Alright, so...we have anger, two new characters and a witch battle.

MINE.

~Angel~

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Why did he know that name? Why was it so familiar? It seemed stuck on the end of his mind, the irrational beast still pumping through his veins and blocking the rational thought processes.

But his focus fell on Rayne when she started laughing. Why was she laughing? Had he missed something?

“That—this is a very good joke—or a very bad one,” She said with a sudden abrupt stop to her laughing. The witch didn't smile, didn't react to the statement to say it was true or false. She simply stood there, in her protective outlet of dragon proof magic. Even with no words it seemed proof enough for Rayne.

“You're lying,” Rayne said in desperation.

“Why else would I need to know the truth? Would attack you?” The witch questioned back. Magnus lifted his lips to bare his predator jaws, feeling the need to answer this question aggressively,

“Because you are a WITCH.”

“Exactly,” the witch answered Magnus calmly. “The only thing I am more afraid of than your kind, Dragon, is the man who nearly wiped out three entire covens in a matter of days. I was confronted with a fact, that you, Rayne bare the same stripes as that man.

“I didn't know what you were to him—I had to know if I was helping someone who would send knights to kill me and mine. Now I know that's not possible.”

Rayne's stance suddenly leaned harder into Magnus, staring towards the witch's feet.

“My—” she mumbled, “My own father is trying to kill us.”

“Kill us?” Magnus asked as he lowered his head to surround Rayne protectively.

“The hawk, Magnus,” Rayne murmured, her eyes so wide and frightened her pupils had become shining pools of black fear. Magnus raised a brow before his mind clicked into place.

Lord Bywren, the hawk had said that name. He was the mortal who knew about Magnus' ring, about he and Rayne.

And now was the father she never knew.

“I'm sorry,” the witch solemnly said as she approached the edge of her barrier, but smartly stayed within its confines. “I didn't want to tell you, not like this.”

“You shouldn't have!” Rayne sobbed, covering her mouth with her paw and crying out the rage she was feeling. “You—should've just kept it to your own damned self!”

“Demanding the answer and then saying they shouldn't have said the answer isn't very rational, Rayne,” Magnus felt the need to point out. Rayne's venomous eyes turned to the one eye she could see of his own.

“You—SHUT THE HELLS UP!”

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Kara was about to try and apologize again when everything froze around her, Magnus, Rayne and her tears. There were no sounds of bugs, bushes or birds as everything stilled like a painted picture. Kara knew this magic, laced with such thick power and familiarity. Kara, the only being allowed to move turned around quickly to go into her house, knowing that was where she was watching from.

She didn't see it, but she definitely felt it, a strong furred chest smashed against her nose and body, another furson with no magical signature what-so-ever just standing behind her silently. She took her steps back carefully, rubbing her nose to try to coax the pain away.

“Who the hells is there?!” Kara yelled at the figure she knew was there now.

“Calm down, Kara,” The voice of the Grand Luminary said from behind the blind witch. Kara turned to see her walking around the frozen dragon, the wolf witch that swirled with every element of magic, power beyond Kara's understanding. She may have been older by thirty springs but what age brought was more power and knowledge. “You sound so startled, not expecting to see me, daughter?”

Kara fell to her knees, still holding her nose with one paw and looked down at the ground. She was going to be banished from the coven, there was a dragon in her yard with his mortal and pregnant mate. She had no idea how long the Grand Luminary and—who ever was with her had been standing by and watching. Her own mother would exile her from the coven.

“I'm sorry, mother,” Kara tried to sound more official than scared. “I wasn't.”

“Obviously,” the Grand Luminary chuckled, turning on her feet to look over the crying Rayne and the dragon surrounding her. “I dare say I've come at a bad time.”

“I—” Kara was going to explain the situation but her mother's paw rose, white and almost iridescent.

“He's not of my concern,” the Grand Luminary suddenly stated. “His fate and mine do not cross, so rest your worries. His crosses with yours, however, through the very upset tigress right there...You've said something very upsetting.”

“Her—”

The paw rose again as her mother turned.

“Lord Bywren's unknown daughter, I know, I know. It will take her some time to accept it. But do not fret my daughter, at some point she will forgive you for all that nonsense.”

“How long have you been here, mother?” Kara asked quietly.

“An eternity—or a moment, hard to say which, wouldn't you agree, Harper?” the Grand Luminary suddenly asked, looking behind Kara.

“Ages, my lady,” a lower male voice muttered. Kara's eyes narrowed, she could hear the grin in his voice even if she couldn't see it.

“See? Time never flows the same for everyone,” the Grand Luminary said, flicking her paw like his answer were a fly buzzing around her head.

“I don't understand—”

“Of course you don't, pup,” she smiled. “But no, I will not exile you, as you are following your own fate. But I have other business here, with you—and Harper.”

“What does—”

“Ahh, I forgot, he's not magical,” the Grand Luminary stated. Kara knew she hadn't forgotten anything, but her mother always made sure things were revealed when she thought their time was right. A wave of her paw and Kara felt the rush of luck drift over her head and hit the figure behind her, illuminating him to Kara's eyes, but she didn't turn to look.

“Stand, you foolish girl, stand,” the Grand Luminary ordered in a sort of flourishing voice. Kara did as instructed and turned to the figure behind her.

He was a strong wolf, not a mark on his fur as it glowed white with the luck magic. His eyes seemed far more expression-full than his face, which seemed cold and distant. His arms were crossed and Kara had to turn back around before her sight delved any lower than that. She was greeted by her mother's clever grin.

“He is your companion,” she stated, putting a paw on Kara's shoulder. “He will do whatever you need him to, I chose him very well.”

Kara couldn't help but grimace, pleading with her mother through her eyes.

“Mother—”

“Harper, first things first,” The Grand Luminary ordered over Kara's shoulder. “Dismantle that tiny bed and make something that will fit the both of you.”

“Yes, my lady,” Harper stated and obediently went into Kara's home. She felt her neck and spine hairs bristle with him just being in her things.

“Mother please—”

“You knew this was coming, pup,” The Grand Luminary said in a far more tender tone. “He will be good for you—Now one other bit of caution.”

Kara groaned, but listened, still edgy from the new scent of male near her.

“When Salena shows, best not kill her—just...Wipe her memory clean, hm? She's always been pretentious, maybe some good magical memory loss will knock her down a peg or two.”

“She's here?” Kara asked in panic.

“She will be,” the Grand Luminary warned, before kissing Kara's forehead. “Do have some fun, will you? He's very handsome.”

Kara loved the fact that her mother wasn't concerned about the blood witch in the slightest, but more concerned about how her daughter was going to deal with the male in her home. Kara swallowed and tried to keep from rolling her eyes as well as blushing.

“I will do what is best for my coven,” she muttered.

“Well—that's not fun at all!” The Grand Luminary complained, but walked away from Kara and to Rayne. She stared down at the light of the baby growing inside Rayne, before grinning a bit deviously. “He's going to be handsome.”

She chuckled a little before plucking at a string that Kara—nor anyone but the coven's leaders could see.

“Ooo—but a trouble maker...”

And then she was gone. Rayne was raging once more, and Kara's focus fell off of the pair, heightening her senses to catch the presence of Salena before the blood witch made her move.

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“You—SHUT THE HELLS UP!” Rayne roared at her inconsiderate mate! How could he say something like that?! After hearing what Kara had said! But something changed in the corner of Rayne's eye, Kara had moved but not normally. One moment she was saddened, the next moment her head had jerked so fast—no it didn't jerk. Somehow her head had turned to look at something without actually turning her neck, her expression of sadness coupled with a cold, calculating gaze. Even her milky blind eyes showed that. For some reason that made Rayne's rage stall but not stop entirely.

Magnus seemed to be staring the same direction Kara was, screaming at him hadn't taken his attentions per usual. He scented the air, breathing in heavily through his nostrils before opening his mouth and taking in more scents. Rayne having no magical abilities or the sense of smell of a dragon felt a sudden twinge of fear go through her.

“There was another witch here,” Magnus growled as his eyes turned to Kara, his pupils becoming needles in his eyes. Kara didn't look from the direction she was gazing towards, before she turned to look the opposite way.

“My mother,” she said with no emotion to it.

“A powerful witch,” Magnus growled as he drew in more air, almost panting as he tried to inhale more of the scent. Rayne hit him as hard as she could in his neck, making him shake his head and come back from where ever his mind was wandering to. “Why did you pummel me?”

“BECAUSE I CAN'T SHOOT YOU!” She bellowed at him, making him flinch which gave her some pleasure. Rayne's paw suddenly had a spasm, making her grind her teeth in pain and cradle it with her other paw. She felt the flow of blood pulse to life, beginning to soak from her wound like it were freshly cut. She felt her heartbeat pound harder in her ears, before it looked like the blood was crawling out of her and dropping onto the ground. Rayne let out a loud whimper of pain, watching her blood flow into something impossible at their feet, an interlaced form of words and symbols.

Magnus' eyes widened before he scooped Rayne against his chest with his arms, wrapping his wings around them before there was some sort of outburst like lightning had struck the ground—no exploded from the ground! Magnus was blown back as he held Rayne firmly, landing on his back but still keeping Rayne safe within his arms and wings, tensing in new pain when they bounced and skidded back into the treeline! She felt jostled but looked up as much as she could, Magnus' head lying atop a once mighty elm as he started to open his wings to try to roll back over, breathing hard and unable to do so. Rayne felt the ground shake again as the same blasting noise permeated the air.

“What are you doing, Kara?!” A cold and crazed voice sounded. Rayne lifted her head around as Magnus' wings fell on either side of him. “Protecting THEM?!”

Kara was in front of Magnus' tail, the usual cover of her hooded cloak thrown off as she stood only in a tightly bound strip of fabric across her chest and a sort of short loin cloth. The black furred wolf had both her paws out and legs slightly a part, staring between the two new holes in her open yard and towards another cloaked figure.

The skunk witch, the red silken cloak was a dead give-away.

“She did not know her father, Salena,” Kara warned loudly. “Taking revenge out on her will do nothing for your pain.”

“Oh it will do so much more than you could possibly know!” Salena shouted. “And how do you explain standing to defend a DRAGON?!”

Kara moved a little on her feet awkwardly, Rayne could almost see the lack of an answer just from the gesture.

“That is—complicated,” she resorted to answering. “But it is also—none of your business.”

“Hoooh, Kara,” Salena almost purred in a pleased tone, “How the mighty have truly fallen. I'm going to enjoy tearing you a part. I won't even have to make up an excuse, having Lord Bywren's daughter AND a dragon splayed out on your lawn is reason enough!”

Kara moved her arms like she were lifting something and the grown erupted in tree's thick roots! Not waiting for Salena's echoing threat to even finish before the fight started! The skunk pricked the tip of her finger with her tooth and tapped the first few roots, stopping their growth dead in their tracks like frozen snakes about to strike! The others moved to try to grasp her feet but the skunk dashed out of the way, light on her feet! A root pierced through her silken red covering and pulled her from her feet, letting her dangle above the earth as Kara moved more roots from under their dirt home, beginning to entangle the skunk in their harsh grip!

The skunk slipped from her cloak and drew lines of blood onto the roots grasping her, before putting her paw down and igniting them—before they abruptly turned to ash and let her fall to the ground! She wore similar garments as Kara now, silver hair wild behind her as she started to make a mad dash at the wolf witch!

With a flick of her wrist wild ivy hanging from thick trees made a sort of net barrier between herself and Salena, but the skunk wasn't going to be stopped by the over growth! She bit the inside of her lip and spit her own blood upon the ivy, letting it burn away like her blood were pure acid and going to spit again directly onto Kara's face!

Rayne found a good sized rock on Magnus that had been blown above ground from the strange implosions and hurled it with her good paw at the skunk, nailing her square in the jaw as she threw herself through the hole in the ivy wall! Giving Kara a chance to defend herself against the aggressive onslaught! Kara looked over to Rayne as Salena tumbled to the side, landing on her knee and cradling her jaw. Kara turned back to her opponent as Salena's mouth turned into a bloody grin.

Kara changed her stance as trees began to groan and growl with movement all around them, branches snapping like bones and before long leaves began to float passed them and towards Kara and her blood witch counterpart. Salena spit into her own hands before needle-like extensions appeared on each finger of her paw! Making a run for Kara once again!

The floating leaves became suddenly flying projectiles! Speeding towards their target like a thousand throwing knives! Salena slashed and stabbed at most of them, some cutting into her fur but that seemed only to encourage the blood witch, pulling more of her own blood to become her weapons. Kara moved two roots behind her from the ground, sending them criss-cross in front of her as the first slash of Salena's blood needles tried to go for Kara's chest! Cutting straight through the thicker root as Kara jerked backwards on unsteady feet!

Kara released another root as Salena ducked to get to the wolf, going to entangle her arm but something had Kara struggling. Salena had reached out and started to pull Kara's own blood from the cut on her paw, letting the droplets come floating out and add to Salena's own weaponry. Salena started to laugh, she had let the skunk get too close! Kara cringed as the roots she had been calling froze in their place, letting Salena peel free of the little grip they had on her.

“Time to die, I think,” Salena growled in triumph.

That was when Rayne really notice him, a white wolf dressed in a white shirt and blue pants covered in wood chunks and saw dust? He just casually walked behind the skunk, and put both paws on her shoulders. It was like he hadn't been sensed at all by the witch.

“Don't. Harm. Lady Kara,” the wolf growled, white-blue eyes piercing even from the distance away. The blood needles, the blood itself started to drop like rain onto the ground, Salena dropping to her knees as Kara looked up in mild horror. The wolf male had simply touched Salena, and she slowly fell forward as if falling asleep. The white wolf let her hit the ground hard at Kara's feet, before his gaze turned expressionless towards the wolf witch.

“Are you alright?” he asked, kneeling down next to her and pulling her cut paw to look at it, grazing his finger along the swollen tissue. Kara's teeth gritted, obviously painful to the touch.

“...Fine,” Kara responded in a nervous tone. “Fine...get her inside.”

“Yes, Lady Kara,” he replied, before bending down to scoop up the skunk over his shoulder and hauling her into the house. Rayne crawled off of Magnus' chest, looking over the disaster area known once as Kara's living yard as Magnus let out a healthy groan of pain. Rayne pointed at the now closed door, frowning in shock.

“Who the hells was that?” she asked, that the most pertinent thing on her mind at the moment.

“Harper—my—companion,” Kara stuttered as she stood on her feet. “Don't ask...just...don't.”

Rayne's brow couldn't help but raise in curiosity. Sure, Kara had attacked Magnus and found out about dark secrets of Rayne's. But the wolf witch just defended the pair of them, almost died for them against another witch. Rayne's anger was still there, but for now Kara and her seemed to share in the same sets of problems.

“Is companion another word for...?”

“What part of DON'T ASK, don't you grasp, Rayne?”