Clan Green Bear: Wizards of White Haven

by Frances Howitt

  ‘Please sit down,’ Max invited Ebony, hopping up and pulling out the chair for her. ‘I’m Max,’ he added with a half smile for Drako’s exceedingly casual introduction. She accepted his hand briefly and sat, letting him push the chair in for her. ‘Your brother seems rather preoccupied.’

  ‘Soppy puppy,’ Ebony agreed shaking her head. Drako even now wasn’t listening to anyone; his entire focus was on the other table. So this was Max, the one her father had mentioned liking with such studied casualness. She had noticed him before learning who he was. Did her father know her preferences in men or was this simply a coincidence?

  ‘Love can do that,’ Max said glancing between the pair in amusement. He had seen their passionate kiss as Cassy arrived. Those talking to Cassy now were clearly ribbing her for it. He also suspected Cassy was well able to deal with her peers. ‘Ah dinner, I could eat a horse,’ Max exclaimed rubbing his hands together as plates arrived. ‘Ah, you’re not a horse are you?’ he asked her suddenly anxious.

  ‘No, why?’ Ebony asked.

  ‘I said that in class one day. Gerald thought I was serious apparently and ran out of the room.’

  Ebony laughed at that. ‘Gerald has a horse’s timid nature true enough and he’s none too bright,’ she added quietly and his smile returned.

  Max introduced her to the other men on the table but kept her entertained rather exclusively. He politely let the others chip in with questions but waited on her answers attentively and usually found something to add. The others watched, amused that Max seemed smitten so quickly.

  As soon as dinner was finished, Cassy approached the head table. ‘You wished to see me, sir?’ she asked of Jim directly. Drako was distinctly disappointed but she hadn’t had a chance to tell him.

  ‘Can I come?’ Drako asked Jim quickly, seeing Jim already rising.

  ‘We’re only going to go over the lessons Cassy’s missed,’ Jim told him, but it didn’t dissuade Drako.

  ‘Should I wait for you Drako?’ Ebony asked, fully aware her brother had forgotten her.

  ‘If you want to, or there are plenty of people walking back to the village if you’d rather go back to my house. Up to you,’ he added.

  ‘I could show you around, if you’d like?’ Max put in hopefully.

  ‘That’d be nice. It’ll be dull sitting alone down at the house. Thank you Max,’ she added warmly for her brother’s benefit and smiled at Max’s willingness, but Drako seemed unconcerned and was already following Cassy and Jim from the room. Brothers! She knew Darius would have insisted she return to the house and would have been scandalised that she should remain in the company of a new male acquaintance un-chaperoned. She looked again at Max; he was watching her closely. He was an owl she remembered suddenly, they were known for their quick wit and keen observation. She was not going to be able to put much past this man. He smiled at her reassuringly and suddenly none of that mattered. He was attractive, friendly and welcoming. She took his arm and followed his lead in a tour of the school.

  ‘You won’t distract her, I trust?’ Jim asked Drako pointedly, watching him pull up an armchair beside Cassy’s so he could be in touching distance.

  ‘No, well I’ll try not to,’ Drako said quickly. ‘It’s my fault she’s missed so many lessons; I want to help her.’ Cassy placed her arm on the arm of her chair right beside his and Drako almost pounced on it, curling his fingers over hers. Now linked to her he felt her doubts, her relief he was here and trepidation over what Jim might be planning. She knew he was here with her primarily because he wanted to be a part of whatever she was doing. He also felt a little abandoned.

  ‘I will need to link with you Cassy so I can show you these lessons,’ Jim told her, his eyes meaningfully on their held hands. ‘You’re going to make this harder for her Drako. She can’t keep stopping to clarify your understanding. You won’t know what we’re talking about.’

  ‘I know that, but I am only going to listen. I promise not to speak,’ Drako added irritably.

  ‘You’re not a passive person.’

  ‘I know how to listen,’ Drako said staring at Jim challengingly.

  ‘Boys stop growling at each other,’ Cassy snapped, astonished by them. ‘You’re both acting like territorial dogs,’ she added. She could read how possessive and defensive of her Drako was feeling. She suddenly realised he was nervous of losing her to Jim, or rather the lure of her wizard life. She raised the hand holding his and kissed his knuckles flooding him with love and reassurance.

  ‘When you’re ready Jim?’ she said, pointedly keeping hold of Drako. Drako felt much better and more confident of his acceptance now she’d backed him. She placed a barrier to shield Drako’s mind or rather his thoughts from Jim. Now Jim would not hear and be distracted by Drako’s mental presence unless he deliberately broke the wall. Drako’s privacy was now protected, something a wizard learned to assiduously defend at an early age.

  Drako smiled at her, learning what she had done to shield him. Now they were equal, able to speak but not snoop. He met Jim’s eyes directly, aware Jim was assessing him but he could not feel any mental intrusion. With Cassy linked to him, he was certain she would warn him if anything were amiss.

  Jim dragged his chair within touching distance of Cassy and with no preamble began flooding her mind with information. He paused at the end of each segment to allow her to attempt each new spell if it was safe to do so. That was the best way to truly understand and retain the information as he had found when teaching Amelie.

  ‘She’s had more than enough for one evening,’ Drako finally intruded at the end of yet another session. Cassy was reeling; he was determined to protect her. This lesson had gone on and on. He felt Jim’s annoyance but lack of surprise he should be intervening, before Jim broke contact. ‘Are you ok?’ Drako asked her gently.

  ‘Tired, but I’ll be fine. Thank you sir,’ she added. ‘So how much did we cover?’ she asked feeling rather shaken. That had been an intense session, yet had only taken an hour she was shocked to see.

  ‘You’re now up to date with Vako’s defence classes and half way through potions,’ Jim told her, assessing how wan she looked. Drako had been right to call a stop, not that he’d tell him that. ‘I’ll see you directly after lunch tomorrow,’ he added in dismissal and watched them quickly leave. Only then, did he rub his pounding head and admit his own fatigue. It took considerable thought and strength to condense such a quantity of information into something cohesive and understandable by someone else. He was satisfied however that this method would work on her; she was smart. Given a few more sessions, her teachers should find she hadn’t been too disadvantaged by her absence.

  Drako put his arm around Cassy, tucking her beneath his shoulder where she fitted perfectly. She was quiet, her mind buzzing with far too many facts. He could feel her thoughts continually returning to him, yet he heard nothing specific. She simply leaned against him passively, letting him lead her where he chose. He scented his sister and looked in on one of the big recreation rooms. He was surprised to find Ebony and Max playing a very spirited game of table tennis. He hadn’t heard his sister laughing in a very long time or so involved in anything simply recreational.

  ‘Are you waiting to go?’ Ebony asked her brother.

  ‘No, you look like you’re having fun. Carry on,’ he told her and watched her immediately bat at Max almost catching him unawares.

  ‘Nearly caught you.’

  ‘Nearly isn’t caught,’ Max responded his eyes glinting in amusement and firing the ball back at her rapidly.

  ‘I haven’t seen her laughing like that in years,’ Drako said quietly, steering Cassy away.

  ‘That’s Max’s doing,’ Cassy told him quietly. ‘He’s very keen isn’t he,’ she added laughing softly.

  ‘Why is that funny?’ Drako asked seriously. ‘Too many of us are alone and searching for the one to give our lives meaning. Finding love is critical to us and precious.’

  ‘What’s the matter?’ she as
ked and when he eyed her but didn’t immediately answer she led him back to the empty dining hall. ‘Talk to me my love,’ she invited.

  ‘Am I your love?’ he asked in a small voice.

  ‘Of course you are, but you know that. Why doubt me all of a sudden?’

  ‘Now we have returned here, you are happily falling under his control again,’ he complained.

  ‘I don’t understand what you mean,’ Cassy told him. They’d only been back a few hours.

  ‘Didn’t the last two weeks mean anything to you?’ he asked.

  ‘Of course they did. What are you trying to say?’ she asked watching him go from intense demand to dejected silence.

  ‘Jim snaps his fingers and without hesitation, or a word, you leave. You return to your world and abandon me to mine,’ he added so quietly she nearly didn’t hear him.

  ‘I hurt you,’ she realised abruptly. ‘I thought you knew this was how it would have to be. It doesn’t change my feelings for you.’

  ‘Can’t you see he disapproves of me?’ Drako told her. ‘He clearly has plans for you which don’t include me. He has so easily separated us.’

  ‘No he hasn’t,’ Cassy contradicted. ‘I don’t know why you think he doesn’t like you. He made all that furniture for you, warmed your home ready for your return. He didn’t have to do any of that. He didn’t have to take my classes either, or teach me what I’d missed. I don’t want to fail my exams and lose my place here. He’s put himself out for both of us. I know he’s a dominant character; he is a lion after all, but he means well. Don’t worry so,’ she added and stroked back some wayward strands of his thick hair.

  Drako caught her hand and brought it to his lips. ‘Come home with me,’ he urged as persuasively as he could.

  ‘No,’ she said softly and when he gritted his teeth preparing to argue she added, ‘my decision has nothing to do with Jim or school rules. We are not ready for that and you know it. I will see you tomorrow.’ Seeing Ebony and Max were now in the doorway, she gave him a brief kiss and left. ‘Goodnight,’ she said to them politely as she passed and headed directly for her dormitory. She knew Drako followed her to the stairs but she didn’t look back until she was half way up the stairs. He stood at the foot looking up at her like a lost puppy. His expression almost made her reconsider. She was so susceptible to him.

  Her hand crept up to the ring and closed around it. She pulled the long chain out of her top and closed her fist around the ring hiding it from anyone else’s view. She brought it to her lips, her eyes locked with his. His expression cleared, becoming calmer, but still wistful.

  ‘Cassy has the right idea,’ Drako said to his sister. ‘It’s been a very long day, time to turn in.’ Cassy smiled at him and disappeared, but he did feel more reassured. As usual, she was right. If she had stayed in his house tonight, he would not have been able to rest unless she was sleeping beside him. He knew he was once again pushing her too far too fast. He had promised her he would be patient but jealousy and fear had ambushed him as soon as Jim appeared on the porch of his home earlier and then took Cassy away. Whilst he knew Jim was devoted to Amelie and had never appeared to have a roving eye, he was still anxious. He abruptly wondered if his angst tonight stemmed from his bear’s instinctive reaction to the lion’s rival dominance. The lion had eyed Cassy, and Ebony too, rather speculatively, making Drako feel alarmed, very protective and defensive of his family. Analysing and identifying that emotion eased his anxiety. He now recognised that his bear’s instinct was warning him that a rival might sneak in and take her. He felt a powerful urge to claim her as quickly as possible to prevent her loss. He shook his head ruefully that his bear was colouring his human thinking so strongly. He was going to have to guard his thoughts; Cassy would hear them and might not understand, but so too could Jim if he wasn’t careful.

  He glanced at Ebony walking by his side and abruptly realised she was watching him. He had been so lost in his thoughts that he hadn’t noticed before. They walked together, crunching along the snow covered drive down to the faint lights of the village.

  ‘Have a nice evening?’ Drako asked.

  ‘Better than I expected. They are very hospitable.’

  ‘You’ll have to tell me what you think of the place once you’ve had a chance for a look around in daylight tomorrow.’

  ‘Our people will be getting spoiled eating so well. How do we contribute? I assume we are?’

  ‘Tosker’s team go hunting and bring back something most days to add to the larder. When we first arrived, the meat safe was almost empty; now they have reserves even with our extra mouths, but we are running them out of green vegetables in particular. This time of year there isn’t much left to harvest in the wild. We have already been planting and tending fruit and vegetable plants in the glasshouse to ensure an early crop, but very little is going to be edible for weeks and others not for months yet. I know many more clan wish to come here but they should not until we can at least support ourselves. I don’t like running up such a debt. I know Jim. He has assured us he’s happy with our contribution at the moment, but he’ll be expecting us to be working hard towards achieving self sufficiency at the earliest opportunity. We will also be expected to provide our surplus to the school in repayment. It’s not a wealthy school; but working together we can change that and make it a thriving and strong community.’

  ‘You seem to have it all worked out,’ Ebony commented glancing from her brother’s serene face to the spacious and neatly laid out street they were walking down. ‘You’ve achieved an astonishing amount in a very short space of time. We’re all just running to keep up and wondering what’s next on your agenda.’

  Drako laughed at that, glancing around him. ‘That’s Jim not me. You can be sure there’s rarely a dull moment here. There’ll be plenty for you to assist us with. I’m sure a multitude of problems will have cropped up in my absence that either Jim will have dealt with, usually in an unexpected manner, or that will still be waiting for me because they are too nervous to approach him.’

  ‘I don’t doubt it,’ Ebony remarked as they walked up the hill. ‘This is a beautiful house,’ she added, gaining the veranda and walking round the side to admire the panoramic views on three sides of the house in the silvery moonlight.

  ‘I know. When I saw the plans drawn up for me I was speechless,’ Drako admitted as they went indoors. ‘Amelie designed the outside and Cassy the inside. I hadn’t even met Cassy then but she seemed to know what I would like. She made this couch out of firewood,’ he added lifting the cushions and rubbing his hand along the polished wood.

  Ebony sat in a comfy armchair absently watching him stoke up the fire. He opened the windows to close the shutters and she levered herself up to help. It made the house feel very cosy and safe shutting the world out. She wandered through the rooms exploring then headed up to her bedroom, stoking its fire as well. She unpacked her meagre belongings and felt a sudden pang at how little she had to her name. She had had to leave behind so much when they were driven from their home. They had only been able to carry the essentials for too many years now. However, simply having some of her own things out helped personalise the strange room. She sat on the bed and detected a strange scent. She was a little disconcerted to smell the lion male on the mattress. Animus people were usually careful not to encroach or leave their scent in someone else’s space, unless they meant something by it. However she knew that this particular lion had been raised a wizard, he might not know what was acceptable or even realise he was leaving his scent so obviously. Her bear also had a particularly sensitive nose. She shrugged and threw her horse blanket over the mattress and then her travel bedding on top. Now pungent but innocent horse overpowered the male’s scent. She would have to do some washing and make some proper bedding to go with such a fine bed, as soon as possible.

  She headed back downstairs hearing Drako call and they sat together with hot drinks, chatting companionably until they were ready to retire.

  ‘I
could get used to this,’ Ebony murmured, feeling warm, safe and secure.

  ‘It’s home,’ Drako responded, propping up his feet before the fire and relaxing. Visiting the other members of the clan, had been a very sobering experience. He could not believe how quickly he had forgotten the daily terror of being homeless and hunted like vermin. White Haven had become home. He had to find a way for the rest of his people to join him here in safety.

  16. Building Fences

  Over the next few weeks, Ebony spent time with each family helping them where she could and addressing any problems. The settlement’s security, hunting and supplies aspects she left in Drako’s capable hands, but she worried about him.

  After the first night back, Cassy seemed to spend all her time buried in her books, trying to cram for her upcoming exams. She would come in to dinner at the last moment and vanish immediately dinner was over. Drako searched for her but was rarely successful. Others managed to speak with her but not him. He got the hint, and despite his pain at her sudden unexplained withdrawal, he reluctantly left her alone. After that, she did begin to take more time over her food, but she remained elusive. She’d told him she needed space and at the moment, her exams, which she needed to pass in order to remain as a student, were coming up fast and had to be her priority.

  Drako spent most of his time learning the lay of the land locally, hunting and seeking useful materials, rarely coming back for lunch. He also threw himself into planning and helping build two more houses ready for the vulnerable ones joining them as soon as the roads cleared. Nothing truly helped cheer him, or took his mind off Cassy, but he refused to let anyone think she had left him. He refused to believe it; he could not allow any such thing. He was simply letting her concentrate on her studies on the run up to the end of year exams.