I still had most of the week to get through before half term, which seemed like aeons away. Everybody in my classes seemed to be raring to get through all their work, so they had nothing to catch up on during the half term break; but I had already somehow managed to finish what I needed to. And I’m glad I got all my work out of the way as I had to channel all my brainpower toward making a big decision; whether or not I was going to potentially become a Witches Guardian. I had been given a little while to make up my mind and I used every single second of that time, seriously trying to weight up the pros and cons. To be honest though, it seemed like it was all cons and hardly any pros. Though there was one pro that sort of stood out amongst everything else and it was my Aunt who reminded me.
“There’s only a select few that become Guardians. We’re the ones that protect everyone. Everyone.”
I didn’t really like the thought of any of my coven being in danger, or in fact anyone else in any other coven. And from other humans too. Sure we stopped the human world from being caught up in the supernatural, but there were humans that knew all too well about this world and were actively involved in it themselves; hunting and chasing spectres and demons and other things that went bump in the night. But they went after us too, the very people trying to protect them from all that madness. It made no sense to me. But then my Aunt also reminded me of that old chestnut they call misogyny. Either way, the more and more I became involved in this world; the more I felt like I was doing what I was destined to. I still wasn’t sure about an actual career, but “witching” was just becoming more and more natural to me; like I was literally born to do it. I mean, I kinda was when you think about it.
Auntie M even said I’d probably be quite good at it, seeing as I take a Judo class after school once a week and I’ve been doing it for a few years now. I was still only a blue belt, but I could probably try for my brown belt within like, the next year or something. Auntie M did Jiu-jitsu and dabbled in Ruas Vale Tudo and a bit of boxing here and there, mainly because she “didn’t have the legs for Taekwondo or Shotokan Karate.” I could understand the sentiment, I didn’t have the legs for a lot of things either. These were the perils of coming from a short family.
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But my time had run out and I was soon face to face with one of Beverly’s birds, a young crow that flew up outside my dorm room window one afternoon and pecked at the glass. Thankfully, Katie and Victoria weren’t there to witness me opening the window and talking to the black feathered creature.
‘Go on then, I accept.’ I told the bird. Before he went on his way though, I grabbed a biscuit out of a pack I had open on my bedside table and crumbled a bit up for the bird. I always liked to say thank you in some way and giving them some biscuit just seemed like something they’d like. Not like Domino though, he could now tell me exactly what he wanted for his tea or for a treat. That was when he wasn’t sleeping though.
Speaking of Domino, I needed to head over to Arne’s place so I could feed my odd little kitten and so I could speak to my Aunt. I teleported straight there, landing in the main hall close to the big staircase. My Aunt’s cat Duke was walking out of the living room, with a rather excitable Domino charging and bounding around him with his endless kitten energy.
“Madelyn, hello.”
“Oh hey Duke. I hope Domino hasn’t been running you ragged?”
“He’s been keeping me… entertained.”
As my magic was growing and getting stronger, my bond with my own familiar was growing; as well as other familiars too. I could hear cats talking in my head a lot better now and I was getting better, more clearer images from the crows and ravens that sometimes assisted us too, so that was pretty cool. It made understanding them a lot easier, that’s for sure.
“MUM!” I could hear Domino yelling in my head in this voice that sounded like it belonged to a little boy. I could tell he had grown up from that alone, his voice getting more bigger and confident. It had grown, much like his gangly legs. He came skidding over to me a full speed and slid in to my trainers. I bent down and picked him up, holding him against my shoulder as he nuzzled my chin.
“You hungry Dom? Pretty sure I’ve got some tuna for you somewhere.”
“Yeah! And some crunchies too please mum.”
“Okay you can have some of those too.” I smiled. Domino called his dry food his “crunchies” and he really liked the new high protein stuff I started buying recently. “Are you hungry too Duke?” I asked my Aunt’s cat.
“You Aunt fed me before, but I wouldn’t say no to a few of these… “crunchies.” Duke’s voice sounded in my head. I put Domino down on the floor and let him charge ahead.
“Okay, let’s get you two some food then.”