Strangers- New World

Chapter 23

My week went by like this: lay in the nest, feed the kits, eat, repeat twice more, and sleep next to Storm. Every day.
The only time things changed was when their eyes opened. From that moment, Baso came back into the nest.
I feel so relieved now. I have all my kits with me, and my mate taking control of the settlement. I feel completely safe.
"Spirit," the all but unfamiliar voices speak.
"Yes, Moonshadow?" I say, sitting up as my kits looked at her strangely.
"I was gonna take Meg and Sam out for hunting and battle practice, but I realize I needed to inform, or ask you," she says somewhere in between snarky and kind.
"Of course, Moonshadow. You can just tell Custer that that's where you're going. You don't have to ask," I say sweetly.
She nods and walks away.
"Who was that?" Ally asks from behind my leg.
"That was a Nightwatcher, dear," I tell her, touching my nose to her grey head.
I start to walk off, and I hear my kits stumbling after me.
Baso comes right to my side as the others follow my tail.
"How do you like your siblings?" I inquire.
"I like them. Dallin is a pain and Ally is so curious and sweet while Sunkiss is quiet and April is moody," he responds with a shrug.
I laugh softly, rubbing his small frame with my wing.
I leave the den and sit with a bold posture. Not everyone has met my kits, and now they will.
"Everyone! Quiet down!" Custer yowls when he sees me at the entrance to the den from across Center.
As soon as his words rang out, clear and loud, the area silenced to nothing. They all looked at me expectantly.
"Now, I know all of you have met Baso, but I want to introduce Ally," I wave my tail over her, "Dallin," same to him, "April and Sunkiss," I finish off with my tail resting on Sunkiss's head.
Cheers from the settlement rose up. Welcoming the new royal blood with heartwarming pleasure.
Storm had his chest puffed out proudly at the back, happy about our kits and the attention they we're receiving.
I notice Meg, Sam, and Moonshadow haven't returned yet, but that's okay. They can meet my kits later.
Once the cheering had died down, I continued, "They are all our royal blood, and will be respected. When they are old enough, I will have my trusted panthers train the dear hearts. Now, let us celebrate!" I yowl as everyone cheers again.
Storm quickly padded up to us and rubbed his muzzle against mine.
"We got what we wanted and now we are as happy and can be," I mumbled against him.

~~~~

*POV*
"Storm... Oh Storm..."
"What the hell do you want!" He yowls out, glancing around.
"You don't need to be mean," I said, shaking my head and stepping out into the half light of his dream.
"You," he sneers at me.
"Who else?" I spit, black whisps floating off my body.
"Leave me alone!" Storm yowks at me.
"Oh, I will, and your kits will pay for your cowardice," I warn, turning back to the shadows.
He growls and tackles me, but I teleport behind him.
"Oh, Storm. Don't try this, can't we just get along?" I smile.
"You're evil!" He cries, shaking his head and screeching.
I knew I was doing this.
Soon, his body turned completely black and whispy, eyes red. He was now my mirror. My puppet.
I laughed and my mirror copied me.
"Oh Storm, I have complete control of you. You can't escape me."
He twitches and his original form appears for a second, "Spirit and the kits can't find out about you!"
"Oh, but they have," I laugh, evilly.

A//N: so.... Yup....