Shadow Claw: The Life Story - The Fifth Chapter

Ch. 5 - Rufus Scrimgeour

"Here, Shadow, Nova. Read this." Jenny came to sit beside me, and I instinctively tucked my wings closer to my pelt for more room. The morning sun - a rounded auburn blaze - shone warmly upon the new day, and lit up Snowy's delicate body, who was in pouncing lessons with her father. Nova was settled just beside me, where Hawthorne would not venture.
Jenny handed us two copies of The Daily Prophet. One told the story of two murders caused by He Who Must Not Be Named, and the break of the Brockdale bridge, along with a hurricane in the West Country. Of course, the details were exaggerated. The second had a cover that was almost completely covered with the title: 'Scrimgeour Succeeds Fudge!'
I sighed inwardly, "Oh dear. That doesn't really bode well." Nova nodded in agreement, and both of us glanced at Jenny. She looked slightly surprised, "What? Hadn't you heard?" She gawked.
We shook our heads in exasperation, "Jenny we don't get mail over here, and if we do, the owl is usually eaten." Nova chuckled, and I purred in amusement. "We live under rocks, remember?" I nudged her and she grumbled on about something to do with Snape.
"What are you muttering about now?" James drawled, approaching with a sassy attitude. Oh great- I was not in the mood for a bothersome boy.
"Nothing." Jenny stuck her chin in the air, grabbed her reading book 'Moriarty' then strutted away to read under the willow tree near the river.
Hawthorne made an appearance at the precipice of the forest, his tail curled and his ears lowered. Nova hissed under her breath and I felt compelled to tell Shade, because my Snowy was oblivious to the world surrounding her. She would not be mature enough for that for a very long time, I was certain.
"Shade-"
"Relax, Shadow." Shade demanded softly, padding over and licking my fur lovingly. I called over Snowy, but she wrinkled her nose, "I'm pouncing, mummy!" She complained. I glanced worriedly at the edge of the trees, only to see Hawthorne disappearing once more. He never came near Nova when she was with me which we both did not understand.
Snowy continued pouncing, until she fell on her belly and whimpered loudly. Shade made his way to her instantly in one bound. He picked her up gently and assessed her for grazes; she had only clipped one claw, but she was altogether alright. Shade carried her to Sara, the Healer, and she removed the broken claw. I sat beside my mate while it happened, and though Snowy claimed it did not hurt, it seemed she was covering an urge to cry.

I gave a little sniff, and Shade sighed, pressing himself to my pelt. I felt a tugging at my tail lightly, so I turned to see young Otto gazing at me, one hand rested over his hip gingerly. "Shadow." He smiled, and I gave another sniff, but it turned to full-blown crying. These stupid mothering emotions, I thought furiously. The boy wrapped his free hand around me and stroked my fur, while Shade stared at us with a hint of jealousy.

I left Snowy and Shade after Otto demanded I follow him. So, off I went, following this limping boy with no sense of purpose or direction. We stopped at the edge of the lake, but it was at an edge that I had never rested at before. I glazed my eyes over the glittering surface, listening to the silence. Otto's hair ruffled in the wind, and I picked up his fear scent, but there was no such expression of that emotion on his features.

"You can only see as far as you think, Shadow. You're in the deep end here, and you're growing further and further away from Jenny and James each day." Otto murmured, his honey-hazel eyes gazing at Jenny and James, who stood at the opposite end of the lake. My mouth parted slightly as the two waved, "It's so hard, Otto." I choked out, my claws digging into the emerald grass. The young boy nodded, "I know, believe me, I do. But a smooth sea never made a skillful sailor." He smiled and I felt the blow of his words - I had to get through this, or I would never make it. It was a scary thought, but it somewhat lessened my fears of getting lost in the paths I had to take ahead.

"Shadow, when I was five, my dad told me that happiness was the key to life. When I went to school, I was asked what I wanted to be when I grew up. I wrote 'happy'. I was told I didn't understand the assignment, so I told them all that they didn't understand life." Otto murmured, and my eyes widened. "Let the past make you better, not bitter. Sirius Black, my father, died for us all, and I won't grieve because he wouldn't want that."

I looked out over the lake again, to see Jenny, James, Lupin, the twins Remus and Lupin, Millie and Nova dotted around the sides of the lake. My breath caught in my throat.

"Otto-" His maturity had become his greatest strength, for I couldn't think of anything to say that would challenge his words.

"We stand together, arms wide open." He said to me, and then limped away from my side, gathering up his family and taking their leave from the territory. Jenny went with them.

Nova remained, and though I had realised that Hawthorne was next to her, his muzzle pressed apologetically into her side, I had not realised until that moment that Nova's belly was rounded only very slightly, and her scent that blew from her side of the lake had changed slightly. My mind reeled, then went back to Otto's words.

I must have taken something from him that day, because I remember him in even clearer detail than my own mate.