Chapter 37 : A Fearful Summons
Standing before the High Council of the Sisterhood of Witches is such a nerve-racking ordeal that even M'Trika, the Head Witch of the Cat-Witch Guards, has to struggle to keep her head up, her eyes forward and her voice from quavering.
"We hear that Darcy of New Witch Haven has established a new trix now quartered in Thorn Fortress in the Black Water Swamp," states Thadeviya the Head of the Sisterhood of the High Council of Witches. We have also heard that she is at the point of starting another war between her trix and the Faeries of Alfea College.
"True on both accounts," replies M'Trika, "but not against all the Faeries of Alfea College." She pauses to take in a breath. "Darcy believes that she has a blood-feud against a group of Faeries called the Winx and a Faerie in particular named Musa whom she claims has stolen the one named Riven whom she wants as her mate."
"And this Riven is a Faë?" inquires Thadeviya.
"Indeed," responds M'Trika. "He is a professor teaching at the Red Fountain School for Heroes"
"This is worse than anything I could have imagined or expected," growls Thadeviya fiercely. Then thoughtfully, "Seeing that this involves Witches, then it is our task, as Witches, to own this fiasco and to clean it up. We cannot afford to spend the time, resources, and the probable loss of life because of another Witches against Faeries war. Therefore, I am ordering you and all nine members of the Cat-Witch Guard to take the matter in hand and nip it in the bud before the worst does happen."
"I don't feel that it will require all nine of us," nods M'Trika. "The problem is that Thorn Fortress is so ancient that there is scant information about it. There are only some scattered bits of lore telling how impenetrable it is and how dangerous the land about it."
"Yet, it is still fully within your mandate to find a solution," states Thadeviya. "Darcy and her trix must be stopped no matter how. Dismissed!" then, with that, she vanishes leaving M'Trika staring into a blank space.
Within hours M'Trika calls a meeting among the remaining Cat-Witch Guards.
"I think that this operation should be kept to my trix and that you others should stay behind as back up… should the need arise," states M'Trika.
"I agree with her," seconds Yurika, the leader of a trix of white tiger-morphs. "If all nine of us charge into Black Water Swamp like gangbusters that would certainly alert Darcy and her trix that some operation is afoot and allow her time to prepare a strong defence. Stealth is the keyword here."
That still did not stop the whole conversation going into hours of debate punctuated with a lot of hissing, yowling, spitting, and snarling with additional hand-paw thumping and claw-clacking on the tabletop for emphasis. Finally, a plan is settled upon.
"Okay," nods M'Trika. "You all know what you are responsible for. Let's get this operation underway."