Claws of Truth

Preparations

"Hey, Luz." Amity said with a shy smile, brushing a lock of her emerald green hair behind her ear. The faint blush across her cheeks was hard to see because she tilted her head towards the ground after making eye contact; the tip of her black wedge boot tapping softly on the ground behind her.

"Amity... Wha- what're you doing here?" Luz asked, stuplified.

"Not just Amity!" A deeper voice called out from behind Amity. Gus poked his head around the side behind her, a huge grin spread across his face and a gleam in his eyes.

"Gus! Oh man! You're here too?!" Luz managed to squeak out.

"Don't forget me!" Willow's voice came echoing from behind the other two witches as she tried to cram her way into view, unsuccessfully aside from a stray arm above the other's heads.

Eda let out a sigh of relief as the kids started popping up one by one. She powered down her staff and placed the base on the ground with a small thunk.

Lilith carefully eyed the three children. There were a lot of talented witches in the Emperor's Coven, some more than others, and she knew that if they tried hard enough, they would be able to mimick, to near perfection, any single witch they would choose. She should know. She was one of the most copied leaders in all of the Emperor's Coven, and for a few good reasons, she would rather not get into that whole ordeal. She held her guard for the time being, if only lowering it just slightly because Luz was now in the center of the group.

"Oh my gosh! I know it hasn't been that long, but I'm so glad to see you guys again!" Luz beamed. She was currently engulfed in one of the biggest bear hugs she's ever gotten, courtesy of Gus Porter. "How did you guys find me?" She asked, now with her arms wrapped around Willow, who managed to make her way through the great Amity-Gus barrier.

"Well, that was mostly Amity, actually." Willow answered, letting her arms drop from Luz's torso.

"Really?" She asked, immediately making contact with those shimmering golden eyes. Those brilliant pools of striking gold, outlined and embraced by her sharp mascara lines which tapered off to the sides like a set of beautiful wings. And of course her cute little button nose, and those wonderfully soft pink lips that just made you want to-

"Luuuuz? Isles to Luz, you there?" Gus snapped his finger in front of her face a few times before she fell out of her trance. What was with her? With a quick few blinks she refocused on him.

"Sorry," she said sheepishly, "must've gotten lost in eyes of thought there." Her pupils dilated as her cheeks flushed. "Train of thought! Uh- what did you say?" Her eyes darted back to Amity, who was now fully focused on knocking around a stone by her foot.

"I asked if we could come in. I'm all for standing, but riding on a palisman for that long is exhausting. I need a nice, soft place to sit." He groaned, rubbing his behind.

Willow elbowed him in the side. "Just be glad that Clover woke up and came out of her hiding spot before we left. My dad's palisman is so much stiffer to sit on. You would've have back pain for a month after that ride. Which reminds me," she pulled out Clover in front of her, "where's your hiding spot? You can't keep that from me forever." She sternly asked her palisman, who buzzed in response before locking itself onto the staff.

"Oh, yeah! Sorry, guys. Come on in!" Luz moved back and gestured into the living room. The three young witches made their way inside, peering around as they moved.

"Oh man! That couch is lookin' good!" Gus beamed, making a beeline towards it. He flopped down with his hands propping his head up against the far armrest, one leg flexed with his foot hanging off the couch and the other planted on the ground. He would never dirty up someone's couch by putting his dirty shoes on it. He was a, gentleman, as Luz called him, after all.