Hammers in the Shadows

Part One: Shadows and Ice - Chapter Five

The next day, after making our farewells again we quickly made progress, and just before noon we pulled up to the gate at Blackwater. We were home, and already I could feel more at ease because we were among friends. "Anna we're home now, and this time we'll stay." I told her as the gate opened and I guided the vehicle up the road towards our house on Pride Territory.

Almost as soon as I brought the truck to a stop the front door of the house flew open and a pair of over-excited three-year-olds flew out of the house.

Anna chuckled as I opened the door to greet my siblings, "Liz, Will, you know better than to..."

"Mark!" Both of them shouted at the same time, jumping at me with the absolute trust that their older brother wouldn't let them hit the ground.

I couldn't help but smile as I caught the two of them and hugged them gently as I looked up seeing the dark-haired form of their mother coming down the steps. "Mom, good to be home." I said before handing Liz to her.

She smiled accepting her daughter before stepping forwards to give me a hug. "Your father is out running a patrol, but he should be home later on this afternoon."

"Kathy, nice to see you." Anna said before she too got a hug from my mom.

"Nice to see you Anna, I take it that you an Mark have graduated from the Academy now?" Mom asked stepping back to look my mate in the eyes.

"Yes, Katherine, both of us have graduated now." Anna said as I snuggled up beside her with my brother in my arms.

"I often wondered if Mark was ever going to be able to finish anything he ever put his mind to, and now I see that he can, though I think him becoming a cat probably had something to do with that." My mom stated simply before rolling her eyes. "Elizabeth Sarah McEwan, did you have an accident?" She asked my sister, looking down at her cub.

"Sowwy mommy" my sister said, though her response was slightly muffled since she was hiding her face in her mother's chest.

Mom looked up at me and I could see a slightly resigned expression on her face. "Your siblings have followed your footsteps Mark, they are proving to be just as hard to train as you were."

I nodded and ducked my head down slightly before I caught wind of a rather distinctive odour. "I think that you can make that a double mom, it appears that William has also had an accident, though today I expect that this excitement didn't really help them at all." I said, "I could help you with this mom, since I'm well versed on how to clean up little boys and little girls." I said walking up the steps of the house.

"I would appreciate it." Mom answered as we made our way inside.

Two hours later I sat in my usual place at the head of the house table in the dining room watching the cats of my House enjoying their meal with their House Lord and House Matriarch present. I could feel the happiness and pleasure that those in the house were taking in our simply being here eating with them. Once we were finished eating I made a point to mingle among those who were still in the room.

As always, each contact, each hug, each word of praise for a well done job sent zings of pleasure and happiness through the Pride Bonds and I could feel how it improved how we all felt. That was something I'd learned from watching Adam deal with his own Pack back at Wild Valley, and though we were much different than they were, I could sense that my using his methods improved and strengthened our bonds. After so long being away from the Pride this was probably one of the best things we could do to rebuild our bonds, which had been stretched thin by time and distance.

Before dinner both Anna and I paid a visit to the Pride House where we were greeted by her parents. When Olaf stood to greet me, I saw that there was yet more grey hair at his temples and his beard was frosted almost completely silver by time and age. "So, you have finished your course of study at the Academy?" He asked looking me in the eyes.