Day 4: A Hiking We Will Go
"Anyone has any idea what those Clawythornes are planning for this day?" Darius asked, slightly irritated.
No one answered Darius because all the Familia members were busy with something else. The ex-Abomination Head looked around; Raine was giving lessons to Amity and Gus, with the BATTs helping them. The Blacklight/Hopkins family was playing a game with Luz, Vee, Masha, and Boscha, and Alador still hadn't arrived with his kids.
Darius looked to his right and smiled when he saw Hunter, with Willow by his side, reading one of Camila's "Cosmic Frontier" books.
Darius looked toward the front of the room when he heard a noise, and it wasn't long before the Clawthornes sisters and Camila stepped into the room. The "knocked-down" witch cocked an eyebrow when he saw the three weren't in their usual "knocked-down" attire.
Eda's current outfit was knee-high boots, baggy gray pants, a black tunic, and a red vest. A bag hung off the ex-wild witch's right shoulder didn't go unnoticed.
Lilith was wearing a long-sleeved tunic under a dress and black leggings. She was also wearing boots and had a backpack as well.
Finally, Camila was wearing boots with Blue jeans, a black t-shirt with a pumpkin on it, and an orange flannel shirt.
Finally, the Owl mothers had their hair tied into ponytails.
"I see Alador still hasn't arrived yet," Lilith commented, looking around the room. "We can inform him of today's even after he gets here."
At this, the group stopped what they were doing and looked at the mothers. Lilith smiled when she saw all eyes on her. She was about to explain the plans for the day when they heard a noise.
Eda and Lilith exchanged looks, and the bard witch went over to the front door. She opened the door, gasped, and quickly jumped to the side. Emria's Cerberus dog came rushing into the house, the Blight twins riding him and Alador getting dragged behind them.
The dog came to a sudden stop, and Alador went flying. The people sitting on the couch duck slightly as the "knocked-down" inventor soared over their heads.
Darius straightened and looked behind him. He couldn't help but wince when he saw the state of his ex; Alador had hit the wall back first and was upside down. The inventor moaned as gravity took him, and he fell.
Darius sighed and summoned abomination goo to cushion his old flame fall.
"Go on," the ex-head witch said, gesturing for the owl mothers to continue.
The two witches and one human didn't seem phased by this incident and Lilith tried to explain things again.
"HEY!" A grunt voice called from the opened door.
The Owl Familia looked to the door and saw Stan Pines holding a familiar house demon.
"Next time you dump your garbage in my neck the wood, make sure it's something I could sell," the ex-con artist said gruffly, dropping Hooty.
The older human took his left before anyone could say anything, and Lilith went over and picked up her dear friend.
"Where have you been, Dear Hootsifer?" Lilith asked curiously.
"I have been on a journey of self-discovery and self-improvement," the "knocked-down" house demon said ominously. "But I mainly have been hanging out with Eberwolf. Hoot, Hoot."
Lilith shook her head good-naturally and returned to her sisters. She took a second, looking around the area. Once she was sure she wasn't going to get interrupted again, she tried for a third time to explain things.
"I'm okay!" Alador suddenly said, shooting to his feet, only to be hit with some abomination goo…right in the face.
The Familia watched as Alador went down again, a dopey expression on his face. Darius let out an exasperated sigh and looked at the three mothers.
"Just get on with it before the titan comes back to life and reposition itself," he said exasperatedly.
"Okay," Lilith said quickly, "We're taking the children on a hike through the mountains on the shoulder."
Suddenly, the house shook slightly, and all the "knocked-down" adults braced themselves as some of them hurried to get the kids. The Familia waited about two minutes, and when no aftershock came, they figured they were safe.
Once everyone was sure the danger had passed, things resumed.
"Geez, Lily, can't you pick anything more boring?" Eda asked playfully.
Lilith just rolled her eyes and gave her sister a look. "That wasn't your input when we talked last night. You were very excited about going on the "dangerous" path."
"Well," Eda replied, a hint of red on her cheek. "If I'm going on a dorky nature hike, I want to be thrilled."
Lilith just shook her head and then addressed the rest of the Familia. "Since Roca awoke from his month-long hibernation, we could take all our beasts on the trail and let them burn off some energy."
The "knocked-down" Coven cheered at this, and Trilight soon joined in, barking happily. It wasn't long before the "knocked-down" Coven ran out the still-open door to tell their beasts the good news.
Eda smiled at this as she followed after her kids alongside her sisters. They still had work to do before they left.
(SC)
After everyone changed into hiking outfits and made sure everything was in order, they headed for the mountains on the right Shoulder.
Because there were so many, the group took different modes of transport; the "Knocked-down" coven rode on Roca with Camila, Alador, and the Hopkin family. Eda and Lilith merged with their beasts as they lent their staffs to Drake and his wife. Finally, Raine was flying on their staff, and Darius was using his abominations to carry himself and the other beasts of the Owl Familia.
Soon, the group arrived at the foot of the mountain. The Familia members riding Roca dismounted, and Camila slipped on the stonesleeper's trusty, magical collar. The beast shrunk to the size of a small dog within a few seconds.
Luz wasted no time scooping up her dear friend and hugged him tightly.
"Miss you, Woca?" the "knocked-down" human said lovingly.
Camila smiled as she could hear the sleeper's purring and giggled as she looked around. The rest of the Familia was getting ready as they waited for the mountain guide. Eda and Lilith had already separated from their beasts, and Lilith was going through her supplies once last time.
Darius, Raine, Drake, and James were making sure the other beasts were tagged before they hit the trail. Finally, Alador, Danna, and Sally were keeping the kids entrained.
Soon, the mountain guide emerged from the cabin to their right and looked at the group.
"Wow," the witch said, seeing the size of the group. "I think this is the largest group I have in years."
He looked at the large group one more time and then nodded.
"Before we hit the trait, is there anything anyone like to get off their chest?" the guide asked kindly.
"Yes," Drake piped in, stepping forward. "I was involved in an incident yesterday. It left me sore, and the flight here irritated my condition. Is there a place I can rest for a while?"
The guide nodded and pointed at the building he came from. "There's a lounge in my station. There are some minor muscle relief potions as well. For those first-time hikers."
Drake nodded and gave his wife a quick kiss on the cheek. "I will join you when can," he told her.
Drake then bent down and kissed Masha on the forehead. No one missed the grimace on the florist's face as he straightened up and slowly made his way to the cabin. The guide watched as the human disappeared into the building and turned his attention to the Familia.
"Does anyone else have something they like to say?" the guide asked.
The guide looked at the group, and when no one else stepped forward, he began to explain.
"Before we hit the trails, I need to go over some rules," the guide said, gesturing to the paths behind him. "This mountain has two trails, one for kids and one for those seeking some thrills."
The guide looked back at the Familia, and his face turned serious.
"Know this; both trails use magical machines to shift the terrain at random. While the kiddie trail is the safer of the two, accidents can still happen. So keep your eyes sharp. Does anyone have any questions?"
The guide waited and looked to see if anyone had any questions. When no one steps forward, the guide took that as his cue to continue.
"You folks booked the all-day family pass. So you're free to pick any path you like. It is, however, advised that current kids stick to the kiddie trail. Before we continue, is there anything anyone like to ask?"
The guide looked around, and when no one spoke, he continued.
"Now for a few more things, and then you can hit the trails. First, this is for the current children; there are small point markers you can pick up. Collect enough, and you can win some prizes. You can pool your lot for larger prizes. Or, if you like, you can trade them in separately. But be warned, some makers are traps that can prank you."
The guide then made a spell circle, and a detailed map made out of stone rose up beside him.
"Now, this is for everyone. There are rest-stops along the path; some even merge if you want to switch to a different trail. Each stop had a small cooler and fountain where you could quench your thirst and rest. Each rest stop also has an emergency crow you can call me on if something goes wrong. If someone's hurt or unable to continue, use the crow to contact me at the station, and I will come to retrieve you."
The guide made the map disappear with another spell circle.
"I believe that covers everything. Tell me when you have your group sorted, and I will open the trails."
With the formalities over, the guide walked over to a chair near the entrance of the mountain station and took a seat.
The Familia began to sort themselves into groups, deciding who would watch the kids and who would go with Eda.
"While I live and breathe, it's my old favorite losers," a voice said condescendingly.
The Clawthorne sisters scowled and looked behind them. Bria and a woman who looked a lot like her walked into the area.
"Now I know why that girl ticked me off so much," Eda said bitterly, then put on a happy face. "Ericia, it's been too long since we last ran into each other. How you're doing?"
The Glandus Alumni didn't miss the sarcasm in Eda's voice and smiled arrogantly.
"Oh, I'm doing great! Since I decided to rejuvenate myself this Ghoul Break, I'm hitting the old trail. You know, no one has even come close to beating my record."
"Oh, pleased," Eda retorted, rolling her eyes. "Like any self-respecting athlete would want to break a record on the kiddie trail."
Ericia continued to smile as she began circling her "old" rival, sizing her up. Eda held her ground and glared challengingly at the Glandus's Alumni.
"I see you're lame insults haven't gotten better with time," Ericia taunted, "But then nothing about you has gotten better with time."
Eda growled as she felt her anger building, and through the link they shared, Odwa felt her bonded witch's anger. The beast growled as it started to grow.
Lilith saw this and knew what could happen if someone didn't defuse things.
"Well, Ericia," The historian said politely, stepping between her old rival and sister, "It was a pleasure seeing you. But we have other matters to deal with, so have a nice day."
Lilith grabbed her sister by the arm and led her away, Rath following suit and grabbing Odwa by a wing. Ericia watched and then grinned.
"Always the peacemaker, huh, Lilith?" she asked tauntingly. "Where you were when that fight broke out when one of your classmates accursed one of my teammates of sneaking a smidge in their uniform."
Lilith ignored the other "knocked-down" mother and continued to walk to her family. But Ericia wasn't done.
" I bet it still stings that you're near spotless record as the captain still hangs over your head," the Gladus alumni taunted. "I mean, did your Banshee ever one a match against my team when I led them?"
Lilith growled but kept walking, refusing to let the other mother see that her taunts were getting to her.
"If wasn't for your sister's bag of tricks, you're team probably wouldn't have scored even a point against us," Ericia taunted and shrugged, "But I guess that was just foreshadowing your failure as a coven head and a sister."
That was the final straw! Eda roared and tore her arm free of her sister. She stormed up to Ericia and got right in her face.
"Listen here," Eda angrily said, poking the other "knocked-down" mom in the chest. "You can throw shade on me until the titan comes back to life and change locations! But no one talks smack about my sister!"
After Eda said that, a tremble rocked the area. The Owl Familia, Bria, and the mountain guide looked around, but when nothing else happened, they turned their attention to the old-school rivals.
"And what are you going to do about it?" Ericia asked, grinning knowingly.
"Oh, you know what I'm going to do," Eda retorted and looked at the guide. "Hey, Mountain man, can I have my time tracked on the danger trail?"
"...Yes," the guide replied.
Eda grinned and looked back at her old rival. "I think you know where I'm going with this?"
Ericia smiled competitively and cracked her knuckles. "Oh, I know. So let's get ready and meet in five?"
Eda nodded, and the two went their separate way to get ready. Lilith let out a tired sigh as Eda walked by her.
"Well, there goes my nice day hiking with my daughter," she muttered as she looked at her sister. "If I don't keep my eye on her, she would bring the mountain down around us."
Lilith quickly followed after her sister so she could make her own preparations, running past The Hopkin family.
"And I think I'm going to follow," the historian said, holding up her phone and smiling a little mischievously at James. "No telling what would happen when the old-school rivalry is involved."
Danna followed after the Clawthorne sisters and her husband watched as she left.
"And there goes my day," James sighed, looking at his transformed kid. "When your mom gets like this, there is no telling what could happen."
Jacob watched as her father followed after the others and sighed. She wasn't going to add anything, but she now knew that her family was weirder than the witches.
(SC)
About ten minutes after the Owl Familia had gotten everything in order and had taken to the trails, three figures appeared in a poof of blue smoke.
"Uggh!" Aridan groaned, picking a leaf off of his pants. "I don't do nature. Tell me, Terra, why are we here?"
"Because," Terra replied, grinning devilishly. "This is the perfect place to execute our plans. Accidents in these places are common. And once the witches of the boiling Isle realize their saviors are no more, it would make our takeover all that easier. OHAHAHAHAHA!"
The other ex-coven heads joined in on the laughter, unaware they had someone watching them.
Terra stopped her laughing after a minute and looked at her fellow rouge. "Now, " she said commandingly. "You two handle Eda and her group, and I will take care of Sprout's gathering."
"Wait!" Adrian exclaimed, "Why do you get the easy job?"
"Oh, that's simple, Dear Adrian," Terra replied with a sickeningly-sweet smile.
She made a spell circle, and quicker than the two rogue witches could react, plants burst through the ground. The vines came right at them but stopped a few inches in front of their faces, allowing the two to see the vines' sharp heads.
"I'm the strongest witch here," Terra said grimly. "And in the new empire, we're going to create the strongest rule. Is that clear, dearie?"
Aridan nodded fast, and Terra smiled at this. She recalled her plants and wordlessly pointed to the adult trail. Aridan and Vitimir quickly ran down the trail.
Terra watched her two subordinates leave and then made a spell circle. "Now, time to make some kids into fertilizer."
The mountain guide, Bria, and Drake watched as a flower rose around Terra, swallowed her, and returned to the ground.
"...Should I call a Scout detail?" the guide asked awkwardly. "Sounds like your friends and family could be in trouble."
Drake sighed lightly and took a sip of his muscle relief potion. "Normally, I would say yes, but if we do, we're only endangering those folks' lives."
Bria nodded her agreement, and the guide couldn't help but give them both looks. The Glandus student noticed and sighed.
"Look," she said, looking at the guide, "I know how it sounds, but I have experience dealing with that family, and the less people involved, the better. Just trust me on this."
The guide was still uncertain and looked back at the trails. The witch's doubts were put to rest when the ex-head of the Potion Coven came running back, screaming because his head was on fire.
Thankfully, there was a small pond at the mountain entrance, and he dove head-first into it.
(G corner)
Man, I have been on this fence on this matter for way too long. See, my dear readers I have a chapter for Daily Lives that was going to explain why Roca needs to be shrunk when the Familia take him out in public.
It kept getting pushed back and passed over. Now, I want to know if you all would like to know the tale of why the Familia needs to shrink Roca.