Danny sighed. His mother was right. They had it pretty good for prisoners of the Republic. But this place was still a prison no matter how he looked at it. And he wanted to get out as soon as possible. He looked up as his door creaked open. A very familiar furry head poked around the frame. "Fennwik!" he explained.

The fox bounded into the room and onto his bed, licking his face delightedly. Danny was so distracted by Fennwik that he didn't' hear the sound of boots on the wooden floor. "I thought he was yours."

Danny's head whipped up to see Sebastian Monroe standing there. Fennwik growled at the man. "What do you want?" he demanded.

Monroe evaded the question. "My guards found him trying to get in several times. They were going to shoot him. I caught him trying to get in once more around the back. He doesn't seem to mind being held." Monroe smiled as he looked at the fox who was still bristling in anger as his master was still defensive. "Your uncle had a black cat as I recall. I used to tease him about having such an obvious familiar."

Danny frowned. "What do you know about familiars?"

Again Monroe didn't answer. "I thought for a moment that your familiar might be one of the owls that like to perch outside the window there. But then I remembered Horvath belongs to your dad. I've never seen the white one before though. I keep meaning to ask your mother about it but I never seem to remember."

Danny pulled Fennwik closer to his body. "You aren't taking him," he said with more confidence than he felt.

Monroe laughed. "I don't want to take him, Danny. I gave him back to you so you would feel more comfortable. I remember once your uncle lost his cat and he had panic attacks for nearly a week. I must commend you on keeping yourself together while he was missing."

"What do you want with me and my mom?"

"You'll find out soon enough, I assure you. I will warn you not to try practicing your magic while you're here. There are dampening spells around the city and I'm told it's very painful to break through them. So I would advise you not try."

"Why did you put dampening spells on the city? Who told you how to work them?"

Monroe looked them both over. "I'll make sure the guards send meat for Fennwik. He shouldn't' be out hunting. They might try to shoot him again and I can't be everywhere at once. This time they might actually succeed." Danny scowled at him. "That wasn't a threat. Just a statement of fact."

"If that's all, I'd like you to leave now," Danny said. "Unless you'd prefer to answer my previous questions."

Monroe left just as Danny had expected him to. The man was such a mystery, Danny wasn't sure what to make of him. Or this very strange situation he now found himself in. But he was thankful to have Fennwik by his side once more. "Hey buddy," he murmured, scratching Fennwik under the chin. "God, I'm glad you're back. Looks like you've been through hell too, huh? Bet you ran away from Charlie's mothering at the first opportunity. God knows I would have. Except…not to this place."

Danny looked up at a noise on his window pane. A black owl and a white owl were perched next to each other. Danny smiled at them. "I'm okay, dad," he said. "Mom is too but I can't figure out what she's doing here. Or if she even has any plans to get out." The white owl pecked the glass sharply. "Sorry Annika. But it is true. I think she's got something up her sleeve."

The owls somehow managed to both give him disapproving looks. "I stick by my story," he insisted. "But we'll deal with that later. Look who's back." Fennwick stood on his hind legs so he put his front paws on Danny's shoulder and barked. The owls screeched in reply, making Danny laugh. It was good to have family around him again. He knew Monroe was right. There were wards on the city and even having Fennwik wouldn't' help him break through. But familiars were about more than power. They were about comfort and family and feeling safe.

Danny would survive this. His family would make sure of it.