Mother Wolf Ch. 17

"Why are we at school?" Howleen asks as Bram leads her through the building. "It's a Saturday. This is the last place I want to be."

"Apologies, Howleen," Bram stops before a classroom. "I had forgotten something for an important assignment in this room."

The expecting werewolf crosses her arms and stares at the vampire. "Well?" the ghoul gestures to the door. "Aren't you going to get it?"

"I'm afraid not. As a vampire, I cannot enter uninvited."

"Ugh! Fine," Howleen walks past him and opens the door. "Just tell me where it is so that we can—"

Shouts bombards the ghoul as the lights turn on by themselves. "SURPRISE!"

Within the room are Howleen's friends, her mom and sisters, the entire Fear Squad, even Gory is there leaning into the side of Catrine.

Howleen looks around to see the decorations with balloons, a large banner, end even a cake reading 'Congratulations!'

"Oh, my ghoul! You guys threw me a baby shower!" she hops in place before turning to Bram who has walked in behind her. "I thought you couldn't come in?" she grins at him while giving an accusatory look.

"Once a vampire is invited, they can do so as often as they wish," he explains. "Unless the invitation is rescinded."

"Don't tell my brother or else he'll uninvite you from his room," Howleen hugs Bram. "Thank you. All of you," she looks around at every ghoul in the room.

Howleen now sits in a chair surrounded by the ghouls with Bram standing right behind her. The ghoul opens the last of the presents and pulls out a onesie. "Awe! It's adorable. Thank you, Clawdeen," she looks into the box to see a couple more just like it.

"Never had to make baby clothes before, but it was a challenge I was willing to take on for my future nieces and/or nephews," the fashion ghoul boasts a bit.

"Speaking of which," Toralei takes a sip of the punch. "You never told us the gender. Or genders for that matter."

Harriet agrees, "I wish to know that as well. It would make things easier for setting up the nursery once we find a new house."

Bram places his hands on Howleen's shoulders. "We agreed that we wished to remain surprised for when it comes time for delivery."

"We?" the expecting werewolf laughs. "I was the one who wanted to be surprised. Last appointment, you were practically demanding the doctor to tell you."

Gory laughs as well. "It's just like him. Bram is not too big on surprises. I still remember that last time we threw a secret party for him."

The blond vampire looks at her irritably. "We agreed to never speak of that!"

"Oooh!" Howleen looks up at Bram. "Now you have to tell me about it."

Cleo looks between Howleen and Gory. "You two are surprisingly comfortable with each other."

"Cleo!" everyone shouts at the mummy.

Catrine squirms in her seat. "I must admit that I am nervous being here," she turns to her ghoulfriend. "You should be to. No?"

Gory gives her a peck on the cheek. "There's nothing personal between us. What me and Bram had was all set up by our parents. Besides, I think everyone in this room knows my preference by now," she smiles at the purple werecat.

Catrine blushes a bit. "I'd feel better if everyone knew. Especially your parents. I'd like to meet them."

Gory looks away. "You will eventually. I just don't know how to break it to them that I don't want a husband but a wife." Her attention is brought to a series of 'oohs' from almost every ghoul in the room.

"Gory," Draculaura smirks at her fellow vampire. "I had no idea you were so bold and upfront."

"Huh?" she then turns to Catrine and sees her ghoulfriend's face tinted with red. That's when it clicked, and her own face reddens. "Not, not what I meant!"

Cleo gives her own smirk. "So, you don't want to marry her?"

"Of course, I do. I mean no. Eventually someday, maybe. It's just—" she is immediately quiet down when her ghoulfriend kisses her.

"You were rambling again," Catrine tells her as she pulls away. "Perhaps when you are ready to ask, I might say yes. After graduation that is."

"Awe!" left every ghoul in the room and Bram just smiles at his oldest friend.

A knocking then comes at the door to the classroom. "Huh?" Harriet gets up. "Who could that be? I thought for sure everyone was here," the woman goes over to answer the door. She stares through the doorway for a few moments before calling. "Cleo! I think it's for you."

In walks the last person anyone thought they would see in a long time.

Cleo stares at the ghoul in front of them. "Nefera?" her big sister stands in the doorway. Though, she seems different. No longer was the elder de Nile child wearing high end brands as she now has on some worn out jeans, old boots, and a plain shirt. Her hair is even shorter, much shorter. And is no longer done up in a ponytail. She even lacks any amount of makeup. The most expensive thing she has on is a neckless with a single diamond.

Nefera nervously twiddles her thumbs. "Um, hi!" she waves. "If I had known about the party I would've brought a gift."

Toralei hisses as she approaches the older de Nile sibling. "Give me one good reason why I shouldn't finish what I started."

"Because I came here to apologize."

That caught everyone off guard.

"I totally did not see that coming," Cleo commented.

Nefera walks over to Howleen. Bram stands over the young werewolf in a protective manner. "I'm sorry for what I did to you. It was a horrible thing to do even if you weren't pregnant. I am a very messed up ghoul with a lot of messed up problems. I'm doing my best to fix those problems. I don't need you to forgive me," the mummy looks down while reaching up to the scar on the side of her face. "Ra, knows that I don't deserve it."

Howleen stares at Nefera before getting up and walk towards the mummy. "I don't think I could forgive the Nefera that nearly took my pups away." Nefera nods her head and turns to leave, only to have someone grab her arm. "But that's the old Nefera," the werewolf smiles. "I can tell that you're trying your best not to be her. This Nefera? I can forgive," she pulls the older ghoul into a hug.

"Thank you," Nefera returns the hug.

When they broke away, Howleen suggests, "You should stay. We have cake."

"I would love to. But I'm afraid that I got to get going. I mostly stopped by to apologize," the older de Nile turns to the younger. "Cleo. May we talk?"

The two walked out of the building in silence until Cleo Snapped. "What's going on Nefera!? You practically vanished more than a month ago. No calls, no messages! At first I was relieved for not hearing your whining and suddenly you showed up and I hardly recognize you. Which I have to admit, I love what you did with your hair."

Nefera fixes a loose strand. "Thanks. I found it was easier to work with shorter hair than long sweaty hair."

"What happened to you? I just can't believe that you're my sister."

The older mummy smiles and unconsciously reaches up to her neckless. "I was put to work on day one. I was miserable and in return, I made everyone else miserable," she smiles as they approach an old RV. "Just about the whole farm gave up on me. Except for one."

Cleo notices her actions and smiles. "What's his name?"

"His name is Drake. He's a really nice guy. And pretty much the only farmhand that didn't take my holier than thou attitude personally."

"Wait!" they stopped next to the RV. "You're with a farmhand? How'd that happen?"

"By being a pain in my back, that's how," a different voice answered. Walking around from the front of the RV is a tall red scaled dragon with folded wings on his back. He's wearing a grey oiled stained jumpsuit. The dragon points at Nefera. "I knew this ghoul was going to be trouble the moment I laid eyes on her. At first, I was going to go easy on her. But Ms. Hathor told me to treat her like anyone else on the farm. She was chasing away everyone who approached her. Even Ms. Hathor was prepared to kick her out. Luckily, I convinced her to give me one chance to work with Nefera. Late at night after visiting the nearby mines, I knocked on her window and when she opened it, I told her this is what you are," he holds up a hand to hold an imaginary item. "and showed her a piece of coal. I then crushed it between my hands," he mimics the movement. "and when I opened them back up…"

"He told me this is what I could be," Nefera finishes as she fiddles with her neckless. "That I could be a diamond by working through the pressure. After that, I find that reaping what you sow is pretty rewarding. Even the mundane things that we thought only servants and peasants should do, I oddly found some enjoyment. Daddy did right by sending me to Aunt Hathor. In more ways than one," the older de Nile looks back over at her sister. "Cleo, this is Drake Avalon. Drake, this is my sister Cleo."

"Pleasure to meet you, Cleo," Drake shakes the younger de Nile's hand. "Nefera told me much about you."

"All bad things, I'm sure," Cleo jokes.

"At first. But after a while. She softened up a bit," the dragon turns back to Nefera. "Good news. The transmission is not shot. She's still ready for the drive despite the scare."

Nefera places her hands on her hips. "That's what you said last week."

"Excuse me, princess! It's not my fault you nearly drove off the road."

"Well, you should have known better. It was the first time I'd driven anything."

While the two were bantering, Cleo looks over the large vehicle. "You drove in this heap here."

"Hey! Be nice to Gloria," Nefera places a hand on the vehicle. "She's a gift from Aunt Hathor."

"Aunt Hathor gifted you an RV for a quick trip here and back to the farm?"

Drake tilts his head before turning to the older de Nile sister. "You didn't tell her."

Nefera turns away, "I was getting to that."

Cleo was able to catch on. "You're not going back to Aunt Hathor's, are you?" she receives a shake from her sister. "But you're not staying either. Why?"

"I-I really don't get it myself," the older mummy shrugs. "Since being on the farm, I'm seeing the world completely different. It's as if I'm seeing everything for the first time. After talking it over with Aunt Hathor, she gave us her blessing for a cross country road trip. On the condition that I attempt to apologize to Howleen… and you," Nefera looks her little sister in the eye. "How can you possible forgive someone who was so horrible to you?"

"Like this," the younger sister pulls the older into a hug. "Take care, Nefera."

After the shock wore off, Nefera smiles and returns the hug. "I will, Cleo. Well," they break apart. "We better get going. If we don't leave now then we'll be stuck in traffic, and I may have lowered my standards. But I will not camp in the middle of the highway with twelve hundred strangers," she takes a step into the RV and stops before turning back to her sister. "About this visit. Could you not mention this to Daddy. I'm not exactly ready to deal with him yet."

Cleo chuckles. "Would you ever be? I swear to Ra that he'll never hear it from me. On the condition that you come and visit once in a while."

Nefera smiles. "Thanks, Cleo. See you on our way back through," with that, she goes in and takes her seat on the passenger side.

As Drake goes to enter the vehicle, he is stopped by the younger de Nile.

"Avalon," she glares at the dragon. "You better take good care of my sister."

Drake stares at her for a moment before placing a hand on the side of the RV. "You see Gloria here? She was barely a piece of junk when we got her. But after all the labor I put into it, she's running great. Something that I put effort into I cherish more than anything. I put a lot of work in helping Nefera to see who she can be. After all the trouble she put me through. You better believe I'll take care of her." he winks at the younger mummy before going in and soon the vehicle takes off.

Nefera looks out the side mirror, seeing the image of her sister getting smaller and smaller.

Drake looks over at her. "Where to now?"

The mummy hums in thought. "How about Plague-as?"

"Any reason?"

"It might have something to do with a certain tiny box I found."

The vehicle swerves a bit. "W-what box?"

The mummy smirks at him, "Drake. I know."

The dragon sighs. "How'd you find it?"

"It fell out of your pocket when we last stopped for laundry," she then glares at him. "By the way, you really need to start emptying them. So…" she grins. "What do you say?"

Drake returns a smile. "Viva Las Plague-as!"

.oOo.

Toralei stares out the window and onto the school's parking lot. She is then startled by the voice of her kitten.

"She left five minutes ago," Howleen walks up to her. "So, I know you're not keeping an eye Nefera. What's on your mind?"

The werecat's ears lower. "It's nothing, Kitten."

"Toralei! You have been there for me since the beginning of all this," the younger ghoul pats her belly. "You don't have to tell me what's wrong. I just want you to know that I want to be there for you just as you have been there for me." the expecting ghoul was about to leave but is stopped when Toralei hands her a folded piece of paper. Howleen unfolds it. "What's this?"

"It's an adoption paper."

"Huh?" the werewolf reads through it and spots a certain name. "No way! You mean Headmistress Bloodgood wants to…"

"Seems like it," Toralei finishes for her with a sad smile.

"Then what's the problem? It looks like all this need is your signature."

With a sigh, the werecat explains. "I've been in and out of the system for as long as I can remember. I've had many different kinds of foster parents in every shape, form, and size. I gave up on the idea of having a forever family a long time ago, and after…" she tightens her eyes and took a small breath to calm down. "After what happened with my son, I just planned on running off after I turned eighteen."

"But not anymore, right?"

"Out of all the fosters I had, Grace… Bloodgood had been the first one to make me feel as if I belonged somewhere. She has been patient with me and more so with me and Leo getting back together," the orange furred ghoul chuckles. "I don't think she has the highest opinion of him. But I'm afraid that one of these days, I'm going to wake up and realize that this is all a dream."

They remained silent for a few moments before Howleen says. "If this is a dream, then I don't want you to wake up."

"Huh?"

"I have my pups on the way, so many ghouls looking out for me, and you're one of my best friends. Things may not be perfect," the werewolf looks over to see Bram helping her mom cleaning up the decorations from the party. "But I wouldn't have it any other way."

Toralei smirks. "I see you're point. I wouldn't want to take away my kitten's handsome manster. She giggles seeing the younger ghoul blush at the comment. "I have one last gift for you," the werecat reaches into her jacket and pulls out a small gift-wrapped flat object. "I hope you like it." With that the older teen takes off.

Howleen stares at her friend before looking upon her gift before opening it. It's a picture from her first ultrasound in a decorated frame. The top of the frame reads 'My pups'. The ghoul smiles as she hugs the gift.

End

NOTE: I have a weakness for redemption stories. Characters who start out as bad guys but turn good for one reason or another. Are there those who are irredeemable? Yes. But Nefera showed potential of being good from the Monster High & Kind Campaign: The Shockumentary. Yeah, yeah. I heard it been argued that it's not canon to the webseries. But then again, early on in Monster High G1, the continuity can be a bit iffy. However! The potential still exists.