Chapter 18: Plans and Practice

I paced back and forth in my room. I was sure I'd wear a hole in the floor pretty soon. As soon as Charlie dropped the news bomb Edward left - not before giving me a see-you-soon kiss - to tell his family. Charlie and my brothers went into the kitchen to talk strategy. And me? Well, I'm just up in my room freaking out.

I stopped my pacing only to wipe away the tears that were leaking down my cheeks. How the hell could this have happened? This morning my only problem was trying to figure out a way for Rosalie to like me. How did Rosalie turn into a war against my own race?

I felt like screaming and destroying everything around me. Instead I slumped against the wall and buried my face in my knees. All my feelings came out through my tears: confusion, anger, fear. Fear for my family, both of them. There was no way only eleven of us could take on all of the Goras. It couldn't be done.

A horrible image of Edward being ripped apart by a vast number of Goras made me have to bite down on my fist to keep from screaming. I looked at my now bleeding wound and watched absent mindedly as the blood trickled down my arm. Is this what was going to happen to my new family? Were they just going to flow away from me in the metaphorical stream of life.

I quickly licked my wound, watched it heal before my eyes then stood up, with a new determined air. I was not just going to wallow around and wait for the inevitable. No, I was going to stand by my family through this, what ever the out come.

Feeling adrenalin run through me, I made my way to the kitchen. My father and brothers were sitting around the table with an almost triumphant look on there faces. They all looked up at me as I entered. Without caring that I probably looked like a wreck with my puffy red eyes and hair in disarray, I sat down with them.

I looked in each of their eyes in turn. "Okay," I sighed. "You guys obviously thought of something. Can you please include me in the circle?"

My father smiled kindly at me, but as he was about to answer the door bell rang. Simon got up to get it and returned with all the Cullens. Edward walked right up to me, picked me up so he could sit on my chair and sat me on his lap. I couldn't help but feel safe as his arms encircled my waist holding me close to him.

"Alright," Carlisle started his ever calm voice still present. "We know the problem, but is there a solution?"

"Yes." Charlie stated simply.

"How many of their number is there?" Jasper asked. He leaned against the counter that Alice was sitting on.

"They probably wont bring fledglings," I stated. I looked at Charlie who nodded his agreement.

"They'll most likely bring the oldest and strongest."

"Why oldest?" Esme seemed to be a little shook up about this new terror, but she was holding herself together well.

"The oldest are the biggest," Mitch explained. "They have the most skill and cunning in situations like this."

"I'd say," Charlie pursed his lips in thought. "Just to make sure we are defeated, more or less two hundred."

"Two hundred!" Emmett looked excited.

"She'll want to make sure she gets the job done." Mitch explained.

"They'll all be Goras for sure," I stated. "They'll fly in there true forms. It'll be quicker for them to come."

"How long?" Rosalie piped up. Since she came in she hadn't shown any emotion, now she looked slightly unsettled.

Charlie shook his head unsure. "It depends how long it takes to get her army in order. It could be weeks, it could be a couple of days."

"You said there was a solution to this problem." Edward stated curiously. "From all the information so far it seems like a hopeless cause." My family must have been blocking their thoughts from Edward.

Charlie nodded approvingly at Edward. "I will have to call in a favor," he stated slowly.

"Favor?" Jasper asked looking skeptical. "From who?"

"An old friend. He's actually a vampire."

"Will he help?" Jasper persisted.

Charlie's voice took on a hard edge. "Seeing as though he was one of the vampires Renee set free, which led to her execution, I'd say he'd give me this favor."

"Who?" Carlisle looked to be trying to wrap his brain around possible candidates.

"Aro," Charlie said simply. This made every vampire in the room stop.

"Aro?" Edward said, seeming generally shocked.

Charlie nodded. "He had gone with his guards South to settle all those new born wars when he got caught."

"And you think he'll agree to this?"

Charlie merely nodded.

"How do we fight Goras?" Alice chirped. She wore a mischievous smile, knowing where this was going.

Mitch smile turned wicked. 'Shall we show you?"

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoO

We flew to a clearing the Cullens told us to go to. It was bigger than a baseball diamond and very secluded. No one would disturb us. The Cullens materialized out of the trees as we landed. Me and my brothers stood behind Charlie as he addressed the Cullens.

"Goras a strong and quick. Just as fast as vampires. But like everything we have our weaknesses. The question is trying to find it." He signaled to me to take a spot beside him. "Edward would you care to attack Bella?"

"I'm sure he would," Emmett grinned at his brother. Ignoring him Edward stalked his way towards me. He looked a little nervous for me, as if he was afraid he'd hurt me. I tried to hide my smile. I stood perfectly still. Quick as lightning Edward pounced on my back. Being agile I managed to turn my neck far enough to grab a hold of Edward's shoulder while my wings folded up, making him unable to move.

"Our wings look frail," Charlie explained as Edward struggled to get off me. "But they are as strong as the rest of us. We can protect our backs easily."

"Let me try," Emmett volunteered. I let Edward out of my wing prison and faced Emmett. Emmett circled me in a crouch, trying to intimidate me. Like with Edward I didn't move. I sensed Emmett attack from behind, but before he reached me my tail whipped out, hitting him square in the head, flinging him across the clearing.

"Even our tails can do damage," Charlie stated with a touch of pride. Emmett returned to the group grumbling to himself.

"I'm guessing you're sides are out of the question." Jasper had been watching the two fights with a skilled eyes, mesmerizing every move I've made.

Charlie nodded. "Our wings can still fold on top of you, allowing us to rip off your bottom half. Plus our legs can encircle you in a vise grip, like a new born vampire."

"So how do we defeat you?" Rosalie gave an exasperated sigh, folding her arms in front of her.

"You don't." Charlie looked at the gapping faces in front of him. "At least, you don't do it on your own."

Charlie turned to me. "Attack me, Bella," he instructed.

I moved towards him stealthfully, my body low to the ground. Discreetly my eyes locked with Mitch, who gave me a small nod. I reared on my hind legs when I was close enough to Charlie, my wings spreading to keep my balance aa an instinctual growl erupting from me. Charlie mimicked my stance to tower over me. But his chest was know exposed. Mitch lunged at Charlie's side, grabbing a hole with both claws and teeth.

Distracted by Mitch, Charlie looked down, exposing his neck to me. Without hesitation I flew and wrapped my mouth securely over his pressure point, my claws digging into his shoulder. Unbalanced Charlie fell on his back. I moved my front paws to hold Charlie's front legs to the ground, and Mitch did the same with his back ones. Knowing defeat, Charlie stopped struggling.

Both me and Mitch licked at any wounds we might of given our father. Once we were sure he was healed we stepped away.

I turned to see the Cullens all looking at us with wide eyes. Straightening himself out, Charlie addressed them again. "You must work in pairs to take down an Elder Goras. They are the biggest and strongest. Our weakest spots are our stomachs and necks. You must either slash open the stomach or rip out the throat."

He spoke in a monotone. Even though they were coming to kill us and had sentenced us to exile, the Goras were our species, our family. It felt inhuman to be showing how to destroy them. Even though I hated them, a part of me was still loyal to them.

"Who would like to try?" Charlie asked, a challenge in his voice. Without hesitation Alice and Edward stepped forward. I moved over to stand by the Cullens to watch, my brothers following me.

Charlie lowered his body and a terrible growl ripped through him, making the ground shake. It was a way to try and jinx out your opponent. Both Edward and Alice didn't falter. Charlie whipped his tail to the side as Alice raced to be behind him, his tail missing her by centimeters. I notice Jasper stiffen and lean forward attentively.

Charlie spread his wings and spinned. Anticipating this both Edward and Alice easily avoided Charlie's wings and tail. Just as Charlie stopped they attacked. Alice being the smaller raced underneath Charlie while his wings were still raised. Feeling her underneath him, Charlie reared up and swatted at her with his front legs. Edward jumped for the throat.

Expecting this Charlie raised his one leg to try and grab at Edward in the air. Edward turned mid flight. But Charlie's stomach was not protected now so Alice took a swipe, not actually cutting him, but letting him know that theoretically he'd would have a deep gash there. Realizing this Charlie bent over in fake pain, exposing his neck to Edward once more, who pounced and grabbed a hold of Charlie's jugular. A laugh rumbled through Charlie at the defeat.

"Very good," he acknowledged them. They had made a good team.

This went on all night. The Cullens switched pairs and attacked Charlie. If they needed improvement me or my brothers would stop the fight and show them the proper way to do it. Sometimes we would join the fight.

"You have to remember there will be many of them, so they too will gang up on you," Charlie explained.

When he wasn't fighting Edward stood beside me his eyes glued on the fight before him, memorizing every move, his one hand moving absent mindedly up and down my back.

I would have been dead on my feet if it wasn't for the adrenalin pumping through me. Even as the sky started to lighten I was still to energized to keep still. My tail would keep twitching and sometimes during the night me and my brothers would play fight just to get the steam out. It must have been five in the morning before Charlie called it time.

We all stood around him waiting for his instructions. "I think you all have the hang of it. Well done." He nodded at all of us. "We must leave for Italy immediately."

"How did you know Aro was in Italy?" Carlisle asked.

"He told Renee when he realized we were going to set him free." Charlie explained simply.

Alice raised her hand into the air. "I can get the tickets," she chirped. "It's going to be cloudy for the next few days, so it's a good time to go now."

"Good." Charlie nodded. "We'll pack some things and head out"

"What if they don't know where we've went?" Emmett asked.

"They will."

"How?"

Charlie gave a bitter smile. "Because one of the Goras that works for Marleen was there when Aro told Renee about his home in Italy and how, if she ever needed help, to ask him for it. Realizing Renee was going to set him free, the eavesdropper reported to Marleen everything he'd heard. I'm sure she'll figure out where we've gone when she sees we are no longer here."

Are we getting exited? I can hardly wait, I'm literally bouncing in my seat. Keep reviewing, cause they keep me writing. Review please :)