Shadow Claw: The Life Story - The Final Chapter

Ch. 8 - Opponents and Enemies

The following morning, I trudged downstairs after a horrible sleep, my paws clacking against the hard, polished floors. Harry and Jenny had been arguing about if she could go to the Ministry or not, and after a rather harsh shout from her brother, she relented and we watched them Disapparate to the Ministry of Magic.

"Shade, Hawthorne, you can't stay here." I said to the men. They folded their arms, but Nova and I did the same. "Take the kits and go home. I have a gut feeling, and it isn't good." Nova tried to usher them through the hallway, but they wouldn't budge. Shade's expression hardened but I scowled at him, though Snowy and Tobias started wailing at our ankles. "We don't wanna go home!" They blubbered, mewling and complaining. Kapok, Ivy and Olive did the same, their wails echoing from the arms of James and Jenny, who were lingering in the door threshold to the living room.

"It's not safe, babies." I murmured, crouching down to pick them up. Shade sighed, cradling Tobias with soothing utters. I cuddled Snowy, glimpsing James and Jenny snuggling the tiny kittens that belonged to Nova and Hawthorne.

"Shadow, Nova, we're not leaving." Hawthorne said stonily, "If anything, you two should go back with the kits and we'll stay to protect Jenny and James."

I jabbed a harsh finger into Hawthorne's chest, "You don't give a fuck about Olive, Hawthorne, so don't pretend you care for any of them!" I snarled, scrabbling at Shade's arms when he yanked me back in case I attacked. Nova was yelling at Shade now too, and in an instant, it turned into some kind of war.

We all shifted at the same time, but I was upon Hawthorne first, biting into his neck whilst Shade dived into me to avoid Nova's claws. I toppled over and snapped at my mate, raking my claws over his soft underbelly, causing him to roar out in pain and stagger back. I leapt at Hawthorne again, but Nova leapt in the way, and we clashed, the males padding back and forth through the hallways, their eyes focused solely on us.

"STOP IT- NO, SHADOW- STOP IT!!" Jenny was screaming. Olive was crying, Ivy was wailing, Kapok was crying out, Tobias was sniveling and Snowy was full-on mewling for her mother. That got my attention, which gave Nova a chance at pinning me down whilst I was distracted - I took the chance and aimed a bite to her neck, but Shade and Hawthorne yanked us away once more and forced us to shift back. I glowered at my friend across the hall, making a move against Shade, but he tightened his grip and kicked my legs out below me. I fell to my knees, my head forced upwards to face him. His glare made me ashamed to be alive.

"I expect better of you two." He snarled, eyes swirling in darkness.

He pushed my head down with his calloused hand and I gave a disrespectful growl, to which I got a smack in the back of the head. I choked back a whimper and growled again. "Get upstairs." Shade hissed. I gave him another glower, and that got me a harsh shove and I was forced up the stairs, his hand wrapped in my hair lest I tried anything.

Nova had the same treatment, but she went up to her room willingly.

"You act like a kitten, I'll treat you like one." Shade slammed the door behind him and forced me to my knees again, my head hung, my hair flooding around my face like a black waterfall. "You'll stay here, on your knees, until you've thought about what you've done."

He left.

I sobbed.

~ Jenny's POV ~

I clutched the cubs tightly, settling them on the table with James beside me. Hawthorne and Shade returned downstairs, their faces hardened in fury, but not towards us. "How are they?" Shade asked gruffly, looking towards the cubs, who had mostly stopped crying, but were still sniffling and mewling for their parents.

"Shh, it's okay Olive. You're okay, Ivy. You want some dried beef, Kapok-? Here, look at this- yum-" James was tending to the three cubs belonging to Hawthorne and Nova - I was comforting Snowy and Tobias - and I was surprised at how well he dealt with them, though I supposed taking care of Otto and the twins and being looked after by Milly all added up.

James fed Kapok a strip of dried beef, and he seemed to like that, so the cubs started to giggle and cheer for James. He snuggled them and rolled about, the cubs climbing on him like he would climb a tree.

I bit my lip, gazing at Tobias and Snowy guiltily, who looked to me with large, round eyes. I could see Shadow in Snowy, with the way she acted as a young kitten, and though Tobias was not biologically Shade's, I could see him in his eyes. I lifted the cubs from the table, carrying them to the sofa, where I sat down and wrapped them in the warm blankets I had been sleeping under yesterday. "Your mother is a very strong warrior, you know." I started, "And even your father could not best her in a fair fight."

Tobias mewled, "I thought daddy taught mummy how to battle?"

I nodded honestly, "That is true, Tobias, but your mother was a very good hunter and fighter even before she met your father. See, she lived here, with me and James. In the attic. She kept us safe, and she loved us like she loves you two. She taught herself how to be strong and focused on herself before she could focus on me and James, and it may seem selfish, but it was her way of readying herself to protect us."

Snowy waggled her tiny front paws, buffeting her brother slightly. He nommed her paw and she mewled, nomming his ear. I separated them gently, "Why you tell us this, Jenwy?" Snowy mumbled through the bit of blanket in her mouth. I pulled it out, smiling, "Because you must teach yourselves to be strong too. No matter how many muscles you have-" I looked towards Shade briefly, who touched his bicep by habit, "-you can never be as strong as your opponent if you don't teach yourselves. You can teach fear, but you cannot teach courage. You earn it. You learn it." I explained slowly. They gazed at me, wide-eyed and mouths slightly open.

"Is aunt Nova the opp-op-ponn-nent?" Tobias struggled out with a giggle from his sister. I chuckled, stroking their little chins and chests, "In a battle against her, yes. She is not the enemy though. Remember that. She is an ally and your mother's friend." I smiled, cuddling them closely. They nodded, yawned and then looked up to their father who stood next to the sofa.

"You're very wise, Jenny. If I didn't know better, I would have said Shadow put them into your mouth." He said with a chuckle. I hummed, rocking the cubs slowly. "I think I agree with Shadow though... I think you should take the cubs back to your home. Shadow has to-... it's hard to explain. Get over a fear, almost." I murmured.

Shade nodded, but before he could reply, there was a warped shout, a nasty crack, a yell of pain and then a Death Eater appeared through the door of Grimmauld Place.

I stood, trembling, and handed the cubs to Shade, "Go!" He was frozen, "Now!"