WITCH - The Queen

Chapter 24

Fiete

Fiete purred softly. He had curled up on Peter's lap. Peter stroked his fur and petted him behind his ears. It felt heavenly. They sat in front of their tent and watched Leopold, Marko, Julia, and Josefine playing catch. Finn sat on a soft blanket and cheered on Julia, who was trying to catch the others. She had just caught Josefine. Fiete suspected that his niece had deliberately let herself be caught so that she could be a catcher together with Julia. Because whoever was caught became a catcher.

Julia's wounds had healed enough that she could play catch with her friends without worrying.

"Leo! You're cheating!", scolded Julia, hopping to reach Leopold's foot. "Flying is not allowed."

Leopold flew all the higher and stuck out his tongue at her. "We didn't say anything about flying!"

Leopold flew away every time Julia came near him. "Try to catch Marko!", he shouted and stuck his tongue out at her.

"I'm too fast for her!" Marko danced provocatively across the meadow, swinging his hips. "This wolf is unstoppable! See how I dance! Look at my magnificent male butt!"

"I've seen your butt way too often, Marko!", Julia moaned and tried to reach Leopold again hopping. "Luckily, you're not naked right now! Butt-Marko!" The elf laughed happily and flew just above her hands, without her being able to reach him.

"I have a magnificent butt! With or without clothes!" Marko continued to dance carefree. "A crazily attractive butt. A true beauty! Isn't it, Finn?"

Finn's mouth remained open while his cheeks turned red. He did not answer.

Fiete rolled onto his back so that Peter would scratch his stomach, which he kindly did. "Do dragons like to play catch?", asked Peter with a grin. Fiete meowed softly.

"Is that a yes or a no?"

Fiete meowed again and rolled back onto his stomach. Josefine had just taken on dragon half-form. Large, feathered wings appeared on her back and she easily caught first the sulking Leopold and then Marko, who was too busy wiggling his butt to notice the new threat. Until it was too late.

"Hey! Unfair!", the wolf protested immediately. Finn almost tipped over with laughter and held his stomach.

"Fiete?", asked Peter. "Do you think we'll leave the steppe soon?"

Now the dragon took on human form again. Sighing, he rested his head on Peter's shoulder. "Your sister will be queen one day. But that's all I know about the future."

"Will she really be queen? Juli? She's only nineteen." Peter sighed. "And she still seems so childlike."

"Yes. I think so. She smells like it. And... That magical connection we have? You know Josefine was sick?"

Peter put his arm around Fiete. "Was? Isn't she anymore?"

"No. Julia's magic has healed her. Without the two of them noticing... Since this morning, Fienchen no longer smells of the disease. Every day the smell went down a bit. She is healthy now." Fiete saw Julia admiring his niece's wings. Finn had joined them in the meantime.

"They don't know about it yet?"

"Not yet. I haven't told them." Fiete sighed and sat up again. "This disease is considered incurable. There was no salvation for my father. Cosmo. And none for my sister either. Saira deserved a longer life. Maybe they could have been saved if they had met a witch or wizard like Julia."

He looked at Peter, who had his head turned to him. Fiete liked Peter's eyes. Grey, beautiful eyes. Their eyes met...

"Now, kiss!", Marko suddenly shouted and looked at them. "Kiss! Kiss!" The rest of the cheeky brats cheered and joined in Marko's singing.

Peter sighed. "These plagues!"

"Come on, Peter! I believe in you!", cried Julia, while Finn and Marko showed them how to kiss decently. They exaggerated a bit and ridiculed their performance. "Your lips are so soft!" Marko groaned playfully. "And they taste like love!" Finn pretended to faint. "Marko!"

"Well, you all asked for it!" Fiete jumped up and ran towards them. Laughing, they ran away and the dragon chased the teenagers, except for Finn, across the small tent camp. Finn cheered on his friends and family.

Julia

In the evening, Julia made herself comfortable with her friends, her family, in the girls' room. Josefine was still proudly flaunting her wings and Julia couldn't resist burying her fingers in the soft feathers. Josefine had closed her eyes and sighed contentedly. Obviously, she enjoyed it.

Finn sat on Marko's lap and snuggled tired to his friend. Marko had his arms wrapped around him and dreamily kissed Finn's light hair. Finn smiled.

"Juli?" Leopold frowned.

"Yes?"

"So..." His gaze wandered to her hands, which played with the black and gray feathers of the contented dragon girl. "My wings are also very soft too."

Josefine grinned and opened one eye. "Are you jealous?"

Leopold chewed on his lower lip. "No?" He exchanged a glance with Marko, who just shrugged his shoulders. But he also seemed a bit dissatisfied now. Just like Finn. Julia had an idea. She carefully tugged at one of the feathers and the two girls exchanged a quick glance. Julia winked at her and Josefine nodded imperceptibly.

"Sure? Because this feels aaaaaawesome!", the dragon girl continued to taunt. "Simply wonderful!"

"And so soooooooooft!", Julia agreed, laughing, and buried her face in Josefine's wings. "Fevy nife! I could ssssssleepf lif thiff!"

"Of course! They are my wings! The softest of all" Now Josefine fluttered her magnificent wings, which made Julia laugh. "With an enormous fluff effect!"

"Fluffy!" Julia sighed. "I lif thatf."

"You're doing this on purpose!", grumbled Leopold.

"What?" Julia now hugged one of the wings with a mischievous grin. "Neeeeever would we do that."

"You can hug my wings too! They are much softer than Fienchens!", complained Leopold. Marko and Finn grinned, but their eyes were fixed on Julia's hands, which had gone back to stroking Josefine's wing.

"But your wings are more fragile!", said Finn with a grin. "She can't do THAT with your wings..." He and Marko watched the spectacle enviously.

"Juli? Wolf's ears are soft too", Marko finally murmured. Finn nodded.

(c: sasi)