August 10, 1689
Monica was fairly startled by by what she came across as she moved about Glendale making sure the people didn't do something that would interfere with the fight Mal'akh said was coming. It was a lone adult male standing alone in an open area surrounded by flowers that the were of colors and shapes that did not naturally grow in the area, but had been created through the witches magics, but through the natural act of pollination from bees and butterflies... the plants had become somewhat more "natural" then before.
The man was dressed as a soldier from some European country, though Monica couldn't tell if it was even a British soldier's uniform (as the wars of Empire in the Americas between Britain and France were still in the future). He was waving about like he was in some sort of parade or something. Monica didn't know what. If this was one of the hunters that Rosa had told her of, she wondered if they needed more help then just having the people staying away from them.
"Sir," Monica spoke as she approached.
Linus didn't respond.
"Sir!" Monica spoke with more force.
Again Linus din't respond.
Monica continued to approach him when she tripped over something laying in the grass beside him. She looked back to see it was a musket, in perfect condition. That confirmed it to Monica, although she wondered the merits of trying to shoot the witches with a gun. She'd seen a mob try that, and the bullet ended up harmlessly landing on the ground... and the mob ended up being added to the number of child familiars that the witches had.
Sighing, she grabbed the musket and fully cocked the flint hammer and raised the musket so that it would fire into the air.
"SIR!" Monica yelled and then fired the weapon, which went off with a resounding BLAM and the recoil shook the weapon free of Monica's grasp, though thankfully undamaged.
That finally snapped Linus out of his trance. He ended up dropping to a knee as he found himself looking to a human girl/teen looking back at him.
"Sir, you looked like you were off in some other world," Monica told him, "Are you alright?"
Looking down at the planets that had such a powerful aroma around them. The scent was the mind controlling agent, somehow. Reaching inside his jacket, he pulled out a handkerchief and wrapped it around his face to cover his nose and mouth.
"I will be," Linus sighed, "Who are you?"
"I am called Monica, believe it or not, I am a TEACHER here," Monica answered, "I have been told you have come to stop the witches."
"Yes," Linus answered, "although I expected someone to fight us, rather then being poisoned by plants."
"I and a few others have been working to insure that the people will stay out of the way," Monica told him, "You shouldn't expect a fight until you get to the witches manor."
"And why have you been helping me?" Linus asked.
"Because of experiments the witches performed on me when I was the witches' teacher," Monica answered, "I had tried to explain how God's laws and rules worked and how the serpent tempted Eve in the Garden of Eden, and Gita... she is Gaal now, turned me into a child again, but left my mind in tact. I can't fully remember if it was conscious or subconscious on her part, but that is what happened. As a result the mental holds that the witches are trying to use haven't affected me... yet."
"You'd best stay away from the witches," Linus spoke as he retrieved and began to reload his musket, relieved it wasn't damaged.
+++++++++++
Marie continued quietly now behind Vatican. She was somewhat embarrassed by her actions.
"You loved Father Gabriel, you loved Mutt, and the Turk did become close to you," Vatican spoke, "I know not the human mind... but I know you. A good part of you wishes they could be with you."
"He was my father, and Mutt was always there," Marie answered, "and... to be honest, if Abraham did repent of his sins... I think I might left the Convent and the Church's service altogether to marry him..."
"You need not feel embarrassed with me, I will not judge you," Vatican answered.
"It's not like it matters anyway," Marie sighed, "Abraham refused to repent, and I've taken my vows to the Church. My line ends with me."
She then looked to Vatican for a moment.
"And thank you for helping me get my head on straight," Marie told him.
"You're welcome," Vatican replied.
Marie then turned to a second large satchel that she carried. In it was the large raven mask that her godfather had worn in his guise as a plague doctor. She had kept it as a reminder of the good man that he was and the cause he defended... the cause she defended now. It was figured to protect him from the effects of the plague... Marie wondered if it would protect her from the pollen.
+++++++++++++++
Present
The book didn't give an English name but a Japanese name, but what caught Amy's eye was the image of the supposed Lupman form the two Japanese deities that weren't yet commemorated in the Pack's main entryway. Ame-No-Uzume and Uke-Mochi. Both images were fairly familiar.
"The purple one looks like Sarah," Zelipe commented as he had come over to get a better look at what his sister was reading.
"Yes," Amy nodded, "She would make a fine Ame..."
"You're not gonna turn her into a statue... are you?" Zelipe asked.
"Of course not," Amy said firmly, "that would be wrong. I would ask that she model for the carver or artist, depending on what it's made of. Her personality fits Ame's."
"But Sarah isn't a dancer," Zelipe said.
"But she did help bring Ulysses out of his insecurity," Amy pointed out, "just as Ame brought Amaterasu back to warm the world... and anyway, as I said she would model for the artist to create the statue. No one in the Pack would ever force her to do anything she doesn't want to do."
Zelipe looked on. To a great extent, Amy's religion fascinated him, though he had trouble keeping all the gods, goddesses, demons (good, bad, or indifferent), spirits and other things straight.
"Does the other one look familiar to you?" Zelipe asked.
"Yes," Amy nodded, "another single she-wolf from the Pack. I think she works at the grocery store as one of the butchers for both the Pack and the Pride. I've seen her when father or mother and I have gone shopping together, but I do not think we've formally met."
"She looks sorta like a female Jessie," Zelipe commented, remembering a picture in the Pack's basement that looked and smelled like the Pack member on the frame was not thought well of by the Pack.
"Perhaps one of his own pups," Amy commented, "most of the Pack's single females have moved away from the manor seeking new males."
++++++++++++
August 10, 1689
Vatican and Marie arrived outside a wall made of thorn bushes, bigger then any bush Marie had ever seen before. They nearly rivaled the walls of some small cities in Europe that hadn't been knocked down by cannon or cannibalized by rulers or people seeking new building materials.
"We may need all the gunpowder grenades for this," Marie commented, "the entrance is too small for you to fit."
Marie then tested a normal throwing knife against one of the thorns. The knife didn't take any damage that Marie could see, but neither did the thorn bushes. And if a metal blade couldn't cut these bushes it was likely that they could injure Vatican, who probably couldn't afford much more damage. She then tested one of the "ivory" daggers on the same thorn. This time, the thorn was cleanly sliced, and the whole bush reacted like it was hurt.
"That'll hopefully destroy their shield around the maze," Marie answered.
++++++++++
"Oh no you don't!" Gaal growled as she watched from a window, and then sent a mental command to the thorn maze.
++++++++++++
Draco had been somewhat surprised to find Mal'akh going from house to house as he made his way toward the witches manor. She had explained that some of the people the witches had either not enslaved or were unable to had been trying to keep the people of Glendale in their homes and out of the fight.
"The entrance I've used to sneak in was just up this way," Mal'akh spoke, "Remember to take the first right then left, then right then right again, then left and then left again and then finally straight."
Draco felt relieved to have the direct turn by turn directions, as he guessed his he would use up all the "fire" he had left trying to burn through the maze. As they reached the entrance though, the maze seemed to close, leaving only a solid wall of thorns.
"They know we're here," Draco spoke ominously.
"Can't you go over?" Mal'akh asked, "You've said you're a dragon..."
"I am and I could fly over," Draco answered, "but I fear that the witches would have the bushes grab me in flight. Better to remain on foot where I am better defended."
"Can't you burn through it?"
"I would expend all of my "fire" to do so and would need to wait a few days for my body to produce enough of the liquid that my kind breathes," Draco answered, "We'll need to see if there is another entrance."
They then began walking around the edge of the witches' estate. Each entrance closed as they reached it. They eventually came across Katherine coming up along the road along with another Leoman cub with her.
"Hello, Mal'akh," Katherine said politely, "Have you met..."
"Rosa and I are of the same Pride," Mal'akh answered, "the Glendale Pride... what's with your leg?"
"The witches' flowers apparently hold some sort of spell on them," Rosa answered, "I had to give her a firm nip to break her out of it."
"A good thing I burned them then," Draco commented.
"You're not going after the witches, are you, Mal'akh?" Katherine asked.
"No, my mission is the same as Rosa's," Mal'akh answered, "make sure the people won't fight you. One of the Lupman's Omegas and one of our town's teachers are doing the same thing."
+++++++++++
Marie jumped when she heard a unfamiliar voice speak from behind her.
"You have made it this far already."
Marie and Vatican turned to see a silver female Lupman.
"I am Omega-Winifred," the silver Lupman spoke, "you are the hunters of witches?"
"Just these witches," Marie answered, "as they have done evil."
"I have been asked to keep the people of Glendale away from you," Winifred answered, "I do this for my Pack, and my Pack alone. And I am embarrassed to say it but we need help... if you could kill them..."
"You are not driven to fight them yourself?" Vatican wondered.
"I am an Omega," Winifred answered, "and they are strong. Since I am not strong enough to lead my Pack, how can I be strong enough to face them... I and my sister are responsible for rearing the Pack's pups. To insure the Pack remains strong. Dealing with these children is something I am familiar with. We have been promised that everything will return to normal when the witches die. Will it?"
"I believe so," Marie answered as Draco and Katherine along with Rosa and Mal'akh appeared. Linus and Monica soon appeared coming from the other direction.
"Has this entrance closed?" Draco asked as he approached, ignoring the raven mask.
"No, but the entrance is too small for Vatican," Marie spoke, "we'll need to destroy a section in order to break in... Katherine do you have any more of the grenades?"
"Just one," Katherine answered, guessing the mask Marie was wearing was to allow her to get through the flowers unscathed.
"And I have one as well," Linus spoke, "if their shield is either down or non existent, it should be more then enough to blow a gargoyle sized hole in these hedge fences."
"You'd all best find cover," Marie then spoke to Winifred, Monica, Rosa, and Mal'akh, "we'll do our best to save the town, your friends and family, and your pack."