Rain and Lightning

“I thought I saw someone from my past, and I tripped down a hill when I was at the academy ruins.” Thatcher rubbed his forehead, blood streaking across his face. Thatcher couldn’t exactly figure out how to explain what he thought he saw to Bella. He was sure he would sound crazy. Besides, he didn’t want to worry her. He smiled up at her. 

Thatcher stared at the cat in her arms, so cute and sweet. It fit Bella. They looked like great friends. He didn’t know where to sit, so he stood there and stared. There were a hundred things he wanted to say. But Thatcher didn’t know where to begin. How could he?

“I hope I’m just seeing things. I really want it to be nothing more. I just…can’t get it out of my head. Seeing her there was awful.” He took a deep shuddering breath. Thatcher shook his head and tried to focus on something more pleasant. Instead, he decided to reach out and give Blake a pat on the head. He hadn’t met her before.

Bella patted the space on the couch next to her after he patted Blake. “Victoria’s gonna be upset that you smell like another cat.” She joked a little, “Yeah Blake? Your too cute for people to resist.” She kissed the top of the cat’s head, earning a small “mew” from the cat.

“Sorry. I learned most of my cooking tips from the ghosts who hung around our house. One of my favorites, Clara, taught me almost everything I know about cooking. Remind me to bake you a welcome to the neighborhood cherry pie. It’s delicious,” he said, chuckling to himself. “Though my kitchen does tend to have a little more action in terms of magic when baking.”

“You and me both. I’ve hardly found anyone to exchange spell books with. And it’s great to find a new friend. Even if Victoria brought you to me.” Thatcher grinned. “She’s bossy sometimes.” Victoria meowed loudly from her place on the couch. “See what I mean?”

“She’s got a mouth on her, that one.” Eli joked. He couldn’t actually understand her, but he hoped that would change soon. He’d either find his own familiar, or one of the cats he’d adopted would turn out to be his familiar. 

“Yeah, but that’s why I love her. Have you found your familiar yet? Or are you still searching?”

Thatcher glanced up at the busy world above his head. He shrugged. “Honestly, I don’t know how I do it. I just do. It took me a lot of practice, though. I turned our kitchen into a tornado once. Victoria didn’t sleep with me for a week, she was so angry with all the thyme in her fur. Cleaning everything was the hard part.” Thatcher laughed at that memory, while Victoria hopped down from her spot and sat in the middle of the kitchen, looking at both of them like she was tempting fate.

“I’m still sadly searching. But who knows, maybe Lilly or Cate will turn out to by my familiar. Or maybe I’ll find one off in the forest. Who knows?” He shrugged. 

Thatcher glanced down at the stairwell, and suddenly he felt very small. He’d never gone skateboarding before, but this kid at academy had dared him to take a spin on the stairwell on it and capture it on video, and here he was. 

“Oh, it’s great practice. And you’ll have some great stories. I also don’t need to make dinner during theater season most nights. One girl brings food for everyone.” Thatcher sighed, smiling unconsciously. That food was always a highlight for him.

“Trust me, everyone down there is just a little crazy. I love that class, though. They stick together, that’s for sure.”

“Sounds like a party. Or a gang. Or both I guess.” Eli laughed, “And if their injuries are anything like yours were today, they’ll be easy to take care of. Well, as long as they’re not human that is. Humans will just flip the fuck out and I don’t have any memory altering powers.” 

“Oh, there’s a trick to that. Bandage up a wound while healing it. Tell them not to take the bandage off for a few days so it can heal up, too. They’ll be none the wiser, and you’ll have lots of practice.”

“Your face is a little red,” Thatcher noted. “Are you ok?” He didn’t know just what he said or did, but suddenly his friend’s face was bright red.

Eli snorted a bit. Were humans really that dense? I mean, sure, they listened to doctors but people couldn’t help but show off their healing wounds. It was gross, but it was part of what made them human. 

13. Palm

Doing anything halfway was certainly not Adrian’s style. That being said, when he saw a cute guy walk in the room he naturally had the urge to go say hello. Being the ever-so-charming bloke that he was, that not only included introducing himself by name, but a slight bow, and a kiss on the hand.

13. Palm

Doing anything halfway was certainly not Adrian’s style. That being said, when he saw a cute guy walk in the room he naturally had the urge to go say hello. Being the ever-so-charming bloke that he was, that not only included introducing himself by name, but a slight bow, and a kiss on the hand.

“I thought I saw someone from my past, and I tripped down a hill when I was at the academy ruins.” Thatcher rubbed his forehead, blood streaking across his face. Thatcher couldn’t exactly figure out how to explain what he thought he saw to Bella. He was sure he would sound crazy. Besides, he didn’t want to worry her. He smiled up at her. 

From the way she studied the forest, Thatcher wondered if Bella had amazing vision. If maybe she saw her waiting. Another chill traveled down his spine. Thatcher never thought he would see a hunter again until he did. Bella suddenly looked much older than seventeen, and though he’d never asked, he wanted to ask just how old she really was.

He let her lead him away, back to the apartments. “I probably should. It might help. But Bella, what if she really is here, and she’s joined the hunt again?” He glanced behind his shoulder. No one was following them, but the fear hadn’t left his system.

If she were a cat shifter, her tail would be on edge right now. She hadn’t sensed anything or anyone, but that didn’t mean that there wasn’t someone out there. There were ways of fooling the senses, Bella just didn’t want to think about them. Bella unlocked the door of her apartment, since it was closest, and brought him inside. Blake, chipper as ever, chirped her greeting at the two of them.

“I thought I saw someone from my past, and I tripped down a hill when I was at the academy ruins.” Thatcher rubbed his forehead, blood streaking across his face. Thatcher couldn’t exactly figure out how to explain what he thought he saw to Bella. He was sure he would sound crazy. Besides, he didn’t want to worry her. He smiled up at her. 

“I haven’t been sleeping well for the past few weeks. And I’ve tried all my usual tricks, including both well and poorly written literature and tea.” Even Victoria had tried to help, growing more distressed as her attempts at cuddling and being his generally adorable cat didn’t pay off. “Victoria tries to mother me. Trust me, you and Blake would never be free from her motherly grasp.”

Her words brought back his fall, and Thatcher felt himself shiver as the chill climbed up and down his spine. Part of him wanted to drop it. Saying it out loud would only make it real. “I…Bella…yes. I thought I saw one. I’m sure it wasn’t anything. I probably just imagined it. It just spooked me a little, that’s all. It probably wasn’t real. I just thought I saw her, that’s all.”

Her eyes flickered over the forest’s edge and she couldn’t help but tense automatically. A hunter like that on an island full of supers? It was like a homicidal kid in a candy store. But she was much older than him, and had a few more tricks up her sleeve than the young warlock would ever know about.

Thatcher glanced down at the stairwell, and suddenly he felt very small. He’d never gone skateboarding before, but this kid at academy had dared him to take a spin on the stairwell on it and capture it on video, and here he was. 

“Oh, it’s great practice. And you’ll have some great stories. I also don’t need to make dinner during theater season most nights. One girl brings food for everyone.” Thatcher sighed, smiling unconsciously. That food was always a highlight for him.

“Trust me, everyone down there is just a little crazy. I love that class, though. They stick together, that’s for sure.”

“Sounds like a party. Or a gang. Or both I guess.” Eli laughed, “And if their injuries are anything like yours were today, they’ll be easy to take care of. Well, as long as they’re not human that is. Humans will just flip the fuck out and I don’t have any memory altering powers.” 

“Sorry. I learned most of my cooking tips from the ghosts who hung around our house. One of my favorites, Clara, taught me almost everything I know about cooking. Remind me to bake you a welcome to the neighborhood cherry pie. It’s delicious,” he said, chuckling to himself. “Though my kitchen does tend to have a little more action in terms of magic when baking.”

“You and me both. I’ve hardly found anyone to exchange spell books with. And it’s great to find a new friend. Even if Victoria brought you to me.” Thatcher grinned. “She’s bossy sometimes.” Victoria meowed loudly from her place on the couch. “See what I mean?”

“She’s got a mouth on her, that one.” Eli joked. He couldn’t actually understand her, but he hoped that would change soon. He’d either find his own familiar, or one of the cats he’d adopted would turn out to be his familiar.