Book 8 - Zara

eClan and Zara woke up with Mal hissing loudly walking all over them, patting his papa on the cheek with his little paw. Zara made soothing noise's with a slight frown on her face "what is it sweetie?" Mal hissed loudly then started snapping his little jaws in frustration "Tab mama" DeClan was out of bed in an instant pulling on a bathrobe, heading across the hall, Zara holding Mal got up and followed. DeClan stood for a minute the look in his eyes fierce, calmly he went over to the window seat "it's not a storm is it sweetheart" he said to Tabby who was watching intently out the window, Tabby looked up at her papa the same look in her eyes as her papa's and shook her head, Mal flew over to the window and started pacing back and forth snapping and hissing. Suddenly Tabby touched the window and it opened, with a snarling hiss they had never heard her make before she pointed her tiny talon and a bolt of white lightening went flashing through the night into a stand of tree's at the far end of the garden. DeClan grabbed Mal as he was about to go out the window "you stay here and take care of your mama and Tabby" Zara gave DeClan a worried look "who is it?" DeClan shook his head "let me go have a look first" Zara reached out and closed the window, then picked up Tabby as DeClan vanished, Mal continued to pace back and forth in front of the window, every once in awhile glancing around the room with a hiss. DeClan returned about ten minutes later "he's gone" picking up Mal he carried him to their bedroom, Zara right behind him with Tabby, they snuggled the two hatchling between them in the bed. Zara soothingly stroked Tabby's neck as she looked at DeClan "who's gone?" DeClan tucked the blankets more firmly around a shivering Mal "a new wizard has been in the area for a few months, I believe that's who it was but I don't know why he was out in the garden, I intend to find out though" Mal looked up at his papa his eyes angry "looking papa" Tabby shook her head at Mal frowning because she couldn't think of the word, Mal purred and nuzzled Tabby "searching?" Tabby nodded at Mal. Zara frowned "searching? what was he searching for?" DeClan looked at his children "do you know?" Mal shook his head, Tabby hissed and held out her little paw, the image of an object appeared, DeClan groaned "it's the staff of Weston" he looked intently at Tabby "he is searching for the staff? is it his or could you tell?" Tabby nodded nibbling her lower lip "his" she said in a soft little voice. Zara frowned again "what is the staff of Weston? do you know this wizard? DeClan" DeClan looked at Zara "the staff of Weston belongs to a family of wizards from Normandy, the staff has been passed down from generation to generation to the first born male, some say the staff holds all their powers, some say it's a symbol of their power. Leander hated Zachariah Weston, I guess you could say it was evil hating good, if he's still in the area in the morning I'll go speak to him and see what's going on." It took Zara and DeClan almost an hour to get Mal and Tabby to settle down enough for them to sleep snuggled between their parents, Zara smiled softly at her sleeping babies "I guess no more MmMmMm noises, now all we'll probably hear is, I'm hungry" DeClan suddenly laughed softly "that was a pretty good bolt Tabby tossed out, I bet it scared the pants off Weston" Zara giggled "I hope it burnt the pants right off him, she was rather angry" DeClan laughed again as he snuggled his family close.

DeClan stood leaning against a tree trunk watching a young man of perhaps eighteen come out of the small cottage, he had expected Zachariah Weston, this man was much younger but was certainly a Weston with that red blond hair, hawk nose and the deep cleft in his strong chiseled chin that all the Weston males had. "What are you doing here Weston? more importantly what are you doing bothering my family?" DeClan said in a deadly cold voice, Zachary rubbed his upper arm "I meant no harm to you or yours DeClan Leander, I was merely searching for something that I thought was in this area" DeClan saw the motion of his hand on his arm and almost smiled "the staff of Weston is not at Salvation, I am no Leander, let there be no confusion over that, how is it that the staff is lost?" Zachary frowned "how is it that you know the staff is lost?" DeClan did smile then even though it didn't reach his eyes "my daughter told me, you upset her, that was not a wise thing to do." Zachary glanced down at his arm "I shall apologize to your daughter DeClan, it was not my intent to upset anyone, my father was murdered and the staff stolen, I have been searching for almost a year, I keep being led between London and this area, there is a shield over the staff so I can't recover it but it calls to me when it can. As you are probably aware I can not take my place as head of the family without the staff of Weston, some of the wizards that hated my father are slowly destroying my family and I am almost powerless without the staff to pass on my fathers power to me, I have the power within me as the first born male but only the staff can release it." DeClan had seen the faces behind the window "so you brought your family on this search?" Zachary nodded with a frown "I had no choice, there are only the four of us left, I could not take the chance of leaving them behind." DeClan wanted to tell Weston to leave but he couldn't not when he remembered how he had felt as Virlane had stood at Salvation telling him to leave, that he wasn't wanted here, "next time knock on the front door, if you need any help just say so" DeClan saw the pride in the young man's eyes as he shook his head "I can take care of my family but I thank you" DeClan nodded then headed back to Salvation.