Shadow Claw: The Life Story - The Fourth Chapter

Ch. 4 - Relation Tension

Need I remind readers, that although I have many plans for this book, it is Order Of The Phoenix, and that is probably the most boring book. Film, not so much, but the book (which I'm reading now) is really not such a special snowflake.

Days passed, in fact, I think it was even weeks, but I had been stuck in that house, like Sirius, for too long. Hogwarts started in three days, but that was too long, and I had been pacing like crazy. "Shadow! Stop getting in the way!" Was all I heard all day, every day. I would snarl and bound off somewhere else, grumbling and growling under my breath. Pissy attitudes were all I got, well, except for the milk and chicken at dinner. It was starting to get to me, and it was making me restless, since I didn't sleep so much and kept watch over the whole house.

There was a knock on the door not long after Severus had left, his face in an upturned scowl permanently. There was a small rustle from the adults, as nobody had been expected, and surely Snape couldn't have forgotten something? I snapped at Sirius, "Just go open it! You're wasting time." I hissed, lashing my tail and hitting Kreacher in the process. He let out a low snarl at me but I released a rumbling growl that got him to scatter.

However, that rumbling growl, had not, in fact, been me. Sirius had opened the door to my father and he looked... well, I wasn't too sure. Did fuming, seething and furious fit the fatherly figure description? "Give me back my daughter!" He snarled. I yelped and skittered up the stairs, shouts and yells trailing after me. I rebounded against the walls but I couldn't use my wings inside, for I would surely break them or ruin the place.

I came to a shorter set of stairs, and without thinking, I scattered up them and through the trap door, right into where I never wanted to be. I cowered against the faint light of the room below and whimpered, lowering my ears as I crept forward gradually. The place shed darkness upon me, and confusion and thoughts that sent me to the precipice of insanity.

I heard loud footsteps behind me and panicked, and before I knew it, I had turned heel and bowled through the people following me, knocking a few to the side. "Shadwow!" I heard a little voice, and before I could register Otto standing in my way, my claws had raked his side in a deep gash. He let out a high-pitched cry and fell, crying and wailing violently. I shifted to human and pulled my hands to my chest, my breathing quick and shallow.

The adults and a few of the children looked down at him and gaped at me in disbelief, "I-I di... James... no- I... Otto..." I stumbled backwards and fled the scene, and as I saw my father still at the door, I ran to him and hugged him so tightly that I could barely feel him hug me back. "Dad!" I cried, wailing into his chest. Most of this happened without me even thinking, but his scent was so calming and I wanted to stay with him forever.

I faintly remember James being restrained from both going to Otto and attacking me. I hiccuped in my cries and my father wrapped his thick arms around my torso to calm me down, "Shh, shh, it's okay. Don't cry, my daughter." He pressed his lips to my head and I whimpered once again. I glanced back and saw Sirius say a few words to my father, however I couldn't register the sound because of all the others. The adults, Otto, James, Jenny, Ron and Harry, Hermione and shrieking Mrs Black, then Sirius shut the door to Grimmauld Place. The house disappeared between the two beside it and silence reigned again.

"Shadow, sweetheart, please." My dad tried pulling away but I clung to him tighter. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, don't leave me here, take me home!" I wailed, still crying and hiccuping and apologizing over and over. "Shadow." His stern voice silenced me, but as I peered up slowly, his eyes were soft and caring. "I'm going to take you home, honey. I wouldn't leave you where you don't want to be." Then he glanced over me and stroked my hair, "I thought you'd been kidnapped or, or taken away from me. Oh, my sweet child." He nuzzled my head and I hugged him again. "I love you, dad." I croaked, and his chest hummed affectionately. "I love you too, Shadow, and don't you forget it." He shifted and I climbed onto his back, laying my head on his neck and feeling all his muscles through his fur.

*

The fly home was long and tiring for me, despite me only sitting on my father while he did all the work. I suspected I fell asleep at one point, because when I woke, the forest was close and down below, I could see Shade in the camp, pawing the ground and snapping orders at Claws from both packs. He disrupted a fight over a female and told the female off too, for what, I didn't know, but it made me smile and long for his touch.

Pierce landed not too far off and when he shifted back, he gave me a firm look. "Shadow, you have to understand that what you did was very bad, and you worried your mother and I very much. Do you understand me?" I nodded slowly, looking down, but he lifted my chin with a faint smile. "We care about you. Know that." He kissed my forehead and lifted me up bridal style when I almost fell asleep on his chest. I snuggled his chest, and as I felt him enter the prying eyes of many, I heard him say. "Alpha Shadow is asleep. Do not disturb her." It was a faint warning, but it kept them all away.

"Shadow!" Shade's voice made me turn my head slightly but not open my eyes, "Shade?" I croaked, my voice drowsy and dry. I felt myself being transferred from one male to another. My father to my mate. I clutched his warm chest and his delicious scent surrounded me. I made a small noise that sounded a bit like, "Num num num." And then I remember being lain on our moss bed, but nothing beyond that.

"Mea umbra." Was Shade's last words in my mind before I fell too deep asleep to resist the pull of my dreams.