Hunter and Azara rode on Lil' rascal, arriving back at the Owl House. They landed and walked inside to see Eda, King, Luz and John still up, gathered around in the living room.
"Hey, 'bout time you two losers got back," King said, noticing them coming in.
"Did anything exciting happen?" John asked.
"Did you both finally confess your undying love for each other?" Luz joked. Both Azara and Hunter blushed.
"What are you talking about?" Hunter stammered. "We just had a chat and walk through the woods."
"No, but we did find this!" Azara said, holding up the palisman wood, showing it to everyone. Their eyes widen in surprise, seeing it. John stared at it confused.
"So you brought piece of wood back?" Eda snickered. "No, kiddo, this isn't just a piece of wood, it's palisman wood," she explained to him. "You can use it to make your own palisman."
"I have one," Luz said. "But, I'm still working out the kinks on it. I haven't decided yet."
"I want to make a palisman!" Azara told her, excitedly.
"Now, slow down there. This isn't something that you can undo, if you change your mind on it," Eda said. "Don't you want to think about it a little longer before-"
"I already know what I want to make!" Azara insisted.
"Okay, okay, okay!" Eda laughed. "Let's get to carving." She took Azara into another room, while Hunter stayed behind in the living room with Luz, John and King.
Hours seemed to go by as the clock ticked passing by every minute. Luz lounged on the couch, while King laid on top of her stomach, sleeping like a cat. John slept on the floor, near Luz, leaning up against it. Hunter was sitting in the chair beside the couch, twiddling with his thumbs. Lil' rascal was nesting on Hunter's shoulder, sleeping.
"How much longer is it going to take do you think?" Luz asked Hunter.
"I don't know," He replied. Hunter turned his back towards the door to the other room.
In the other room, Azara was listening to Eda's instructions using her magic to carve the wood. Piece by piece, the wood began to take shape into a form: a beak, two wings and talons. It was transforming into a bird, a blue jay.
"Now for the finishing touches," Eda told her. "Put some of your magic into the hollowed base and that should do it!"
Azara picked up the palisman, holding it in her hands. She closed her eyes concentrating, pour some of her magic into it. The carved bird began to shape as blue feathers began to slowly out from it. The beak began to turn darker until black. The tail began to grow longer as blue feathers with some white stripes came out. Slowly, she opened them and gasped. Sitting in her hands, the blue jay's small eyes stared back right into hers, curious.
Azara felt her eyes starting to sting as she smiled with joy and endearment over the little bird.
"Well, you did it, kid," Eda smiled. "There's only one thing left, what are you going to call her?"
"Jewel." Azara answered. Jewel chirped in response, turning it's head to it's side, confused.
What's a jewel? Azara'seyes widen in surprise. "Eda, did you say something?" she asked. Eda shook her head.
"No, kid, I said nothing," she smirked. Azara frowned. If Eda didn't say anything then...her eyes went wide and she looked back down at the small blue jay in her hands. Jewel chirped again, looking up at her.
Who are you? What is a Jewel? Azara gasped softly in surprise and smiled warmly.
"I'm Azara," she told the Blue Jay. "You are a jewel, Jewel. You're my precious baby." Jewel chirped, happily, before it spread out their wings and took flight for the first time, landing on Azara's shoulder. "Do you want to meet the others? They are just in the other room, waiting."
There are more like you? Jewel chirped, curious. Azara snickered. "Well, maybe not like me," she said. "Let's go meet them."
The door opened, Azara and Eda walked out. Luz immediately hopped off from the couch. King slid off of her landing on the cushioning, waking up. John woke up as well, hearing Luz's footsteps as she bounded over towards Azara and Eda. Hunter stood up from the chair, noticing them as well and walked over to them. Lil' rascal was still sleeping on his shoulder. Luz hopped up and down on the heels over her feet, excited.
"What did you make?! What did you make?! Is it a bird, a snake?" she exclaimed. "I have to know!"
Everyone's widen when they heard a small chirp in response. Lil' rascal opened it's eyes hearing it as well. Jewel popped out from out of Azara's long ponytail, staring at them curiously.
"You made a bird!" Luz shouted, happily.
"What's her name?" John asked. Azara smiled and held her finger out for Jewel to hop onto it, showing the palisman to them.
"Everyone, meet Jewel," she introduced them her. "Jewel, this is Luz. She is a human, like me and this is my brother John and next to him is King and finally this is Hunter and Orion. Orion is a palisman just like you." Jewel's eyes widen as did Lil' rascal when the two noticed each other.
So this is the cute boy that you were thinking about? And this is his palisman? I can see why you like him... Azara blushed. "Uh, why don't you and Orion go play for a bit?" she stammered. Lil' rascal made an excited chirp in response before flying off from Hunter's shoulder, hovering beside Jewel.
I have a new friend! She's also just as cute as Azara, right, Hunter? Hunter's eyes widen before coughing, clearing his throat. "Yeah, I think that's a great idea. I think that you two should play for a bit, get to know each other!"
Jewel flew off from Azara's finger and hovered next to Orion. The two began flying around the living room, chirping happily in conversation.
It was in the middle of the night, it was dead quiet as everyone was asleep. They were all sleeping in the living room, after partying too hard, celebrating Jewel. However, not everyone was entirely asleep. Hunter was wide awake. He turned his head, looking at Azara who was sleeping beside him, curled up. He stared silently at her for a few minutes before getting up and walking over towards the front door. Lil' rascal and Jewel were sleeping together on top of a shelf. The cardinal opened it's eyes when it heard Hunter's footsteps creaking on the floorboards. He's eyes widen when he saw Hunter at the front door, getting ready to leave. Lil' rascal quickly flew over, while trying not to wake Jewel, to catch up to him. But, it was too late as Hunter closed the door behind him.
Azara was woken up by frantic chirping and slowly sat up, rubbing her eyes. They went went wide when they saw Lil' rascal frantically fluttering by the door, chirping. Azara frowned and as she looked down she noticed that Hunter was gone! Her eyes widen, worried, and she quietly stood up, trying not to wake the others and walked over to the red bird. Lil' rascal noticed her and quickly flew over to her.
"Where's Hunter? Do you know why did he left?" she asked. Lil' rascal made a chirp began chirping, giving Azara an answer. His chirps sounded like they were singing a song, "Happy Birthday To You." Azara's eyes widen in surprise before she opened the door, quietly, not waking Hooty, and closed it behind her, as the others were still sleeping, unnoticed that the two had left.
Azara noticed Hunter's footprints on the ground and followed them until they led her to a lake. She stopped when she saw him sitting by the shoreline, staring out into the water as the moon reflected above it, in a crescent shape almost blackened.
"Hunter!" Azara called out to him. Hunter nearly jumped, as he was startled by her voice. He turned his head back to her.
"What are you doing out here?" he asked. Lil rascal flew off from her and landed right on his shoulder. Hunter sighed.
"Of course," he replied.
"What are you doing out here and by yourself?" Azara ignored his question, walking over to him, and sat down right next to him. "Don't you know that Belos has his coven scouts looking for you? Why would you just leave like that?! What if you were-"
"I'm sorry," Hunter replied. "Seems like I'm just causing trouble for everyone, like always." Azara's eyes widen.
"You're not a burden to everyone," she said. "Why would you think that?" Hunter laughed. It sounded off, a little manic, but sad.
"I-I don't know," he cracked. "I've been thinking about our conversation earlier. About me being free from Unc-...Belos. I am free, I should be happy but I'm not. I don't know why..." Azara frowned, listening. "I have always been told by him that wild magic was dangerous and that our family was killed because of it."
Azara stood up, and Hunter looked up at her. "Come with me." she told him. "I have something that I want to show you something that I've never shown to anyone." She held her hand out to him. Hunter stared at it for a minute before taking and Azara lead him away from the lake.
After a few minutes of walking, Hunter saw a small cave up ahead as Azara lead him to it, both walking inside of it. Lil' rascal had flown off from Hunter and rested in the branches of the trees watching them go inside. It was completely dark inside, however Hunter heard that there was water as droplets dripped from the stalactites into it.
"Why are we here?" Hunter asked.
"You'll see," Azara told him. She traced a circle with her finger and made a small ball of light from it. Followed by several more, illuminating the cave. Hunter's eyes widen as he saw strange crystals all over that reflected the two of them, like mirrors.
"We are here for a magic lesson," Azara said, sitting down. "Well, yours." She picked up a stick holding it out to him. Hunter's eyes widen in shock. He stared at the stick with a hesitant look.
"What if something happens?" He told her. "I-I don't know. What if I can't do-"
"Well, you won't know if you don't try." Azara smiled. She patted the ground next to her. Hunter slowly walked over to her then knelt down beside her, taking the stick. He didn't make a move. All he could hear was his uncle's voice in his head, repeating with him not to do it, that it's dangerous, you're going to end up like me. Azara reached over and took his hand, giving him a reassuring squeeze. Hunter gasped, feeling her hand squeezing his. He looked back to Azara seeing her nod. Hunter took in a deep breath and sighed. Here goes...
He traced a small circle in the dirt before adding the light glpyh symbol into it. He placed the stick down and slightly raised his hand above the circle, hovering over it slightly with hesitation. Just do it! What are you so afraid of!? Hunter closed his eyes and tapped the spell circle. Did it blow up, like everything always does in his face? Is Azara and him dead? Hunter didn't feel any pain. Confused, he slowly opened his eyes and right in front of him, hovering, was a small ball of light. He gasped softly as he stared in shock and awe. Magic! He did magic! He can do magic!
Little by little, Hunter began to draw more light spells until they almost illuminated the entire cave. This real. This wasn't a dream. He was really next to Azara and she witnessed him do magic. He wasn't a powerless witch anymore.
"Congratulations, you are now officially a witch." Azara smiled, looking at the balls of light around them. She laughed, sheepishly. "Although, I think that we might have went a little overboard with the light spell."
Hunter stared at Azara quietly watching her as he saw the lights illuminated around her and the crystals in the cave. This person who have been with him the entire time, who had never given up on him. Who he was in love with...
Without a second thought, Hunter leaned forward and he pressed his lips against hers. Finally after so long, he kissed her. Azara's eyes widened in shock and Hunter did as well and he quickly pulled back. Both of the two witches blushed, their cheeks turned red as they stared back at each other.
"Did you just?-" Azara paused, still stunned.
"I'm sorry! I don't know what came over me!" Hunter sputtered, completely flustered. "Please, don't be mad!" He began to nervously ramble to himself asking himself why did he do it and how stupid he was over and over. He ruined it. She was going to hate him, now.
Azara stared she watched him as he continued on for a few seconds before she stopped him as she leaned in and kissed him back, softly brushing her lips against his. Hunter eyes went wide and went completely frozen. He could feel his heart beating very fast as if it was going to burst from his chest. He whined as he felt Azara pull away from him, feeling the heat from her lips leave his.
"I love you."
Hunter's eyes went wider as he stared at her in shock, but also in relief as well.
"I love you, too." he told her. Azara laughed as she cried, feeling overjoyed at his words. Hunter pulled her closer to him, bringing his lips to hers, kissing her again. Azara slowly fell back onto to the ground as the weight from his body pressed up against hers on top. Hunter's fingers interlaced around Azara's, squeezing it tightly, not letting go. Both of their hearts were beating in unison, scared but also anxious and excited.
"Hunter," Azara moaned, as she felt Hunter's lips trailed down her neck.
One by one, all of the balls of light slowly dimmed as they went out, darkening the cave once more with the two lovers inside of it.