A/N- Heyo! Welcome, welcome, welcome to the sequel of Where the Wild Calls! If you have not read WtWC, I highly recommend that you read it right now so you don't get confused and such, and please excuse the typos you'll likely see if you so happen to start reading it. I might try to do lots and lots of heavy editing to WtWC, but we'll see since it's a big fanfic I wrote. But I would at least like to try and fix up some things, especially to my oldest chapters ^^
For the rest of you, welcome back! For so long, I've wanted to get to the sequel, and now it's officially happening, and I'm super excited to write this baby out! I hope you guys are hungry for what will come soon because the drama, adventure, magic, mystery, and romance have only begun!
I'd like to give a special shout-out to the one and only Lilgrimmapple herself, who designed this fantastic cover for me! Good gosh, it's gorgeous, and she did a tremendous job capturing Kass and Goth's emotions, so thank you so much, Lil :D
Also, before I forget, if you did not notice, I added a couple of things to WtWC, and I plan to do the same thing for this fanfic and the rest of the series, and you're about to see them in just a bit. If you haven't seen the couple of things I added to WtWC, feel free to go check them out if you'd like! Adding those changes was nice; I think it looks more sorted out! For the part numbers that are Roman numerals, I recommend you look at parts 1-3 on a bigger screen because, on a smaller screen, they will not show up for some reason.
I will stop talking now and let you guys get on with reading the prologue I had a lot of fun writing out. I will see you all soon in Chapter 1, and I hope you all enjoy this story as much as WtWC!
Book 2 of "Where the Wild Calls" series
~ When the Magic Collides ~
By Firecrackerwolf
"Sometimes you find yourself trying to let go of something
But it's like you have been swimming in the ocean
For a very very long time
And you feel like you belong there
You are one with the waves
The warmth of the water
And your body moves in sync with the ocean
And you swim around just trying to stay afloat
Then you get tired and you start to drown
And you swim back to land
When you get there you just feel… so heavy
Because you lost touch with gravity for so long
And you collapse on the beach
As you try to find balance again
And then your feet finds gravity
You stand up and you look at the horizon one last time
And just know that no matter how beautiful the sea was
And how good it made you feel it was never yours to keep…
And some days you'll miss it, you know
And you feel yourself moving with the waves
And you dream of diving in
Then you realize your feet was meant for land
And not cut out for the ocean
Maybe you're meant to climb trees
Or hike hills or just run really fast
Letting go is not easy
There is nothing quite like swimming in the ocean
Just like how it's natural for your feet to find gravity
It's natural for you to let go
And find your true purpose in life again
The sea is the sea
And you are just… you
I have to let go…
But sometimes I find myself waking up at the beach again..."
~ Yuna, "Unrequited Love"
Prologue
Survivors
They could not believe what they were seeing. Tips and rumors were spreading from birds and beasts that there had been a mighty storm—which was half true—an earthquake or a tornado somewhere near a clearing, so naturally, the owls and wolves went to investigate, and lo and behold, they were met with an appalling sight. Trees were uprooted with chunks of the earth still attached, and an abandoned human structure was in ruins with stones, wood, and human remnants littering the ground.
General Brutus, King Boreal, and a few others did not believe that this was the doing of a natural disaster.
The general and king were perched on one of the trunks torn from the ground, thoroughly inspecting every detail of it while the squadron and wolves scoped out the area. The tree had a dent, with some of it stripped of bark. It was almost as if some force was used to knock this trunk over… or rather, some type of magic.
"I have no doubts that the witch had something to do with this," General Brutus said in a deep, dour voice to His Majesty, his stance stiff as a board.
King Boreal slowly nodded in agreement as his gaze remained fixedly on the trunk's dent. "She must've had her reasons for doing such a thing," the King mused in a regal tone. "And this is more than enough proof that she wants to wreak havoc on the animal kingdom. She cannot be trusted."
General Brutus would never forget the night he first laid his eyes upon that devil. He took a few owls with him, not wanting a miscarriage of justice when it was reported that she and the other two Silverwings—Shade and Holden—glimpsed the sun and that there was usage of magic, which he didn't want to believe at first. What that witch was clad in and had was not something natural, something even a Silverwing wasn't born to be like or possess. The General had the feeling—knew—that she'd stir up more trouble one night, and that was what she precisely did. Her actions had now resulted in another war being born.
An owl figure suddenly came barreling out of the woven woods, like they were rushing to be somewhere. A hint of confusion clouded the general and king's faces as two lines appeared between their eyebrows. It was Private Zenon, the barn owl that was in reconnaissance, was also a bodyguard, and just so happened to be the owl General Brutus assigned to keep an eye on his son Orestes since he felt as though the witch cast some sort of spell on him to make him think such delusional things like she was 'innocent'. What was he doing here? More importantly, why was he here and not doing his job?
Zenon planted his talons on the trunk near the general and king, and right as he did, General Brutus asked in a demanding tone, "Private Zenon, what is the meaning of this? Why are you out here and not where you should be?"
A bit of relief passed over the barn owl's face when the general and king came into his line of vision, but it was soon replaced with apprehension lining his forehead. "Your Majesty, General Brutus…" he slowly started. "Princess Helen and Orestes are missing…"
General Brutus's eyes slightly widened, but he managed to master the art of looking stone-faced. The King was quite the opposite. His white, spotted feathers pricked as he gazed down at Zenon, his sharp yellow eyes flashing with undeniable ire. If looks could kill, the barn owl would be a pile of pellets on the snow-covered ground.
"MISSING?!" the king boomed in Zenon's face like thunder, making the barn owl flinch, and some of the others from the party whipped their gazes to them. "How did you let it happen, owl?!"
"I–I can explain, Your Majesty," Zenon stammered. "I was doing as you asked me to, General Brutus, but the princess ordered me to give her and Orestes privacy for a discussion—and so I did—then she came flying out of nowhere in a panic, screaming that a few Silverwings were attacking Orestes, and…"
The barn owl didn't need to finish the rest. It was apparent what the following scenario was.
"In other words, they flew away," General Brutus provided.
Zenon pressed his beak into a thin line, unable to utter a word.
The king cursed and looked like he was this close to scoring his talons into something.
While he didn't show it, General Brutus was frustrated that Zenon failed to do one task. And now the young owls were Phoenix knew where—with Princess Helen likely now under the same spell as Orestes. Not only was there that emotion, but also a tiny amount of another emotion that barely climbed up inside him for his son… something he would dare not express in front of anyone.
"Pardon me, Your Majesty, General Brutus," an owl swooped in and landed on the trunk the trio of owls were on. Lieutenant Atlas. "You have a visitor, and she's here to make a bargain."
General Brutus and King Boreal glanced at each other for a heartbeat. What could it be about? Who exactly was this 'visitor'? Could she even be trusted? Usually, when it came to bargains, it was never a good sign.
King Boreal brought his gaze back to Zenon, his eyes narrowing. "We will deal with you later." He then turned his back to the guilt-stricken barn owl, facing Leutenient Atlas. "What kind of bargain are we speaking of, Lieutenant?"
"I believe she will tell you herself," the lieutenant responded before lifting his wing to reveal who it was.
A Silverwing.
General Brutus immediately recognized her from her slightly faded colors due to old age to the rest of her appearance and uttered, "Bathsheba, it's been a while since the last time we saw each other."
"Indeed, General Brutus," Bathsheba replied before slightly bowing her head to the king. "Your Majesty." She then placidly flicked her gaze between the two. "As the lieutenant has said, I've come to make a bargain, and you may be pleased with what I'm about to offer."
A tawny-brown vole scurried across the blanket of snow in search of food. There weren't a lot of promising goodies one could eat in the wintertime, so the rodent had to resort to tree bark and, if it was lucky, some insects sheltering themselves until spring came. It was better than an empty stomach, though.
Eventually, taking a break from food scavenging, the vole parked itself by a tree and began spit-washing its face, having been too hungry to do so before leaving its shelter. However, as it was in the middle of doing that, the rodent suddenly stopped and perked its head up, having thought to have heard something. All seemed quiet, though… too quiet for the matter. At that moment, the vole felt like something wasn't—
The vole emitted a piercing squeak when something snatched it up. One large hand gripped its head, and a crack was heard. The rodent stopped moving, its head at an unnatural, macabre angle. Its neck was broken.
Goth greedily feasted on his small catch, eating every scrap, including the tiny bones. He didn't have much luck catching some prey; they either managed to get away from him, or there just weren't any in sight. He managed to hunt down a couple of animals, but that was pretty much it. And all because of his injuries.
The giant bat hissed in a silent breath from moving his body too much and immediately draped his hand over the slashes he had received from Dianna many moments ago. The pieces of leaves he had lined on his wound were not much help, and a few had already been unlatched from him like they were done serving their time. It didn't seem possible that he was still alive, especially after what Martin did to him and Throbb. But yet, here he was, still standing and doing everything in his power to stay alive.
Goth snarled, murmuring a swear word at Martin and Dianna in Spanish. If he ever came across Dianna's body, he'd eat her in a wingbeat, and as far as Martin goes, he hoped that the worst fate had befallen him.
Goth inspected his lacerations. Thankfully, the bleeding had ceased, but the injury itself was not looking too good. Little signs of an infection would happen if he didn't tend to it properly. What in Zotz's name, though, was he supposed to use out here? There was barely anything he could work with, and it was a miracle that he and Throbb even found leaf pieces to tend to their gashes after Dianna was taken down. All Goth could do was try and be careful and not make it any worse than it already was.
"Goth?" The giant bat suppressed an annoyed sigh upon hearing his brother-in-law—who was somehow still alive like him. Throbb alighted next to Goth with a limp squirrel in his clawed feet, blood oozing in the snow from the teeth marks the tubby bat made in his prey's neck. "Are you doing okay?"
"This is nothing," Goth bitterly said. "It won't be the death of me." Pray to Zotz that you'll still be alive as the nights go on; you were only lucky, he wanted to add, but kept that comment to himself.
While the two were alive, that did not mean they were left unscathed by Martin and Dianna. Of course, Goth's scratch marks on his abdomen, and there was also the face, depriving him a little of his handsome self. Throbb still had that cut on his forehead, and what the brothers-in-law had in common were the immense aches shooting through their fronts, leaving them swollen in places and making moving difficult in some areas of their bodies after Martin's strange and terrifying new magical ability rammed them against the side of a cliff. It mainly hadn't been pretty for them when they had slipped out of their unconsciousness.
Goth and Throbb had no idea where they were, so they just went on a random path—south mainly in hopes of maybe reaching something familiar in their homeland. They also had no idea where everyone else was or what had become of them, so it was unlikely they'd come across them anytime soon, especially since they had no information of where Shade's colony was precisely. Perhaps Martin had killed the group already, but it was hard to say. However, if Goth ever found out Martin was dead, he would be exceptionally pleased as that monster didn't deserve to roam the earth anymore. If not, Zotz would cut him down sooner or later, no matter how long he ran/flew on for.
"Can't believe there was nothing at the Silverwings' winter roost," someone said.
Goth and Throbb threw their heads up to see two owls gliding in the air. Acting on instinct, the brothers-in-law blended within the shadows of the canopies so they wouldn't see them (with Throbb taking the dead squirrel with him). While the duo could've tried to kill them, there was the fact that their injuries could prevent them from doing what they do best, resulting in the owls gaining the upper wing and going in for deadly blows. Not only that, one of the owls mentioned something about the Silverwings' winter roost, and as if agreeing with each other, Goth and Throbb began eavesdropping on their conversation.
The owls dropped down onto a tree branch as the same voice spoke again. "It's almost as if they were never there in the first place."
"I'll say," the other owl agreed. "Makes you wonder if that Silverwing was even telling the truth. Maybe she was trying to lure us into a trap."
"Either way, that witch and the Silverwing colony will get what's coming sooner or later. They've been causing enough wreckage as it is."
"For far too long, I should say." The second owl's beak pulled back in disgust. "You would think the bats would've learned by now, but they just don't know when to stop. Filthy creatures. Our ancestors should've wiped them out a long time ago."
"Ah, but when this war is over, and we win, I'm sure His Majesty will be making the right judgment for what'll happen to the Silverwings and the rest of the bat colonies."
"I'll be more than happy once justice is claimed. Not only that, but seeing the witch's head removed from her shoulders."
"That'll be a fine day indeed. Let us continue on now; our squad awaits us."
With that being said, the two owls unlatched themselves from the limb they were on and continued onwards, and once they were far out of sight, the brothers-in-law came out of their hiding spot. How nice, Goth dryly thought, condescending owls. Perhaps I should've killed them when their backs were turned to us.
He then crossed his arms, entering into deep thoughts about the words the owls exchanged with one another. Goth felt that the others had something to do with the Silverwings not being at Hibernaculum, which would mean they more than likely managed to 'take care' of Martin. Wherever they were, Goth didn't see himself nor Throbb going to find them any night now, particularly with the state they were in. All they could do was carry on surviving in the cursed north and endure it and their stabbing pain.
The night dragged on as the brothers-in-law journeyed south, the cold nipping at them recklessly like a predator that hadn't had food in a long time. Due to their conditions, flying was a struggle for them, especially for Goth. Whenever he took to the sky, it felt as if his stomach incisions would open up more and bleed him a river. Not only that, but each wing flap made his entire body scream with pain, usually ending with his muscles locking up and causing him spiral toward the endless ground of snow. He had no choice but to walk sluggishly at some points, which he hated all too much since he was made for the sky. And to add insult to injury, the snow and wind were slowly sucking out his body heat. Goth was, by all means, pissed with his situation.
Throbb would usually ask him if he was doing alright and even offered to help him hunt some food, but Goth was not having it and threatened once that he'd make him eat the ground if he didn't shut up about it. Goth was the prince, for crying out loud! Zotz's best follower! He did not need his glutton of a brother-in-law to care for him as if he were a helpless pup! No matter what he inflicted, nothing would prevent him from letting weakness rule over him.
Goth had multiple attempts at hunting, most of which ended to no avail, his prey slipping away. He caught a couple of little critters, but it wasn't enough, barely half of which he would eat in a day. He needed more. Goth craved a bat, but there were none in sight, and even if there were, it was unlikely he'd even be able to grab hold of one with his wounds holding him back. He thought about consuming insects, but even that left a bitter aftertaste in his mouth.
Throbb was hunting somewhere in the woods, Zotz knew where, and Goth was still searching for prey of his own to devour. However, he didn't encounter anything, almost as if every bird and beast abandoned this area for a better place that was safe and sound. His luck was slimming each moment that passed… but he began picking up on something.
His ears flicked forward, listening more carefully, and he soon began to pick up something—cawing crows. And where there were crows, there was… Goth immediately picked up his pace on his own accord, the cawing growing louder and louder the closer he got. The trees thinned out within a few more footsteps, and he eventually found himself outside the woods.
Before him was a rocky landscape patched with snow and a river glinting in the full moon's pale glow like the banded bats' silver bands from the human place Martin 'accidentally' set aflame back at the mountains when all hell had broken loose, coursing as far as the eye could see with fog trying to shroud one's view of it. And, of course, there were winking stars neighboring the lone moon, keeping it company while the night lasted. It could've passed for an admiring scenery if not for the crows and their constant cawing.
There were at least a dozen corvids, with most occupying tree branches attached to a few trees separated from the woods while two were on the ground. They were all gazing down at something with a curious and hungry look. If Goth was correct, there should be a carcass, and he intended to take it for himself and not let these black buzzards eat even a piece of it. He needed all the food he could get.
"Even though it's wet," one of the crows from the ground excitedly said, "it's still fresh meat!"
"Fresh bat meat, for the matter!" the other crow positioned on the ground said with the same tone as his buddy.
At the mention of what it was, Goth was more than eager to get his hands on it, his taste for bat flesh spiking. Without thinking, he took wing—trying to ignore the shooting pain at his front—and it didn't take him long to pin one of the crows on the ground. He dug his teeth into its neck, a sickening crack following after. Upon seeing their comrade assassinated, the corvids cawed in terror and made a fly for it, black feathers spinning in the air as they retreated into the woods, and the noise soon died out, their frames no longer in sight. Blood seeped across the snow and stained Goth's teeth and muzzle, the smell of it lingering in the air. By killing two birds with one stone, he would soon be ingesting bat and crow meat.
Goth's tongue raked across his incisors and canines, relishing the taste. While it felt good to taste more blood, he'd be more satisfied once he indulged in some bat flesh and blood. That was what he thought gave him more power and was his favorite.
Something wet dripped down his stomach, and he realized he was bleeding again as intense throbbing kicked in. Goth's gaze jumped to the slashes, and he swore in Spanish as blood was shedding. Trying to stop it, he quickly slapped his hand to the gashes, the blood instantly soaking it and the remaining bandaged leaf pieces. He hadn't been careful enough…
I will not die this way! Goth determinedly thought, slowly getting lightheaded. I'll just keep my hand where it is and try to eat. I will find a way to tend to it after I do.
Goth carefully strode over to the lip of a slight slope so he could treat himself to a proper meal of bat. His gaze went down, trying to understand better what kind of bat it was as gentle waves slightly lapped against the body and rocky shore. It was a Silverwing. He wasn't sure if it was him, but he thought there was something familiar about that bat. She almost looked like…
He slid down the slope, hand still where it was on his abdomen, and managed to have a better look at the Silverwing. She was a blue color, with ruby-red hair pooling out. Slowly, Goth turned her over to her side, and his eyes widened. The body drawings, the black accessory coiling around her neck, the eyes… His mind was not playing tricks on him. It was Kassidy in the flesh, soaking wet, cold, and senseless, but she wasn't sporting her one trinket.
Goth tossed his head over his shoulder. "Throbb!" he called out, probably the last thing he should be doing, but he was still trying to wrap his head around Kassidy being out here. "Throbb!"
Without waiting to hear any response, Goth bent down and pressed his ear against Kassidy's chest to check for heartbeats. He couldn't detect any. Before he knew it, he found himself doing chest compressions on her, pumping her chest in the best rhythm possible, trying to force any unwanted water out of her, and getting her heart to beat again, forgetting all about his stomach at that moment. Then, suddenly, Kassidy's eyes flew open, water spewing out of her lungs, and she coughed it all out. Goth was taken aback a little that it didn't take him that long to get her heart rate going again and emptying her lungs of water. At least he didn't need to do any mouth-to-mouth contact.
After some time of coughing, Kassidy didn't get a word in, nor did she see him as she went back out like a light. Before Goth could even attempt to try and wake her up, he heard Throbb shouting his name. "Goth?! Were you calling out to me?!"
Goth rolled his green eyes. "Never mind that!" He answered in a testy tone. "Just get over here!"
Throbb came into view in the sky, and when his gaze found Goth, he quickly hurried over to him. Only then did he finally take notice of Kassidy as he settled beside his brother-in-law, surprise rippling over his features. "Is that…"
"Sí. I found her just like this."
Throbb scratched his head, puzzled. "What is she doing out here? And why isn't she with her friends?"
Goth crossed his arms over his chest—using his purple wing as a gauze to his stomach—as he stared down at Kassidy. "I think I have a clear idea of what may have happened."
He didn't perceive any damage on her, only the bloody handprint he painted on her chest. Something obviously happened that the two were not there to witness, judging by how Kassidy looked in her state. Goth had a good guess that Martin had something to do with it.
"Well, we can't just leave her, not after what she's done for us," Throbb pointed out. "She's all alone now with no one to help her; we should be the ones to do that. We do, after all, owe her."
Goth gazed downward in thought, a war in his eyes as Throbb's words absorbed him. There was truth to what was said, which he could not deny, but would saving the human-turned-bat be the right thing to do? Perhaps it would be better just to eat her so he wouldn't bring shame to Cama Zotz. But how could he when she took the time to heal him and Throbb back at the magical place where that human named Morgana lived with her mate Lightning, the hawk that miraculously turned out to be somewhat of an ally in the end?
"You know that I'm right, Goth."
Goth didn't say anything but set his gaze back on Kassidy, his eyes roving over her body once more. Zotz, how does she still look beautiful even when she's like this?
He puffed out a cold breath, finally coming to a decision. Goth leaned down toward her, and from the back, it looked like he would take her life away with one bite to her throat, but that was not the case. He scooped her up in his arms princess-style and stood back up without much effort. The giant bat couldn't believe he was doing this…
Cama Zotz, forgive me, Goth said, sending his words to his deity, whether or not he heard him or not.
"Let's just get this over with," the prince briskly commented to his brother-in-law.
Dawn was soon breaking, and Goth and Throbb managed to find a large crevice to squeeze through after they filled up their stomachs a bit—with Kassidy still in Goth's arms—and using their funnels of sonars, they discovered a maze of caves. They ventured deeper, needing to use their echolocations more often as it was getting pitch black, and then, to their delight, it was getting warmer the further they went, almost as if the jungle was within wing's reach. Eventually, they ended up in a round cave with no other tunnels branching off in different directions.
Throbb immediately fell into a deep sleep when he roosted on the ceiling and made himself comfortable while Goth remained on the ground. In a sitting position, his back was propped against the wall—which he found to be very uncomfortable—his wings remaining wrapped around Kassidy. She didn't show any signs of stirring awake anytime soon, but Goth could only imagine how she'd react if she realized she was lying against him in his large, curled purple wings. He had never held her like this before (he only had her in his arms two times; the first time was back at the towers of fire when Martin had put a spell on her to go to sleep, and the second time was, well, today) and it felt so wrong to him, but at the same time… right.
Kassidy was beginning to warm and dry up due to Goth's wings covering her and the welcoming, cozy air that beckoned one to slumber. Putting her down on the ground seemed logical at that point… but his arms remained firm around her for such reasons. A couple of reasons were that she could use the extra warmth since she had been in the water for Zotz knew how long, and she was now like a compress to Goth's midsection incisions. Surely there's no harm in that, right? As for the other reasons… he couldn't quite explain them.
Goth leaned his head against the cool wall, tightening his eyes shut with discontent as he tried to disregard a hint of a sweet scent hanging in the air from Kassidy that was mixed with other strong smells. He should not be doing this… and yet he was here doing just that: helping her. He wasn't sure how to feel at that moment. The more he thought about it, the more it gave him a headache.
He nodded off a couple of times. Goth decided to get some rest, and when tomorrow hit, Kassidy would likely finally be awake and not pass out again in a snap. He and Throbb had questions about what happened to Martin and such, and if anyone could answer them, it was her. Furthermore, she could help heal them again. Perhaps keeping her alive had been a good idea after all. Within moments, sleep pulled Goth under.
"Goth."
Goth's head rolled over to his shoulder. He thought he heard something—the wind, more than likely and decided to ignore it. He needed all the sleep he could—
"Goth."
His eyes popped open, and that time, he heard something: a voice. Was it Throbb? Perhaps señorita Kassidy? However, he was perplexed when he lifted his head to see his brother-in-law was nowhere to be seen, and the same thing was said for the witch, for she was no longer bundled in his wings. All that was in his line of vision was wisps of fog dominating the dark void before him, rolling in from every direction. What's more, he couldn't taste or smell anything.
"Throbb?" Goth groggily uttered. "Señorita?"
Silence reigned.
Goth climbed to his feet and looked around him. It suddenly got cold, drafts gushing toward him and sending shivers throughout his body as if the heat in the air had a time limit. This couldn't have been real, right? Surely, he was just dreaming.
That must be it, Goth tried to reason with himself. I'm just having a strange dream that feels so real. There seemed to be no one here but him… but he felt he was being watched.
His eyes found themselves on his shadow, the only thing visible that was familiar to him. However, the more he stared at it, the more he thought it was… changing. Goth's fur stood on end when the shadow began to morph into something larger than himself, his heart threatening to beat right out of his chest. Humongous wings took place, and the body was monsterlike and… batlike. Realization slammed into Goth like a boulder. This was the same shadow he thought he had been dreaming about days ago back at the cave he, Throbb, Martin, and Dianna had occupied with Kassidy and her friends when they had forced them to lead them to where the colony was headed next.
It was him, whether he wanted to believe it himself or not.
Goth's tongue felt heavy, the name at the back of his throat.
"Well, Goth?" Goth took a shaky breath as the deep voice, like death—eerie and chilling to the marrow—vibrated through his body.
"I–It's you," the prince managed to speak, stumbling over his words.
"Speak my name."
Saliva scuttled down Goth's throat, fear lacing through him. While it was just a shadow (one that hadn't moved at all), he could feel an aura of power emanating from it that seemed unnatural yet somehow real. One that Martin could never top off.
Summoning what courage Goth had, he then spoke in a voice as loud and straightforward as possible without trying to sound timid. "Cama Zotz."
"Goooood," the shadow purred. "You wish to go home, I presume?"
Goth almost hesitated, but he nodded, not so much so as not to seem desperate. "Sí, My Lord."
"Have the girl help you."
Goth's brow knitted together. "Kassidy?"
"Yesssss."
He did not expect something like that to come out of his deity, and the giant bat actually would've thought he'd be given some kind of reprimand for even 'saving' Kassidy. "But she's a human in the body of a bat. Don't you despise humans? There are ones that treated me like a slave and made a fool of me. They even mock you."
A peal of laughter reverberated around Goth and through his bones. "You are clearly missing the point, Goth. Yes, Kassidy is a human, but she is much more than you may realize. The key to the future."
Goth cocked his head. "What do you mean?"
"All will be explained in due time when you return to the jungle, but first, you must go here…" As soon as Zotz said those words, a blast of cold air screamed around Goth, and then an image of a human building in the middle of a forest drifted into the giant bat's consciousness. "It will be a long journey there, but it will be a necessity if you wish to be back in the jungle."
Goth thought Zotz was joking, but no… his deity wanted him to go to a place with a sea of filthy humans. But why? It was bad enough he had been captured by humans and was placed in a similar building. Not only that, he and Throbb were double-crossed by Martin and Dianna.
"I don't understand," Goth truthfully said.
"You will," Cama Zotz decisively said. "Go there, head south, and ensure the girl comes with you on your flight there and to the jungle."
"But…"
"Do you doubt your god?" Zotz challenged.
Goth quailed a little but then gave in. "No, My Lord."
"Do my bidding, then, and you shall be rewarded."
That piqued Goth's interest. "Rewarded?"
Zotz did not say anything, but even the silence alone was enough for Goth to comprehend that it was said with veracity. What kind of reward exactly? But he knew he'd only find out if he obeyed—even if it sounded bonkers.
"But how am I supposed to get Kassidy on this journey? She is very stubborn and will likely not go for it. Most of all, she has magic."
"Use your imagination, Goth. You weren't born with a mind for nothing, after all."
Before Goth knew it, pictures like the ones on the back of Kassidy's neck materialized through his mind's eye: a jaguar, a feathered serpent, and a pair of unblinking eyes devoid of pupils. And then everything faded like vapor.
Goth's eyes burst open, and he sat up. He shook his head and shoved his hand into his hair. Had his wounds been making him hallucinate? He cast out nets of sound, and all seemed to be the way before (Kassidy still out cold within his wings, Throbb sound asleep on the ceiling, their surroundings, etc.). No ominous fog, preternatural coldness, or large shadow of Cama Zotz.
Goth realized he accidentally put too much pressure on his stomach when he sat upright upon waking up suddenly… but the odd thing was he hadn't felt any fierce, searing pain through his stomach that felt like teeth sinking through it. Carefully, he moved Kassidy out of the way, and his eyes nearly bugged out of his face by what he saw. No gashes or blood were present on his midsection, almost as if nothing happened to it in the first place. The blood that Kassidy's fur should've been damp in wasn't in sight either, and what's more, she looked much better than she did before.
It meant only one thing: Cama Zotz had healed them, meaning Goth hadn't hallucinated.
He drew his gaze to Kassidy as his deity's words resonated in his head. Somehow, Goth had to convince her to travel with him and Throbb, and he knew it would not be easy. He needed to figure out what to say before she regained consciousness.
If Zotz wants me to get her to come with me and Throbb, then that is precisely what I'll do, Goth resolutely thought. I will do whatever it takes to get her to join us, even if I may not like it.
There had only been blackness that yawned beyond, vacant of anything else, and it felt like she'd been here for an eternity and would never escape it… Until she heard something. Kassidy became aware they were voices somewhere to her right, speaking in low, fervent tones.
"—you can't be serious. I don't think it's a good idea."
"And the reason being?"
"She has family and friends. We can't just—"
"I'm well aware of that."
"Then why would you want to ask her of that?"
There was a pause. Distantly, the words started to make sense to Kassidy.
What the hell are those voices talking about? She wondered. What's going on?
"If anyone can get us out of this damned north," the second voice finally replied, "it's her, considering we now know what she truly is and can do. One who lives in the north has much more knowledge of it than we do, and we need to do what is best if we want to be back in the south. Do you or do you not want to return home?"
"Well… yes," the first voice wavered.
"Then this is the best course of action we must take. I made my mistake with Martin and Dianna last time when I thought they could help us, but I'm sure there will not be a repeat of that this time with her."
Wait… what? Kassidy thought, bewildered. In the tense silence that followed, she became aware of more sounds, but that wasn't what caught her attention. Those voices… she recognized them. No. It couldn't be… could it?
Trying to pry her eyes open, she began to try and scan her surroundings. Her vision swam, blurred. She couldn't fathom where she was, and to make things more confusing… she wasn't dead—or so it seemed.
Where am I?
"Look, I think she's waking up," the first voice came in, and a figure came into Kassidy's view. "Señorita? Can you hear me?"
"It's about time she did," the second voice gruffly said, and another figure stepped into Kassidy's field of vision.
She screwed up her eyes, trying to discern the two profiles. Their outlines looked like ones of bats… giant ones at that. Her thoughts sharpened as reality finally hit her, and her eyes goggled when she made out who it was before her.
It can't be, she said, shocked. There's no way they're alive! There's no way I should be alive… unless we actually are dead… But I can still hear my heartbeats, so that means…
She didn't know what to think; she could barely even do any thinking at that moment when her mind was too fuzzy from how long she'd been out. Had she been hit too hard on the head that she was now seeing and hearing things? It seemed more logical than anything.
Kassidy went to try and heave herself to her feet. "Whoa, whoa," Throbb said, putting his hands out to stop her, "take it easy. Don't…"
Upon noticing Kassidy's expression, he trailed off as she tried to feel around her neck and chest for something. Her necklace… Her heart beat erratically, and panic clawed up her rib cage as she flung her gaze to where it should've been. But it wasn't there. It was gone.
She breathed heavily but then pinned her eyes on Goth and Throbb as fury boiled her blood, and she surged to her feet. "Where is it?!" She demanded, not bothering to question them about anything else, like how they were alive as flames slowly trickled out of her.
They were a little dumbfounded by her sudden shouter and the flames dying to get out of her, but Goth then asked, "Where's what?"
"Where is it?! Where the hell's my necklace?!"
Realization dawned on Goth and Throbb. Once more, Goth answered. "We don't know."
"Don't lie to me!"
"I'm not! We didn't see your necklace on you when we found you!"
Kassidy narrowed her eyes and looked at Throbb to see if Goth was telling the truth.
"We really didn't, señorita," the tubby bat confirmed.
Her gaze swung between the two, but she eventually sighed when she saw that they were being honest. Kassidy sat down and dug the heels of her hands into her eyes as the blazes simmered down on her. She couldn't believe she again lost the necklace her parents gifted her for her birthday that was passed down for decades, one of the most valuable things she would always keep with her, even after the car crash took away her parents' lives… She felt like the worst daughter in the world.
"Umm, you okay?" Throbb said with concern.
Kassidy peeled her hands away from her eyes and directed her gaze to the brothers-in-law. "Would one of you mind explaining what the hell's going on?" She spoke in a hard tone, ignoring Throbb's question. "How are you—we, I should say— alive? Where did your wounds go? Where is everyone? Just tell me what I don't know. I need answers."
Goth folded his arms across his chest. "You sure you want most of the answers?"
"Yes! I need to know!"
The prince breathed through his nose. "Very well, but you should eat something. You're likely hungry, and it is good we did some hunting while you were passed out."
With that, he went to grab something in the corner. Kassidy didn't want to admit it, but Goth was not wrong. She felt like her stomach was eating itself, and it had been a while since she last chowed down on something.
Kassidy took in her surroundings. They appeared to be inside a large aperture. Deep within it (after needing to rely on her echo vision to distinguish things in the pitch dark better), she picked up on vast networks of paths leading to different caves. It was reasonably warm here, but sometimes, the chilly wind bit through her blue fur. Outside the crevice's mouth, Kassidy could tell that it was somewhere at nighttime, winter still ongoing, and it made her wonder how long she'd been knocked out. A day? Two days? More? She could not say, but it begged the question of what had become of the others. A ball of worry formed in her stomach.
Is everyone okay? Kassidy wanted to know. Where are they now? Are they looking for me?
Goth returned and deposited a rabbit cadaver white as powder at Kassidy's feet. "Eat," he briefly said.
Kassidy's brow puckered, and while she didn't show it, she felt sickness roil in her gut. Not the fact that there was a dead body and that she was seeing lots of blood, but because it reminded her of the time she had eaten a rabbit when she, Holden, Shade, and Marina were held captive by Martin, Dianna, and of course Goth and Throbb. And it was a secret that her friends still didn't know about… and the only one who knew about it was Goth, who blackmailed her.
"I'm not eating it," she tartly said.
"You've eaten one before, señorita," Goth commented, getting slightly irritated. "It shouldn't be that big of a deal for you."
Throbb's eyes flared wide as saucers upon hearing that revelation.
"Actually, it is," Kassidy fired back. "Not gonna explain why—since it's none of your business—but I certainly haven't forgotten that you threatened to tell my friends that I ate a rabbit if I didn't reveal my family's history."
Goth's brow drew together. "It was only one time I did that."
"While I had that goddamned golden snake monstrosity penetrating the flesh on my arm. It was very shitty of you to do."
"Okay, maybe I took it a little too far, but I was only curious."
"And that's your way of 'wanting to know about my family's history?'" Kassidy snarkily quoted with air quotes. "Do you seriously not know how to ask, or is that something you feel is normal?"
The edge of Goth's lip tightened. "Just eat the rabbit," he said, his patience wearing thin.
"Demanding, are we?"
"You need your strength."
"And I didn't ask you to get me food. Screw off and eat it yourself, asshat."
Goth looked like he was about to explode like a bomb, but Throbb suddenly chimed in and calmly said to Kassidy, "You don't have to eat all of it. Maybe at least eat a little bit of it, and after that, you don't have to eat anything like this again if you don't want to."
Rolling his eyes, Goth scoffed.
Kassidy was not very keen on the idea of eating a rabbit, but it wasn't like she'd be sinning if she did. It couldn't hurt her to eat a little meat. Wasn't her bat body meant to digest insects, though? After she had eaten a rabbit and Martin forced her to eat a piece of flesh from a Brightwing nights ago without barfing it up, maybe that wasn't the case. Perhaps she really could consume meat as well. Did it have something to do with her pendent's magic? It was possible, and the same thing could be said for her family when she last saw them as bats.
Sighing, Kassidy said, "I'll eat a little of it while one or both of you starts explaining about you know what." Mostly because you're not being a dick about it like your brother-in-law is. She wanted to include but kept her mouth zipped at that.
Throbb nods. "A fair compromise," he accepted.
He and Kassidy then carried their gazes to Goth, waiting to hear what he had to say. The prince was quiet momentarily but then apathetically commented, "Fine."
Coming to an agreement, Kassidy pulled the rabbit toward her, a metallic scent traveling through her nostrils. She slowly breathed out. Then, using her claw, the human-turned-bat began to try and slice open the rabbit's belly, and it wasn't long until flesh and more blood revealed themselves. Kassidy fished out some meat with her teeth, and not so surprisingly, it tasted like chicken as she began to chew on it, quite liking it—though she didn't display that on her face—shame burning inside her stomach at what she was doing.
I can't believe I'm doing this, she said, starting to hate herself at that moment.
Kassidy lifted her head to Goth and Throbb, who had been watching her and indicated to them to start talking.
On cue, Goth began by saying, "Since you want answers so badly, here's what you need to know—"
With that, he and Throbb began to throw light onto the subject while Kassidy ate a little. They conveyed the moment they woke up, when they found her, the aperture, etc. As they spoke, some of what they said seemed vague to Kassidy, especially when Goth had his turn, almost as if they were hiding something.
Suspicious, she didn't hesitate to think but became aware that she had crammed down a lot of the rabbit. How did I not notice that sooner?
She suddenly realized that Goth and Throbb were done spewing words. It looked like they had more words that wanted to slip off their tongues, but they were waiting to hear what she had to say about the matter.
Kassidy wiped her blood-stained muzzle and went ahead and commented, "I see… But I still don't understand how you—we—were magically healed."
She knew for a fact that she had nothing to do with it. How could she? She had been sucked into oblivion for who knew how long. It just didn't make any sense.
"I'll tell you," Goth nonchalantly replied, "after you tell us what happened to you and of the events that occurred that Throbb and I were not there to witness."
Kassidy gnawed the inside of her cheek, a little irked.
"It only seems fair since we told you what happened to us."
A beat of silence passed before Kassidy then blew out a breath. She supposed he had a point—even if she didn't esteem it. The faster she elucidated the events, the quicker she could get her desired answer.
"After Martin tried to dispose of you," she began, "a lot of shit happened—" And just like that, she began to recollect the events to Goth and Throbb.
She told them everything they needed to know, like what went down, her family, Holden suddenly wielding lightning, etc. Kassidy kept it brief with little detail because it would only be time-consuming. All the while she was talking, Goth and Throbb sat down and listened without interrupting, even though most of what she said was quite unexpecting for them, like when a relative comes to visit from far out without calling ahead of time. Eventually, Kassidy finished and went to catch her breath quietly since speaking too much usually drained her energy as the words settled over the brothers-in-law.
Why the hell did I do that? She questioned herself. I probably shouldn't have, but as Goth said, it's only fair that I did. I hope I will not regret this… especially since they once were partners with Martin and Dianna.
"Most of it was… admittedly not what I was expecting," Goth said with honesty.
Throbb nodded in agreement.
"The past few nights seem like there's always something unexpecting," Kassidy mentioned, her tone flat. "I told you what you wanted to know; now it's your turn to tell me what I want to know." She crossed her arms, waiting for one of them to get on with it.
Goth shrugged. "Fair enough, but you might not believe what I say."
Kassidy leaned forward, propping her crossed arms on her knees. "Try me."
There was a brief pause, but the prince then went ahead to speak. "I won't beat around the bush, señorita. Cama Zotz came to me."
The human-turned-bat arched an eyebrow. "Cama Zotz came to you."
"Sí, and he is the reason why we're healed."
Kassidy made a face that told him to quit joking around.
"I'm being serious. Who else do you think could've done this? No one else did."
She didn't say a word but pondered over what he said. Cama Zotz? I think he's finally out of his roost… but what other explanation could there be?
Kassidy suddenly thought of something. This hadn't been the first time her wounds were magically healed without doing it herself… It happened first after she and her friends dealt with Martin, Dianna, Goth, and Throbb at the electrical relay station. The second time was around when she and her friends were stuck with the giant bats back at a mountain in a cave. The more she thought about it, the more her breath locked up in her throat.
No… that's impossible. There's no way, Kassidy said, trying to tell herself that Cama Zotz didn't exist and that he would never take the time to do such a thing… but at that moment, she started to doubt her own words. Had it actually been Cama Zotz's doing? Kassidy cursed in her mind, finding this now very frustrating, like trying to open a tightly sealed jar of pickles.
"Señorita?" Throbb queried.
Kassidy got to her feet, and before either of the two giant bats could even utter a word, she abruptly said, "I need to get to my family and friends."
"I don't think that's going to be possible," Goth didn't hesitate to say.
The human-turned-bat narrowed her eyes at him. "And why the hell would that be? I need to know if they're okay."
Goth stood up, and Throbb followed suit. "We were eavesdropping on two owls, and let's just say that you and the Silverwings weren't highly spoken of."
That's not surprising, Kassidy wanted to say in a barbed tone but kept her mouth clamped shut as Goth carried on speaking.
"We overheard them say that there was no one at Hibernaculum, and if that were where you were planning on heading, you'd only be wasting your energy. Your friends, family, and the colony are likely safe elsewhere."
"And you didn't think to mention that before?" Kassidy commented, starting to get ticked off.
"You never asked."
Kassidy pursed her lips, her brow wrinkled. "You better not be lying."
"I'm not, which brings me to my next point." Goth checked to see if she was listening before going on. "Since we saved your hide, you owe us."
"What?"
"Goth—" Throbb was about to say, but his brother-in-law cut him off.
"We helped you; now you help us. All we want to do is get back to the jungle and—"
"No," Kassidy said, not dithering.
Goth's mouth remained ajar but then spoke once more. "You didn't let me finish."
"You didn't need to. I knew what you would say, and my answer is no."
She thought this must've been what they were privately discussing earlier, her mind finally registering it.
Goth sighed vexedly. "I had the feeling that would be your answer, which is why I'm offering you a deal."
Kassidy folded her arms. "Which is?"
"If you help us, we will testify to the owls and help you clear your name and the Silverwings'"
Silence spun out like thread from a spool until Kassidy finally said, "You're willing to make a deal like that? Why?"
She didn't think he'd want to make any confessions to the owls—or at least anytime soon—but maybe he was serious. However, she felt that the only reason he made a deal like that was just so he could get her to come along and gain her trust. There was something fishy about this.
"All tres of us need something, and you can think of it as us helping one another." A grin shaped Goth's mouth. "We'd all get what we want in the end, señorita, if you agree to it. What do you say?"
Kassidy pivoted away from the two, her back to them so she could mull over it without any distractions. She should just turn down the deal… but wasn't this what she and her friends wanted? For Goth and Throbb to confess to the owls so this catastrophe would finally cease?
Damn it all, Kassidy swore. I can't just accept it… can I? It would mean I'd actually have to leave my friends and family… I shouldn't, I shouldn't, I shouldn't. But if I don't accept, would I be missing out on something that could end this bathunt and a war that could be on the horizon at any moment?
She dragged her hands through her ruby-red hair and growled, finally coming to a decision and faced Goth and Throbb again. "You'll testify first, and if all goes well, I will help you get back to the jungle. And let's make this perfectly clear: We're not going to be friends, I'm not here to screw around, and I especially don't want any funny business from either of you. If I find out there's any kind of tricks or lies, the deal's off. Capeesh?"
Goth and Throbb tilted their heads at the last word she said, but they seemed to have slowly understood what it meant as Goth responded, "Loud and clear."
With that, Kassidy shook on it with Goth and Throbb, and it almost felt like she made a deal with the devil. Those two are going to be the death of me… she caustically thought.
Kassidy went to a nearby pond—which Goth and Throbb mentioned—to wash the sticky and dry blood off her. All the while she was doing that, she kept asking herself if she made the right choice. These were the same bats, after all, that gave her and her friends a hard time. The same ones that riled up the owls with Martin and Dianna.
Either way, I have to stay strong and not look weak in front of them, she firmly said. I don't care if they changed or not. I can't trust them. I still have doubts about them, and once this is all over, I hope to never deal with them again.
A sigh escaped her lips, and thoughts of her friends, family, and the colony surfaced in her mind. Kassidy truly hoped they were safe and sound somewhere and that what Goth said was true. Her heart squeezed tightly like a stress ball as she thought about them… especially Holden. But she had to trust that all was well with them, even if some part of her was uncertain of that.
Her reflection on the surface of the pond stared back at her. Kassidy had to show Goth and Throbb that she meant business and nothing more. She hummed to herself and seized a few strands of her hair, the cogs turning in her head.
Goth tapped his foot with his arms crossed over his chest, his fur bristled as he and Throbb were waiting for Kassidy to return near the aperture. What is taking her so long? He cerebrated.
"If she doesn't return soon, I'm going to get her," he declared to his brother-in-law.
"Probably not the best idea, Goth," Throbb advised. "Besides, we can't just rush her. Not after—"
"Don't remind me." I don't even understand why Zotz took the time to heal you. Goth was also about to impart but decided to keep it at that.
While Goth was getting very impatient, he was proud of himself for persuading Kassidy to go on this expedition with him and Throbb. However, he wasn't thrilled with the same kind of deal he made back at Morgana's place when it came to the others. It was better than nothing, he supposed.
As long as I can get her to that human building, the jungle, and she never knows about what Zotz told me, it all should go according to plan, he confidently thought.
Someone grounded in front of the brothers-in-law, and Goth almost didn't recognize Kassidy when his eyes met her, and it was because of the hair. It was no longer all ruby-red. Streaks of black colored her hair, and Goth's eyebrows almost hit his hairline. She looked more badass than she did before.
Her face deadpanned, Kassidy's gaze flitted between the giant bats before she casually said, "Shall we?"
Goth and Throbb glanced at each other, but without saying a word and were in accord, the trio fanned out their wings and lifted themselves into the sky. They had a long flight ahead, and many obstacles would await them. Whatever happened, though, Goth would not fail Cama Zotz and would get Kassidy to the human building and jungle, no matter what.
