Shadow Claw: The Life Story - The Third Chapter

Ch. 23 - Hawthorne and His Feelings

I sat on a thick branch of a leaf-fallen tree, my hunched, dark form bold against the afternoon sun while my glinting eyes did nothing against my sour mood. James sat above me, watching the Champions patrol the Maze for Task 3, with a cheeky grin. The recent weeks had been hectic, what with Karkaroff, Maxime and Dumbledore and Moody arguing about Barty Crouch, the conspiracy of Krum being bewitched and the Harry and Jenny dilemma. It came to a standstill that the two would be magically bound until the last task had been completed. As for who bewitched Krum while he was out in the forest with Harry (doing god knows what), ranting something about Crouch being crazy and talking to Percy Weasley as if he was back in the Ministry.

I lifted my nose at Hawthorne's scent and growled lowly. Despite my blatant lack of respect for him, I knew he was only a few human years older than I, and I had to admit that he was more experienced in many more areas than I. I peered down with a grimace, seeing the male, and shifted carefully, balancing on the branch before I dropped almost ten feet, bending my knees and rolling to a standing position, glancing at Hawthorne.

"Ah. I did wonder where you'd got to." He said, shifting into his human. His mousy brown hair had green rims and in all honesty, he looked pretty handsome. Nothing against Shade though. His lean figure was not at all skinny, but his biceps and triceps were only barely visible through his virescent shirt. He did have defined abs though. I passed his emerald eyes and glanced at his thick, masculine legs and then back up at him again. He was only a few inches taller than I, but to me, it did not matter.

"Why's that?" I asked, running a hand through my hair and covering my 'love bites', from Shade, on my neck with it. I crossed my arms and leaned on one leg, my hip jutting out like a sassy teenager. Hawthorne briefly looked up at James before peering back at me, "I wanted to know how much you know about Nova."

I dipped my head, "Unfortunately less than I would like, but no matter. Before you go off asking questions and all that, I wish to know what you are going to do with this information?" I asked, narrowing my eyes. He narrowed them back at me and I growled lowly, "Is that any of your business, Shadow Claw?" He countered. My knife was in my hand in an instant. "It is all of my business. Nova is my apprentice, and she has no business with you, for all that I know, except being the down beat father of a dead cub."

Maybe I hit a nerve.

He shoved me against the tree trunk with his forearm against my neck, "You will not speak about my son like that." He snarled softly into my ear, his anger calm yet deadly. Before I could reply, Hawthorne was launched off me and a fuming Shade replaced him. I sighed gently, "Shade, babe. Calm down." I placed a hand on his shoulder and he growled, but was held back by his possessiveness of me. "You're mine. He touched what is mine." He seethed. I tapped his forehead, "Now, what did I say about personal belongings?" I asked firmly. He narrowed his eyes at me, "That you belong to me and you'll always be mine."

I slapped him in the face.

"No. How many times do I have to tell you? We are one, and I do not belong to anybody but myself." I scolded. He whined, "But you're mine." He nuzzled my hair and I smiled, "Now, now." I turned to Hawthorne who was glaring steel daggers at Shade. "Perhaps I said something I should not have. I apologize. Shade." I glared at my mate and he grumbled under his breath, sticking his hand out.

The two males shook hands, "Right. Now, what do you plan- Shade stop licking my neck- with Nova?" I asked calmly, swatting Shade away with my hand. He puffed but kept his hands around my waist, his face buried in my hair happily. Hawthorne ruffled his hair with his hand and shrugged nervously, "Well, I guess I wanted to do something with her, you know. I mean, she's a nice... well, beautiful, lovely female-"

I grinned, "Ohh! Of course. You-" I paused and let the unspoken words hang between us.

His cheeks reddened slightly. "Yeah."

I tipped my head, "Well, Nova loves dark blue, the night sky and she dislikes males that try to control her. She has a free spirit. Oh, and keep off the topic of family." I informed him. His eyes glistened, "Perfect. Just what I wanted to know." He went to hug me, I think that was it anyway, but when Shade growled at him from in my hair, he chuckled and jogged off, shifting and sprinting into the forest. I shook my head, turning it slightly to see part of my mate.

His hands slowly began to slip up my shirt and I raised my eyebrows, "Take them off. Or I break them off." I growled. He pulled me tighter against him and I flicked my heels up to jab him in the thigh. He winced and whined once more, backing off from my body. "Too sexy to handle." I muttered as I climbed back up the tree, only to see that Harry and Jenny had split whilst patrolling and Jenny was hanging around with Draco. I snarled under my breath, "What is it, baby?" Shade called up, padding around the bottom of the tree in his Claw form.

I giggled at him, dropping back down once more and rubbing his head, "Nothing, my dear. Nothing at all. Just a boy-"

He immediately sat on my feet, flicking his tail. "Mine." I rolled my eyes.

"Just a boy, that I DO NOT LIKE, but Jenny likes him, but he's a real jerk." I pouted and exaggerated a few certain words to him. He huffed, "I don't care. You're still mine."

"No sex for you." I uttered.

"Aw, baby, come on! That's not fair!"