The Jedi’s ship was sitting with its ramp down in a similar spot to where it was last time. Masters Yoda, Mace Windu, and Ki-Adi Mundi were waiting at the bottom of the ramp. All of their heads turned as Rebekka’s speeder bike approached.

Rebekka stopped a few feet away from them and got off her speeder. She held Caleb in one arm and had a bag slung over her opposite shoulder. She also looked like she’d been crying.

“Have you made your decision?” Master Windu asked.

Rebekka nodded. “Yes,”

“Then what have you decided?” Master Mundi prompted.

Rebekka sighed. “It would be better for him if Caleb went with you,” she admitted, moving to hand Caleb and the bag over.

Master Yoda seemed to study Caleb and Rebekka for a moment.

Then he said. “Return to Lothal he will, in years to come, and find a home here, he will,” It wasn’t entirely evident if he’d intended to comfort her with that information or if he just wanted to share that information with her.

Rebekka perked up. “You mean, I’ll see him again?” She asked hopefully.

“The future has many possibilities,” Master Windu answered. “Master Yoda’s prediction may come true, and it might not. Only time will tell,”

“But there’s a chance,” Rebekka pleaded.

“A chance of anything, there always is,” Master Yoda replied.

“Are you ready for us to take him?” Master Mundi asked, clearly ready to finish their business and go their separate ways.

Rebekka took a deep breath.

“Alright,” Rebekka said, her voice unsteady.

“It’s for the best,” she told herself, her voice breaking, as she handed Caleb to Master Windu.

Caleb was clearly confused by this turn of events. “Mama!” he whined as he struggled in Master Windu’s hold.

Master Windu adjusted his arms to hold Caleb securely as Master Mundi took the bag Rebekka offered.

“We will let you know if something changes,” Master Windu said.

Rebekka nodded as tears started to form in her eyes.

The Jedi turned around and headed back to their ship, with Caleb.

Rebekka stood still as the Jedi ship’s ramp closed and the ship took off. Then Ashla appeared beside her.

“I...I will see him again... right?” she asked, sniffling.

“He. Will. Return,” Ashla answered.

“I trust you,” Rebekka replied. She was crying in earnest now.

Rebekka looked off in the direction the Jedi’s ship, with her son, had gone.

Then she started to sing, her words intermittent with sniffles and sobs. “If you're lost...out where...the lights...are...blinding, Caught in all, ...the stars...are hiding, That's when...sOmething wi...ld...calls...you...”

“Home,” Rebekka finally lost control and sobbed hysterically into her hands.

***

The scene faded away as the Ghost crew were left in shock. They fully expected that to be the last scene they would be shown, but they were wrong.

***

The next, and most likely final, scene presented them with the open plains of Lothal again. The Ghost crew couldn’t see anything until Rebekka’s speeder bike appeared. Although she was riding fast, she didn’t seem to be paying much attention to the path ahead of her. Rebekka appeared to have one hand over her face as she steered the bike. She also had the hood of her cloak pulled up over her head.

Rebekka drove on until she reached the portal cave.

Ashla was waiting for her on the other side.

Rebekka threw herself off of her speeder and slammed her fist into his chest, which bore little reaction. Her hood fell off to reveal her tear-streaked face. She also looked to have aged maybe a decade or so.

“The Jedi are gone!” she wailed. “They’re all dead! I’ll never see my son again!”

Rebekka sank to the ground sobbing.

“Chancellor Palpatine labeled the Jedi as traitors,” she explained. “And had them all killed, even the children!”

“Caleb’s dead!” Rebekka cried. “I’ll never see my son again!”

Maica, Sora, and Teman started to approach, curious and concerned about what was going on. Ashla seemed unphased.

“He. Lives,” Ashla said.

Rebekka’s head shot up. “What?”

“He. Lives,” Ashla repeated.

“You...you think he’s alive?” Rebekka asked.

“I. Know,” Ashla replied.

Rebekka took a deep breath and let it out in a long exhale.

“I trust you,” she finally said. “I trust that Caleb will come home,”

Rebekka looked up at the sky, and the galaxy beyond it.

Then she started to sing, though her crying hadn’t quite stopped yet. “If you face...the fear...that keeps...you frozen, Chase the sky...into the ocean, ...That's when something wild calls you home,”

“Come home to me, Caleb,” Rebekka begged. “Come home to me,”

***

Then the scene was gone and Ghost crew were left staring at the cave wall whose paintings were just starting to make sense. Well, technically, Kanan couldn’t actually see the cave paintings, but he still stood frozen.

Hera was the first to speak, saying the first thing that popped into her head. “You were so cute,” she murmured.

“Karabast,” Zeb said after recovering from his shock. “The little green troll was right,”

Sabine had removed her hand from the wall and shoved passed Hera to grab Kanan’s left hand, which was fortunately his remaining flesh hand. She ripped off his fingerless glove to reveal a familiar scar on his left palm that started at the base of his index finger and curved down to the opposite side of his palm. Everyone in the Ghost crew hand seen it at some point, but they were never sure how he got it until now.

Meanwhile, Chopper was yelling at them about how they’d been staring at that cave painting for over an hour and that nothing he did snapped them out of it. The Ghost crew was too distracted by the shock of what was revealed to them to tell him what was going on.

Ezra was now the only one who still had his hand on the cave wall. He continued to stare at it as he processed what they’d just seen.

“You...You were found on Lothal,” Ezra finally said. “You and your mother lived with the Lothwolves. She waited for you to come home...”

“Wait a minute,” Zeb interrupted. “We’ve been on and off Lothal for years. Why haven’t the Lothwolves told Kanan about this before? Why make his mom wait so long?”

“Because I wasn’t ready to let Caleb Dume back in yet,” Kanan answered.

Hera, Zeb, and Sabine all turned to looked at him.

Kanan gently pulled his hand out of Sabine’s slackening grip, although he let her keep his glove, and explained. “When we first came to Lothal, I was still hiding the fact that I was a Jedi. I’d hidden Caleb Dume away for years in order to survive. Then we met Ezra and I started acting like a Jedi again, but I was doing it in a Kanan Jarrus way. I never really let Caleb be a part of who I was until Hera was captured and the Lothwolves appeared to me,”

“But Ezra said the Lothwolves started appearing before then,” Sabine hinted.

“They must have sensed that it was almost time,” Kanan replied.

“Time for what?” Zeb asked.

“Time for you to come home!” Ezra exclaimed, although it seemed like he’d only been half listening to their conversation.

Everyone was looking at him now.

“Kanan, your mother might still be alive!” Ezra continued. “and she could still be waiting for you...”

“Ezra-” Kanan started.

But Ezra didn’t appear to have heard him.

“Maybe Ashla can take us to her!” Ezra interrupted. “If she’s still alive,”

“Ezra...” Kanan repeated.

Ezra still didn’t hear him.

“No wonder the Lothwolves knew your name and were so interested in you,” Ezra rambled. “Kanan! You have to reunite with your mother, if you still have the chance to. I mean... what else are you supposed to do? Now that the Lothwolves have reconnected with you and you’ve started becoming Caleb Dume-”

“Ezra!” Kanan shouted.

Ezra finally stopped and stared at Kanan.

“I...don’t remember any of this,” Kanan admitted, looking like he was sorry that he had to say that, while placing a hand on the cave wall to indicate what he was talking about. “Ezra, it’s been 30 years. It might be too late. Besides, I’m not Caleb Dume anymore. Yes, I’ve accepted him as a part of me, but I don’t think I’ll ever fully be Caleb Dume again. If the Lothwolves take us to Rebekka Dume, I won’t be the son she remembers. I’ve said before that it’s too late for me, and that’s still true,”

“You might think it’s too late for you,” Ezra argued. “But your mother won’t think it’s too late. She’s been waiting for you all this time,”

Kanan was silent.

“It wouldn’t hurt to just meet her,” Ezra pointed out after a beat.

“You’re not gonna let up on this are you?” Kanan sighed and turned to Hera, Sabine, and Zeb, silently asking them for help.

Zeb just shrugged. “I don’t know, mate,”

“It’s your decision, love,” Hera said, placing a hand on his shoulder.

“Fine,” Kanan finally relents, turning back to Ezra. “You can ask Ashla to take us to Rebekka Dume, if she’s still alive,”

Ezra grinned and immediately turned to Ashla. “Can you take us to Kanan’s mom, please?”

Ashla nodded and turned around. He extended his tail to Ezra, who grabbed hold of it with one hand. Then he reached back and took Kanan’s hand. Kanan reached back and took Hera’s hand. The Ghost crew all joined hands, with Zeb bringing up the rear. Then Zeb slung a very confused and indignant Chopper under his arm so the droid wouldn’t be left behind.

Ashla started walking and a glowing blue portal appeared on the wall in front of him that looked familiar to Ezra, Zeb, and Sabine and felt familiar to Kanan.

Ezra, Hera, Sabine, Zeb, and Chopper could see nothing but blue light as Ashla lead them through the portal.

When they emerged, they were standing in the Lothwolf compound, and it honestly hadn’t changed much over the years.

Ashla was standing in front of them. He turned around and lead them to presumably where Rebekka was. The Ghost crew released each other's hands, Zeb set Chopper down, and they followed him, letting Kanan take the lead.

On their way there, they walked passed many lothwolves of the pack. Two in particular, one who was brown with gray mixed in and one who was gray with brown mixed in, took special interest in them and trotted over. They stopped in front of Kanan, who had to stop walking so he didn't run into them. The wolves started licking Kanan's face and rubbing their heads against him.

It took a second for the Ghost crew to realize that this was Sora and Teman, now full-grown adult wolves.

Then Sora grabbed the collar of Kanan's jacket with her teeth and pulled it off, revealing that Kanan's right arm was obviously a prosthetic.

Teman took the jacket from his sister. It was a miracle that they hadn't heard any ripping sounds at this point.

Teman and Sora joined their group in following Ashla to wherever Rebekka Dume was.

They approached a brown wolf, that they guessed was Maica, who was lying down near one of the rock spires that surrounded the compound.

As they all got closer, they noticed something was resting against her side, or rather, someone was resting against her side.

It was Rebekka Dume. She had her head down and some sort of animal hide covered her legs.

Sora and Teman went to say hi to their mother and Rebekka looked up.

She definitely looked like a woman in her fifties. She had gray streaks in her brown hair and her face had a few wrinkles.

“Oh, hello Ashla,” Rebekka Dume said when she noticed the white wolf, and stood up; the animal hide falling away.

Then she tilted her head and noticed the Ghost crew, who were staring at her wide-eyed. “What are these people doing here?” she asked.

Ashla whacked his tail against Kanan’s back and pushed him forward.

Rebekka Dume studied Kanan for a moment with a look of mild confusion, then she took a step forward.

“Dume,” Ashla said. “Has. Returned,”

“What?” Rebekka hesitated. “You mean it’s...”

She stepped forward until she was standing right in front of Kanan.

“Caleb?” She murmured, placing a hand on Kanan’s cheek.

Kanan managed to nod.

Rebekka Dume let out a sob and threw her arms around him and cried into his chest.

Ezra was grinning widely, while Chopper continued to let his confusion be known. Zeb and Sabine just watched and Hera paid close attention to Kanan’s reaction.

Kanan was stock-still. He didn’t know how to react, but after a minute of Rebekka clinging to him and crying, he lifted his arms and awkwardly patted her back.

Over five minutes went by before Rebekka released Kanan and started studying him.

“Look how you’ve grown up,” Rebekka Dume sighed.

Then she noticed the scar across his eyes. “...what?” she stammered, trailing her fingers along the scar. Then her eyes filled with fresh tears, this time of mourning.

“What... How... Your eyes... You’re blind!” Rebekka cried, finally coming to the realization.

Kanan just stayed still and silent as her eyes trailed over him. She mumbled worriedly as she looked at the burns on his neck. She smiled when she saw the familiar scar on his left palm.

Then Rebekka Dume saw his prosthetic arm and everything went up a notch, or ten.

“What!” Rebekka practically growled. She placed one hand over it and looked up into his blind eyes.

“Who did this to you?” Rebekka asked, actually growling this time. Her eyes swelled with maternal protectiveness.

Kanan couldn’t think of a response to her question.

Then Rebekka looked behind him and noticed the rest of the Ghost crew. “Who are these people?” she asked.

“These are my friends,” Kanan answered, finally finding his voice. He ran a hand through his hair. “Well, actually, more like my family,”

Rebekka smiled at them. “Hello,” she said, momentarily forgetting about Kanan’s scars. “I’m Rebekka Dume,”

“Hi,” Ezra said, speaking first. “I’m Ezra,”

“My name’s Hera,” Hera introduced, taking a step forward. “And this is Chopper,” she added, gesturing to the droid.

“I’m Zeb,” Zeb added.

“I’m Sabine,” Sabine said.

Rebekka smiled again and nodded at each of them. “It’s nice to meet you,” she greeted.

Having met the rest of the Ghost crew, Rebekka took Kanan’s hand and pulled him over to her discarded animal hide. “I want to hear everything,” she said, sitting them both down.

“That might have to wait,” Kanan replied. “We have people who are probably wondering where we are and we have a battle to prepare for,”

“What do you mean?” Rebekka asked, straightening up.

“I don’t think you need to worry about it,” Kanan answered, standing up.

“No,” Rebekka said firmly, reaching up and grabbing his arm. “Caleb, tell me what’s going on,”

Kanan sighed, clearly seeing no way out of this. “Fine,”

***

“I’m coming with you,” Rebekka announced after Kanan told her about the attack they were planning.

“What?” Kanan exclaimed. “No, you don’t need to do this,” He had since reclaimed his jacket from Teman and was putting it back on.

Rebekka was already moving to gather her available weapons, which mostly consisted of knives. “I am not losing you again,” she said. “And I want the Empire to leave too. Besides, you’ll have a stronger attack if you have the Lothwolves with you,”

“I don’t want to put you in any danger,” Kanan argued.

“It’s not up to you,” Rebekka replied. “You can’t stop me or the Lothwolves from joining you,”

Hera and Sabine started chuckling and had to cover their mouths with their hands.

“What?” Kanan asked, turning to face at them.

“She’s just as determined as you are, love,” Hera answered.

Rebekka grinned with pride when she heard that statement. She’d also noticed Hera’s endearment and grinned wider.

Chopper asked when they would be leaving, because he thought they’d been on this little Lothwolf side-quest for long enough.

“Chopper’s right,” Sabine agreed. “I think it’s time we headed back to the base. We still have to prep for the attack,”

“Fine with me,” Rebekka said, swigging onto Maica’s back before the Lothwolf stood up. “Maica, Ashla, Teman, and Sora can give us all a ride. That way they can gather the rest of the pack and we can all stay together,”

“Do the wolves even know where our base is?” Zeb asked.

“Ashla found Kanan at the base before,” Ezra answered. “He should be able to find his way back,”

“Oh yeah, right,” Zeb replied.

As they spoke, the rest of the Lothwolf pack started to gather around them. The crew recognized one of the dark gray wolves as Venari. A reddish brown wolf stood beside them. Then a light gray wolf came up and touched noses with Sora. There were about eight wolves in the pack, counting Ashla, Maica, and her children.

“Oh! I almost forgot!” Rebekka exclaimed, tapping herself on the head with two fingers. “I haven’t told you everyone’s names!”

“The white wolf is Ashla in case you hadn’t figured that out already, and this is Maica,” Rebekka said, gesturing to the wolf she was riding.

“These two are Sora and Teman,” she continued pointing to each of them. “They’re Maica’s children,”

The Ghost crew already knew their names, but decided not to say anything.

“That’s Venari, and that’s Pemburu,” Rebekka said as she pointed to the dark gray wolf, that the Ghost crew recognized earlier, and the reddish brown wolf respectively.

“That’s Siguri, Sora’s mate,” she continued, pointing at the light gray wolf. Then she moved to the other dark gray wolf. “And that’s Socorro,”

‘Alright! Can we go now?’ Chopper asked, clearly annoyed.

“Well, sounds like Chopper has an opinion,” Rebekka observed, although it didn’t seem like she understood binary.

“He says that we should probably get going,” Hera translated. “I think our friends are worried enough as it is,”

“Alright,” Rebekka replied. “Get on a wolf,”

Ashla knelt down in front of Kanan, who got the message to climb on, which he did. After getting situated on Ashla’s back, Kanan reached a hand down to Hera. Hera took his hand and used it to swing on and sit behind him.

Sora came up and knelt down beside Ezra, and Ezra climbed on her back.

Teman came and knelt down beside Sabine, who climbed onto his back after a moment of hesitation.

Zeb glanced between Ezra on Sora’s back and Sabine on Teman’s back and decided to ride with Sabine. He trusted her not to do anything crazy while riding a giant wolf.

Chopper started complaining that he would be left behind if they used this mode of transportation. He was interrupted when Sora grabbed him in her mouth.

“We should probably call ahead and warn everyone that we’re coming,” Kanan suggested.

“I got it,” Ezra volunteered. He activated his comm. “Spectre 6 to base, do you read me?”

There was no answer other than the vague sound of static.

“I think we’re out of range,” he announced.

“Then we’ll have to wait to comm them until we’re in range,” Hera responded.

“Let’s get going then,” Rebekka said.

Ashla took off, followed by Maica, Sora, Teman, and the rest of the pack.

_____________

“They’ve sure been gone for a while,” Ryder Azadi observed.

“I’m sure they’ll be back soon,” Rex reassured.

“Really? Cuz’ usually when people walk off with wolves they don’t come back,” Ketsu countered.

“You forget that Ezra and Kanan are Jedi,” Hondo said. “And Jedi often do seemingly impossible things, like taming oversized wolves,”

“Well it did appear like the white Lothwolf wanted Kanan for something,” Kallus added. “And I doubt he would have let the Ghost crew come with him if he thought it was going to be dangerous,”

Their discussion was interrupted when the main comm beeped.

“Spectre 6 to base,” Ezra came through. “Can you read me?”

“We read you, Ezra,” Ryder answered, activated their side of the comm. “Where are you?”

“Don’t worry. We’ll be back soon,” Ezra replied.

“Well, good. We need to start preparations,” Ryder replied.

“Oh, and just a heads up. We made some new friends, so don’t freak out when you see a bunch of wolves headed toward you. That’s us,” Ezra warned.

“What!” Ryder and a few others exclaimed.

“See you soon!” Ezra said, before shutting off his comm.

“What’s going on?” Jai Kell asked.

“I don’t think we’ll find out until they get back,” Kasmir said.

“When will that be?” Mart Mattin asked.

“Incoming!” Wolffe announced.

Sure enough, a pack of Lothwolves was running towards them. As the wolves got closer they could see people on their backs. Soon they realised it was the Ghost crew.

“What the...” Kallus mumbled.

“We’re back!” Ezra announced, as the wolves the Ghost crew were riding came up to the rest of the group. The wolf Ezra was riding had Chopper in its mouth and started putting him down, as the droid protested being carried in their mouth.

“Where’ve you been?” Ryder asked, crossing his arms over his chest.

“It’s a long story,” Kanan said as he dismounted from the white wolf and reached up to help Hera, who had been riding with him, down.

A brown-haired woman in her fifties hopped off one of the other wolves. She smiled at everyone. “We’re here to help,” she said, referring to herself and the wolves.

“Who are you?” Mart asked.

“Rebekka Dume,” the woman answered.

Everyone gasped. While the Ghost crew was gone, everyone had been filled in on why the white wolf said ‘Dume’ and how it connected to Kanan.

“Is she...?” Kasmir started to ask.

“Yes, she’s Kanan’s mother,” Ezra answered. “She lives with the Lothwolves and they’re all gonna fight with us,”

Gregor nudged Wolffe with his elbow excitedly. “Wolffe, looks like you have your wolf pack back! ehh?”

“Yeah,” Wolffe agreed, though his eyes never left Rebekka’s face.

Zeb and Sabine had dismounted from their wolf and had gathered with the others standing in front of the wolves.

“Alright then,” Ryder said. “Come on. It’s time to prepare for our mission,”

The wolf pack followed everyone further into the base, where they started to prepare their weapons.

“Do you know how to use a blaster?” Rex asked Rebekka as he handed her one.

“Yes, but it’s been years since I last used one,” Rebekka answered, inspecting the blaster. “I may need a refresher course,”

“I’ll teach you,” Wolffe volunteered, perhaps a little too quickly.

“Everyone here should be prepared to use a blaster on this mission,” he justified.

Rebekka smiled at him. “Thank you,”

They smiled at each other for a moment before Wolffe cleared his throat.

“We should probably start now,” Wolffe suggested. “There’s an area over there where we can practice,” He pointed off to his left, where a rock spire hid a clearing from view.

Rebekka nodded. “Okay, lead the way,”

Wolffe and Rebekka went off with blasters in hand.

“I didn’t catch your name,” Rebekka said as they walked off.

Wolffe chuckled. “You’re probably not gonna believe me,” he replied. “My name’s Wolffe. I’m an old clone trooper,”

“Oh,” Rebekka said. Then she laughed.

The others went on with preparations. They could hear blaster shots in the distance as Rebekka and Wolffe went over their blaster refresher course. Occasionally they would hear Rebekka shriek in triumph, presumably because she hit the target Wolffe had set out for her.

While they were preparing for their mission, the lothwolves remained near them. Some were lying down nearby, Maica was sitting near the rock spire that separated Rebekka and Wolffe from the rest of the group, Teman and Sora hung out near Kanan, and Ashla watched everyone like some sort of benevolent god overseeing his people.

At one point, Sora shifted and swung her tail so it hit Vizago in the face, making him stumble back in surprise and annoyance.

“Why did I ever get involved with you Rebels?” Vizago grumbled.

“Because we’re incredibly persuasive,” Kanan answered.

Songs used were “Something Wild” by Lindsey Stirling and “You’ll Be in My Heart” from Disney’s Tarzan, written by Phil Collins.

[artistic-writer]

Alii dimidium Lunam (The Other Half of the Moon) - CS Werewolf AU - Ch 23

Title: Alii dimidium Lunam (The Other Half of the Moon) by @artistic-writer   artwork by @cocohook38 & @artistic-writer ​

Rating: E (overall rating) for explicit sexual content, language and themes throughout. Trigger warnings will follow and be added as they are needed to avoid spoilers.

Art by @cocohook38 - Poster - Emma - David - Killian - James - Walsh - Graham - Liam - Brennan - Ruby

Chapter Art by @cocohook38 - Ch1 - Ch2 - Ch3 - Ch4 (NSFW) - Ch5

Art by @artistic-writer - 1 - 2 - 3 -

Also on: AO3 - FF

A/N: Here is the penultimate chapter of Werewolf!  Thank you all for coming on this journey with me, especially those of you who have encouraged me so much along the way.  There is another art to post, but I am unfortunately not in the right place to do so (it’s saved on another computer) so that will be posted tomorrow with a reblog.  I have also been sick all week, and not been able to complete ch 24, so i am aplogising in advance if there is a delay with the ending, especially as I have left this one on a cliff hanger.

Massive thanks to my wonderful betas, @hookedonapirate who is one of the best beta’s this fandom has to offer - I seriously love her guys, and she deserves all the good things <3 <3 and @kmomof4 to whom this fic is also gifted for her birthday and for creating the @cssnsThank you to my crew, @hollyethecurious  @resident-of-storybrooke @courtorderedcake  @doodlelolly0910 and special thanks to @killian-whump @killianmesmalls and @sherlockianwhovian for how they helped with the last few chapters. And to @flipperbrain  who drew THIS piece of art for this fic in December, before it was even written!

Taglist: @cssns @resident-of-storybrooke  @hollyethecurious @kmomof4 @hookedonapirate @winterbaby89 @courtorderedcake @initiala @cocohook38 @branlovesouat @teamhook @snidgetsafan@sherlockianwhovian @shireness-says @wingedlioness @lenfaz @therooksshiningknight @ilovemesomekillianjones@bmbbcs4evr @blowmiakisscolin @deathbycaptainswan@onceuponaprincessworld @chinawoodfan  @seriouslyhooked @snowbellewells @wordsmith-storyweaver @jennjenn615 @delightfully-difficult-pirate @doodlelolly0910 @tiganasummertree @hookedmom @thejollyroger-writer @rachie1940 @unworried-corsair @cs-forlife

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“What are they doing?” Graham asked quietly, his voice barely audible.

David was at the window, peeking through a gap in the curtains, but he had seen all he needed to see. The barrage of werewolves on his land was a real threat, fanning out in human form around a single truck that David knew held his brother. James was dramatic, he always had been, and he would be the last wolf to appear.

“Awaiting orders,” David mumbled, watching the array of wolves with a narrowed stare. His breath fogged the glass in front of his face as he spoke, clouding his view of the attackers.

They were organized and methodical, moving into position like they had been practising for years. David heaved a sigh at the thought. Knowing his brother, these wolves had probably been conditioned to the highest degree, beaten until they were unable to take any more and then made to take more. James was pure hatred and in his world, only the strongest survived.

David wasn’t sure how many wolves had lost their lives at the hands of James. The only one thing he knew for certain was that they had.

“Speaking of,” Graham interrupted his thoughts with a gentle hand on his Alpha’s shoulder. “We have wolves ready throughout the grounds, inside and outside the house. Will is awaiting my next instruction.”

“Will is here?” Emma asked, almost a little too excitedly.

“Who is Will?” Killian added gruffly, a darkness to his voice that had David staring directly at him. The Alpha cocked his head sideways and looked at his newest pack member.

Killian looked at Emma and the blue of his eyes had turned grey, taking on a coal like darkness that echoed the clench of his jaw. She matched his stare, green eyes boring into his, the silent conversation between them of assurances not going unnoticed by their Alpha. Emma was telling him it was okay, that she would explain everything, but Killian only had rage in his eyes.

“Something I should know?” David prompted them, interrupting their stare.

Graham looked to Emma, who gave him a sideways glance, not committing to the full act of looking at him. He had no idea that mentioning Will would cause this sort of reaction of her mate, and he looked to Killian nervously. The only other wolf he had ever seen with the same sort of look was James.

“Answer your Alpha,” Graham insisted, nudging Killian with his elbow.

“We don’t have time for this,” Emma said impatiently.

David silenced her with a wave of his hand, moving across the room towards Killian. He took him in, Killian’s stance closed and aggressive, shoulders hunched and stiff from tension. He was angry, but David couldn’t tell why. His scent had changed, a more masculine scent than before invading the space between them as David approached him and shook him from his fury with a slight nudge.

“Killian?” David spoke quietly and calmly, and Killian blinked a few times, clearing his red blurred vision. David looked at him, a mixture of fear and apology in Killian’s eyes after the inner wolf, so full of bloodlust, had subsided. A blush crept over his cheeks and Killian licked his lips nervously, averting his gaze as David reached out and gave his shoulder a squeeze.

“I’m sorry,” Killian stuttered nervously. “I’m not...I don’t-”

“Will is Graham’s beta,” David assured him kindly. “He is no threat, I promise you. I know it’s hard, all these terms and new rules that you’ve never heard before.” Killian nodded a little. “We can help you tame it, Killian. I know the inner wolf so eagerly craves blood, and we have all struggled.”

Killian’s eyes went wide with shock, and despite all his warnings, he stared David directly in the eye. There was no challenge, and David knew that; he was not threatened a single bit by the half-wolf in front of him.

“Your whole life is about to change. You are going to feel things you never have before, and some will be confusing,” David told him with a warm smile. “Being a wolf takes more than being a man-”

“With all due respect, sir,” Killian interrupted sheepishly, “being half man makes me a better wolf.”

Killian had the drive and the tenacity that made only a few wolves great, but he also harboured a darkness David had seen within his brother. James was taught the ways, shown the path, and despite his father’s encouragement, had been overtaken with the desire to kill once he spilt blood. Killian needed a gentle hand to guide him into pack order, and Misthaven was where he would find it.

“Maybe,” David agreed with a nod. “In time, and with Emma’s love, you will be a better wolf than me.”

David could see the flash of fear in Killian’s eyes, behind the bravado, the love for his daughter shining above all else. David had seen that before too, in his own reflection, his love for Mary Margaret lighting his journey and taming his own darkness, shaping him into the wolf he was today. Every wolf had the ability to become encumbered by the blackness in their hearts, but not every wolf had the chance to shine a light on it.

Emma was Killian’s light, David could see that now, and he just needed the right pack to guide him the rest of the way.

“You are strong and fierce, Killian. More wolf than human, I’d say. Do you think, just for a little while, the wolf my daughter loves can help us protect our home?” David gave Killian a warm smile, patting him on the back like an old friend and Killian felt his entire body relax.

“Yes, sir.” Killian smirked. “I can certainly try.”

“Good,” David nodded before turning to Graham with a much sterner face. “Emma, go to Will. Protect the rear. Killian, Graham, you come with me,” David demanded, the sound of his wolves rousing throughout the old house. “This is my home as long as I am breathing. Graham, you see to Walsh. That snivelling mutt needs to know his place.”

“Above or below ground?” Graham snarled, his nostrils flaring.

“You decide,” David rasped darkly. “Killian, you think you can think clearly enough to fight with me?”

“Like my life depended on it,” Killian said faithfully.

“It might,” David sighed. “I’m sorry, but it just might.”

--

James stepped from the truck, the old leather seat squeaking under his weight as he slid from his place behind the wheel. There was a light dew hanging just above the ground all around Misthaven. It was coated with the scent of wolves, mostly male, but between the droplets of moisture, James could detect the scent of his niece. She was no longer in heat, he could smell that, but she was scared, her fear evident in the air.

“She’s here,” James growled on a long inhale, turning to meet the gaze of his beta at his side.

“I smell her too,” Walsh agreed with a nod, the inside of his mouth becoming wet with saliva. Emma’s scent was new, freshly laid across the ground and a nearby truck that reeked of the Misthaven beta, Graham Humbert. There was another scent Walsh could detect, one he would never forget as long as he was alive. He ground his jaw impatiently, fists balling at his sides. “The mongrel is here too,” he spat, lips curling as he focused on the house.

James whipped his head to the house once more, an eyebrow rising on his forehead. “The mongrel? Now that is interesting,” he muttered to himself.

“Maybe he is dead already,” Felix offered, the Neverland pack member appearing next to James. Even though he had no visible injuries from his alleyway fight with Killian, his ego was still bruised from the way Killian had grinned a blood stained smile in his face.

“If he isn’t, he soon will be,” Walsh ground out, shooting his comrade a glance whilst fingering the scar tissue on his neck.

“Enough!” James barked, looking between the two wolves on either side of him. “This isn't the time to be caught up in petty revenge,” he growled, pointing first to Felix and then to Walsh with a menacing finger. “Look where that got you last time.”

Walsh looked to the ground, his toes curling in his boots. He didn’t have to look at James to know that his Alpha was still disappointed in him, but he could redeem himself. It was either that or his life would be snuffed out before he had time to blink. James was ruthless. The years Walsh had spent at his side would mean nothing to James if he stopped him from taking Misthaven from David.

“Take half the men and flank right,” James told Felix, nodding towards the back of the house. “Stop anyone that gets in your way.”

Felix nodded eagerly, silently signalling a handful of werewolves to follow him as they slipped into the darkness beside the house and around the back. They were silent, and as big as they were, they tread silently across the driveway and scaled the fences with ease. When they were gone, Walsh let out a breath, the skin on his forearms standing to attention in the sleeves of his jacket as a ripple of excitement passed over his skin.

“This is going to be fun,” he sneered, all but rubbing his hands together.

“Attack!” James called out, ignoring his beta, his voice echoing through the nearby trees. A bird flew off from its perch, calling out it's warning as it took flight, wings hitting branches as it escaped the confines of the brush.

The wave of werewolves behind them rushed forward, barging shoulders with each other as they let out an almighty roar, their voices carried across the land like the rumble of a huge engine. James led the charge, Walsh at his side, feet sliding on the gravel beneath their feet as they ran up the driveway that led straight to the huge doors of the house.

--

“Will!” Emma called out, rushing through the hall and into the huge, farmhouse style kitchen at the back of the old house. She slid to a stop just in front of the huge island counter, the flash of black in Will’s eyes as he gave her a quick glance telling her he knew what she was about to say.

“They’re coming over the fences!” he said quickly, pointing left and then right. “Come on!” He motioned Emma to follow him, yanking the door open and rushing out onto the slippery grass behind the house.

Emma followed, quick to take instruction from Graham’s beta. Will Scarlett was another loyal pack member, another stray that David and Mary Margaret had taken in when his family had abandoned him. He was a few years younger than Emma but had struck up a firm relationship with Graham when they were teens. Now, adults, Will answered to Graham as his second-in-command.

Misthaven was like any other pack in terms of hierarchy, with an Alpha at the forefront, leading the pack in everyday scenarios as well as political decisions. His second-in-command would be a beta, in Misthaven’s case Graham Humbert, who in turn would have his own beta. Will Scarlett was Graham’s beta, and as such, a high ranking member of the Misthaven pack, so Emma fell into line immediately, following his orders.

Out in the open yard they were bombarded, five burly looking werewolves in human form rushing towards them whilst the one known as Felix followed up the rear. Emma spied him instantly, recognising him from the alleyway where Killian was taken, and caught his gaze with her stare. He sneered, lips curving back across his teeth in a grimace that made her feel sick to her stomach.

“You take the stragglers,” Emma whispered to Will. “The big guy is mine.”

Will didn’t have time to object before he was pushed out of the way by Emma, her eyes fixed on Felix with an aggressive stare. Her feet carried her across the grass, dodging a few of the Neverland wolves, the point of her elbow connecting with Felix’s jaw as she jumped through the air with a roar. He recoiled back, his forward momentum causing his jaw to slide sideways and out of place, his hand immediately clutching the offending joint as he fell to the ground.

Emma skidded to a stop, turning to face the brute with a wicked grin. Felix snapped his head towards her, a growl escaping his throat as he grunted in frustration. His mouth tasted coppery, the blood from his gums coating his tongue, and with a curl of his lips, Felix spat a mixture of blood and saliva to the ground.

“You don’t look so tough,” Felix grunted, shaking his head at her and pushing himself to his feet. He rushed her again, but Emma parried left, spinning on her heel and righting her stance immediately in case he was quicker than her. He wasn’t, his weight not on his side as it carried him passed her, and Emma sent a kick right into his back. Felix howled, arching his back into the pain as he fell to his knees.

“How do I look now?” Emma smirked.

Felix scrambled to his feet, charging her once more, his jaw clenched tight as he ignored the pain that still throbbed through it. Emma was ready, blocking blow after blow as they sparred, Felix’s clenched fist finally connecting with her face. He grinned triumphantly, snorting through his nose, and Emma dabbed the split in her lip.

“Oh,” Felix taunted, heaving a breath. “Did that hurt, princess?”

Emma grit her teeth, inspecting her fingertips for blood, the crimson fluid coating her skin. She growled under her breath and licked the cut, the tang of copper coating her taste buds.

“Not as much as this is going to!” Emma roared, rushing for the brute once more.

Felix let out a cry, and Emma dodged him again. She was smaller than him, more nimble and she landed another elbow to the back of his neck. He cried out, clutching the back of his head and narrowing his eyes at her as he winced in pain. Emma smiled, mirroring the one Killian had given Felix in the alleyway, and it made him boil with rage. Felix let out an anguished cry, tearing the jacket from his back and falling to all fours with a groan.

Emma watched in disbelief as Felix changed, his hands clutching at the ground before turning into paws and his spine growing longer as he stretched into wolf form. His clothes ripped from his body and Emma was met with the sight of his wolf, the huge, black tipped grey hairs of his pelt bristling along his back. Felix lifted his head after his transformation, a low growl in the back of his throat as his green eyes darkened and fixed on his prey.

“Oh, shit!” Emma gasped, a hot flush of panic rippling over her flesh. She turned tail and ran, heading back towards the house as Felix gave chase, snarling and snapping at her heels. She ran into the house through the kitchen door and turned, pushing the heavy wooden door as hard as she could, but the weight of the wolf pursuing her crashed into it and sent her flying across the kitchen.

Emma hit the wall, crashing into her mother’s display of patterned plates, and overturning the table in the process. There was a huge crashing sound, bits of the broken ceramics raining down on her as she winced from a pain that shot through her ribs. One was definitely broken, maybe two, and she clutched her side in agony, boots scuffing the dusty, wooden floorboards as she scrambled for cover behind the fallen farmhouse table. A shard of a plate had sliced her face, but Emma ignored the dripping wound when Felix’s growl roused her once more.

The wolf was in the house, the door swinging shut behind him keeping Will outside. Emma heard him sniff the air, tongue licking at his chops as he sought her out. She knew he could smell her, and it was only a matter of time before he realised she was so close and injured. Emma glanced around, finding only a huge shard of the broken crockery and clutched it in her hand.

The sound of Felix’s claws on the floor drew nearer, and Emma could even hear the drops of his drool hitting the floor as they spilt from his maw. He growled low, a warning most likely, and Emma clutched the broken bird covered porcelain harder, the jagged edge tearing into the fingers of her skin and palm. With a bark of excitement, Felix leapt onto the edge of the upturned table, looming over her and Emma cried out in surprise.

The wolf snapped its jaws, lips upturned in a menacing snarl, fangs dripping with saliva as it growled, green eyes aglow with hatred. Emma squeezed her eyes shut and lifted her arm, broken plate piece ready to strike but then, out of nowhere, the sound of cast iron hitting bone echoed through the kitchen and Felix slumped to the ground, limp and lifeless. The hollow vibration rang out again, and again, and Emma peeled her eyes open to see her mother straightening her stance and wiping specks of blood from her pale face.

“Mom?” Emma asked, her voice high pitched.

“Hush,” barked Snow, eyeing the wolf carcass now slumped over her kitchen table. She huffed, annoyed. “If your father thinks I am going to hide away in some panic room whilst my daughter gets mauled by a Neverland wolf, he has another thing coming.”

Snow extended her hand to her daughter, smiling warmly as Emma clutched her limb and was pulled upright. Emma groaned in pain as she stood, the feel of bone crunching against bone inside her torso and the sting of her cut cheek as it reopened making her hiss. Snow looked her over, concern etched on her face, but Emma gave her a reassuring nod.

“I’m fine, mom,” she insisted but Snow was unconvinced, just about to object when Will came crashing through the back door.

He was bloodied, a swollen lip and a cut under his eyes, but somehow Emma could still see the red tint of a blush when he realised Snow had caught him inside the house with dirty boots and clothes on. She gave him a frown, hands on hips as she motioned to his mud clad footwear with a glare, just like when he was a child.

“I’m sorry, Mrs. Nolan,” Will stammered quickly, out of breath from his fight. “I’ll clean up, I promise.”

“Yes, you will,” Snow chastised him playfully. “But not before you go help my husband.” Snow pointed to the hall, giving Will the silent go ahead. He nodded, rushing off through the doorway as Emma collapsed against her mother once more.

--

Will bounded up the huge staircase three steps at a time, grabbing the rail and pulling his weight with each step. He breathed heavily, already half exhausted from his fight with the straggling wolves outside, but the sound of his Alpha in a fight made him ignore the burning in his lungs and continue on to his goal. At the top of the stairs he saw Graham, engaged in a fist fight with James and from the look of things, gaining the upper hand.

The Neverland Alpha was strong, and he fought back, countering each of Graham’s blows with one of his own. The men exchanged blows so furiously quick, Will had a hard time keeping track, but he heard the unmistakable sound of teeth breaking loose from James’ jaw as Graham landed a backhanded punch to the older wolf’s face. James stumbled backwards, giving Graham pause, and the Neverland Alpha looked back at him slowly, a dark, narrow stare as he spit blood out onto the floor between them.

“My brother chose a fine Beta in you, Humbert,” James said darkly, licking at a split in his lower lip. He rearranged his jaw again, spitting out a tooth which hit the floor and sounded like a dice rolling across the wooden boards. “Ever considered a darker career path?”

“Not in a million years,” Graham spat disgustedly, wiping the back of his hand over his mouth.

“Ah, that’s right,” James said snidely. “You can’t, what with your human and mongrel child.”

Graham ground his jaw, fists balling at his sides. He hunched his shoulders, staring down the Alpha who dared threaten his family. He didn’t know how James knew, and he didn’t want to know, but what he did want was the man in front of him dead. Anger fuelled his already tired body and Graham lunged forward, teeth bared and his lungs expelling a cry of rage.

“Graham, no!” Will screamed, the thickness of his accent rolling his tongue around the name.

Graham didn’t listen, following through his action and grabbing James by the shoulders. The men stumbled backwards, Graham’s weight atop James as they rolled to the floor. James threw a punch upward, colliding with Graham’s jaw, but the beta didn’t falter, stiffening his neck to absorb the blow. James lifted his knee, tossing Graham over his head in one motion that sent the beta sprawled out behind him towards the end of the hall.

“You’d better get me, boy!” James taunted, pushing himself to his feet and motioning Graham to him with a flick of his fingers. “Before I get to that pretty human of yours.”

Graham jumped to his feet, barely giving himself a chance to shake off his fall when he charged James again. The Neverland alpha grinned a bloody smile, digging his hand behind his back to grip at the handle of a knife sheathed on his belt. As Graham got closer, James took up stance, half squatting on the spot, bouncing on the balls of his feet ready to move. As Graham reached him, James dodged sideways, pulling his knife free and plunging it into Graham’s shoulder as he passed him.

Graham cried out, falling to the floor with a thud, and Will was at his side in an instant. By the time Graham rolled over, hand clawing at the top of his shoulder, James was gone, nothing but his scent lingering in the hallway.

“Where did he go?” Will asked quickly, assessing Graham’s shoulder. The blade was in deep, probably touching bone, and Graham winced with a growl when Will gave it a tug.

“God, Scarlett!” Graham hissed. “Stop pulling on it!” Graham batted his beta’s hand away, tutting in frustration.

“It’s got to come out!” Will insisted. Graham growled again, half a groan of consensus as he nodded. “On three,” Will told him firmly, wrapping his fingers around the handle of the hunting knife. Graham tensed, gritting his teeth and snorting short, panicked breaths. “One, two-”

“Son of a bitch!” Graham yelled when Will pulled the blade earlier than he anticipated.

“I’m sorry,” Will said quickly, tossing the blade aside and covering the wound with his hand. “Hold still, let me see.” Graham calmed his writhing, steading his breath as Will lifted his now bloodied palm and peered down at the slice in Graham’s shoulder. He wrinkled his nose a little but the wound looked clean and not as deep as he first thought. “I think you’re good,” Will confirmed. “It looks clean.”

“That mother fucker,” Graham rasped, his voice hoarse from his earlier shouting. “He’s gone after David.”

“Killian was with him,” Will assured, helping him into a more comfortable position. Graham hissed through the pain, his shoulder blade throbbing like he had been burned. “I’ll go and check-”

“No!” Graham insisted hastily, clutching Will’s arm desperately. “Neverland knows about my family,” he gasped between breaths. “Go to the cabin. Make sure Ruby and Davin are okay.”

“But-” Will began.

Graham cut him off. “This is not up for discussion, Scarlett!” he growled. He grabbed Will by the head, forcing the lower pack member to look directly in his eye, and unable to look away, Will paled under Graham’s command. “Go.”

Will nodded, rushing to his feet and fleeing the hall, his feet pounding the floorboards as he ran down the stairs and out the huge fortified front doors. Graham slumped back against the wall, the cold, wet patch of bloodied cloth sticking to his skin as it pressed against the surface behind him. He looked along the hall in the direction James could only have gone, and prayed Killian was able to finish what he had started.

--

David and Killian were holed up in one of the libraries with nowhere to go. They would fight their way out if needed, but David had intentionally drawn the Neverland wolves to that spot because he knew it would give them the advantage. He knew the house like the back of his hand, and any Neverland wolf able to get through his pack defenses would surely fall by his hand.

The sound of men hitting each other ricocheted through the old house as wolves battled each other. Dull, sickening punches and the cracking of bones was all that could be heard from the opposite side of the door. Killian’s heart pounded in his chest, the blood pulsing through his eardrums and almost making him deaf to the cries of wolves as they fell. He wasn’t sure if they were friend or foe, but he was caught between the lust for blood and the fear of the battle. Killian had never encountered hostility like the Neverland pack, and if he survived, he never wanted to again.

“You traitor!”

Killian looked at David when he heard the unmistakable sound of Walsh from the end of the hall. There was another room there, and David nodded when Killian reached for the handle, twisting it open silently. They both stared down the silent hallway, bodies littering the landing like dirty laundry. There was another shout, this time of pain, and Killian instantly recognised it as his father.

“Neverland is fighting amongst themselves,” David whispered, peering over Killian’s shoulder.

“It’s my father,” Killian told him, whispering back.

“He’s here? Why?” David looked confused. He knew that Brennan Jones was a member of Neverland, but what he didn’t know was why he would be fighting in their corner, turning on his own to help defend an Alpha he didn’t follow.

Killian strained to listen, but the conversation between Brennan and Walsh was muffled on the other side of the door. He could only smell Walsh and his father, the still warm bodies of the fallen wolves fading from his senses.

“He’s helping,” Killian whispered, unable to believe his own words.

The dull sound of a clenched fist hitting a body caught Killian’s attention and without thinking, he ran along the hall as fast as his legs would carry him. The door at the end led into one of the libraries, and just as his boot connected with the door and sent it flying open, Killian saw his father hunched over in pain. Brennan was clutching his stomach, all the air leaving his body as he stumbled back into a huge wall of books. With little energy to even stand, Brennan grabbed a book from the shelf behind his shoulder and launched it at his attacker, the heavy leather bound tome hitting Walsh directly in the jaw.

Walsh recoiled in pain, grabbing his face as the weight of the book completely turned his neck sideways and his head was jarred unnaturally. He snarled in anger, launching himself at Brennan once again, but Killian was there to block his assault and take the brunt of the damage. He caught his arm mid air, twisting it sideways with a sickening snapping sound, Walsh howling in agony as he desperately tried to pull away.

“Killian, get back!” Brennan rasped, his voice changed from how hard he had been gasping for breath. He clutched at his arm, a burn mark in the fabric there.

“No!” Killian roared, eyes fixed on Walsh, his feet planted firmly on the ground to protect his father.

“Listen to your father,” Walsh spat, hugging his broken arm to his chest. “Or should we end this once and for all, mongrel?”

With an evil grin, Walsh presented what he had been hiding behind his back, and the reason why Brennan had been overpowered so easily. The long black pole of the cattle prod in his hands sent a shiver down Killian’s spine, his neck flushing hot with anxiety at the sight of it. Walsh let out a chuckle, his sadistic laugh not even enough to rouse Killian from his panic. He was frozen, petrified to the spot and when Walsh turned it on, the blue spark jumping between the pronged ends, Killian flinched backward.

“Oooo!” Walsh sounded through a laugh. “Looks like someone has a little residual trauma lingering around.”

Killian took a breath, steadying his nerves, grinding his teeth at the remark. He knew Walsh was just torturing him, trying to force him into making a move. Walsh was injured, incapacitated by his broken arm in such a way that all he really had left was his threats. Killian licked his lips, eyes scanning over Walsh’s face, searching for any indication that the wolf in front of him might attack, only all Killian saw was panic behind Walsh’s bravado. He was a wolf alone in a battle, outnumbered and at a disadvantage, and he knew it.

“What’s wrong?” Killian asked frankly. “You look a little scared.”

“Ha!” Walsh sneered. “Of you two?” He motioned between them with a wave of the cattle prod. “An old wolf not fit to be alive and his mongrel son? Please.” Walsh stepped forward, brandishing the sparking pole and Killian couldn’t fight the way his body moved back again. Walsh let out a sadistic laugh, igniting the rod once more, only for it to fizzle out after a small blue spark as the batteries run flat.

“You’re not having much luck, are you boy?” Brennan coughed, clutching his side as a grin lit up his face. “Not so big without weapons, are you?”

Brennan’s jibe riled Walsh enough that he lunged forward, holding the pole above his head with the intention of striking Killian. Killian was too quick, reaching up and grabbing the cattle prod mid strike, his might too much for Walsh who had to let go when Killian twisted the device from his grip. Walsh jumped back, huddled near the wall, panting hard from the tussle.

“What are you going to do now, halfbreed?” Walsh spat, his lips curling over his teeth in disgust at the words he used.

Killian looked down at the rod in his hands and then back to Walsh, a wolfish grin on his face. He shook his head, pinching his eyes closed for a second, before tossing the defunkt pole aside where it hit the wooden floor with a clatter.

“I’m not like you,” Killian ground out. “I will not hurt someone else for fun.”

“Just like I suspected,” Walsh growled. “Weakness runs in the Jones blood. Tell me, Killian,” Walsh growled, reaching into the inner pocket of his jacket and pulling out a small handgun. Killian’s eyes went wide, the black pistol pointed directly at him. “Does Liam know how to fight?” he asked, waving the pistol around, “ because, when I’m done with you, I am going to find him, kill him and wipe every last Jones halfbreed from existence!”

“Over my dead body!” Brennan rasped, forcing his change in the blink of an eye. The light grey wolf leapt through the air, black patches around his eyes like a bandit mask, jaws snapping together as he attempted to reach Walsh. There was almost no time to react, Walsh squeezing the trigger as soon as Brennan’s feet left the ground, the crack of the gun echoing through the house.

Brennan let out a yelp, his wolf body stopping mid air and falling to the ground like a stone. Killian felt his entire body go cold, the whole scene playing out in slow motion as his father’s body hit the floor and Walsh fled through a door at the back of the room. The narrow passage was like a secret tunnel into the next room and as he squeezed through the gap, he dropped his gun. It clattered to the ground but was soon forgotten over the whining wolf at Killian’s feet.

“Dad! No!” Killian cried out, rushing to his father’s side. He slid down to his knees, tearing the jacket from his back as Brennan changed back to human, his naked form quaking on the dusty floorboards. Killian covered his father with his jacket and attempted to make him more comfortable, bundling the man into his arms like a babe and ignoring the way blood stained his hands. “Come on, stay with me.”

“You called me Dad,” Brennan smiled, looking up at his son with a glassy stare. His eyes were vacant, void of the colour they had once held so vividly, and Killian heard a rasp from his father’s chest.

“And I will again, just hold on, can you do that for me?” Killian clutched his father’s body harder, pulling him closer to his body. Brennan groaned, the twist of his body causing him pain. “Somebody help!” Killian called into the room, quickly scanning for anyone who could help him but finding them all alone.

“Killian,” Brennan muttered, clutching his son’s arm and drawing his attention. Killian looked down, the paleness of his father’s face a stark contrast to his black hair.

“No, don’t try to talk. Somebody will come,” Killian reassured his father, but he didn’t believe the words himself.

“I want you to know-” Brennan’s words were cut off by a hacking cough, blood dribbling from his mouth and down the side of his face. Killian’s hand hovered over his father’s face, ready to dab at the trickle of blood down in his father’s beard. He was unsure what to do, how to save him, and his heart hammered in his chest at the thought of losing the man in his arms.

“I know,” Killian smiled weakly. “I love you too.”

“Tell Liam,” Brennan rasped, and when he inhaled, his chest sounded hollow. The bullet had gone through a lung, possibly something much worse, and he was drowning in his own blood. “Tell Liam, I’m sorry.”

“You’re going to tell him yourself, just hold on.” Killian reached under his jacket and pressed his hand to his father’s wound, the tiny, circular hole oozing crimson on every one of Brennan’s breaths.

“I wish-” he gasped on a ragged breath.

“What, Dad, what?” Killian asked him eagerly, desperate to hear his voice a little while longer.

“I wish I was half the wolf you’ve grown to be, my boy,” Brennan coughed, his words but a whisper. His hand found the side of Killian’s prickly face and traced the apple of his cheek with a serene smile. “You’re just like your mother,” he told Killian softly before expelling his last breath, his hand falling back down to Killian’s lap as his smile faded.

“No, father, no!” Killian cried without pause, his words quick and panicked. “Don’t leave me again! Not again,” he whispered through tears, his father’s lifeless body heavy in his arms.

Killian had convinced himself he would never love his father. He had grown up believing that the man had left his mother, breaking her heart, for himself and nothing else. Killian now knew he was wrong, and his father was willing to sacrifice even more for those he loved, including his own life. Killian pulled his father’s suddenly heavy body towards him even harder and cried. Hot, fat tears streamed down his face and dripped onto Brennan’s head tucked under his chin. Killian was sure his wails could be heard throughout the house, but still, no one came.

The sound of a frustrated growl coming from the next room pulled his attention away from his father, and fuelled with a new anger for Walsh, the wolf who had taken and tried to take everything from him. Killian let his father’s body slip from his grasp and pushed himself to his feet. He took a long, deep breath, wiping at the tears wetting his face, and ignoring the discarded gun as he pushed himself through the gap and into the next room.

“Fuck!” Walsh growled, kicking the door that was locked from the outside. It was trapping him in the room; there was no other way out except back through the other room where he really did not want to be. A noise from behind him made him freeze and spin around, forehead beaded with sweat and eyes wide with a newfound fear for the young wolf that had appeared.

Killian was different. The blue of his eyes was replaced with black, his previous hues as soulless as the devil. Walsh swallowed hard, clutching his arm tighter to his hunched frame as he panted for breath. For the first time in his life, he was the scared, cornered prey of a predator hell bent on revenge. Killian’s nostrils flared a little and his hands balled into tight fists at his sides, the tips of his ears pink with anger.

Killian surged forward across the last remaining foot between them, and grabbed the lapels of Walsh’s jacket. He hoisted Walsh into the air, the wolf shying away from his gaze and flinching with the expectation of a strike. Walsh’s one good arm covered his head, instinctively trying to protect himself, and he couldn’t stop the whimper that tumbled from his mouth.

“Woah, woah, woah, wait, I was just following orders!” Walsh snivelled, shaking in Killian’s firm grip.

“Orders to tear apart my family?!” Killian roared, his face inches from Walsh’s as he gave him a shake. “Orders to have my mate!” Walsh flinched even harder, pinching his eyes closed as Killian’s breath heated his face. Killian’s grip tightened on the fabric of Walsh’s jacket, twisting the material in his fists and pulling Walsh even closer to him. “Orders to kill my father?” he added darkly.

“No!” Walsh objected firmly. “No, no, no, no,” he shook his head from side to side, the sting of tears in his eyes. “He turned on me! I was just defending myself! I didn’t mean anything I said,” he laughed, shrugging his shoulders. “You know that, right?”

Killian took a long breath, loosening his grip on Walsh’s jacket. The other wolf took a breath and sighed thankfully, his body relaxing a little as Killian set him back on the floor and let him lower his hand.

“Just his orders,” Walsh said slowly, nodding in understanding. “You don’t know what he’s like. It was follow the orders or die, Jones, what would you have done?”

Killian wasn’t sure what Walsh was trying to achieve by humanizing his so called orders. Emma had told him all about James, the twin to her father and a lion with a rather large thorn in his oversized, powerful paw. Killian expected no less than brutality from James, but after seeing the sadistic side of the Neverland beta, he thought Walsh would put up more of a fight.

“You’re right,” Killian told him calmly, his voice eerily level headed. Walsh looked at him confused, watching Killian’s hands release the edges of his jacket and slowly flatten out the creases. “What would I know?”

“Exactly!” Walsh grinned excitedly. “You’ve never been a part of a pack, followed an Alpha,” he added quickly.

“Of course,” Killian agreed, a tranquillity falling over him. “Pack loyalty is of the utmost importance.”

“See! I knew you would understand!” Walsh screeched excitedly, his one good arm reaching out to pat Killian on the shoulder.

“What I understand is your idea of loyalty is to follow pack law without question. Not because you’re afraid of the consequences if you don’t, but because deep down you like the reprehensible things your Alpha makes you do.” Killian rasped, looking at the spot on his shoulder where Walsh’s filthy touch had made his skin crawl. “You take pride in serving your own brand of darkness, but are too much of a coward to do so in your own name, so you disguise it as loyalty. You’re a weak wolf. Weak, pathetic, and I pity you.”

“So… you aren’t going to kill me?” Walsh whimpered hopefully, trying to gauge Killian’s expression.

Killian stepped back, watching his feet as he moved and then extended his hand out to Walsh. For a second, Walsh looked confused, straightening his back from his hunched position and eyeing Killian’s olive branch suspiciously. Killian nudged his head towards his hand, giving Walsh a nod, and with a small smile, Walsh reached out with his good arm and shook Killian’s hand. No sooner had his hand touched Killian’s, than the young wolf’s fingers wrapped around his palm and crushed it in a vice like grip, pulling him forward on unsteady feet until Killian was in his face again.

“Oh, I’m going to kill you,” Killian growled menacingly. “Because my idea of loyalty to pack law is to protect those I love, regardless of orders or the price it might cost me.” Walsh’s mouth opened in a silent scream of pain as he tried to pull his hand free, sure Killian was breaking every bone in his fingers from his grasp. “And if killing you is that price,” Killian added, the darkness back in his eyes. “I am more than willing to pay it.”

Before he had time to object any further, Walsh felt the splitting pain through his skull as Killian headbutted him, holding onto his hand ever tighter so he couldn’t shy away from the assault. Walsh cried out, his eyes springing with tears as the force of Killian’s forehead hitting his nose broke the skin wide open and triggered a stream of blood from both his nostrils. Walsh had no time to even cry out before Killian pulled his arm so hard he felt his shoulder pop, and met the momentum of his body with another headbutt.

“That was for my father,” Killian growled, Walsh’s dislocated arm limp in his grasp.

He took a step back, lining up his next shot, which was a firm, heavy booted kick to Walsh’s crotch. The sound Walsh made as Killian’s boot connected with his balls was high pitched and like a trapped animal, the squeak in the back of his throat barely audible. Walsh crumpled to the floor, sinking to his knees and unable to grab at his throbbing testicles because of his useless arms, shaking from the pain radiating up into his belly.

“That was for thinking you could touch Emma,” Killian spat, his jaw clenched with the mere thought of anyone defiling his mate.

Killian reached out and grabbed Walsh by the throat, his fingertips digging into the straining chords of his neck. The muscles in his forearms rippled with the strain, but Killian squeezed until he heard the deep, grunting gasp of a breath and Walsh’s eyes flew open and met his in a plea of forgiveness.

“And this,” Killian paused, increasing the pressure on Walsh’s trachea. The older wolf began to wriggle in his grip but Killian didn’t let up, the tiny red pin prick dots of petechial haemorrhaging appearing in the whites of Walsh’s eyeballs. “This is for my car,” Killian rasped gravely, closing his hand around Walsh’s throat until he felt the spongy tissue and muscles of his trachea give out under his crushing grip.

Walsh went blue before he even hit the floor, his body unable to hold its own weight any longer as he struggled for breath. He rolled onto his side, broken arm and hand awkwardly clawing at his neck where Killian had left dark purple bruises in his wake. Walsh gasped, the deep, croaking sound he made as he struggled for air signifying his end. His larynx and windpipe were crushed, damaged beyond repair causing muscle spasms to close off Walsh’s airway and slowly suffocate him.

Killian simply watched as the wolf at his feet writhed, legs kicking out wildly, and boot soles scraping the wooden floor. Wide eyed and full of fear, Walsh’s ability to swallow disappeared and he began to drool, saliva mixing with the blood that already coated his lips from his broken nose. He caught Killian’s gaze, eye flicking from side to side as his brain began to shut down, remnant muscle twitches all that was soon left when his chest ceased to rise and fall.

Killian held his breath for what felt like an age, staring at Walsh’s body as it continued to twitch even after death. He finally took a step backwards, stopping only when his back hit the wall of books behind him, and then his legs gave out and he fell to the floor. Killian had imagined he would feel different, that taking a life would sate the beast inside of him and he would finally be able to set aside the hunger that had plagued him since he had come of age. Only, it hadn’t, and now all he felt was a numbing coldness at the realisation maybe Walsh was right. Maybe they weren’t so different after all?

“Killian?”

At first he thought he was dreaming, the long buzz in his ears almost overpowering the sound of his name. He blinked, slowly and deliberately, unable to stop the image of Walsh’s dead body from invading his thoughts. There was no blood on his hands, but Killian felt like there was, and he lifted them closer to his face to inspect his digits.

“Killian? Can you hear me?” Emma’s voice was clearer now and he lifted his head to see her crouched in front of him. One hand was on his knee, fingers gripping the joint for balance, whilst the other was planted firmly on the scruff on his cheek.

When he blinked and rolled his eyes in her direction, she smiled and he felt a warmth wash over him. He swallowed the thick lump in his throat and opened his mouth to speak, but no words came out, just a strangled sound that sounded like an apology.

“It’s okay,” Emma assured him softly, moving her weight so that she was in between Killian and Walsh. “Come back to me.” She blocked his view, cupping his head in her hands and tilting it back so he was looking at her and not the corpse behind her. She smiled again, the corners of her mouth ticking into a smooth line that gave Killian instant comfort. “What happened?” She pried tentatively, thumbs stroking his cheek bones and coaxing him back to her.

“I killed him.” Killian blinked again, raising his eyebrows in disbelief of his own words. He frowned, confused for a second, but when Emma gave his head a gentle shake and her eyes met his again, he knew he had no reason to be. Her eyes were filled with love and nothing else, and Killian knew that whatever he told her would not matter a single bit. “He killed my father, and I killed him.” A single tear rolled down Killian’s cheek and was lost under the pad of Emma’s thumb.

She quickly brushed it away, and he finally gave her a small smile. “Are you okay?” Emma asked him again.

He shook his head. “I thought it would feel different, to take a life,” Killian began, his hand finding the smooth skin of her inner wrist and tracing over the bulge of her veins lovingly. He wanted to protect her, by any means necessary, and when Walsh had threatened that notion, Killian had been unable to hold back the darkness within himself any longer. “I thought-”

“It’s okay,” Emma assured him gently. “You thought all of the hatred you had for him would disappear, but it didn’t.”

“Yes,” Killian shook his head, his breath hitching on a sob. “And I still feel like I’m not the one in control anymore.” Killing Walsh had opened a dark door for Killian, and he felt like the hollowness that enveloped him was sure to swallow him whole. “I can’t take it back,” he whimpered, his bottom lip trembling. “It’s free, Emma. The bloodlust inside of me is free and I’m scared I won’t be able to control it.”

Emma’s heart broke. Killian had been raised by a human, with humans. For all intents and purposes, he was a human who just happened to be able to shift into the form of a wolf. There were many things he needed to learn, and there would be some adjustments, but whether human or wolf, Emma knew that Killian knew exactly how to love. The love he had for her was the strongest, fated by the stars, and Emma had no doubts he would learn to control his impulsive inner wolf and not lose an ounce of love for her in the process.

It would make him a wolf to be feared and a man to be cherished.

Emma leaned forward, pressing her lips to his in a quick, chaste kiss. She let her mouth linger on his until she felt the quiver in his lower lip stop completely, and then stroked the hair of his beard at the top of his cheeks with her thumbs, holding his face to hers even harder. She felt him relax, his whole body expelling all tension, and he hummed contently in the back of his throat.

“Do you want to talk about it?” Emma asked softly, breaking the kiss and resting her forehead against his.

Killian let out a breathy laugh, sniffing and wrinkling his nose against hers. “Not really,” he whispered, parroting the words she had told him when she had first told him of her arranged marriage.

“Excellent,” Emma smirked, repeating his earlier retort. “Neither do I.”

“We are going to be okay,” Emma sighed happily, rolling her forehead against his as she nodded.

“Aye,” Killian agreed. “We will.” It didn’t matter what was going on inside of his head, Killian knew that with Emma by his side, he would be just fine.

“At least now we know that one of the names on the tombstones from our dream was my father,” Killian added idly, the sadness in his voice evident. He let Emma help him to his feet, brushing his hands down the front of his jeans, but as soon as he had finished his words she gasped in shock. “What?” Killian asked concerned. “What is it?”

“What if the names are not ours, but the names of our fathers?” Emma asked.

Killian looked at her expression, worry etched into every line of her face. “That would mean-”

“We have to find my father,” Emma said firmly, tugging his arm as she headed towards the now unlocked door through which she had previously entered. “We have to find him now.”

[nom-the-skel]

[vore] The Bunny Trap, chapter 2

This was gonna be two chapters, but now it is longer, and going in unexpected directions, and will be a collab :3

warnings for this chapter: injury, amputation, danger/suggestion of fatal vore.

2k words! [read on AO3][chapter 1][chapter 3]

Razz stopped outside the front door and spat the bunny into his hands. Ugh, this was disgusting; the taste of the it made his mouth water, and his own saliva mixed with the red magic the bunny had bled. At least the bunny was still whole and not just dust mixed in with that soup.

He unlocked the door and went in. Slim was drowsing on the couch, but looked up curiously at his entrance. “What’s tha—”

“Stay out of my room, mutt!” he snapped, stalking past his brother and up the stairs. The bunny groaned as he shifted it to one hand in order to get out a first aid kit and lay out a towel on the carpet. If it was conscious, that was probably a good sign. Razz set him down as gently as he could on the towel, but the bunny still gasped and stiffened for a moment. He cast healing magic on what was left of its leg, then cleaned and bandaged it up. He’d never treated an injury this severe or a monster this tiny, but he was confident the bunny was stabilized.

“Here, lick this,” he said. The monster candy in the kit was far too large for the bunny to swallow, so he held it next to its skull. The bunny turned its skull and licked a few times at the candy before giving up. Razz frowned. “I’ll leave it here. See if you can eat some more in a few minutes,” he instructed, before leaving to scrounge up more supplies.

Slim watched from the couch, still curious, as he went back and forth through the house, gathering items and cleaning the saliva and blood from his gloves, but Razz didn’t say anything to enlighten him. He finally returned and set up a shoe box with a pillow for the bunny, which was still lying on the towel where he’d left it.

“You awake, bunny?” He tried to keep his voice soft. “I got you a bed. You like red, don’t you?”

“Red?” Suddenly alert, the bunny sat halfway up, then collapsed onto the towel.

“Uh, the color red. You’re wearing a lot of it, even without your left boot.”

“Oh. Yes.” The bunny looked crushingly disappointed for a moment, but then it was gone. Had the boot comment been too insensitive? Razz could be a little gentler with it while it was recovering, he supposed.

“Because I found you a red pillow,” Razz clarified. It was just a little on the purple side, but not that much. “Do you think you can take it if I move you onto your bed?”

The bunny nodded firmly. Razz scooped it off the towel and set it on the pillow. Its face twisted in anguish, but it stayed quiet.

“You should eat,” Razz said, placing the monster candy next to its skull again. “I’ll go see what vegetables we have.”

***

Razz couldn’t stay with the bunny all the time, and he didn’t trust Slim not to eat it, so it was left alone in his room while he was out performing his Royal Guard duties, and when he was cooking, at the very least.

“Vegetarian enchiladas again?” Slim commented on the third day when Razz served him.

“Vegetarian food is good for you,” said Razz, sitting down to his own plate.

“Not if you’re a wolf. I need protein.”

“Beans are protein, mutt.”

“It’s not the same.”

Razz looked up at Slim, surprised at his rebellious tone. “Then stop lying about and go catch something!”

***

Meanwhile, the bunny was regaining its energy and kept dragging itself out of its shoe box and across the floor, only to collapse in exhaustion at various points on the carpet. Razz had threatened to put the shoe box in a cage, but the rabbit had objected so vociferously that in the end he’d just put the shoe box bed inside a larger cardboard box. Now the bunny was constantly moving around its box, trying to climb the walls. And talking. It was as if, unable to stand up, it couldn’t go anywhere physically but it could still cast its words far and wide across various topics. Its name was Edge and it had an imperious attitude and a lot to say about everything: bunnies, wolves, the forest, the food and conditions in Razz’s room, and its lazy brother Red.

Razz had a bad feeling he’d met Red. So he tried not to guide the conversation in that direction, but Edge was clearly devoted to his brother, as much as he complained about him, and every subject seemed to lead back to Red.

“You don’t need to put so much cheese in these,” Edge said one day when Razz brought him dinner. “I don’t know about wolf nutrition, but it’s too much for a rabbit. Red would like it, though.”

“I don’t often cook for rabbits,” Razz answered, tamping down his urge to snap back at the complaint.

“I really must go find Red as soon as I can walk. He probably thinks I’ve been eaten. And he’s useless at taking care of himself.” Edge’s ears drooped.

“You done with that?” Razz nodded at the rabbit’s plate, the smallest he had been able to find but still comically oversized.

“Yes. It’s far too much.”

Razz took the plate away. “You know, it’s a lot harder to make things in miniature size for you.” He would finish it himself. You couldn’t worry about a rabbit’s germs when you’d had the entire rabbit in your mouth already.

“You could take me to the kitchen and I could cook for myself!” Edge suggested, ears perking up again. “Although I suppose I would need a lot of assistance, at least at first.” They slumped back down.

“I’d be glad to help you deal with the wolf-scale kitchen appliances,” said Razz. “But you know my brother is out there, and I really don’t trust him around you.”

“I’m not afraid of him,” Edge said flatly, but the cant of his ears struck Razz as nervous. Then again, he was much more familiar with wolf body language.

“Just stay in here, and stop trying to get out of your box. Your leg needs to heal.”

“What leg?” Edge muttered darkly.

“Just be patient. We’ll figure something out so you can walk, at least, after you’ve had more time to heal. If nothing else, we can find something to use as crutches.”

Edge glowered.

“But there are wolves with wooden legs and such, so maybe … Do bunnies have healers?”

Edge grunted noncommittally. “Most bunnies who are injured that badly are already dead.”

“I suppose I never gave much thought to how hard you bunnies have it. But try to lie still, please.”

The bunny sighed. “Red would love to have an excuse to lie around doing nothing all day. Not that I would wish such an injury on him.” He narrowed his eye sockets at the wolf. “Why do you flinch like that whenever I mention Red?”

“I’m not—! I’m not flinching!” Razz sat up straight, holding his ears perfectly erect.

“Yes, you are. You look as if—”

“And anyway, it’s just because your brother sounds so much like my lazy good-for-nothing brother!”

Edge remained suspicious. “I admit he’s lazy, but I wouldn’t go so far as to say he—”

“I don’t mean Red. How would I know? I’ve never met Red!” Razz protested too quickly.

Edge looked away from him. “I will try to lie still.” He stayed silent until Razz left to wash the dishes, and when he came back the bunny was asleep.

***

There was something in Razz’s room that he was keeping a secret. It made noises sometimes, moving around—it wasn’t very big, probably. Razz had told Slim to stay out, but surely he wouldn’t know if Slim just teleported inside for a quick look.

He resisted for several days, not even going near the door. But eventually it proved too much. There was still time before Razz got back, and the house was silent. He popped into his brother’s room and looked around. For a moment nothing seemed out of place—that wasn’t unexpected, if the thing he’d heard was as small as it sounded. Then he noticed the box on the floor by the bed. Peering inside, he saw a sleeping bunny, on a pillow in a shoe box, with a bit of lettuce and a thimble of water sitting nearby.

It all made sense—or some of it, anyway. Razz had had traces of bunny scent on him lately, even though he didn’t seem to be spending any time hunting, and he certainly wasn’t serving rabbit at dinner. Slim reached out to touch the bunny, but held himself back. He should leave it alone; it was too tempting, especially when he’d had nothing but cheese and beans all week. “What are you doing here, bunny?” he said softly, not really expecting any response.

But the bunny woke, blinking up at him. “Razz? You’re home earl—” It realized he wasn’t Razz and tried to jump to its feet, but something was wrong. It fell back onto the pillow, then frantically pushed itself to the corner and used the wall to help prop itself up, nearly standing. “Who are you? Stay back!”

“Who am I? I’m the one asking questions here. Who are you and why are you here?”

“I know who you are. You’re Slim.” The bunny answered its own question, but none of Slim’s.

“Not very cooperative, huh? Let me guess. My brother’s keeping you in here for some reason instead of just eating you. So … maybe he’s trying to fatten you up?”

“I’m a skeleton, you dimwitted wolf,” the bunny snarled.

“Huh, good point. But maybe you’re on a special diet to make you taste better, or somethin’. I can’t think why else he’d have a bunny in his room. What happened to your foot?”

The bunny tried to hide its injured leg. At first Slim hadn’t been sure if part of it was missing or it was just chained down somehow.

“I guess it wasn’t a very lucky rabbit’s foot, huh?” Slim grinned.

The bunny glared daggers at him.

“Did he cut it off so you couldn’t run away? Kinda cruel, don’t ya think?”

“He didn’t—!” the bunny started to protest, then faltered.

“Well. I don’t wanna interfere. But you do look pretty tasty.”

“You wouldn’t dare!” the bunny spat, scrabbling at the cardboard only to slip back down to a sitting position on the pillow.

“Normally I wouldn’t, but if you’re just gonna tell him I was in here, maybe it’s better that I get rid of the evidence. If I crack open the window it’ll look like you escaped or somethin’.”

“I can’t walk, you imbecile! How would I get up to the windowsill?”

Slim shrugged and reached for the bunny again. “It’d be different if I could trust you not to say anything, but …”

“Ugh! Fine! I won’t say anything!” The bunny shrank away from his hand.

Slim stopped. “Promise?”

“I give you my word.” It glared up at him seriously.

“Okay, I’m gonna trust you this time.” He withdrew his hand and was just about to teleport back to the couch, when the bunny spoke.

“Wait. Is that really—Is he really just preparing me to eat?” The bunny’s voice was hard and flat but its expression suddenly vulnerable.

Slim shrugged again. “Didn’t he tell you? I can’t think of any other reason for a wolf to keep a bunny in his room.”

He left the bunny to process that answer, teleporting back to the couch. The scent of the bunny made him hungry, but maybe he should hold off on going out to catch one of his own, in case Razz was planning on surprising him with this one. Was his birthday coming up or something?

[para-weird-normal-blog]

72 Signs of Alien Abduction

Detalied by Abductees

1 – LOST TIME: A period of time, from minutes to several days, in which you cannot recall what happened to you or what you have done. 2 – UNUSUAL MARKS: On your body like scars, scoop marks, laser cuts in series on ankle, wrist or back. Any scars which you’re unable to explain where you got them from. 3 – TAPPING OR HUMMING NOISES: Hearing these sounds upon odd occasion such as bedtime, just prior to sleep. (Many times, just prior to bedtime, for a period of many years, traveling on the road in my job, I thought an 18-wheeler was idling outside my room. Never was any truck, just the sound in my head.)

4 – BEING WATCHED: A feeling you get, during or just prior to sleep at night. 5 – SLEEPWALKING: You wake up in a different place from where you went to sleep and do not know how you got there. (As detailed in my book, I did this from age seven to age sixteen.) 6 – SEEN A UFO: During your life you’ve seen UFO’s or seen strange lights in the sky. (Many times, in my teenage years, I saw silver discs, very high in the sky.) 7 – NEED TO TRAVEL: A strange compulsion to walk or drive to another location without any explanation. (This happened four times to me.) 8 – UNEXPLAINED MEDICAL PROBLEMS: Sudden illness, sinus problems, fatigue, migraines or rashes. 9 – UNABLE TO SLEEP: You experience insomnia by way of nightmares, dreaming of UFO’s or being devoured by animals with large black eyes. (Usually associated with common wild animals such as owls, coyotes or wolves.) 10 – IMPLANTS: Your physician or you discover small, strange object inside your body that cannot be explained. Common places are the hip, ankle, foot, nose or hand. (Both Peggy and I have implants in our bodies.) 11 – TERMINATED PREGNANCY: You become pregnant and within a few months the pregnancy is terminated, without any explanation or discharge. 12 – SPERM SAMPLES: You believe you have had intercourse in the night or have had semen extracted from your body. 13 – PSYCHIC ABILITIES: You suddenly feel as though you have obtained some degree of psychic ability without any explanation for it. 14 – PARALYZED IN BED: Waking with immobility. For some reason you cannot move your body for a few seconds or minutes. 15 – BALLS OF LIGHT: Flashes of light or beams of light glimpsed through the corner of your eyes or seen directly, head on in your bedroom at night. 16 – DREAMS OF FLYING: Repeated dreams of having the ability to fly or of flying over your house or a familiar area. 17 – STRONG MEMORY: A very strong memory of something unusual such as floating through the air, lying upon an examination table, seeing a hypodermic needle or seeing a strange, skinny baby. 18 - COSMIC AWARENESS: A sudden interest in ecology, environment, vegetarianism or you just become very socially conscious for no apparent reason in your adult life. 19 – YOUR MISSION: You become aware of a strong sense of duty, a mission in life. You have a compulsion to fulfill a task in life but you don’t know exactly what it is or why you have this feeling. 20 – “SPECIAL”: You have a feeling that secretly, known only to yourself, you are special or chosen by someone, somehow. 21 – UNEXPLAINED EVENTS: You have had occurrences in your life which you cannot understand or explain to anyone. 22 – PSYCHIC: You have had the experience of knowing something was going to happen before it happened and then – it did happen! 23 – EYE DREAMS: You remember dreaming about large eyes. Usually familiar wildlife animals such as deer, elk, moose, owl, wolf or coyote. All you remember about the dream are the unusually large eyes. 24 – STARTLED: You awaken in the night, sometimes frequently, feeling a sense of panic or anxiety for no apparent reason. 25 – PICTURES OF ALIENS: You have an aversion to looking at any picture or drawing of an alien, similar to the greys shown on the cover of the book: “Communion”. 26 – FEARS OR PHOBIAS: You have inexplicable feelings of aversion to heights, snakes, spiders, large insects, certain sounds, bright lights, personal safety and/or a fear of being alone. 27 – SPECIAL PLACE: You have a memory of a special place with spiritual significance when you were a youngster. 28 – SELF-ESTEEM PROBLEMS: You have experienced that low worth feeling much of your life. 29 – SEEN IN SLEEP: Someone with you, a partner, become paralyzed, motionless or frozen in time, especially at or during bedtime. 30 – CRAFT OR ALIEN: You have someone in your life who claims to have seen a UFO, been abducted or has witnessed missing time. 31 – BLOOD: You have had times when you found blood, or small drops of blood on your pillow with no explanation how it got there. 32 – UFO’S OR ALIENS: You have had an interest in these topics in your mind with no idea why. 33 – AVERSION: You have an extreme aversion to talking, seeing or listening to any mention of the subject of UFO’s, aliens or abductions. 34 – BEING WATCHED: You have the feeling you are being watched most of the time, especially at night. 35 – SOLID OBJECTS: You have the feeling of having had your body pass through solid objects such as doors or windows. 36 – FOG OR HAZE: You have seen fog or haze when it should not have been there. 37 – NOSE BLEEDS: You have had nose bleeds at some time in your life without apparent cause or you have awoken with a nose bleed. (I had nosebleeds from childhood through my teenage years.) 38 – SORENESS: You awaken with soreness in your genitals which cannot be explained. 39 – BACK OR NECK PROBLEMS: Your back aches without cause or you awaken with unusual stiffness in any part of your body. (I still have that symptom, but it might just be arthritis at my age. Ha!) 40 – ELECTRONIC MALFUNCTION: Certain electronic appliances, (computers, digital watches, etc.) seem to malfunction in your presence with no explanation. Street lights going out when you walk under them or radio and television being affected when you walk by. 41 – RINGING IN THE EARS: Frequent or sporadic ringing in your ears on just in one ear. 42 – BEHIND YOUR EYE: A headache, especially in the sinus, or in just one ear. 43 – MEDICAL PROCEDURES: Dreams of doctors doing medical procedures upon your body. 44 – GOING CRAZY: Having the feeling that you are going insane for even thinking about these sorts of things. (Both Peggy and I have thought that, many times.) 45 – PARANORMAL: Experiencing psychic or odd experiences including intuition. 46 – COMPULSIVE/ADDICTIVE: This behavior either throughout your life or onset at adulthood. (I have had this problem, throughout my life.) 47 – URGE TO TAKE VITAMINS: Do you feel compelled to take more vitamins as the years pass? Do you feel somehow it is helping ‘replenish’ your body? (I started taking a lot of vitamins at age 50. I kept telling myself it was just because I wanted to be ‘healthy’.) 48 – AFRAID OF THE CLOSET: Have you ever been or are you now afraid of your closet or any closet in the house, having to make certain the door(s) are always shut? 49 – SEXUAL OR RELATIONSHIP PROBLEMS: Have had or are having an odd feeling that you must not become involved in a relationship because it would interfere with something. 50 – REMAIN VIGILANT: Fear that if you do not remain vigilant you will be taken away by someone. 51 – DIFFICULTY TRUSTING: Have trouble trusting other people, especially authority figures such as doctors. (I certainly have that now!) 52 – DREAMS OF DESTRUCTION: Dreams about catastrophes such as the end of the world. 53 – DON’T TALK: You have the feeling you should not talk about these things or that you are not supposed to talk about these things. 54 – SLEEP AGAINST THE WALL: You feel you must have your bed against the wall. 55 – LOCKING ALL DOORS: You double and triple-check locking up at night to prevent something or someone getting into your home. (I am still compulsive about that, from time to time.) 56 – CHILDREN OR PARENTS: Have talked about things on this list or you have heard them talk to others about things on this list. 57 – NO SUCCESS: You have tried to resolve some of these problems in your mind but with little success. 58 – NO RECALL: You have experienced many of these traits but cannot remember anything related to any abduction experience.

59 – DREAMS OF FLOATING THROUGH WINDOWS 60- DREAMS OF FLOATING IN A BEAM OF LIGHT 61 – DREAMS OF ALIENS, DOCTORS AND OPERATIONS 62 – COMPULSION TO BECOME A VEGETARIAN 63 – COMPULSION TO STUDY ASTRONOMY 64 - COMPULSION TO STUDY QUANTUM PHYSICS 65 – EXPERIENCE SYNCHRONISTIC HAPPENINGS 66 – EXPERIENCE BEING OUT OF BODY (OBE) 67 – EXPERIENCE FLASHBACKS – (Strange craft, conference, corridors, glowing-misty oval room with table, alien exam, instruments, babies, hybrid children, ufo sightings, etc.) 68 – HAVE FEAR/WARINESS OF A CERTAIN PLACE  (In my case, cell repeater towers, triangular in shape, make me afraid when I see them. Still do not know why.) 69 – HISTORY OF FAMILY UFO EXPERIENCES 70 – SEE SAME NUMBERS ON THE CLOCK LINED UP (Such as awakening at 1:11 a.m. or 3:33 a.m.) 71 – SEE HOODED FIGURES, STRANGERS DRESSED IN BLACK 72 – AWAKE IN OTHER POSITION/PLACE  (I was sleepwalking, I thought, at a young age and my Grandmother awakened me in the front yard in the middle of the night!)

Source

[baibaibitches-blog]

FUDGE

OMG I KNOW YOU'LL THINK IM INSANE BUT HEAR ME OUT, YEAH?? •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• Okay, so I've been really interested in Alien stuff lately and I found this list of symptoms of abduction and found them scarily similar to my experiences. Such as loss time, fear of closets, being alone, feel like someone is watching me at night, etc. Basically there is a lot that I correspond with. http://humansarefree.com/2015/01/72-possible-signs-of-alien-abduction.html?m=0 I dunno if it linked so I'll just give the list ••••••••••••••• 72 signs you were abducted by aliens... 1 – LOST TIME: A period of time, from minutes to several days, in which you cannot recall what happened to you or what you have done. 2 – UNUSUAL MARKS: On your body like scars, scoop marks, laser cuts in series on ankle, wrist or back. Any scars which you’re unable to explain where you got them from. 3 – TAPPING OR HUMMING NOISES: Hearing these sounds upon odd occasion such as bedtime, just prior to sleep. 4 – BEING WATCHED: A feeling you get, during or just prior to sleep at night. 5 – SLEEPWALKING: You wake up in a different place from where you went to sleep and do not know how you got there. 6 – SEEN A UFO: During your life you’ve seen UFO’s or seen strange lights in the sky. 7 – NEED TO TRAVEL: A strange compulsion to walk or drive to another location without any explanation. 8 – UNEXPLAINED MEDICAL PROBLEMS: Sudden illness, sinus problems, fatigue, migraines or rashes. 9 – UNABLE TO SLEEP: You experience insomnia by way of nightmares, dreaming of UFO’s or being devoured by animals with large black eyes. (Usually associated with common wild animals such as owls, coyotes or wolves.) 10 – IMPLANTS: Your physician or you discover small, strange object inside your body that cannot be explained. Common places are the hip, ankle, foot, nose or hand. 11 – TERMINATED PREGNANCY: You become pregnant and within a few months the pregnancy is terminated, without any explanation or discharge. 12 – SPERM SAMPLES: You believe you have had intercourse in the night or have had semen extracted from your body. 13 – PSYCHIC ABILITIES: You suddenly feel as though you have obtained some degree of psychic ability without any explanation for it. 14 – PARALYZED IN BED: Waking with immobility. For some reason you cannot move your body for a few seconds or minutes. 15 – BALLS OF LIGHT: Flashes of light or beams of light glimpsed through the corner of your eyes or seen directly, head on in your bedroom at night. 16 – DREAMS OF FLYING: Repeated dreams of having the ability to fly or of flying over your house or a familiar area. 17 – STRONG MEMORY: A very strong memory of something unusual such as floating through the air, lying upon an examination table, seeing a hypodermic needle or seeing a strange, skinny baby. 18 - COSMIC AWARENESS: A sudden interest in ecology, environment, vegetarianism or you just become very socially conscious for no apparent reason in your adult life. 19 – YOUR MISSION: You become aware of a strong sense of duty, a mission in life. You have a compulsion to fulfill a task in life but you don’t know exactly what it is or why you have this feeling. 20 – “SPECIAL”: You have a feeling that secretly, known only to yourself, you are special or chosen by someone, somehow. 21 – UNEXPLAINED EVENTS: You have had occurrences in your life which you cannot understand or explain to anyone. 22 – PSYCHIC: You have had the experience of knowing something was going to happen before it happened and then – it did happen! 23 – EYE DREAMS: You remember dreaming about large eyes. Usually familiar wildlife animals such as deer, elk, moose, owl, wolf or coyote. All you remember about the dream are the unusually large eyes. 24 – STARTLED: You awaken in the night, sometimes frequently, feeling a sense of panic or anxiety for no apparent reason. 25 – PICTURES OF ALIENS: You have an aversion to looking at any picture or drawing of an alien, similar to the greys shown on the cover of the book: “Communion”. 26 – FEARS OR PHOBIAS: You have inexplicable feelings of aversion to heights, snakes, spiders, large insects, certain sounds, bright lights, personal safety and/or a fear of being alone. 27 – SPECIAL PLACE: You have a memory of a special place with spiritual significance when you were a youngster. 28 – SELF-ESTEEM PROBLEMS: You have experienced that low worth feeling much of your life. 29 – SEEN IN SLEEP: Someone with you, a partner, become paralyzed, motionless or frozen in time, especially at or during bedtime. 30 – CRAFT OR ALIEN: You have someone in your life who claims to have seen a UFO, been abducted or has witnessed missing time. 31 – BLOOD: You have had times when you found blood, or small drops of blood on your pillow with no explanation how it got there. 32 – UFO’S OR ALIENS: You have had an interest in these topics in your mind with no idea why. 33 – AVERSION: You have an extreme aversion to talking, seeing or listening to any mention of the subject of UFO’s, aliens or abductions. 34 – BEING WATCHED: You have the feeling you are being watched most of the time, especially at night. 35 – SOLID OBJECTS: You have the feeling of having had your body pass through solid objects such as doors or windows. 36 – FOG OR HAZE: You have seen fog or haze when it should not have been there. 37 – NOSE BLEEDS: You have had nose bleeds at some time in your life without apparent cause or you have awoken with a nose bleed. (I had nosebleeds from childhood through my teenage years.) 38 – SORENESS: You awaken with soreness in your genitals which cannot be explained. 39 – BACK OR NECK PROBLEMS: Your back aches without cause or you awaken with unusual stiffness in any part of your body. (I still have that symptom, but it might just be arthritis at my age. Ha!) 40 – ELECTRONIC MALFUNCTION: Certain electronic appliances, (computers, digital watches, etc.) seem to malfunction in your presence with no explanation. Street lights going out when you walk under them or radio and television being affected when you walk by. 41 – RINGING IN THE EARS: Frequent or sporadic ringing in your ears on just in one ear. 42 – BEHIND YOUR EYE: A headache, especially in the sinus, or in just one ear. 43 – MEDICAL PROCEDURES: Dreams of doctors doing medical procedures upon your body. 44 – GOING CRAZY: Having the feeling that you are going insane for even thinking about these sorts of things. 45 – PARANORMAL: Experiencing psychic or odd experiences including intuition. 46 – COMPULSIVE/ADDICTIVE: This behavior either throughout your life or onset at adulthood. 47 – URGE TO TAKE VITAMINS: Do you feel compelled to take more vitamins as the years pass? Do you feel somehow it is helping ‘replenish’ your body? 48 – AFRAID OF THE CLOSET: Have you ever been or are you now afraid of your closet or any closet in the house, having to make certain the door(s) are always shut? 49 – SEXUAL OR RELATIONSHIP PROBLEMS: Have had or are having an odd feeling that you must not become involved in a relationship because it would interfere with something. 50 – REMAIN VIGILANT: Fear that if you do not remain vigilant you will be taken away by someone. 51 – DIFFICULTY TRUSTING: Have trouble trusting other people, especially authority figures such as doctors. 52 – DREAMS OF DESTRUCTION: Dreams about catastrophes such as the end of the world. 53 – DON’T TALK: You have the feeling you should not talk about these things or that you are not supposed to talk about these things. 54 – SLEEP AGAINST THE WALL: You feel you must have your bed against the wall. 55 – LOCKING ALL DOORS: You double and triple-check locking up at night to prevent something or someone getting into your home. (I am still compulsive about that, from time to time.) 56 – CHILDREN OR PARENTS: Have talked about things on this list or you have heard them talk to others about things on this list. 57 – NO SUCCESS: You have tried to resolve some of these problems in your mind but with little success. 58 – NO RECALL: You have experienced many of these traits but cannot remember anything related to any abduction experience. 59 – DREAMS OF FLOATING THROUGH WINDOWS 60- DREAMS OF FLOATING IN A BEAM OF LIGHT 61 – DREAMS OF ALIENS, DOCTORS AND OPERATIONS 62 – COMPULSION TO BECOME A VEGETARIAN 63 – COMPULSION TO STUDY ASTRONOMY 64 - COMPULSION TO STUDY QUANTUM PHYSICS 65 – EXPERIENCE SYNCHRONISTIC HAPPENINGS 66 – EXPERIENCE BEING OUT OF BODY (OBE) 67 – EXPERIENCE FLASHBACKS – (Strange craft, conference, corridors, glowing-misty oval room with table, alien exam, instruments, babies, hybrid children, ufo sightings, etc.) 68 – HAVE FEAR/WARINESS OF A CERTAIN PLACE 69 – HISTORY OF FAMILY UFO EXPERIENCES 70 – SEE SAME NUMBERS ON THE CLOCK LINED UP (Such as awakening at 1:11 a.m. or 3:33 a.m.) 71 – SEE HOODED FIGURES, STRANGERS DRESSED IN BLACK 72 – AWAKE IN OTHER POSITION/PLACE ••••••••••••••••••••••••• I find this very interesting because when I was younger, I was OBSESSED with aliens and space and used to constantly build ships out of legos and draw spaceships. Heck, I have a space calendar in my room rn. Don't even get me started on Star Wars, Star Trek, and Doctor Who. When it talks about technology going weird around you,(I think it's in this list but if not this was a common symptom as I was researching earlier.) that happens all of the time. My light in my room constantly goes out, my phone is always freaking out, and the microwave light comes on at random times. I'm only going to explain a few of the things that have/do happen to me. •••••••••••••••••••••••••• There are literally WEEKS of my life I can't remember. I will wake up and think, what just happened. Because I LITERALLY have no clue what I did the past few hours, or days, or weeks. The weeks usually happened when I was around 6 or 7. It's usually just a day or two to a few hours at a time. About every other month or so. I wake up a lot with random bruises scattered across my body. I have them on my upper arms, shins, ankles, and back mostly. It's the weirdest thing. It's been happening since about second grade. As of the tapping and humming noises, oh my gosh. I sometimes think I'm actually going insane. I always hear tapping at my door, my wall. And I hear humming while trying to sleep like, In my ears. This hasn't happened a lot lately. Just every once in a while. I have told my friends this over and over again. I always feel like I'm being watched. My friends are always so confused when I keep looking behind myself because there's nothing there. In the fourth grade, at least 2-3 times a week, I would wake up feeling like I had just had sex. I used to think I got raped every week. ••••••••••••••••••••••••• Sorry for the long post~ I just think it's cool even though my stuff is boring;; sorry lol

[ncmagroup]

By Carolyn Landesman

Your attitude is the way you approach life and typically one that is reflected in your behavior. Attitude basically comprises of your mindset, viewpoint, and your belief systems. Your attitude is the way you approach life in general. It encompasses your general mental tone and the way you express your thoughts and feelings and is the best indicator of who you are.

Your attitude is always under construction until the day you die. It is also a mirror of yourself. Let me explain.

Imagine you are sitting in a restaurant and the server comes up to you and says, “Yeah, what do you want?” in a gruff voice. The message you receive is…. Hurry and order, I’m in bad mood and I don’t really want to be here serving you. They are rather surprised when you don’t tip them. The server then goes on to complain about how rude you were as their customer.

The Wolves Within

This says it all.

One evening an old Cherokee told his grandson about a battle that goes on inside people. He said, “My son, the battle is between two ‘wolves’ inside us all.

“One Wolf is Evil – It is anger, envy, jealousy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego.

“The other Wolf is Good – It is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion and faith.”

The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather. “Which wolf wins?”

The old Cherokee simply replied, “The one you feed.”

The Attitude Cycle

Attitudes are the “glasses” through which you see yourself, others, events, experiences, the future, and the world around you. Everyone wears “attitude glasses”, and yours are unique to you. What you see can be light, dark, rosy, clear, distorted, or otherwise. The way you see things are real to you, even if it’s not the truth.

Your attitude affects your behavior. You think and behave in a way consistent with your attitude, which becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy.

You tell yourself that you could never succeed (self-belief)

Because you think of yourself as being unworthy (perception)

Therefore, you feel like you are a loser (feelings)

Which affects your attitude

Therefore, you act like a loser and sabotage yourself (behavior)

And the result is – you are not successful! (outcome)

Which reinforces your original thoughts that you could never be successful (self-belief)

This is a continuous cycle of behavior, which is repeated time and time again. You get stuck in a subconscious loop of negative thinking which repeats itself time and time again unless you CHOOSE to change it.

In his book, Man’s Search for Meaning, Victor Frankl relates what he learned during his time as a prisoner in Auschwitz.

“Everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of human freedoms – to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one’s own way.”

Attitude is a choice. If you have a negative attitude and believe yourself to be unworthy or a failure, you will subconsciously engage in behavior that will reconfirm this belief you have of yourself.

The cycle repeats itself unless you change your attitude towards yourself.

The ABC Model of Attitudes

Attitudes can be described in terms of three components and are known as the ABC Model of attitudes.

Affective component

This involves a person’s feeling or emotions. For example; “I am petrified of spiders.”

Behavioral component

This is the way an attitude influences how you act or behave. For example; “When I see a spider I yell, scream and run away.”

Cognitive component

This involves a person’s belief system. For example: “I believe all spiders are dangerous.”

Types of Attitudes

Your attitude is said to define your personality which usually falls under two categories, the good and the bad. The four types of attitudes and behaviors can be positive, negative and neutral.

Positive Attitude

Negative Attitude

Neutral Attitude

Sikken Attitude

1. Positive Attitude

Simplistically, having a positive attitude means keeping a positive mindset and thinking about the greater good regardless of the circumstances. For instance, a person with a positive attitude will look for the good in others regardless of their behavior or how bad their attitude is by thinking about the greater good.

Having a positive attitude has many benefits which affect your self-esteem and behavior in a good way. Your attitude influences live every day both positively and negatively.

One of the most wonderful things about having a positive attitude is the number of people it touches often in ways you don’t expect. Your attitude not only impacts your happiness and success, it impacts the people around you including family, friends, co-workers and direct reports.

A positive attitude brings with it opportunities because it makes you more approachable and likable. If you have a winning attitude and positive presence about you, you naturally attract the right people into your life.

Confidence is a good attitude to have and is necessary to approach your life with zest and enthusiasm.

2. Negative Attitude

When you wake your day is neutral. Your attitude is neutral. As you arise you begin to program yourself and adjust to what the day will bring. For some, they let their circumstances rule their direction. They allow others to determine how you feel.

You own your attitude and for every action, there is a corresponding equal reaction. If you start the day being miserable, you reflect that outlook on everyone you come in contact with. You dump your negativity on them and as you know misery loves company. You hang out with other negative people – it’s what you invite. It becomes a vicious cycle.

Having a negative attitude is the primary source of stress and failure. If you have cultivated a negative attitude, it not only hurts you, it hurts the people around you. Attitudes are contagious.

Those with a negative attitude often have the following in common.

They can never say sorry

They blame others if something goes wrong

They forever hold a grudge

They are unable to forgive

They are jealous of others

They are highly critical of others

They constantly complain

Their response to tough situations is to run away from them and ignore the good things in life. They never have anything nice to say about anyone or anything.

A person with a negative attitude is often angry, with themselves and the world around them. Anger is the root cause of the self-destructive behavior and if not addressed, can become their greatest sources of stress.

With a negative mindset you will often doubt yourself leading to low self-esteem and low confidence levels and as a result, you live in a constant state of frustration. Negative thinking is nothing more than a bad habit that can be changed.

3. Neutral Attitude

Another type of attitude is having a neutral mindset. People with this type of attitude generally ignore the problems in life and put their head in the sand pretending nothing is wrong. They wait for others to take care of the problems around them. They never feel much of anything, are generally lazy and live life without much emotion.

They never feel the need to change and can appear disconnected from the real world.

4. Sikken Attitude

Having a sikken attitude is one of the most dangerous types of attitudes. More than negative, it is destructive, and this type of attitude has the ability to destroy any positive image. It is difficult to change a person with his type of attitude as it is deep-rooted within their personality.

Improving your Attitude

One of the quickest ways to improve attitude is with positive thinking.

Eliminate the notion that having a positive attitude comes naturally. For some yes, for others it requires effort.

If attitudes are a result of habit, then habits can be acquired or changed. Start your day with the words, “What attitude do I choose today? How I respond to the issues of the day is up to me. I choose to maintain a positive attitude throughout the day regardless of the challenges I face before me.”

You may choose your own words that resonate with you. What you are essentially doing is affirming that you are more likely to have a successful day if you start the day with a positive attitude and mindset. By articulating what your attitude will be that day, you are more likely to remain positive.

If you do lapse, don’t beat yourself up. Consider playing tennis lesson for the first time. You can’t expect to master a forehand, overhead, background and a lob in one lesson. A golfer who picks up a club for the first time doesn’t immediately become a scratch golfer. You can’t drop 20 pounds in weight after a single diet meal and you can’t gain peak fitness after a single visit to the gym.

“Attitudes are nothing more than habits of thought and habits can be acquired. An action repeated becomes an attitude realized.”  – Paul Myer

Like any new habit, it takes time and like guitar strings that constantly need re-tuning, so might your attitude.

Don’t punish yourself into a scrap heap of failure of you are unable to maintain a positive attitude throughout the day. At the end of each day, rate yourself on your attitude and resolve to make tomorrow better if you do lapse. Better still find a friend who also wants to improve their attitude and keep each accountable to a higher standard.

The best way to create a positive attitude is to fire the negative people in your life and avoid the naysayers.

The Power of Attitude

Never underestimate the importance of cultivating a positive attitude. Also never underestimate the importance of also maintaining a positive attitude. A positive attitude keeps your energy levels high, your soul alive and allows you to burn brightly instead of burning out.

Most people think success goes in a straight line from point A to point B. The reality is, that your journey is filled with potholes and detours along the way. It’s your attitude that separates those who succeed and those who don’t. Consider Abraham Lincoln.

He failed in business in 1831

He was defeated in the State Legislature in 1832.

Tried another business in 1833 which also failed.

He had a nervous breakdown in 1836.

He ran for Congress in 1843 and was defeated.

He ran for Congress in 1848 and was defeated again.

In 1855 he lost his race for the Senate.

He ran again for the Senate in 1859 and lost again.

In 1860 Abraham Lincoln was elected the 16th President of the United States and the rest is history. What got him through so many setbacks? His attitude.

“The only thing that stands between a person and what they want in life is the will to try it and the faith to believe it’s possible.” – Rich Devos

In conclusion

Your attitude determines your levels of success and failure. The ability to face challenges successfully and moving on in life comes down to having a positive attitude.

A positive attitude is a key to living a positive life. A positive attitude helps you cope better with the daily challenges you are likely to face. A positive attitude helps to lead you out of the darkest times when you are faced with adversity.

On a final note

Don’t underestimate the importance of having a positive attitude. Don’t underestimate the importance of maintaining it. Your attitude ties in directly to your inner voice that forces you to answer the question Are you moving forward towards your dream?

When you adopt a positive attitude in life you are more likely to succeed.

  Go to our website:  www.ncmalliance.com

Understanding The Power Of Attitude: Is Your’s Worth Catching? By Carolyn Landesman Your attitude is the way you approach life and typically one that is reflected in your behavior.

[ohyansu]

Yansu – The man of letters.

On a time-worn, faded piece of paper, scribbled in a messy handwriting : - Full name : Oh Yansu - Alias : S. A. Yan - Date of birth : 12th of April, 1994 - Age : 23 - Birth place : Unknown - Zodiac sign : Aries - House : House of Diamonds - Position : Ace - Occupation : Bartender - Establishment : Ye Olde Tavern - Family : None

- Day 1- Date : 11th of February, 2018. Entry : Haunted by the heavy feathers of the past. “ I remember that day as clear as this morning. Nothing to wear, nothing to eat, left alone in front of the goddess named fate. The same day I stumbled into the two faced boss, on the outside he looked like any other old man, yet, despite the deep wrinkles decorating his once tanned skin, something about the man made me intrigued, scared. On the inside, he was a sweet one, caring not only for his own family, but everyone, helping anyone in need. Being a scawny and sickly kid, even a shadow used to terrify me, not speaking about the ghosts of the past. ” “ That morning was cold. Well as cold as early spring day can be. First snow had already melted, giving space for fresh, green grass to grow. A damp morning it was. Puddles formed in the both sides of the road, any other kid would have used the chance to finally play in the water, but not me. Not the small Oh Yansu I used to be. The time was perfect for a morning run, cool yet freezing wind had already burnt my pale cheeks, yet it seemed like it was nothing to the people, rushing to get to their business. That’s the funny fact about nowadays society, it seems like everyone is just so busy, too busy to stop for a while and look around, notice smallest things. Maybe someone was asking for help, maybe someone needed that outstretched hand, but no one care. No one ever did. A society of egoistic, lying monsters, trying to blend into the group of people, acting like they care when on the inside they have lost the ability to care, ability to feel. And I am one of those monsters.” “ I woke up on the cold, dirty pavement, wearing clothes that were mine, but at the same time they weren’t . Like hands I stared down at, at the same time , they were my hands, the same palms I used to use, yet..they were colored in the deep shade of red. Being the same terrified kid, the thought of the red substance on my palms, made something brisk inside of my chest. A growing knot of another panic attack, another trophy for my enormous collection of things to be scared of. I got up and I ran. I ran as fast as my slender, sickly legs could allow me, I ran as fast as my cold burnt lungs could move me forward. I ran, I ran until I found myself on a porch of a house. The enormous mahogany door gave me a strange feeling of safety, of home. I was about to knock when it opened on itself and a breeze of comfort, home and safety overwhelmed me. It was the day I was born. “

- Day 2 - Date :  12th of February, 2018. Entry : Born from the ashes like the red furred phoenix. “ The day I was born. I have, had no memories what happened before, nor could I tell my name or day of my birth. I had a white void inside of my head, thousands of knives piercing my brain every time I tried to remember what happened. It was like I had no past, nothing. Only remaining thing of my past was two permanently inked tattoo on my nape. “Oh Yansu” above the barcode and 940412″ under it.” “ The man, who opened his door for the poor orphan gave him a new life. He took him under his wing and showed the light and the dark of this never ending circle called life. He gave him a meaning of live and in return he got full dedication and respect. The man gave him family he ached for. Being only 12 years old, he never understood the true purpose of his existence, but the man gave him one. “ “ Time flew as fast as the birds, I grew up. I hated myself, I hated myself to the point I tried to end this misery called life, I tried to return back where I came from - the sky. I still look at my wrist, at those deep, long, cut scars never faded; it stayed as a reminder of what I used to be. I grew up still being sickly and skinny kid, never able to do anything right. With more years, came more training and my weak body wasn’t able to keep with the harsh conditions. I recall their words like it was permanently crawled in my soul “a disappointment”, “an error of nature”, “good for nothing scam”. Kids were mean, kids are always mean, and they do not think twice when they throw those harsh words at someone else, those daggers flying to the innocent poor souls. It hurt me, it hurt me deeply. Not only I was already a shy and quiet kid, those words, those daggers piercing my back, made me realize that in this whole world only you and you only can be trustworthy, making me close myself for anyone. Forever…or so I thought.” “ He came like a wrecking ball, literally. When I wasn’t expecting it, the taller elf boy suddenly appeared in my life. On one side I was grateful to him, he was the only one keeping me safe, sane, on the other side…no one knew Tybalt the way I did and Tybalt…well he was a disaster. Born being as tall as an Eiffel tower, he was also as clumsy. Most of the time it was him getting into the trouble and me, being his loyal companion, being pulled in with him. It was fun. Tybalt’s bubbly personality, made me open up to him, made me trust him and that one eventful day we gave each other a promise. A permanently craved cross in the skin, a reminder of the deep and loyal friendship, deeper than any bond. We weren’t / aren’t only best friends, we are brothers. Being the same age, more or less, having the same purpose, made us inseparable. We grew up hip by hip, together earning our respectful positions in the gang – him becoming a  high ranked general, but me…well, I became an ace.”

- Day 3 - Date :  13th of February, 2018. Entry : Chapter I , the flowers of flesh and blood. “ An ace, sounds so fancy doesn’t it? Such a pretty name, such a horrible meaning. Who else was worthy of the title? Who else had lost their humanity on their way to the success? Me and me only. That small, yet pathetic thread of humanity that I kept holding onto, I ripped it apart and let my darkness slowly consume me - my body, my heart, my soul until there’s nothing left. Parts of Oh Yansu are still living in me, but he’s in a deep slumber, unable to ever wake up from. “S. A. Yan. My name is S. A. Yan”, I told the boss, the same person, who saved me from my old life, as he gave me the title, as he saw me as something, someone powerful, fierce. He had asked me “why?” and I suddenly answered, “ I feel the greek god Ares, guiding me whenever I go. It was him who visited my in my dreams and gave me this strength, I am Son of Ares, Yansu,” Of course, the old man laughed at such clever response from such a kid, yet I knew he never saw me as one, he saw the true potential I had, he simply guided me on the right road.” “I never understood where I went wrong. From a shy, kind-hearted child to such  monster. Yes, I have heard it many times. Yansu- the monster. At first it bothered me, my first slaughter was so popular, it reached outside of the gang, yet the years passed by and I learned how to look at indifferently. Look at everything differently. I grew to love the beautiful color of blood, the sound of gun piercing the flesh or knife going through it, a pleasant melody to my ears. Tho pain came, it never bothered me, as if I could get shot and still stand up, walk to the enemy and kill it. Pain was an absent feeling too. In mere months, my whole self was replaced by someone I do not know anymore, an emotionless beast, ready to kill, to pounce it’s prey and slowly devour it piece by piece. There isn’t such thing as love, as sadness, as happiness in my dictionary. Only a never ending void of nothingness.” “ Maybe it was the boss’s death that sent me there where I am now, maybe it was the life overall. He was a father for me I never had, I swore with my life to be dedicated to him, and my loyalty went so deep, the same was for his child. His next in line was as important as his father, more or less, he was still the king of them. It was funny how the tanned male became the king of the damned. “ “ And here I am now. Working in an bar, doing simply a regular job, yet it had a deeper purpose. Having lost emotions, my life became dull. Even the blood didn’t excite me anymore. Losing feelings was easy, gaining them..not so easy. But standing behind that bar and observing people, their interactions, their feelings, laughter and overwhelming auras, it was like watching a favorite movie and living along the favorite character. Maybe it was a way how I tried to find my humanity, a way to survive in this world.” “ “A scholar, who has never got a proper education. “ “An athlete, who has never got a proper training.” “A friend, who has never had any feelings.” as once someone told me. Part of it was truth, part of it was lies. And i am so deep into my own lies I don’t remember the truth. Who am I? What is my purpose? Why am I here? Those are hard questions with one simple answer. I am Oh Yansu. I am born to take lives. I was born to kill and kill will I  do. “

Laying next to the red, leather diary, lays another time-worn sheet of paper. Many lines decorated the words, as if someone was desperately trying to erase the written words : Likes : Cryptic codes, Classical music ( good for relaxing), Dogs, more like wolves, GLOCK 17 ( despite being plastic, the pistol feels good in my palm), Blood, Moon, Snow, Mixing drinks. Pain. Dislikes: Ugly scar on my lip, Nothing else I can think of. Amnesia Ps. I guess I have lost ability to dislike something.

[ncmagroup]

By Carolyn Landesman

Your attitude is the way you approach life and typically one that is reflected in your behavior. Attitude basically comprises of your mindset, view point and your belief systems. Your attitude is the way you approach life in general. It encompasses your general mental tone and the way you express your thoughts and feelings and is the best indicator of who you are.

Your attitude is always under construction until the day you die. It is also a mirror of yourself. Let me explain.

Imagine you are sitting in a restaurant and the server comes up to you and says, “Yeah, what do you want?” in a gruff voice. The message you receive is…. Hurry and order, I’m in bad mood and I don’t really want to be here serving you. They are rather surprised when you don’t tip them. The server then goes on to complain about how rude you were as their customer.

The Wolves Within

This says it all.

One evening an old Cherokee told his grandson about a battle that goes on inside people. He said, “My son, the battle is between two ‘wolves’ inside us all.

“One Wolf is Evil – It is anger, envy, jealousy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority and ego.

“The other Wolf is Good – It is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion and faith.”

The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather. “Which wolf wins?”

The old Cherokee simply replied, “The one you feed.”

The Attitude Cycle

Attitudes are the “glasses” through which you see yourself, others, events, experiences, the future, and the world around you. Everyone wears “attitude glasses”, and yours are unique to you. What you see can be light, dark, rosy, clear, distorted, or otherwise. The way you see things are real to you, even if it’s not the truth.

Your attitude affects your behavior. You think and behave in a way consistent with your attitude, which becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy.

You tell yourself that you could never succeed (self-belief)

Because you think of yourself as being unworthy (perception)

Therefore, you feel like you are a loser (feelings)

Which affects your attitude

Therefore, you act like a loser and sabotage yourself (behaviour)

And the result is – you are not successful! (outcome)

Which reinforces your original thoughts that you could be never be successful (self-belief)

This is a continuous cycle of behavior, which is repeated time and time again. You get stuck in a subconscious loop of negative thinking which repeats itself time and time again unless you CHOOSE to change it.

In his book, Man’s Search for Meaning, Victor Frankl relates what he learned during his time as a prisoner in Auschwitz.

“Everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of human freedoms – to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one’s own way.”

Attitude is a choice. If you have a negative attitude and believe yourself to be unworthy or a failure, you will subconsciously engage in behavior that will reconfirm this belief you have of yourself.

The cycle repeats itself unless you change your attitude towards yourself.

The ABC Model of Attitudes

Attitudes can be described in terms of three components and is known as the ABC Model of attitudes.

Affective component

This involves a person’s feeling or emotions. For example; “I am petrified of spiders.”

Behavioral component

This is the way an attitude influences how you act or behave. For example; “When I see a spider I yell, scream and run away.”

Cognitive component

This involves a person’s belief system. For example: “I believe all spiders are dangerous.”

Types of Attitudes

Your attitude is said to define your personality which usually falls under two categories, the good and bad. The four types of attitudes and behaviors can be positive, negative and neutral.

Positive Attitude

Negative Attitude

Neutral Attitude

Sikken Attitude

1. Positive Attitude

Simplistically, having a positive attitude means keeping a positive mindset and thinking about the greater good regardless of the circumstances. For instance, a person with a positive attitude will look for the good in others regardless of their behavior or how bad their attitude is by thinking about the greater good.

Having appositive attitude has many benefits which affects your self esteem and behavior in a good way. Your attitude influences lives everyday both positively and negatively.

One of the most wonderful things about having a positive attitude is the number of people it touches often in ways you don’t expect. Your attitude not only impacts your happiness and success, it impacts the people around you including family, friends, co-workers and direct reports.

A positive attitude brings with it opportunities because it makes you more approachable and likeable. If you have a winning attitude and positive presence about you, you naturally attract the right people into your life.

Confidence is a good attitude to have and is necessary to approach your life with zest and enthusiasm.

2. Negative Attitude

When you wake your day is neutral. Your attitude is neutral. As you arise you begin to program yourself and adjust to what the day will will bring. For some, they let their circumstances rule their direction. They allow others determine how you feel.

You own your attitude and for every action there is a corresponding equal reaction. If you start the day being miserable, you reflect that outlook on everyone you come in contact with. You dump your negativity on them and as you know misery loves company. You hang out with other negative people – it’s what you invite. It becomes a vicious cycle.

Having a negative attitude is the primary source of stress and failure. If you have cultivated a negative attitude, it not only hurts you, it hurts the people around you. Attitudes are contagious.

Those with a negative attitude often have the following in common.

They can never say sorry

They blame others if something goes wrong

They forever hold a grudge

They are unable to forgive

They are jealous of others

They are highly critical of others

They constantly complain

Their response to tough situations is to run away from them and ignore the good things in life. They never have anything nice to say about anyone or anything.

A person with a negative attitude is often angry, with themselves and the world around them. Anger is the root cause of self destructive behavior and if not addressed, can become their greatest sources of stress.

With a negative mindset you will often doubt yourself leading to low self-esteem and low confidence levels and aS  a result you live is a constant state of frustration. Negative thinking is nothing more than a bad habit that can be changed.

3. Neutral Attitude

Another type of attitude is having a neutral mindset. People with this type of attitude generally ignore the problems in life and put their head in the sand pretending nothing is wrong. They wait for others to take care of the problems around them. They never feel much of anything, are generally lazy and live life without much emotion.

They never feel the need to change and can appear disconnected from the real world.

4. Sikken Attitude

Having a sikken attitude is one of the most dangerous types of attitudes. More than negative, it is destructive, and this type of attitude has the ability to destroy any positive image. It is difficult to change a person with his type of attitude as it is deep rooted within their personality.

Improving your Attitude

One of the quickest ways to improve attitude is with positive thinking.

Eliminate the notion that having a positive attitude comes naturally. For some yes, for others it requires effort.

If attitudes are a result of habit, then habits can be acquired or changed. Start your day with the words, “What attitude do I choose today? How I respond to the issues of the day is up to me. I choose to maintain a positive attitude throughout the day regardless of the challenges I face before me.”

You may choose your own words that resonate with you. What you are essentially doing is affirming that you are more likely to have a successful day if you start the day with a positive attitude and mindset. By articulating what your attitude will be that day, you are more likely to remain positive.

If you do lapse, don’t beat yourself up. Consider playing tennis lesson for the first time. You can’t expect to master a forehand, overhead, background and a lob in one lesson. A golfer who picks up a club for the first time doesn’t immediately become a scratch golfer. You can’t drop 20 pounds in weight after a single diet meal and you can’t gain peak fitness after a single visit to the gym.

“Attitudes are nothing more than habits of thought and habits can be acquired. An action repeated becomes an attitude realized.”  – Paul Myer

Like any new habit, it takes time and like guitar strings  that constantly need re-tuning, so might your attitude.

Don’t punish yourself into a scrap heap of failure of you are unable to maintain a positive attitude throughout the day. At the end of each day, rate yourself on your attitude and resolve to make tomorrow better if you do lapse. Better still find a friend who also wants to improve their attitude and keep each accountable to a higher standard.

The best way to create a positive attitude is to fire the negative people in your life and avoid the naysayers.

The Power of Attitude

Never underestimate the importance of cultivating a positive attitude. Also never underestimate the importance of also maintaining a positive attitude. A positive attitude keeps your energy levels high, your soul alive and allows you to burn brightly instead of burning out.

Most people think success goes in a straight line from point A to point B. The reality is, that your journey is filled with potholes and detours along the way. It’s your attitude that separates those who succeed and those who don’t. Consider Abraham Lincoln.

He failed in business in 1831

He was defeated in the State Legislature in 1832.

Tried another business in 1833 which also failed.

He had a nervous breakdown in 1836.

He ran for Congress in 1843 and was defeated.

He ran for Congress in 1848 and was defeated again.

In 1855 he lost his race for the Senate.

He ran again for the senate in in 1859 and lost again.

In 1860 Abraham Lincoln was elected the 16th President of the United States and the rest is history. What got him through so many set backs? His attitude.

“The only thing that stands between a person and what they want in life is the will to try it and the faith to believe it’s possible.” – Rich Devos

In conclusion

Your attitude determines your levels of success and failure. The ability to face challenges successfully and moving on in life comes down to having a positive attitude.

A positive attitude is key to living a positive life. A positive attitude helps you cope better with the daily challenges you are likely to face. A positive attitude helps to lead you out of the darkest times when you are faced with adversity.

On a final note

Don’t underestimate the importance of having a positive attitude. Don’t underestimate the importance of maintaining it. Your attitude ties in directly to your inner voice that forces you to answer the question Are you moving forwards towards your dream?

When you adopt a positive attitude in life you are more likely to succeed.

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Understanding The Power Of Attitude: Is Your Worth Catching? By Carolyn Landesman Your attitude is the way you approach life and typically one that is reflected in your behavior.