Hunter was a very kind child but one that had his demons. Nearly every morning she'd come down and find him either sneaking out or sneaking back into the house. Normally she wouldn't pry to much into some early morning exercise, but this time was different, this time he came back injured. Seeing this from her window she rushed outside with Flapjack on her shoulder.

"Hunter!? What happened you're limping and diso miyo is that blood?"

"Camila I'm fine jus-"

"Don't you I'm fine me young man." Before he could protest, she scooped him up and rushed him to the couch looking at his wounds. Rolling up his pant leg she saw the deep red marks around his leg. Thanks to her years of being a vet she knew what had caused this.

"Camila really you don't' need to worry. Just stepped on some weird human device during my patro- I mean walk."

"Hunter, you stepped on a bear trap!" Anything he wanted to say died in his throat as he saw the emotional state she was in as she disinfected his wound and wrapped it. All the while switching between English and Spanish.

"Gracias a Dios it was one of the modern ones, but still why would there be traps out in the woods. Wait, if was that bastardo Jacob again I'll Mátalo y entiérralo en el bosque. First Vee and now you, nobody hurts my babies and gets away with it." Once his leg was wrapped and he was unable to move she switched from franticly worried mom to curiously worried mom.

"Hunter what were you doing out there? How far away were you when you triggered this?"

How far did he drag himself with an injured leg? How long did he struggle before he freed himself? Oh god what if Jacob had used a older one instead? Those ones have teeth for gods sake! He could have lost his leg!

Hunter for his part wasn't sure what to do or say in this situation. For him this was the first time someone had shown this level, no any level or actual concern for his wellbeing.

"Camila….I…I….uhmmm….thank you." This caused her to hug him as tight as she could. "Oh, my sweet niño don't you thank me. It's a mother's job to care for her son's safety. Now you stay there while I grab some high-grade painkillers from my med bag." Before he could say anything, she'd leaned down and kissed his forehead before running upstairs leaving a very confused and emotional Hunter.

"Flapjack what in the titan's name just happened?" he asked not understanding the warmth he was feeling right now. Flapjack chuckled a bit before flying next to him.

"Well, I'd guess you just got adopted. So, how's it feel to have a mom?"

"Mom?! No no no no no that couldn't be it. Could it? That was just her worrying about my leg."

"Yes, and that is what moms do. And honestly, I think you've found a pretty good one. She's already adopted Vee and she already has Luz so now you have a mother and two younger sisters. One big happy Noceda family." He then flew over to a table with a series of family portraits including the newest ones featuring Vee. "You'll have to look good for your family portrait. Think we should ask Amity or Willow for clothing ideas? Or maybe ask Gus he seems pretty stylish."

If his owner head him, he didn't give any indication as Hunter had mentally shut down after picturing Camila as his mom.

She can't be my mom. I mean sure I really like living here. waking up to freshly prepared food, always having someone to talk and listen to, finally enjoying just being a person instead of just the golden guard.

But I can't accept it. I'm not even a real person. I'm nothing more than Belos's latest grimwalker puppet.

Upstairs Camilla had her hand on Luz's door debating on whether or not to ask Amity or Willow for help. "Willow said there were plants that could heal so maybe she could magic some up. Or maybe ask Amity as she did say her sister was part of the healing track. It's possible she might know something."

However, after a moment she pulled away as she knew if she woke up one it would soon lead to the other two waking up.

"He always acts so tough so I doubt having the whole house fretting over him would make him feel better. Treat him with what you have then tell the others." She was just about to reach the bottom of the stairs when she heard the conversation he was having with Flapjack.

"-because I'm a grimwalker that's why!"

A small chirp was heard followed by Hunter looking confused "Because grimwalkers are… are… well you know! We're not real witches!" Flapjack let out another chirp before flying over to Camila. Once he saw her Hunter quickly shut down unable to even look at Camia without feeling more emotions. Camila however went to him anyway and pulled out a needle.

"This should ease the pain." A nod was all she got as she gave him the shot which seemed to affect him immediately as she relaxed into the couch.

"Now Hunter can you tell me where you stepped on the trap?"

"Maybe half a mile or so from the abandoned shack. I was just securing the area when I stepped on it. There were plenty of large sticks around for me to pry it open and I've experience making my way home while injured."

"Well, that's good, well not good in fact that's awful! You're just a child! We'll have to go out there when your healed and make sure there are no more traps. I can't have my babies getting hurt after all."

A small whine escaped his lips when she hugged him again. Seeing this Flapjack happily chirped. "So, Hunter Noceda how does it feel to be hugged by your mommy? Is it warm? I bet it's warm."

"Flapjack I told you she's not my mo-" never in his life had his hand moved so fast to cover his mouth.

Camila however simply gently picked up Flapjack giving him a gentle pat but also with a warning tone said. "Flapjack my baby is hurt and while I'm sure you're trying to help he doesn't deserve to be teased. So how about you head out to the birdhouse for a while and enjoy the sun."

He rolled his good eye before flying off giving one last teasing "fine I'll leave you to your mommy time." With him gone Camila sat down next to him wanting some answers. "Now niño why are you patrolling every morning? The most dangerous creature you may find around here is a coyote and even those are mostly cowardly scavengers."

"It's just the only way I know how to help. It's all I've ever known, the only thing that makes me well me."

"Because you're a grimwalker? Whatever that is."

His eyes took on a panicked and haunted look. When he spoke, his voice was barely a whisper. "How do you know about that?"

"I heard part of your conversation with Flapjack. Don't worry nobody else heard it." She assured him as his head shot upstairs.

"You don't have to tell me what that is if you don't want too though."

After a moment of biting his lip and looking at his bandaged leg and convincing himself that someone that went through this much wouldn't freak out did, he decided to tell her. "Grimwalkers… well they're I guess magical clones, at least that's what I read about them, about me."

"Hunter." She said already seeing starting to put up his guard but continue on. "Belos had dozens of them made. Each golden guard was nothing more than a magicless copy of someone he'd killed. Each one turning on him and being killed and replaced. He told me that off all the grimwalkers he'd made I looked the most like him. Whoever that was." He knew she'd want answers but of all the ones he thought she'd ask the one that actually came out was "Is that all?"

"What?"

"Hunter when I heard the world grimwalker I thought it was some sort of creature that fed of death and caused nightmares or something."

To say he was surprised would be an understatement. "But I'm a grimwalker! I'm not a real witch! I can't even use magic."

"And? From what you told me most people in the eyes were restricted to only using one magic. Not to mention Luz said that everyone could use her glyph magic. And don't think I haven't seen you using Flapjack to magic your way to the bathroom before Gus."

"But I'm still a grimwalker!" she simply gave him a motherly stare before asking. "And besides being a magically made clone what exactly is a grimwalker?"

He opened his mouth to retort but after thinking about what he'd read after finding out what he was couldn't think of anything.

We're bad right? The book said that making a grimwalker is a horrible and treacherous act to be punished by petrifaction.

"But I'm not real. Just a puppet made to obey orders."

"According to whom? Belos? From what you told me he lied to everyone about everything. Bedsides didn't you say that every grimwalker he ever made turned on him. If anything, you come from a long line of people that chose not to obey a tyrant."

"Still though! I don't have anything or anyone waiting for me back in the isles. No family or friends not even a place to call home."

Camila didn't miss a beat and gently touched his cheek wiping what tears had emerged before kissing his forehead again calming him down and making him blush.

"Well yes, but that's because your family and friends are all right here. So long as you all are here your family and even when the portal is created, you'll still be family. It doesn't matter who or what you are you'll always have a home here as long as you want or need it."

She opened her arms, and he happily accepted her hug burying his head into her shoulder where she heard a muffled "thank you mom" which made her heart skip several beats.

"It's alright Hunter, you just let momma take care of you. I'll fix you my oh so special tacos you seem to love and then once you're all fixed up, we'll all go and make sure that all the traps are taken care of." Pulling back, she saw his embarrassed grin as he turned on the tv in an attempt to ease himself out of the embarrassing moment. Camila then went to the kitchen opening the window that Flapjack was pecking at.

"Flapjack do me a favor and inform the other palismans about this. I'd rather not have my other kids freaking out." He gave a tiny, winged salute before flying off leaving Camila to think to herself.

You always wanted a big family Manny. To think in less than a year Luz gained a sister and an older brother Who knows maybe in a few years we'll be adding them all to our family tree.