The Familiar Hearts (Formerly Known as The Familiar)

Chapter Twenty-One

    ('words, words, words' ) = Thoughts       ( words, words, words ) - Rossa

'Your father came from a family of hunters.' I was frozen, the single sentence that changed everything echoing in my mind. I could not move or think, the new information too both expected and unexpected to handle. 'Family of hunters, family of hunters, hunters, hunters, hun-.'

       "I know this is hard to understand, all of a sudden but everything is alright," said mom gently.

        I stood up from my chair," alright, alright? Nothing is alright. Is Cedric your relative or something? A-"

         Cutting me off, face pale and voice hushed, dad questioned," where did you hear that name."

         "He seemed to be the lead hunter of the group. He thought I was Cynthia, whoever that is. He looked like you and knew your name. I convinced myself it was someone else, even when he knew my name. Who is he," I ranted with false anger to hide my growing fear. Something was freaking my dad out and nothing did that, not a thing.

         "He...," dad's face looked pained," he.....is my brother."

         "Then why-? Are you ok?" I stopped when his eyes glassed slightly as if struck in a memory.

         Dad paused with a breath and a shake of his head," let me start from the beginning. "

         "I grew up in a family of hunters, as you just found out. Anyway to put it quickly, I was a skilled at my hunting and was after a powerful witch, your mother. After finding her, we tussled with her prevailing the winner. She could have ended me, I was done and defeated, but she didn't. She said she was not a murderer.

            From then on, my thoughts on hunting changed and later I came a crossed your mother again. We fell in love, a love our families, mainly mine, did not agree on. The one that took it the worst was my brother. I was his hunting idol and he felt I betrayed our family. My family became too much and we had to fake our deaths, changing our last name to Andrea. Your mother's was Xantara. Now I fear that my brother, Cedric Aileen is after witches. I believe that he realized that we still live and wants revenge for, in his eyes being a traitor."

          All was silent for a moment. Not even a cricket chirped until I broke the silence. "Let me get this straight,your family is one of the most prominent hunter families and your brother, who thought you were dead, is out for revenge because you left the hunting life?"

          Mom turned to dad," tell her the rest, dear."

          "The rest? How much worse could this get?" I exclaimed,throwing my hands into the air.

          "The hunters are launching attacks on witches and familiars. Worse yet, the Hybrids have joined the hunters in the fight. Their is going to be war and no one is safe."

      

^^^^^

               Later on that day, when the sun had rose and my siblings had awakened, I lay in bed replaying the information I had just acquired. My dad had been a hunter, a killer of my kind. Was being the key word. He had changed for my mother. They faked their deaths to be together. From that his brother had branded him a traitor and was now after him, for a fact now since he seemed to know I was his brother's daughter. I wonder what the revenge would be. I mean, Cedric wouldn't kill his brother, would he? On top of that, war was approaching and soon. With the hybrids on the hunters side, they would be nearly unstoppable. Maybe the past would repeat itself and the witches would have to hide once again.   

              I noticed, staring at the ceiling, just thinking, Rossa pacing around beside me.  She had grown even more and now her back came to my elbow. Rossa was still young and not even full grown yet, what size would she be later? I thought back to how she acted when we learned about my family and the hunters. She had been very quiet then, standing as still as a statue and stiffened slightly when we heard of the hybrids. Maybe she knew a hybrid and they were friends? Or was she worried about them joining up with the hunters? 

              "Rossa," I called and she paused in her pacing," are you ok?"

               I am fine, why?

               "You just seem jumpy since we learned about well, everything. If you're being bothered by something, you can talk to me about it. Are you sure you're fine?"

                For a moment she was silent. Actually, Rossa took a deep, there is something that's been on my mind. Your parents said the hybrids joined the hunters. Do you think all of them joined or if some refused to be with the hunters?

                  I thought for a second," well, I can't really tell with hybrids, but I think some could had decided not to. Is there a reason why this is bugging you?"

                    Yes there is a reason. I....know a few hybrids and I do not think they joined. I was thinking of them. What would you do if you found a hybrid?

                     "If they didn't attack me, probably I would just talk to them."

                      Rossa's face morphed into a mix of disbelief and hope that she tried to hide. For a second I almost thought she was about to tell me that a relative of hers was a hybrid but she just gave me a bear (or should I say tiger) hug. That made my crazy and informative day a little better.