The Owl and The Crow

Chapter 15: Curiosity Nearly Killed

Hello peeps. I've finally had the time and strength to update. I'm very busy at home because I'm moving into my first house! Once I move and get settled in, updates will become more frequent. Remember to drink water, eat something, and have a good day!

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Misty's POV

You stand there for a moment as Mirada disappears in her normal black feathers.

"Umm...okay then" you muttered as you look at K and Vallery

The two girls just look at each other then back at you, they're faces pale and worried. You were a bit unfazed by the attack before, but seeing their worried little faces made your heart ache with a familiar pain...a pain you hated feeling. You walked to them and they immediately hugged you tightly, their little bodies trembling.

"Can I go home?" Vallery asked quietly as she gazed up at you

"Of course. K, I'll only be a few seconds, will you be okay?"

K nodded and stepped away for a moment. You hug Vallery close as you teleport away to the edge of the village, unable to go any farther due to not knowing what Vallery's house looks like. Vallery hugged you before running off and waving goodbye. You wave bye back before teleporting back to Miranda's house, where K was patiently waiting for you on the couch reading a children's book...wait, why would Miranda have a children's book if she doesn't have kids in the house? Maybe she's divorced and shares custody?.

"I'm gonna go find a bathroom" you state as you start to walk away from the living room.

You're 100% snooping. When someone tells you not to do something, now you have to do it. You look around the house, casually running your hand along the wall like a child. Your hand hits something and you look at the wall curiously. Being the extremely nosy person you are, you look a bit closer, removing small, unnoticeable pieces of wallpaper until you see a wooden door. You find the doorknob and try to open it, only to find it locked, but that isn't going to stop you. You try to use your magic to unlock it, yet strangely...you can't

"Odd..." you muttered as you took a bobby pin from your hair and started to pick at the lock, curious about what's behind the door...and why it's protected with runes...

Miranda's POV

When you arrive at Misty's house, there's papers, books, pencils, and other random items scattered all over the ground. You give an irritated sigh as you hear the quiet muttering coming from upstairs in Misty's bedroom. Not wanting to deal with her stupid latter, you simply teleport behind the girls. You fold your arms and harshly clear your throat, to which the girls jump and quickly turn to look at you, their eyes wide with startled surprise.

"Now why are you three ransacking this person's house?" you asked in a stern voice, your cold, ice blue eyes glaring at them

"Well?!"

"We were just having some fun, Mother Miranda." Bella spoke up with a small shutter

You shake your head and pinch the bridge of your nose as you give an irritated sigh. They go to speak again but you hold your hand up to silence them.

"Just leave, I'll deal with you three later."

They simply nodded and flew out the open window in their fly swarm. You roll your eyes and your gaze lands on Misty's desk, you have to do a double take and rush to the desk. Misty's spell book was there and closed as usual, but scattered on the desk are a number of rather...disturbing drawings, ones that make a chill run down your spine. Many of the pictures are all disturbing in their own right, where drawings of fire and screaming people. Disfigured people with horns and elongated limbs, many wearing uncanny smiles or fearful screams. Each drawing was more disturbing than the last, but three pictures catch your eyes the most.

One was a picture of a woman being hung on a twisted and dead tree. Her head was bent in an odd shape, like her neck had snapped on the noose when she fell. There were many disturbing people around her, all with elongated limbs, horns, and angry faces. In the right corner there was what looked like a title, only with the words 'Strike One' on it.

The second one is of two smaller girls, possibly children, tied to a stake with fire surrounding them. Their faces held a mixture of fear and pain, there were even tears running down their faces. The same...entities from the last picture were there, but this time their faces were a mixture of not only anger, but also fear and...hesitation? There was another title in the corner, this one simply called 'Strike Two'.

The third one had very little detail. There was simply a red moon and the silhouette of a monstrous creature roaring skywards. This one was called 'Strike Three'.

You look at the three pictures, pondering their possible meaning. The only thing about it you understood was the three strikes, like 'one, two, three strikes your out.', but other than that...there was nothing. Your eyes land on another picture that catches your eyes, mostly because of the writing on it. This one is a picture of two people with wings, one falling, the other diving and reaching out as if to catch them. There was a red circle around the person diving and on the side was written the word 'WHO???'. You had to get to the bottom of this...these drawings...they're not normal.

You grab the pictures and teleport back home where a distressed looking K comes running up to you.

"Mother Miranda! I found Misty passed out on the ground!"

You wasted no time following K to the unconscious Misty, all the while your mind was racing with unanswered questions.

Misty's POV?

You're trapped in a burning town...you...you know this town. As you race through the flames you come across a smoky silhouette of what looks like a child. You try to call out, but you can only cough as the smoke fills your lungs and makes your mouth run dry. You approach the child, with each step closer you take, the feeling of something watching you get stronger, more...predatory. You finally reach the child and go to touch their shoulder, but they disappear into a wisp of black and red mist.

You flinch at the sudden mist and end up turning around, only to have a shadowed claw grip your throat tightly. You gasped and tried to wiggle free, but the monstrous, shadow beast lifted you up into the air. Your feet dangle as you and try to free yourself. It's clawed hand squeezed tighter and your breathing became shallower from the lack of air. It brought you closer to its face, its glowing red eyes burning into your mind and soul.

"I'm coming for you Misty...so be prepared for blood and death."

It growled out as it threw you. You crashed into darkness and started to rapidly fall, the light getting dimmer and dimmer until the darkness engulfed you. Your ears start to ring, the high pitch sound filing your mind and warping your vision into static. Everything went quiet as you let out a breath...you plunged down faster until your vision erupted into light...and you woke up again.

(Word Count 1209)