Now, this is a story all about how

Eda's life got flipped-turned upside down

What exactly happened? Read that in this tale about Edalyn Clawthorne who tries to scavenge for interesting stuff again. But not on Earth but in a different dimension. A dimension some of you are quite familiar with.

Without further ado: Enjoy the read.

Noctua Dominarum Potestas
by
Hatoralo

"I don't think that this is place is Staten Island."

A witch with hair orange as the light of the early morning was standing in the middle of a battlefield. A battlefield where a fierce battle was recently fought. Remains of destroyed war machines littered the field, smoking craters everywhere, many damaged and sometimes undamaged weapons left behind and a good number of bodies without life in them anymore.

"I don't even think that this is earth."

Some of the buildings were nothing she saw in any country of earth she had ever visited before. Granted, she had only visited Connecticut so far but from what she never saw any buildings like these in human books. These buildings looked smoother in design. Round, lacking edges. There was also the lack of automobiles and no signs of a McDonalds either.

"I doubt I find any Good Witch Azura novels here either."

No sighs of live anywhere here. The young lady decided not to scavenge here for valuables. There was enough to get no doubt but robbing the dead on a battlefield felt wrong for this witch and she was not desperate enough to do it right now.

"Better I call back Owlbert and go home."

The witch whistled for her Owl to come return. After a few seconds she only heard the voice of Owlbert calling her. A call indicating, she should come over to him.

"What is it Owlbert?" asked Eda while she was walking over to him. "What did you find?"

Eda walked into a badly damaged house with a destroyed wall from where Owlbert was calling her. Dodging some debris, she quickly found Owlbert who was pulling something out from under a mangled mass.

"What did you… Oh, my."

The mangled mass turned out to be a lifeless corpse. And something covered in a blanket under said corpse was the thing Owlbert was pulling from under the dead body.

"Owlbert, what- Ehm, what is your discovery?"

The little bundle Owlbert had found was moving. Eda helped her little friend to free the bundle and took it into her arms.

"Oh, no. Anything but that!"

The free-spirited witch was holding a baby in her arms. A cute little feline with tan-skin, cedar brown hair and finally a yellow eye on the left and a turquoise right eye, both using to look curiously at Eda.

"Ehm, hi there, baby. I am Edalyn Clawthorne, the Owl Lady," introduced Eda herself to the baby, not knowing what else she should do. "I am a scavenger and prospector. What are you?"

The baby made the usual brabbling baby noises and smiled towards Eda.

"Not much of a talker at the Moment?"

Owlbert hooted, trying to get something across to Eda.

"What now? Do you want to search their parents? I think the mother was laying… There…." Eda shuddered as she realized who the body belonged to followed by looking sad towards the corpse and over the baby. "Oh. Maybe the father is still around?"

Eda looked around the room. To her relief she didn't spot another body in here. But she remembered soon that this possible other dead body could lay elsewhere.

"What am I supposed to do with a baby, Owlbert?" asked Eda her friend. "I doubt I can sell her for much."

Owlbert hooted a harsh protests in response.

"Just a bad joke," explained Eda with an awkward smile. "Maybe a bit too bad. I can't take in a baby, Owlbert, I am a wanted criminal. Also I don't know how to take care of children and I am not interested in doing it either."

Owlbert then hooted some more, making different gestures with his wings.

"Well, I could get her to some nice civilians or an orphanage. How does that sound?"

Owlbert nooded agreeing with that plan. He then flew out of the window to look for more stuff Eda could scavenge. Eda looked down at the kitten in her arms who was nibbling on the Owl Ladies hair.

"Beware of hairballs," advised Eda, gently pulling her hair away from the baby's mouth. "I have something better to eat for you."

Eda produced a cookie and crumbled it into very small bits so the baby could easily eat it. She hold them to the mouth of the anthropomorphic kitten who smelled at them for a Moment before trying them. She laughed, seemingly enjoying the taste of the cookie.

"Seems you like this kiddo," noted Eda with a smile. "I think you need and deserve a lot of enjoyment after your ordeal."

A minute later she heard Owlbert hooting again. Eda hoped he found something valuable this time and also less baby-shaped. Something really nice to sell that would make a lot of money, to pay for expenses and buy a lot of apple blood. Edalyn left the home with the baby in her arms, making sure nobody was out there who could shoot at- or would charge at her. Sneaking towards where Owlberts hooting was coming from she kept her surroundings observed with her eyes.

"What do you have for me this time?" asked Eda, going through an alley to follow her bird. "I hope it is something made of gold."

Following Owlbert outside of the little village he led her onto some hills outside of the village.

"Found some intact tank by any chance?" wondered Eda loudly. "Rations? Weapons? Armor? Propaganda? Magazines full of people with no clothes on?"

Owlbert flew to a specific spot where Eda encountered something she didn't really expected expect from herself:
A magic interdimensional portal, just hovering closely over the ground in the air.

"A good discovery," admitted Eda. "But I don't know how to stuff this thing into my pocket. Maybe I could send this portal through mine? No, that is too much of a risk."

While Eda thought what she should do with the portal somebody came out of it. It was a tall man with a white skull-like face, black makeup around his eyes, a combed back mohawk, blue-black hair and red eyes. He was also wearing black knee-length boots covered in metal plates and metal soles, a black uniform bearing a red symbol that covers his entire body except for his lower back, a dark red hooded cape and a metal armor that has red lens on the forearms.

"Hi, there," greeted Edalyn the new arrival. "Also, there to scavenge around for nice stuff?"

The new arrival looked for a Moment surprised in form of a raised eyebrow before taking on a more sinister expression. "Who are you and what are you doing here?" asked the man in a deep, menacing and controlled voice."

"Name's Eda and I do Sightseeing aside from the scavenging," alleged Eda in a casual voice and friendly smile. "Any nice places to see here?"

The man with the white face ignored the question and looked at the baby in Eda's arms. "Where does this baby come from?"

"When a man and a woman love each other very much-"

"I didn't mean that," interrupted the man Eda's joke. "Where did you found this baby?"

"In the destroyed village over there," explained Eda. "Fine work by some murderous asshole. Anyway, do you know anyone where I could deliver this baby too? Somebody reputable who knows what to do with a baby?"

"Me."

Edalyn didn't like the way he said this, sounding very demanding on top of being a very quick and certain sounding answer from this sinister man.

"I think I better keep her to myself for now," responded Eda, holding the kitten closer to her chest who in turn grabbed to her blue shirt she was wearing. She then noticed the man holding a baby in his own arms as well. "From where did you get that baby in your arms?"

"None of your business," said the tall man in a threatening tone and came closer to the witch. "Now give me the other baby, they are mine, my right for winning this battle."

Edalyn drew her staff, elongated her magical item and Owlbert quickly placed himself on the top of it, turning into a figurine. "I don't like you winning. Who are you anyway?"

The tall pulled an electrified baton from his belt which became a staff with a push of a button and pointed it at Edalyn. "Surrender, stranger and give this baby to me."

"No, better you give your baby to me," suggested Eda with a smirk. "I think I can find a better place to live for both of them."

The tall man rushed aggressively forward and tried to hit Eda in the head but she directed the attack away and countered with her own push which the tall man dodged.

"Stop this, you jerk!" demanded Eda. "Who are you anyway?"

"I am Hordak, leader of the Horde" introduced the man himself and struck after Eda who dodged again. "And who are you, rebel?!"

"Edalyn Clawthorne, master sorceress and most famous wild witch of the Boiling Isles," introduced Eda herself. "Do you want to see a neat magic trick or two?"

Eda drew a glowing ring in orchid color into the air and coming from a bottle on her belt came a mass of orchid colored slime flying out and towards the tall man. The tall man struck after it with his staff, smashing the purple mass to the ground. He wanted to attack Eda again but the purple stuff suddenly wrapped around his left leg. This stopped Hordak long enough for the witch to prepare and unleash another attack onto her opponent. This time she made a ring that glowed in a brown color and she shot it at the ground, creating walls of earth to stop the assault of her enemy. It worked for a Moment until Hordak just up and onto the obstacle. Edalyn drew another glowing circle, this time it was glowing purple. Eda's eyes started to glow for a Moment in purple as well before she started to smirk.

"I know what to do."

The wild witch let her stab glow and created a magic circle from which an owl face with a long neck extended. It rushed towards Hordak who could only dodge in surprise in response and jump away from it.

"Got you now!"

Hordak turned around and thrust his staff into Eda. But instead of contacting solid matter it went through the witch. His eyes changed into a expression of confusion and surprise. "What the…?"

The other baby was pulled out of Hordak arms by a few flowers and then quickly carried away by several others. The baby laughed, obviously having fun. Hordak made an expression of no fun, anti-fun, he was furious. He ran after the baby while trampling many of the freshly grown flowers under his feet. "Give me back that baby!"

"I take custody of this one as well, thank you very much," responded Eda while she ran away. She didn't took time to look at the baby, instead she used her staff to open a short-distance portal she quickly created beforehand and ran through it towards the opening of her dimensional portal.

"Stop, I order you to STOP!" shouted Hordak and pulled a gun from a holster which had been hidden under his cape and aimed with it for Eda's head. Owlbert made a warning hoot and Eda summoned a orange shield in form of a owl head around her, protecting her from a ball of plasma coming from the pistol as Hordak pulled the trigger.

"No time to die," shouted Eda back to her opponent as she rushed towards the dimensional portal to get back home. "But I wouldn't say no to a date. See you!"

Eda ran through the portal, babies in arms. The last thing she heard from Hordak was a scream of absolute rage and frustration.

"That was close, that guy could have been a real challenge in a full fight," said Eda to herself. "Luckily he was carrying a baby he had to cover. Though I had to do the same as well."

Now that she had escaped that evil pale face, she had time to realize her situation. She had just taken two little babies with her.

"What have I done? I don't want to change diapers!"

She looked down at the two babies. The human baby was chewing on Eda's long hair and the other was meowing and using her paws to play with the long hair of Eda.

"Listen you adorable little scamps, as soon as I can I will deliver you back to your home dimension and into the next orphanage."

The two babies looked with great eyes and even greater curiosity at Edalyn. They babbled at bit and looked amused.

"I am a fugitive of the law," explained Eda to the two. "I would be a very bad example for you to follow while growing up."

The Owl themed witch walked towards her house while the two babies continued to either chew or play with her hair.

"The next chance I get I transport you back to your own world and give you to an orphanage that isn't associated with that tall jerk."

All Eda wanted at the Moment was to return home and drink a good cup Latte macchiato from earth or a at least apple blood mixed with caffeine. She probably needed to feed these two babies in the meantime with something.

So many thoughts swirling in her head as she came closer to her home she almost forgot something important until the "thing" was in her face.

"Hi Eda, what do you have there?" asked the Owl House his residemt.

"Two lad…. Two gentle…. Wait."

After checking on the two babies Edalyn said: "Two little ladies."

The house extended its neck, going around the neck of the witch to have a good view on the two small infants Eda brought with her.

"Oh, these two are look like adorable little mouses."

"Hooty, close your mouth they are not for eating!"

Hooty closed his mouth, frowning in disappointment.

"They will live temporary here until I can find a safe place for them on their world."

The owl of the titular Owl House nodded. "I can help store these two and feed them as well. I caught some really tasty mice recently, I think some parts of them are still edible."

"No," Eda said sternly. "These babies can't eat mice."

"Not even the kitten?"

Edalyn paused there for a Moment. "Maybe, but the mice should be fresh."

The witch and the babies entered the house. She laid them down on the sofa and after getting rid of cloak and boots she sat herself besides them, exhausted and sighing. Looking at the two, she really realized now what she had herself gotten into. Taking two babies with her, even temporarily wouldn't be easy. They needed food, drink, attention, toys and of course changing diapers, something Eda REALLY didn't look forward too.

"Having a moral center can be annoying but I guess I am just not evil enough to lack one."

"Hey babies, do you want to see something fun?" asked Hooty the two small beings on the sofa. "Look what I can do!"

The long-neck owl regurgitated several wooden figurines onto the sofa. The two small beings looked at this action with astonishment and interest.

"Hooty, I am no expert with this but I think children shouldn't play with salvia covered toys."

"Okay," said Hooty and licked the salvia quickly away. "Better?"

Eda gave Hooty a annoyed and deadpan look. "Slightly."

Observing the babies who were looking at and touching the figurines was quite adorable Eda had to confess to herself. She smiled as the kitten took one of the figurines which was the likeness of historical heroine of the Boiling Isles. Her name escaped her right now, like a feather in the hand swept away by incoming wind. The kitten moved the figurine around, fascinating by its appearance and what she could do with it.

The other baby looked at the figurine of a famous scholar. She carefully touched it with her little hands. She seemed to be fascinated by its form and studied it more closely. She continued to analyze the figurine before trying to play with it.

"One is a lot more direct than the other, while the other is analyzing the situation more first," observed Eda. She wondered how the two may develop through the future. "But I will not see this. You will grow up in your home dimension without me."

Eda was running away from several four-legged robot spheres. They weren't very receptive to Eda's polite questions to see their orphanages. Because of this she was sure she wouldn't submit the children in this part of the planet.

"I know you guys are in a bit of a pickle right now but I need you to look at two babies I have found a few days ago."

"When you don't need our services," said the stressed-out orphanage worker.

Eda shook her head. "I am not here to get more children, I am here to get rid of children, two babies to be exact."

"We really can't take in any more children right now except if they are war orphans," told the worker Eda. "If they have a good home already we don't take them."

"I am horrendously abusive towards the two babies!" claimed Eda immediately with a happy fake smile. "I beat them up every day and throw them down the stairs!"

The worker just gave her unmoving face in response.

"I don't have enough to eat for them!" lied Edalyn next. "They are forced to live like robins and have to eat rats to survive."

"Robins don't eat rats," said the orphanage worker.

"Where I come from they do."

"Even if that is the case, the answer is no," repeated the orphanage worker. "You have to leave now, we are evacuating."

"Evacuating?"

"This village is about to be attacked by the Horde," explained the orphanage worker. "Did you notice the lack of orphans here?"

"I thought you had a bad year."

The orphanage worker almost chuckled but he caught himself at the last second. "Just go and leave this place. The attack could start any minute now."

Edalyn sighed, feeling like she was forced to keep a heavy burden. She didn't dislike the babies but she still didn't thought that she would make for a good mother and she didn't want to spend the time on the two. She wants to spend her time being a wild witch, attacking the forces of Emperor Belos, stealing from them, spraying graffiti everywhere, sending joke messages to her sister, staying up to late into the night, eating only ice-cream and not wearing clothes most of the time.

All she could do was to leave the abandoned orphanage. Outside she saw troops running through the streets and installing lines of defense everywhere. Eda never encountered war before in her live and what she had witnessed in the destroyed village told her she didn't like it. She felt the heavy atmosphere in the air, the nervousness of the soldiers, the fear of the civilians and the overall feeling of uncertainty.

"This place feels worse than the Boiling Isles ever did," admitted Eda to herself. She hated the oppressing feeling on the Island brought on by Belos but the feeling of war was worse. The idea of so thousands fighting for their lives with thousands dying was a concept which disgusted Eda. She herself liked a good fight but she avoided killing people if possible.

She left this dimension once again to look after the two babies at her home.

"The situation can't be that bad, right?" asked Eda again. "I mean your castle here still looks pretty nice and intact and the surrounding villages look safe as well."

Eda was standing in the throne room of castle Brightmoon and talking to the ruler of this place, queen Angella. A tall woman with a serious expression and demeanor. "The situation is that bad, Miss Clawthorne. My Kingdom and every other Kingdom of Etheria is under attack by the Horde."

"No safe place anywhere on this planet?"

"Technically not," admitted Angella. "Well, it is safer here than elsewhere but a lot can happen in war. A surprise attack could happen at any time, even here in Brightmoon."

Edalyn looked helpless and then looked around the throne room. Everything here looked pristine, nice, clean and friendly even with the armed guards standing around. But the wild orange haired witch felt how nervous everybody was, especially the queen of this place.

"But I need to give these children to somebody. They can't stay with me your majesty; I am a wild witch."

Angella raised an eyebrow. "Is that something bad?"

"Yes." Eda shock her head quickly after saying this. "No, I mean it is not bad, but I wouldn't be able to be a good parent as a wild witch. Wild witches are illegal in the country I live in. I am wanted for using every type of magic I want."

"We have magic on this dimension too and some is forbidden as well," told Angella. "Do you practice magic that involves human sacrifice?"

"No."

"You aren't evil then," was Angellas opinion and she smiled. "Still, I can take these two children from you if you really want and give them a good home. You said they are from this planet, my home world Etheria, right?"

"At least one, not so much the other," explained the Owl Lady neutrally. "The other was carried by that tall guy with the white face as he came through a magical portal himself. Seems strange that he kidnapped a child from another dimension. Maybe there is more behind that action of his, maybe he just took the opportunity."

"Whatever the case is you have to decide what shall happen with the two babies you rescued," Angella pointed out to get back to the point with these words. "Take your time with that decision Miss Clawthorne."

"But…. I guess you are right with your argument, but would I turn out to be a good mother?" asked Edalyn the queen in a worried tone. "You seem to have that figured out, milady."

Eda pointed at the baby in the arms of the tall queen she had been breastfeeding the entire time. "It may look like it but the truth is that I am unsure myself about the future for my daughter me. I don't know if the way I will raise her is the right one. Not to mention the fear to put somebody in a world of war, a world that is so unsure and dangerous right now."

"I understand," replied Eda seriously. "I will think about it. Thanks Queen Angella, you are much cooler than Emperor Belos."

"Thank you Miss Clawthorne," was the grateful response of Angella. "Even though I don't know who that is."

"A very bad man," explained Eda in a serious tone in which dislike was heard while she opened a short-distance portal towards her dimensional portal. "Maybe I tell you more about him when this war is over. I need to look after the girls."

"Very well, Miss Clawthorne. Be on your way and I wish you good luck and may the runestones protect you and your babies on all your undertakings."

"'kay thx. May the 8 most popular ways of magic be helpful for you or whatever." Eda turned around to Angella and gave her a stupid smile after saying this. "We don't have the best farewell-proverbs on the Boiling Isles. Ciao, Queen Angella, the Tall!"

"Farewell, Edalyn Clawthorne, the Owl Witch!"

Eda left this world with a smile on her lips and Angella smiled back as the dimensional portal closed and then the short distance portal.

"Wait, tall guy with a white face?" the purple skinned queen suddenly said out loud. Something was dawning on her. "Did she talk about Hordak?" She looked to the spot Edalyn stood before her a few seconds ago and she cursed. "This baby might have been very important if Hordak personally kidnapped her!"

Angella kept herself from screaming in frustration yet the baby in her lap noticed the bad mood of her mother and looked up to her.

Angella patted the head of her daughter to assure her that everything was fine. "I hope she returns soon. I need to know more about this one baby. Let us hope that Hordak is never able to find them, Glimmer."

Glimmer laughed happily, grabbing at her mother's hair to play with it.

Edalyn returned home, disappointed and worried. Her next decision regarding these babies would be critical for herself and the babies.

"Hi Eda," greeted Hooty his Inhabitant chipper as ever. He was holding the babies in his neck and was nursing them. "How was your meeting with the queen?"

"Formal, friendly but no real solution was found," answered Eda with a sigh, checking on the babies. "The queen is content with taking the babies into her kingdom but it Brightmoon in the middle of a war and who knows how safe the two will be there."

"Can't you go over to Etheria and end the war?" asked Hooty innocently. "You are strong, a powerful witch. I am sure you can do that."

"You can't just magic a war away, Hooty," told Eda with a sigh. "If I interfere into that conflict who knows what happens. I have not the full picture and I might be forced to use lethal force." Eda trembled inside at that thought. "I don't want to kill anyone, especially large numbers of people."

"I could store captured enemies in my stomach until the war is over," suggested Hooty happily. "I am getting better and better at controlling my digestion. With some luck no prisoner of war will die in me or lose too much skin."

"No, just no," forbade Edalyn. "You do not eat any person, do you understand?"

"Okay, Eda," Hooty said with a bit of disappointment in his voice. "Also did you figure out the names of the babies?"

"I managed to figure out the name of the kitten," informed Eda her house. "It was not easy but her name is most likely Catra." Eda rolled with her eyes. "Very creative name for a cat-like being, I am impressed. But I have no idea what the name of the name the human looking one could be."

"Maybe her name is Humantra?" suggested Hooty. "That makes sense, right?"

Eda gave a hearty laugh in response to this. "No, that wouldn't do it and it would be a cruel joke in the long run on this girl. If there was just a small hint…"

"Like the name of the blanket the girl was wrapped in?" asked Hooty. "It calls her Princess Adora of the House of Randor."

Edalyn was confused at fist before she understood what was going on. She went over to her washing area and got the blanket from the laundry basket to inspect it more closely. Indeed, the words "Princess Adora of the House of Randor" were embroidered on it.

"Adora is your name and you are a princess," said Edalyn to herself. "I at least hope your parents didn't give you the name Princess."

Returning to the babies, Edalyn took both into her arms and sat down. "I don't know what to do with you two little rascals. I will not keep you but I will find a safe environment for you two in which you can grew up safely and happily. Not with me, never with me. I can't be a mother."

"Mom, wake up mom," demanded a young energetic voice. "Wake up, wake up!"

"Hrrrrmmm… Let me sleep."

"Mommy, wake up," followed by a soft bite into Eda's foot. "Wake up, please."

"I can't hear you…" mumbled Eda into the pillow. "I am still asleep, no way to wake me up. Go back to bed again, kitty."

More soft biting into the owl ladies foot. Edalyn couldn't suppress herself from giving a little laugh.

"Mom, you are awake," figured the owner of the voice. "Get up."

Eda groaned in annoyance and got up. "I get up but under protest."

Eda went into a sitting position and rubbed her eyes. Looking beside her was a little cat-person in pajamas, smiling at her. Eda couldn't herself but smile and stroke Catra behind her ears. "Good morning Catra. How are you?"

"Good morning mom," greeted the kitten with a bright smile. "I am fine. Adora is downstairs and makes breakfast."

"And you are upstairs to annoy me."

Catra grinned arrogantly "That is my task in this house of owls."

Eda chuckled over this. "Yes, in the house of owls, the home of you and your sister, my daughters. Now let us go down, I am hungry."

Eda got up, let Catra jump into her arms and Eda carried her daughter out of the room. They would unite with her other daughter for a family breakfast.

This is a test.
This is a test to see if people would be interested in a story like this.

It was an idea inspired by the picture where Eda is about to deck Shadow Weaver made by (insert name here) which is also the cover.

I really need feedback here if this story is one that interests you. So that I know that expanding on it is worthwhile.

Have a nice day everybody.