“Lily…” The elders were enthused when Lily with a scrunched forehead refused to give them an answer. She seemed to be as someone that was lost in thought. Leila gave her a slight push with her elbow, and she turned around, her right eyebrow piqued, wondering why her sister was jabbing her physically in a room full of elders she cared not a hoot about, unless perhaps, for their safety. Her immediate concern at the moment was what she had just heard from Prescott. If he thinks that Emma was the chosen one that the prophecy had talked about, then they all should be talking about how to bring her back, not deliberating on the dead.
“The elders are waiting for a reply… You seemed spaced out.” Leila commented, after noticing that Lily didn’t have an inkling why she had just elbowed her.
Lily’s mouth formed an O, even as she turned around to stare into the faces of the hungry elders desiring answers this time around.
Her eyes darted toward Prescott, stylishing asking him if she should go ahead with talking, and he shrugged his shoulders. He was okay with it. She had learnt the hard way never to go against Prescott’s words, verified or not. She didn’t want the repeat of what had happened more than six years ago to repeat itself again.
It had been a few days to the scheduled day when her aunt, Leonarya, had broken away from the community with some core members of the horde. Prescott had known, or rather he had seen it coming, more like felt it. And perhaps, that had been the reason why no one had believed him, not even her grandmother, Queen Zipfara, who for some unfortunate fate, hadn’t seen this particular future coming.
Prescott had somehow, in some way, had thought it would happen. He had been restless, a bit sick, and had lost his humor in a few days leading to that unforgettable event. And he had told them all about it, the family. They had discounted his tears, especially as her aunt had been a very convincing woman. The rest of the story had been history, better left unsaid. But one fact had been established; Prescott’s gut feeling was to be considered regardless of the fact that he wasn’t a human but an animal. Taking note of this, had saved them from a couple of troubles which had included saving them from the risk of losing Emma.
“We are waiting for you, Lily. Is the squirrel’s words so heavy?” One of the elders, to be more specific, Shitta, asked, her arms crossed against her chest, her eyes shaded with deep curiosity.
“Not at all.” Lily replied, getting a hold of herself and her emotions. Remembering the betrayal of her aunt to their community always snapped her away from reality and damn changed her mood.
“So, what did he say?” Shitta queried on behalf of the other elders.
“He said that we shouldn’t disobey a request from the chosen one.” Lily replied, and murmurings broke out amongst the elders. Queen Zipfara and the members of her family kept quiet since they had all heard Prescott’s words the first time, and had believed him. They just had to find a way to pull the elders along with them.
“And how does he know that? Can he prove it? Is there a situation that had warranteed his particular deduction?” Shitta questioned, ignoring the talks going on all around her by her fellow elders.
Lily looked at Prescott to answer the question.
“She is not a human. She had thrown an offending werewolf right across a hall, without flinching. And her eyes usually glowed gold whenever she was angry.” Prescott stated, and Lily recapped the statement to the elders.
And although some were intrigued by this information, others were really not.
“So, is that all? She could be anything but not the chosen one. Anyone rising from the supernaturals like the cougar family, panthera and all that, could do that. She had shown us her unhuman-ness when she had defied our Queen’s imprisoning ball, remember? So, that isn’t new. If that is all you got, then it proves nothing. There is no way we are giving Casper Zent, a warrior’s burial.” An elder stated smoothly, without mincing words. He was among the people that were in vehement support of just throwing Casper’s body into the body. He also didn’t believe that Emma was the chosen one. She was too rude for his liking. He would have preferred someone else; actually believed that there was someone else.
There was a bit of silence after his recitation. Prescott glared at him, wishing to drag him by his white overflowing beard out of the room. So much foolishness for an elder. He thought, looking sideways, letting his eyes rest on Queen Zipfarah who seemed to be torn in some way. Her eyebrows were squinching at intervals, and she kept pulling in and out her lips. He knew she wanted to make a huge decision, one that would damn any consequences and displease some people. He only hoped that whatever decision she was about to state now would be in his favor, in Casper’s and Emma’s favor.
**
“Food, huh?” Shane mentioned, piquing up his eyebrow as he stared at Leo who shrugged afterwards.
“Yeah. you don’t want our prisoner dying before talking, do you?” He asked.
“Not at all, Leo.” Derek replied, not wanting to talk about the matter anymore. He trusted Leo, the same way he trusted his beta and gamma. His chief warrior would never betray him. There was no need deliberating and making a molehill out of the matter.
“When are you going to bring her back?” He heard Leo ask, and shrugged.
“I should have, by now. But I need to see my father first.” he answered.
“You can see him when you are back from her house. A meeting with your father can wait. I don’t think Emma can. You know she is very… well… unpredictable.” Leo pointed out.
“He’s right. You have to see her. I believe your father will understand. We can go now.” Shane supported the motion.
Derek nodded slowly, seeing reason with the advice of his friends.
“You are right. I will have to meet with my father later. But first, Maya and the girls have to be back first. I need to know how she is holding up.” He said, refusing to admit the fact to his friends that he was a bit afraid of Emma’s reaction if she sees him again. He feared a second rejection. His father and the girls had just been excuses.