Gillie found herself struggling with what to do next. She had nine Leoman cubs looking heartbroken, and clinging to Lupman teen. She had come out to see how reality ad altered it so that Gary looked so heartbroken, himself... and now she found herself in a spot where she likely made it worse, which wasn't what she ever wanted to do.
"This whole thing has made part of some "super-family"," Gillie silently sighed to herself to remind herself about how these cubs likely saw reality, even if it was wrong. And more and more, it made her hope that Jacob's idea of hypnosis would work...
"There, there," Gillie tried to speak as soothingly as possible, "I know it's rough losing a parent."
"You're mommy died too?" Nane asked with a slight sniffle.
"I was an adult when my parents died," Gillie sighed, "I was referring more to my Grandfather... now, I know he's come back and... this is a bad example."
"Go on, Chief," Moja said politely.
"I had thought my grandfather was gone forever when I was little," Gillie said slowly, "and I knew it made my parents sad, and that made me sad too... as I got older and learned about the game it became more of a search and rescue mission for me, but I was never able to track down where he was... and then I figured I would never be able to save him."
"Penny saved him," Nneli said weakly.
"Yes, I know," Gillie sighed, "but before then, I was in the same place you are now. I know it hurts now, but things should get better in time. Especially if you keep the good memories in your hearts."
Gillie hoped that was something a member of a "super family" would say to console eight grieving cubs. She also hoped that her own puzzled mind wasn't betrayed by anything she said.
"Thanks chief," Tano said softly as she and her sisters moved to hug Gillie.
"Call me Gillie," Gillie sighed, "you're a little young to have to be calling me "Chief"... and by the time you all grow up, I'll probably be retired."
"Okay," Tano answered as Gillie gently rubbed the head of each of the cubs hugging her.
+++++++++
Rome 1688
"I've gone over the schedule for how we are to go to the new world," Draco spoke calmly, "it will be somewhat complicated, which means if we are to be quick about this, you'll need to know every bit of the route before we go."
"Complicated, don't we go straight to the New World?" Marie questioned.
"Not directly," Draco spoke, "Because of Italy's rather fragmented political structure, there are no Italian ships that could make the journey. We will have to go to Naples to even begin the first leg of this journey."
"Naples?!"
"Yes," Draco sighed, "From there we are to sail to Calais, France, where we transfer to an English ship that deals with direct trade between the British and the French. From England we would then sail to the New World."
"We need to go to the New World, not England and France!"
"The only direct route would be to hire a Spanish ship and sail to Cuba or Puerto Rico, or possibly Florida if we are to get onto the mainland," Draco spoke, "which would mean we'd have to search nearly the entire length of England's colonies for this Glendale. Trying to sail directly to the English colonies would get ship captains charged with either piracy or smuggling."
Marie heavily sighed at that. Her visions had seemed to indicate that this Glendale was in what the English called "New England".
"Perhaps the journey to Calais could be done overland," Marie offered, "it would be shorter then sailing around Spain and then along the coast of France, and it would save us money."
"I suppose," Draco nodded slowly, "we might need the extra money if we're to build a church there."
+++++++
"Piracy or smuggling?" Betty asked.
"Piracy was a big problem then, though mostly in the Caribbean," Lawrence commented, "The one who came the farthest north was Blackbeard and his blockade of Charleston, South Carolina in 1718."
"That was still after the witches were executed," Marie reminded them.
++++++++
Katherine sat packing the things she would need to take with her to the new world. She made sure that he trick spear she had picked up was in a spot where no customs agent could find it, just in case some ship captain got suspicious for whatever reason. As she packed she heard a knock at the door to her room. Wondering who it was, she got up to answer it.
As she opened the door, she was startled by what greeted her. One was a dark blue felman female with four children with her. Three stood beside her, while an infant newborn was held to her chest. Her pink furred husband stood beside her. Next to them were a pair of red furred felmen. The male was a bright crimson, with some gold highlights. The female, only slightly pregnant, had red fur with orange accents.
"Katherine?" the dark blue female asked, "Is that you?"
Katherine searched the back of her mind for names, but it was all a blank... But, she did recognize the scent of the two females. They were her sisters.
"You got my letter?" Katherine asked with a gasp.
"Yes, I did," the dark blue female answered, "and I had to gather everyone left in our family line to come and see you off."
"It's been so long..." Katherine breathed.
"Indeed, sister," the red furred female smiled and came forward to hug Katherine, Katherine readily returned it. "Your letter got Mary very excited. She looked like she was barely holding back jumping up and down for joy when she told me."
"Why didn't you?"
"I'm supposed to be cool and calm," Mary answered.
"And she was fat," one of the older kittens blurted.
"Joshua! I was not fat, I was pregnant with your baby sister!" Mary scolded the kitten, and then turned back to Katherine, "I suppose you'd like some introductions?"
Katherine nodded.
Mary then gestured to the pink male, "this is my husband, Martin." Then she gestured to the two eldest kittens, including the one that had spoken, "these are my eldest sons, Joshua and Bradly." She then gestured to a third son, "this is my youngest son, Adam." She then slowly handed the infant to Katherine, who was careful to not hurt it in any way, "and this is my daughter Josephine."
"You must be very lucky to have such a wonderful family," Katherine told her as she purred while holding her infant niece.
"That's why we call her Lucky Star," Martin smiled as Katherine returned the infant kitten to its mother's arms.
"You're missing a tooth!" came Joshua's voice again.
"Joshua!"
"It's alright," Katherine assured her sister, "It's alright. I was hired to nanny several pups from the local lupman pack... I ended up in wrestling matches from dawn till dusk, and one accidentally kicked one of my fangs out."
"You fought Lupmen?!" Joshua asked, now heavily intrigued as Felmen never challenged Lupmen or Leomen.
"No, it was a game with their pups," Katherine answered, rubbing Joshua's head back and forth, "they meant no harm."
"Oh."
"Anyway, I'll let Rachael finish the introductions," Mary spoke, getting the conversation away from what her sons were noticing on their Aunt.
Katherine then glanced to the red furred female, who was identified as Rachael.
"I'm afraid I don't have as many people to introduce as Mary does," Rachael commented, "Just my husband, Dillon. We have not been as lucky as Lucky Star, here, but we will have a kitten of our own soon."
"I'm glad you're all happy," Katherine told them.
The gathered adult felman nodded.
"You're letter said you're going to the New World?" Mary asked.
"Yes, we'll be working to build a church there and hopefully bring the protestants there back into the fold," Katherine sounding optimistic, although she didn't mention anything about the witches.
"I doubt they'll convert back," Mary commented, "The Puritans are very firm in their beliefs and had executed King Charles I over religious issues."
"It's a new world, so there have to be new possibilities," Katherine countered, "and if not, perhaps we can convert these Indians everyone has read about in the papers."
"Perhaps you're right," Mary slowly nodded, "When do you plan to leave?"
"As soon as possible," Katherine answered, "we're to go overland to Calais in France and then meet an English trading ship there. From there, it's too the new world."
"Do you have the specific arrangements?" Mary asked.
"No, Father Draco Fire, who will be leading the mission has them," Katherine answered.
"Draco Fire?" Rachael asked.
"Yes, I know his name is rather unimaginative for a dragon, but a friend of mine who knows him says that it was the monks who named him," Katherine explained.
"He's a dragon?" Bradly finally spoke.
"He's very friendly," Katherine answered, "why don't you come with us to Calais? You can meet some of the people coming with us and you'll be closer to your home when we have to part ways? And we'll be able to catch up a little bit on what we've all done over the years."
"Mostly raising a family for me, Katherine," Mary gave a slight chuckle, "although, maybe you'd find Rachael's life a bit more interesting."