Alexander the Caracal and the Wedding

Downriver

Alexander, Roxana and Darius all ran along the bank of what was nicknamed Quebec River, going further and further downriver until Quebec Castle was completely out of sight. Alan and Gemma followed them, or more accurately followed Alexander and Roxana, being unable to see Darius' apparition.

As the caracals got further down the river, they suddenly paused. The scent of Miltiades filling his nostrils, Alexander flattened his ears against his skull and narrowed his eyes as he looked back and forth. The Canada lynx was somewhere close or he had been. Upon hearing a cry, his ears stood fully erect once more and his eyes widened. That had been Olga's voice!

Running in the direction of Olga's voice, the caracals and the two adolescent redheads found her being terrorized by Lucifer the Canada Goose. Crouched down with her hands over her head, the little girl found herself being towered over by an avian whose species must have flown out of Hell itself.

"Good lord, not Lucifer!" Gemma exclaimed.

Upon seeing Lucifer, Roxana grew hesitant. This Devil Bird tormented everyone on the estate, herself included. Alexander however, had little reason to fear Lucifer. Immediately, he crouched down and saw the Goose take a small step back, while also lowering his head and hissing at the cat. Awaiting the order, the Northern Caracal stared down the Devil Bird.

When Alan said "Alexander, slay!", the Northern Caracal charged forward and Lucifer immediately turned and fled, taking to the skies with honks that were best described as screams of terror. As intimidating as Lucifer was, he was a complete coward when it came to facing someone who did not fear him such as Alexander or Cnut. He may have been able to intimidate Captain Smith, even when he was armed with his Yumi, but Alexander and Cnut were two individuals that feared him not.

Watching as Lucifer flew away, knowing fully well that the Devil Bird would be back, Alexander turned the moment he heard Gemma ask: "Olga, what are you doing out here so early?" The Northern Caracal watched as the redheaded damsel approached the Little Romani Girl and helped her up.

Holding out some crushed flowers, Olga quietly replied: "I wanted to get flowers for Miss Lombard, Miss Armstrong and Miss Gillespie." Immediately, both Alexander and Roxana stepped forward and proceeded to sniff the crushed flowers. Wherefore? Olga was holding them out. There was no other reason.

With an amused smile, Alan said: "How about you do your flower picking closer to Quebec Castle?"

Nodding, Olga put the flowers down and pulled Alexander into a hug. With wide eyes and his ears flattened against his skull, he was unsure of what to do. He wanted to struggle to get out, but at the same time this felt good.

Upon being released from the hug, the first thing that Alexander did was proceed to groom himself. Licking his right shoulder, he listened as the humans talked, only ceasing his grooming when Roxana approached and proceeded to groom him, to which he responded by grooming her.

When Gemma said "Alexander, Roxana, come!" the two caracals ceased their grooming and began to follow the three back to Quebec Castle. Hopefully, that would be enough excitement for that day.

Yet as they walked, the two felines paused and looked back. Darius' spirit was not following them. He stood at the riverbank, staring at a shallow area that Miltiades must have crossed at many times. Was it possible that he even saw Miltiades there behind the underbrush on the other side of the river?

Alas, they knew not. All that they did know was that was the last they saw of Darius' spirit that day. Before their very eyes he vanished and they knew not when they would next see their predecessor again.