AN: I have been working on this for a while, finally got it done. 15 pages in Microsoft Word. Next chapter we'll skip ahead to see Severus and Remus meeting for the first time in 5 years.
House Chapulin is a pureblood house and one of the 5 houses of the werecats. They are leopards. The houses are as follows: Bast is lions, Viaza is Jaguars, Chapulin is leopards, Obsanjo is Snow Leopards, and Bakshi is Tigers. Bast are the leaders of the five families and have the most land. Pureblood have three forms like the werewolves; the humanoid form, the feline form (four legged cat) and the dire form (anthromoprhic cat/hybrid form) while Half-Blood have a humanoid form and a feline form. The seven houses are purebloods and no other pureblood families can be created. Half-Bloods would other small to medium sized cats and hybrid offspring which can be found at quillabyss dot com and then type in 'werecat species' in the searchbar if you want to know more.
Travether, Grass Moon, Year of the Dragon
On Board the Aeolus
Bread and bowls of gruel were handed out to the forty passengers that morning, the same food as the preceding two days. A thin porridge made of water and some type of starchy cereal, in this case rye. Neither pup liked the gruel but dutifully drank it anyway after Roesia told them they needed the nourishment and little Cedar was used to the watery porridge due to it was helpful for the sick and given to recently weaned pups. The bread wasn't much better but at least they weren't eating hardtack which could potentially damage their teeth. The ship continued its course to Souldes, moving over the waves as the passengers ate their breakfast in small groups, the wolves situated around the pack. Remus's portion was divided among the pups as it had been for the past two days since their boarding. The omega would be punished until he straightened up or until it did something else that resulted in its death…and they could probably find a way to pitch the omega's body overboard. Aluxious was all in favor of feeding the omega to a sea serpent or a hydra if they were to come across one, not that the adolescent let the pups know of that. As for Remus's litter…well they would continue being raised by their foster dams and raised within the pack, same as the human pups should the omega do something stupid.
Cox, still disappointed in his former apprentice's actions, took care to help Roesia with the human pups. The Custodian couldn't understand why the pups were unwanted or why Remus had even taken the little herb pup with him if he neglected as he did Cedar. Granted there wasn't as much hatred towards the herb pup as there was the sickly one, but it was still there in the way he shunned the human pups who hadn't asked to be born and had not asked to even come to Xaythea, nor Remus's litter. Hindsight was twenty-twenty, even among those of a planet stuck in the fifth century though none of the denizens of Xaythea knew just how primitive they were to those of the omega's home planet barring the omega's packmates, but one could certainly not change fate or challenge the will of the gods, not the wolf gods or other pantheon gods and it would be suicide to even dare speak up against the major pantheon. It was obvious now that Remus should have either been killed outright or not given the rank of Sentinel if he such hatred towards the human pups. Aluxious and Eponine, however, would have preferred the omega's death if he was going to be outright neglectful towards the human pups. Eponine, who wasn't the most favorable towards Remus being within the pack, much less the human pups, had accepted that the pups did not ask for some mad food to hunt them down.
The rust and tuff colored wolf turned her head towards Cedar as he scooted closer to her, the delta's lips curling back over her teeth as she saw Remus look towards them. A low growl emitted from the female which caused Cedar to freeze and duck his head, thinking the delta was upset with him. *'Eat pup,'* spoke Eponine. *'The omega won't be able to get to you or Neville,'* said Eponine.
"Yucky."
Roesia spoke up. "We must make do Cedar. It's not the best, that's true, but the gruel will be good for you. Herb pup, what do you think?"
Neville raised his head, brown eyes looking up at the Caretaker. "Yucky. Why eat?"
"Because thou crew deem it nourishment most likely, regardless of the station of the respective passengers," said Roesia but this only confused both pups.
"What thou mean?" Neville questioned.
"How rich one is pup," spoke Aluxious. "Cox hath some money with being a furniture maker and the alpha gave us some money for the passage aboard a ship as well as for necessary supplies and food. Money isn't something thou need to worry about," said the Xi. Only Eponine was in wolf form, the rest of the group in their human bodies, however, as tonight would be the full moon, which the wolves could sense, it could potentially be a problem with there being humans on board and not just the pair of pups in their care. The adults had by now finished their food but Roesia planned on taking the pups up on deck so they could see the ocean and get some fresh air after being cooped up below decks for the past two days. The omega, however, was being held hostage beneath the decks and not allowed such a luxury as getting fresh air…part of his punishment that Siren had decided upon.
The seas were calm as Roesia brought the pups onto the upper deck into the fresh air with the winds causing the sails to billow outwards. "Stay close pups," said Roesia, "and don't make trouble."
"Yes Roesia," chorused the pups.
Diamond whined as his mother told him and the human pups to stay close and not make trouble. The pup hadn't said anything since his mother had taken him from the nursery at home and they'd gone on some trip that the pup didn't understand. The pup, having been born in Migration Moon, the last month of Alsayf, was only fourteen months old. As Neville and Cedar left Roesia's side, Diamond remained underneath his mother, nose scenting the air. Roesia stepped back and nudged Diamond forward, the caretaker shifting into her were form so she could defend the pups and communicate easily. Though Xygerk's full moon trapped a werewolf in their were form during its cycle, that didn't mean they couldn't turn into their were forms outside of the full moon…they were just more saner than on the full moon of Xygerk when they became feral animals.
Diamond looked up at his mother, whining and trying to get back underneath her but Roesia growled and gestured with her head towards Neville and Cedar. *'Go on Diamond. You need to make friends and I have a feeling these two will be good friends for you,'* she spoke to her son. She got another whine from Diamond as the pup reluctantly made his way towards the human pups who were running about the deck, the human pups thankfully obeying the caretaker's order of sticking close and not getting in the way of the sailors working on the deck. There were a few other passengers on top of the deck and looking out over the railing as the flyut sailed onwards.
"Roe?" Roesia tilted her head down at Neville as he stumbled over to her.
"What is it herb pup?"
"Who that?" Roesia followed the pup's extended index finger to see little Diamond.
"That be mine son and heir, Diamond," said Roesia. "The alpha said I could bring him with me and he's too young to be without me as his sire passed away last heat cycle," she said. "He is still a pup and won't turn, like little Talon, until he's three years of age so two more years as a wolf," she explained to the youngster and Neville nodded. Though the pups didn't know precisely what heat cycle was, they were often locked away in the nursery with elders for their safety during Fuyu which was the werewolf breeding season. "Be nice to him pup, as thou are with Cedar and thy fellow wolf friends of the omega's. He's shy due to his young age."
"Yes Roe," said Neville. "Bite?"
Roesia looked at her son and then back at Neville. "Possibly due to being afraid," said Roesia. "But it won't hurt and pups can't transmit lycanthropy…our venom that turns humans into werewolves," she explained at the pup's confused look. As Neville wandered off to go introduce himself to Diamond, she shifted her gaze over towards Cedar, worry flashing across her eyes as she looked at the sickly pup. She wished she knew what was wrong with the pup and had discussed the pup's sickness with older caretakers, however they weren't sure either. The only things the pack knew for sure was the pup didn't have the pox or the flu. Roesia turned her gaze towards Neville and Diamond again before making her way over towards Cedar and sitting down beside him, the pup huddled in on himself near one the main mast of the ship.
"Alright there pup?" Roesia looked towards the railing opposite them as the main sail billowed in the wind above them, all the sails fully extended to catch the wind. "The rocking ship getting to thou pup?"
"No wanna go back," Cedar whispered.
"What?"
"Stay here. No go back other world," said Cedar. "Mean Remus no like me…nor Nev. What if…parents…no like me either? Me wanna stay with pack…with Roe and Gamma Siren," said Cedar, the pup turning watery eyes towards the caretaker. "No make go back Roe…pwease!"
The caretaker was surprised at the pup's plea to remain within the pack. "Doth thou not want to go home to thy kin?" As Cedar shook his head, the female grunted as the pup flung his arms around her and fell into sobbing against the werewolf's fur. Roesia was not sure how to calm the pup or alleviate his fears. From enquiring with the worthless omega that was Remus, the caretakers had gathered that human pups were considered infants or babies from birth to twelve months or one year and then, upon turning one year, were considered toddlers until they reached the age of three years. Then they were considered something called 'preschoolers' from three years to five years yet apparently human pups were collectively considered 'children' until they reached thirteen years or adolescence. Roesia didn't understand why humans on Remus's planet didn't just have three stages of childhood. Why make all these strange stages in a human pup's life?
Roesia let the pup cry into her fur, the older child patting the pup's back awkwardly before looking around to check on Neville and Diamond. Neville was crouched down, attempting to get Diamond to come towards him to pet but her son seemed rooted to the spot. Roesia sighed as she watched this interaction, hoping that Neville and Cedar would be able to help Diamond come out of his shell. Her son was shy at his age despite being a dominant. Still, he was but a pup and had time to grow into his personality. "Doth thou not wish to see thy parents pup? Perhaps thou hath siblings."
Cedar shook his head against Roesia's stomach, the wolf having to pull the pup away so she could hear it speak. "No go 'way Roe! No go home. What….mama…papa…no like me?"
"Why doth thou think thy sire and dam not like thee pup?"
"Sick," said Cedar. "Bad omega…say papa mean in school…mean to Seal like mama mean to Seal. What if no like me 'cause sick Roe? What if…hurt like…guar'den?"
Roesia had no answer to the pup's questions, her mind turning to Remus and how he seemed to have damaged the pup to make it fear other humans, even his parents. If she didn't have the three pups to watch, Roesia might have considered tossing the omega overboard herself, however she took her duty seriously as both a mother and as a caretaker despite still being a child herself. *'Diamond, be nice,'* spoke Roesia mentally to her son who was holding Neville's hand in his mouth and chewing on it. Her son whined in response.
"He not hurt Roe," said Neville.
"Be that as it may herb pup, I'd rather he not get into the habit of chewing on hands," said Roesia. As Neville nodded, the youngster pulling his hand out of Diamond's mouth, Roesia realized Cedar had cried himself to sleep, still clutching the Caretaker's fur.
"Can I help?" Roesia looked up to see Cox approaching, glancing down at the sickly pup who was asleep. "I am a Custodian Roe and am trained in watching pups along with training in the other ranks," he said.
"Can thou take Cedar down below? The pup's cried himself to sleep…he's worried about how his sire and dam will treat him with him being sick. Said he didn't want to go back to the omega's planet and wanted to be here with myself and Siren," said Roesia.
"I don't think there's anything we can do about that," said Cox. "The pups may have to go back to their home world though I'd rather they remain here on Xaythea. If they went back, they'd probably not be able to come back to Xaythea." His ears flattened at his words before sighing and lifting the pup from Roesia, turning his head to see Neville staring at them.
"Where Cedar go?"
"I'm taking him below to have a nap herb pup," said Cox. "Don't worry, the gamma, delta and Aluxious are below deck. They won't let anything happen to thy friend," he said. When the pup nodded, Cox turned and headed for the hatch, leaving Roesia to watch Neville and Diamond. The hatch was open which made it easy to walk down the stairs, the pup not waking in his arms as Cox headed down and began descending the lower decks of the ship until getting to where the passengers were being kept. As he approached the sleeping gamma, Eponine turned her head towards Cox as Cedar was lain down on one of the blankets before Cox tucked the other couple blankets over sleeping pup.
"How are the pups?"
"Roesia said Cedar doesn't want to return to his home planet," said Cox. "Apparently he wants to stay on Xaythea with Roesia and Siren."
"Good. The little brat can stay here along with…"
Remus didn't get a chance to finish as both Aluxious and Cox hit the omega and knocked it into the wall from their combined tackle, the two males racing towards Remus and tore into the omega, the scent of blood filling the air. "Watch the pup," growled Eponine to Cox and Aluxious who flicked their tails in acknowledgement but didn't verbally respond to the delta. Siren sat there watching the entire scene, moving his body in between the two attacking males and the pup as Eponine got to her feet, the delta prepared to assist the gamma if the omega decided to make a break for it. The sound of yelping from Remus, the growls of Aluxious and Cox and the scent of iron filled the air as the omega was attacked by the two males who were higher in rank. They eventually released Remus after bloodying and breaking some bones in his body, leaving the wolf lying there in a pool of its own blood. The two males left Remus lying there as Siren told them to find somewhere to wash up before Diamond and Neville came down and Cedar woke up.
*'This omega isn't going to end up living to Souldes is he?'*
*'Doesn't seem so Siren,'* growled Eponine.
*'Maybe that will be a good thing for the pups,'* said Siren as he looked over his shoulder at the sleeping Cedar who coughed in his sleep. The paws of Cox and Aluxious headed away from the gamma and delta as they observed the bleeding omega, leaving it to suffer. If it passed away, well then, they'd just toss it overboard to feed the merfolk or one of the monsters that roamed the seas and oceans of Xaythea. "Have pleasant dreams pup and try to get some rest," said Siren to the sleeping Cedar before settling down and curling around the pup to give Cedar some extra warmth and protection, the gamma already in his were form.
Abandoned Town, Souldes
Xygerk, Grass Moon, Year of the Dragon
"Time to go fledgling," spoke Beauvis as he approached the fledgling who was watching dusk come over the land. "Thou hath managed to at least hunt a rabbit which is better than I did as a fledgling, but we cannot stay here forever. Nor can we live off animal blood without it making us weak." Severus turned to the vampire who was standing in the doorway of the house he'd been brought to and that they'd been living in for the past couple days. Had it really been two days since he had found himself on this planet and been bitten by a vampire? Was he truly out of Azkaban or was he just trapped there and mentally unsound in the mind like so many prisoners of Azkaban found themselves?
"How long of a walk is it?"
"It will be a few days fledgling," said Beauvis. "Destination be on the western side of one of the mountains along the eastern mountain chain, Atirood Mountains. We'll be heading north for a bit and then east into the mountains. Come along now."
"Are the twin suns normal?"
"Aye," said Beauvis as they headed along the overgrown road, the wind whistling through some of the houses and creating an eerie atmosphere that made Severus shudder. He found it hard to believe that this settlement had once been a thriving town. "What happened to the…Kuvinean?"
"The race entirely disappeared from Xaythea," said Beauvis. "They were a creation of the Ancient One Muxaris whereas we vampires were created by the Ancient One Sivdall who also created humans. This place is one of the few that remain of their presence on Xaythea. I do not believe anyone really knows why Kuvinean went extinct, but they do know why giants went extinct."
"Who are the Ancient Ones? And what do you mean by giants being extinct?"
"The Ancient Ones are the first children of Lord Vamdes and Lady Nitrix," said Beauvis. "They are believed to be asleep now for they no longer walk the planet. As for the giants…tell me fledgling. Doth thou hath giants on thy planet?"
"Only in the magical world but they're reclusive as they can't be trusted," said Severus.
"The 'magical world'. What be that?"
Severus was finding it difficult to follow along the vampire's manner of speech. "It's a world separate from muggles…non magical people," he explained. "We keep the worlds separate as muggles tended to hunt witches and wizards and kill them as well as hunt down magical creatures."
There was silence as Beauvis processed this information. "Thou art all human aye?"
"Yes," said Severus.
"Then why doth thou separate from each other? Even those without magic can learn from sorcerers and have a good relationship with them," said Beauvis. "Sorcerers can do many things for their respective races and are a reliable source of protection when united against an enemy but magic doth not cure everything. Some things can be better solved with alchemy and science while others can be solved with just science."
"Witches and wizards used to be hunted by muggles and burned at the stake," said Severus. "It's this history and fear of it happening again, this belief that witches and wizards are superior to those without magic and choose to separate themselves from the muggles, allowing them to remain in ignorance of our world and obliviating any who learn about us. Of course, we allow muggleborn children to come to school and learn from proper witches and wizards, even those like myself who have a muggle parent and a wizard or witch parent."
"Thou words seem ludicrous," said Beauvis. "Thou people hate these non-magical humans, but thou allow their offspring to attend school to control their magic. Why doth thou not just allow wizards and witches to only marry their own kind instead of these non-magical humans thou people look down upon like vermin if blood be so precious to them?"
Severus paused in his walk, turning his gaze upon the vampire who had bitten him two days ago. Had it really been two days since his humanity had disappeared? He truthfully did not have an answer for Beauvis. "I don't know," said Severus to which his sire huffed in response. "How many hours are in the day here?"
"Thirty-two hours. Sixteen hours in the morning and sixteen at night," said Beauvis. "Our year itself be six hundred sixteen days, totaling thirty-two hours a day." Severus' face became slack as he heard this information.
Sixteen…thirty…two hours? Despite astronomy being seven years of education in Hogwarts, something Severus found foolish after the first couple years, his knowledge on astronomy was lacking in both the muggle and wizarding worlds. "Isn't there another way we can get around besides walking?"
"I doth not have a horse," said Beauvis. "However," he said with a sigh at the impatience of his fledgling, "we may be able to get a ride to our destination upon getting to Orfahil. It's in Armbruster Valley."
"Why is it called that?" As they approached the tunnel entrance, Severus looked around him to see it was overtaken with nature and blocking out all sound, the old railroad tracks overrun with grass so that they were barely visible anymore. "Do you have trains here?"
"It is called that due to the many packs of Armbruster wolves in the area before it was settled. It's still mostly wilderness which means the creatures have not been eradicated…well…the wolf is a sacred animal of the people, no matter their race. As for what you ask…no we do not have anything like what you say." Severus pointed to the tracks and Beauvis looked down. "Ah…this is a relic from the Kuvinean," said Beauvis. "From what history has been determined from them, the Kuvinean were not a native race to Xaythea but they were created sometime after the War of Bone Lake. The Ancient One Muxaris created them about six years into the War of Bone Lake. It was the Year of the Turtle, of the year two hundred eighty-five."
"What happened to them?"
"Nobody knows. They just disappeared in year four hundred twenty-one," said Beauvis with a shrug. "I'm not that old so I don't know why they went extinct nor know of what they were like in reality but history said they could manipulate lightning and cause thunderstorms."
Severus fell silent at this information before something occurred to him. "How old are you?"
"Forty-five," said Beauvis. "I know, I look nothing like it, but you'll find fledgling that vampires do not age in the traditional sense…oh we have a lifespan same as any other race or animal on our planet but our skin remains smooth and young. Even when an elder of another race is bitten, their wrinkles smooth out to reveal pristine skin. It doth not change their hair or lack thereof should they have lost it," he added with a laugh. "I be considered a fledgling myself under vampire rankings…though specifically I am a Trapper of my coven…or I used to be before I left."
"Trapper?"
"Trappers…they be the hunters and scouts of the coven. Tasked with gathering food, ensuring to the nourishment of the coven, keeping fires going in Fuyu, that sort of thing," he said. "We both be fledglings until we reach one hundred one years of age, when we no longer will need our sire's guidance and protection. Or rather I…since you'll need it for a long time."
Armbruster Valley, Souldes:
The valley before them was surrounded by hills as they emerged from the tunnel after a spell. The sky was clear, and thousands of stars dotted the inky blackness above them, no clouds in sight and light shone from Xygerk which was round and full whereas Odrapus was a new moon and Necalea was in the last quarter. "What type of plants are there here?"
Beauvis turned his gaze to look at his fledgling at the question. "In this valley I've not the faintest idea," said Beauvis. "But we have edible plants, poisonous plants and medicinal plants upon Xaythea." It took them a while to reach their first destination, passing through Armbruster valley until they arrived at Orfahil, a town raised on the lowest point of a valley. The pair of vampires headed along the road leading to the town. The homes and buildings around them were made of oak wood walls with straw roofs with Orfahil itself being surrounded by fields of farmland.
"Fledgling, get out of the way," said Beauvis, grabbing Severus and hauling the younger man easily as a wagon barreled down on them, the anthromorphic tiger shouting at them as the team rode on by, Severus staring in disbelief.
"Wha…what was that?!"
"Probably someone delivering supplies from a city or a town," said Beauvis with a shrug.
"No…not that. That…that thing…that…cat."
"That was a tiger, a werecat to be precise," said Beauvis. "Possibly of House Bakshi, the tiger pureblood house. Doth thou not hath werecats on thou planet?"
"No…no. We have…vampires of course…goblins and dragons…trolls and giants…"
"Thou hath giants?"
Severus nodded, bewildered by Beavuis's sudden interest and curiosity. "Yes…though they're generally unintelligent and tend to be found in the remote mountains and hills far from people. Sometimes they produce half-giants. Of course, we have humans, house elves, phoenixes and grindylows and merfolk…but werewolves are the only werebeast I know of that we have but many humans believe all these are myths and don't exist. Only those in the wizarding world know of these creatures...know they are real."
Beauvis had no idea what 'house elves' and 'grindylows' were but he recognized werewolves, giants, trolls, and merfolk. "Trolls we have, however there be only two that are of a nature inclined to intelligence. The others be considered monsters," said Beauvis. "Come Severus. Let us show thee thou first taste of a high elf village on thou new planet and enquire as to the next stage's arrival." The pair of vampires walked along the side of the road towards the town, eventually reaching a sign that was written in a strange language and the common tongue underneath which said Orfahil, Est. Year 790.
"What is that language?"
"Elvish," said Beauvis. "It says Alataulya tov Orfahil. Or 'Welcome to Orfahil' with Alatulya being 'welcome' and tov being 'to' in the elvish tongue," explained Beauvis. "High elves are one of the subspecies of elves though they tend to live in stone cities. I am not sure why these elves live in a village in the forest. They are haughty and tend to think they're better than other subspecies of elves," said Beauvis with a shrug. "Now my people, that be snow elves, tend to live in the mountains or tundra. Of course, now that I be a vampire, well..I am not exactly welcome back home nor among other elves of my former community so live within a coven…that is vampire groups are called."
"Coven? Then where is this…coven that you live in?"
"It's run by a vampire named Amdis White, one of the pureblood families of vampires. There are seventeen for vampires, five for the werecats, thirteen for the werewolves though that is not counting their offshoot houses, and eleven for the werebears. The coven itself is known as Midnight Myriad, located in Hazelmyre which is near the Wobem Wetlands in western Souldes," said Beauvis. "That is our destination but for now, we'll be trying to get transportation there."
Walking along the dusty road, it was about a mile into town on foot which the vampires covered easily, the land being flat with the valley hills rising into the air around them, some hills being taller than others. Often fog rolled into the valley, covering the entire area in fog. Orfahil was not the only settlement within the valley, however. There were others scattered about and much wilderness as well. Moving across a bridge cutting across a brook, they entered the main area of Orfahil. Immediately, Severus's eyes were drawn to the inn which was situated next to the general store which had shingle roofing over the lavastone walls. In fact, the entire town from what Severus could see looked luxuriant with homes and buildings built of wheat straw roofs, lavastone walls and he could see white sandy beaches in the distance. It seemed they were near the coast as well, the smell of the ocean filtering through the valley confirming this.
"We're near the ocean?"
"Aye," said Beauvis. "Near the southern coast but betwixt Spirit Forest and the Abandoned Town as Divine be known now. West of Armbruster Valley be Ancient Ones Valley. Did I mention we be in the southern half of the continent?"
"I figured that just now by you saying that we're near the southern coast," said Severus. "Where do we find this stagecoach?"
"We can get information at Orfahil Mercantile," said Beauvis. He pointed to one of the buildings in the distance which was a mix of stone and brick with a wooden roof which had a large sign above a covered porch proclaiming it to be the place Beauvis mentioned. They passed a livery and a feed store as well as the mill which was located on the opposite side of the main street that rain through Orfahil. The bridge was wide enough to allow for horses, carriages or even wagons to pass and as they walked across the wooden structure, their shoes clopped over the boards, yet it was sound and even if it were to break, they weren't that high up where it would injure them at all. Severus wasn't even sure if vampires could be injured as he didn't know much about them from Defense Against the Dark Arts nor from his time in the Dark Lord's service, much less on another planet.
Well, you'll certainly know now, thought Severus. He worried for his son as well, still angry and upset with Lily's betrayal. He didn't put it past Potter to not want anything to do with his son and he was glad in a way that Arastos wasn't in Lily's custody as he knew Potter would end up bullying his son or potentially mistreating him because he was a Snape. Or rather a Prince, since Severus had given his son the Prince family name, making him the next in line for that title. Would he ever get back home, and would he ever be able to get ahold of his son? How could Severus possibly be a father if the last time he had seen his child was before he'd gone to warn Lily of the Dark Lord planning to attack? Would she have even believed a word he had said to her?
And what was really waiting for him back home? It was bad enough he was judged for being a Death Eater and that Dumbledore had not believed him nor vouched for him. He had lost custody of his son and was now on a new planet after five years in Azkaban, five years which had been torture as Severus was not an animagus and now he was a vampire. What if he went back and couldn't find Arastos? What if Arastos suffered because of Severus being a vampire and a convicted Death Eater or Dumbledore turned him back over to Azkaban? What of the wolf? Had he and the 'prophesied children' made it somewhere safe when he had shoved them through that portal that had appeared out of nowhere? Lost in thought, he did not hear Beauvis calling his name nor the vampire moving towards him until he was suddenly slapped across his face, the sting bringing him back to reality.
"Fledging, thou spaced out," said Beauvis. "What be on thou mind?"
Severus was startled to see the vampire who had attacked him to be looking at him with concern. He had thought all vampires were monstrous creatures, muggle and wizard that had been turned against their will, cursed to walk the night alone and drink the blood of the living, be they human or animal. "I was wondering if I would ever end up being able to get home."
"I cannot say," said Beauvis. "Thou would likely need to seek out a sorcerer…or Lord Calius to send thee back home. Why doth thou come to Xaythea in the first place?"
"My employer wished to have some plants and ingredients for potions for his apothecary. It's a place that sells…"
"I know what an apothecary is fledgling," said Beauvis. "Sells herbs and potions. Don't look so surprised. That business be usually how villages and hamlets get medicine if they live too far from a town or city or have no doctor," he said.
Beauvis led Severus to the mercantile and headed up the steps to the porch, walking in with Severus following him as the lost one, a vampire from one second to nine years old, tried to process that this planet also had apothecaries. Perhaps…perhaps he could work in one? He had enjoyed it, even if he were a mere errand boy and apprentice. It was a lovely change from Azkaban for sure, and his employer was not a tough task master. Severus had considered making his own potions when studying for his Potions Mastery before he had gotten swept up in being made the Dark Lord's personal potioneer.
The shop was clean, the goods themselves stacked neatly on shelves and consisting of clothing, fabric, a storeroom in the back for farm equipment, fishing rods, guns, seeds for farming, lanterns, metal horseshoes and stirrups which had been invented in Clolight. Beauvis made his way through one of the aisles whose shelves were littered with rolling pins, canned peaches and sacks of flour, beans and jars of molasses the shelves on one side while the other was littered with children's toys and tins of sugar and yeast. "Hyvä noswaith," came the greeting. "How may I help thee?"
"Noswaith. Mine fledgling and I be wondering when the next stage be coming," said Beauvis.
The high elf that managed the mercantile tossed his autumn orange hair back behind his head, turquoise eyes staring past Beauvis towards Severus who was looking around him and shuddering at the lack of technology, though Severus wasn't that big of a fan of it with having rarely gone home except for the summer holidays when he'd been a student. But aside from their first Christmas where the Evans had invited Severus to stay the holidays with them. Lily knew how horrible it was at home, his mother being a weak-willed woman and allowing his father, a drunken muggle to beat on her and him, a man who hated magic…he still couldn't understand why his mother had married Tobias Snape at all. These trips to the Evans' had continued until Lily had begun distancing herself from her parents over the years until she no longer went home for the holidays by their fourth year, completely remaining at Hogwarts and then gradually never went home at all. Severus at least had been there with Arastos for their deaths. They'd helped him a lot as a child and again when he'd been made into a father due to one night of mistakes and regrets. Was it possible that being a witch had changed Lily? Or was she always so cruel underneath?
"There be a stage that should be arriving in about twenty minutes to half an hour," said the owner. "Thou may sit out on the porch if thou wish unless thou would care to purchase something?"
"Nay," said Beauvis, "but we thank thee for the information. Perhaps some clothing or fabric so one of mine coven females can create clothing for mine fledgling," he said after a moment of surveying Severus. "Fledgling, come hither," he called to Severus who was pulled out of his thoughts.
"Aye. Feel free to browse though the richer fabrics cost a pretty coin."
Beauvis nodded, knowing that meant silk, cashmere and richer furs like mink and ermine were out of Beauvis's budget. Not to mention those rarer furs were used for aristocracy in some of the humanoid societies. Severus walked over, grumbling under his breath about being called a bird before stopping at the older vampire's side. "Yes?"
"Thou should be more accepting of thy freedom," spoke Beauvis, his pale features turning into a frown as he looked at Severus. "Thou seem to be lost in thought earlier but for now, pick out some cloth or clothing thou take a fancy to," he said, gesturing towards the colorful fabrics on the shelves all folded up. The fabric would need to be cut of course but the owner could do so when Severus had found what he wanted. "Thou can choose from wool, linen or cotton as well as furs like rabbit, wolf or bear…despite them being sacred animals here and three years named after them."
"You name your years after animals?"
"Aye," said Beauvis. "But this can be spoken of later. For now, look at these cloth and clothing. Any that don't fit can be tailored and hemmed when we get to Zex Aldar or our coven," he spoke. "We hath thirteen years…thirteen sacred trees….thirteen sacred animals for the years though there are a few like the snake or the phoenix that are considered sacred yet doth not hath a year named after them," said Beauvis. "If thou hurry, we may find something to eat."
"Vampires can eat?"
"Have to blend in with humans somehow," said Beauvis with a shrug, "and though food provides some to little nutrition to vampires, we still need it to function. Thou probably hath not noticed but thou scent has changed with mine venom in thou veins and no longer being human. Thou scent be like all vampires, of wet soil and moss. Sweets for example would give little nutritional value whereas meat would give some nutritional value, but we take not just food and blood but also energy. There be much I need to teach thou…yet also things a keeper can teach thou as well when we get to our coven. However, most of it will lie upon myself as thou sire. Until thou art able to care for thyself, to hunt and not embarrass me, to survive on thy own, anything thou do reflects upon me, and I can also be punished for it so best to be on thou behavior and listen," said Beauvis.
Severus knew next to nothing about fashion. Being poor and a half-blood had made things difficult in Slytherin when he had been a student, not only that but he'd been abused at home and bullied at school from Potter and his friends, including that mangy wolf that the mutt had attempted to lure him to. He knew Black didn't have any common sense or brains but had the dog not thought about the repercussions on the wolf if Severus had been bitten? Of course, he hadn't. Black was too much like Potter, a rebellious and spoiled brat from a pureblood family who thought he was better than everyone else.
Severus needed Beauvis's advice on what would look good on him and as it turned out, his sire enjoyed fashion. As he also found out, it wasn't really something men got into but Beauvis jokingly said he'd always been an oddity among his family. With his sire's help, Severus was able to avoid the clothing that neither were able to wear due to their class and that neither had money for anyway and find some clothing and fabrics. At Beauvis's suggestion, Severus chose some bright colors, being told that just because they were vampires was no reason to be all dour in appearance. The clothing and fabric were packaged up, Beauvis insisting on getting Severus a couple pairs of boots and some shoes before paying for the large purchase where it was all deposited into a bag which Beauvis carried.
"What month is it?" Severus posed the question to Beuavis as they headed towards a restaurant a short walk from the mercantile. "Is it April here?"
"'Tis Grass Moon and the season be Haru," said Beauvis. "What year was it in thou planet?"
"It was April, the middle of spring and the year was…I believe my employer said it was 1986," said Severus. "How do you not go by actual year numbers?"
"Fledgling, just because the people of Xaythea go by a thirteen-year cycle, doth not mean we not use years. If thou want an actual number, we would be in the year 794," said Beauvis, not understanding the way Severus's eyes widened in horror as Beauvis spoke.
"And…how…how many months do you have? How…many seasons?" As he asked this, Severus had the suspicion that the months here may correspond to the months on earth though of course he had no way of testing this theory.
"Five seasons of four months each," said Beauvis. "Next month be Flower Moon. Perhaps if thou art a good fledgling, we may go to Turtle Island and thou can visit during the Festival of Maglif."
"Festival of Maglif?"
"Aye. 'Tis a festival celebrating both magic and life," said Beauvis. "Rose Moon be the last moon of Haru after which come Alsayf. Then the months get hotter, well starting in Rose Moon it start warming up," he said. "Not too much since it's still Haru but as it bleeds into Alsayf, Rose Moon will begin getting hotter. The bad time is Alsayf and Shafak though. They're the hottest seasons with Fuyu being the coldest naturally with the snow everywhere…though it doesn't snow much in Ucora or Yetraezica," he said. "I think in Ucora, it only really snows in the Penesea Highlands in the north of the supercontinent. Yetraezica is of course naught but desert really. Not a good place for us, what with not being able to go out in the sunlight until we become elders."
"And…when do we become elders?"
"When we reach one thousand years," said Beauvis. "But by then, we should both be quite strong. Our abilities unlock gradually through the years as we age though some we naturally have from birth or being bitten," he spoke. "Thou will find thou will no longer age past…how old be thee?"
"Twenty-six," said Severus, finding everything the vampire had to say hard to believe.
"Then thou will not age past thy current age," said Beauvis. "Now, come fledgling. Let us get some vittles in us before the stage arrives," he said cheerfully, patting Severus on the head like a dog and heading into the restaurant, the pair finding a table in a shadowy corner and sitting down.
Flyrum, Grass Moon, Year of the Dragon
On Board the Aeolus
The trio of pups had fallen asleep as the ship sailed and the full moon of Xygerk rose within the heavens. With the rising of the full moon that cast her pale white light upon the world, Odrapus was a sliver of light while Necalea shown in the waxing gibbious and lastly…lastly was Rovao which appeared as the second biggest moon in the night sky. Unlike its fellows, Rovao had no effect on the werecreatures below, for it was a moon that could support life. "I smell cat," said Aluxious in disgust.
"I'm sure it smells dog as well," said Roesia as she looked back at the trio of sleeping pups and then towards the omega. "Just because a member of House Chapulin attacked thou doth not mean they all bad," said Roesia.
"Quiet," said Eponine. "Thou will wake the pups and we be on a ship. Even within the hull of the ship and out of reach of Xygerk, we not be safe from transforming," she said. The group of adolescent and adult wolves were currently human as they waited, devoid of clothing which lay in a pile away from the pups.
"Ugh..I thought I smelled dog here," came a hiss and the group of wolves smelt a leopard come towards them. It was a member of House Chapulin and not just that, but the leopard that had once attacked Aluxious.
"You," growled Aluxious.
"Oh…'tis thy wolf who got his tail beat by a little kitty," said the leopard. "Care for another round pup?"
Aluxious bristled even more as did the rest of the wolves. "Bring it on kitty," the Xi growled, stepping toward the leopard.
"Enough," growled Siren, stepping forward in between the red-haired male and Aluxious. Unlike the wolves, the cats turned on the new moon and that just so happened to coincide with tonight's full moon as it would tomorrow. Odrapus, for some reason, was four nights this month where it was completely dark. "We have pups here and they are not to be harmed," growled the gamma. "The omega however…feel free to attack it all you want."
The red head let his gaze wander past the wolves to the pups, scenting dog and human among them, causing him to start to move forward but Roesia snarled and moved in front of the pups. Yellowish-green eyes, which were the same in his feline form, stared at Roesia and then to the pups. "Thou hath food with a wolf pup?"
"Nay. They be pack members…not food," said Eponine with a snarl. "The omega's charges be the human pups…but the omega be a fool…a fool that will find himself overboard whether he like it or not if he keeps this up," she said with a glare in Remus's direction. The werecat's eyes followed Eponine's to Remus who was injured and bleeding freely from his wounds inflicted on him by both Cox and Aluxious from the earlier punishment.
"I doth not harm the young," said the red head. "No matter their race. However, I shalt be sure to take the opportunity to punish thy omega if it bothers me. Where art thou going anyway?"
"The ship be going to Souldes. That be our destination," said Cox.
"Aye, it be so," said the red head. "I shalt not bother thy pups," came the answer before the werecat left and headed back to where they were staying on the ship. Shortly after the werecat left, the full and new moons finally began to rise and the wolves and cats on board the ship began to change, cries of pain turning into whimpering yelps.