Stone Fledgling

Chapter 13

WARNING: This chapter has brief nudity

Hearing the sounds of pine needles being stepped on, I knew the girls were finished disrobing, covering themselves with their arms as best as they could. Catriona was finished drawing the circle with runes of Gaelic origin. "Good evening, lasses. Zena, I would like for you to be first so I can have some support in the spell." The Queen said as I raised my hand.

"My Queen, what happens if they do it together?"

"They become conjoined, or the spell will backfire and turn them into ashes... I will not let that happen again. So one at a time please." She said shuddering at a painful memory as both girls nodded their heads. Zena walked to the inner circle as Catriona tossed the items that were needed for the spell. At the Queen's orders, the two brothers and I turned our bodies to avoid looking at the nude woman as she placed her arms by her side and let her raven black hair touch to hips.

Speaking in Gaelic, the Queen spoke the same lines her late sister spoke when I was in Zena's position. The trees and earth glowed with the icy blue light that surrounded me. As it shone, the pain began as bones snapped and reformed.

With the death of the blue light brought forth the quietness as the witches screams escaped her lips. I turned my head to see the girls' backside with her wings closing as she wobbled, taking her first steps like a newborn fawn. "Lay down. I don't you to hurt yourself." Catriona said as she placed the girls' amulet around her neck.

Samuel helped Zera to one of the trees after Catriona placed the robe on her and stored the magic into the sapphire, making her into a semi-nude human. Nancy was nervous but then removed it as if her emotions would affect the transformation spell. I gave her a node, letting her know that it was alright.

With our backs turned once more, our leader spoke the ancient words again. As she spoke my friend screamed and howled into the crisp night. I glanced around my shoulder as I saw the flesh on her calves turn into stone, as my eyes looked up to her rear, a feeling of being shocked made me kneel as the pain spread outward, reaching my fingertips and toes. "Ahh!... what was that?" I groaned as Samuel looked at me with discontentment.

Samuel helped me up as I saw Nancy was being carried over to where her friend was, clothed like Zena was. "You felt the pain because you disobeyed the Queen's order. In a way, her word is law." He told me as I wobbled on my feet as I nodded my head as I took an interest in the fallen pinecone by my feet.

After a few minutes of silence, the magic circle dug into the ground was ruined by us using out tails to sweep the dirt. Once the runes disappeared, we all went back to the dented van that the church had. After going back into the city, I looked out the window on my right, I let my mind race, letting my thoughts and worries for the upcoming fight drift away with the leaves as the vehicle drove by.

As we neared the holy grounds, Nancy slowly lifted her head from my shoulder. I didn't realize that until the jerking motion of the stopped van. "Good afternoon, sleeping beauty, was my shoulder comfortable?"

She looked around half awoken and nodded her head. The girls wobbled as they exited the vehicle, holding onto each other as they performed the magical version of the walk of shame. When we saw the girls sit on the steps of the building, the rest of us got out, leaving Ezekiel drove the van to the garage. When he locked the garage door, we all went to the basement to train.