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"Guys, Hunter isn't moving!"
"Call the doctor!"
"Do the human doctors know about possession?" The tears started to form.
"Or grimwalkers?"
"Grimwalkers?" What did she mean? Was he a- stop.
It didn't matter. What did matter was that Hunter was in her arms. Hunter was cold. Hunter wasn't moving. Hunter was dea-
"No!" Willow shot upright, sweat dripped down her forehead and everything was blurry. She reached around for her glasses and was more than grateful to feel them. She placed them on he face and looked around.
They were back in the demon realm of course. Thy had been back for a few days and after traveling each one, looking for signs of life, signs of something familiar. They decided to make a camp and a plan. Hunter had been having... a few nightmares himself. which she could understand. After being. Possessed. That was something that left more than a physical scar.
She could feel her own internal fear and sorrow weighing on her, but she knew she had to be strong. For them. It wasn't time to play around anymore. She... she shouldn't have ever let it come to that. They should have kept trying, kept looking for a way back. That way they would have never had to deal with him again. Hunter would have never been hurt. He would have never lost Flapjack... She knew it wasn't, not really. But she just felt like maybe it did have something to do with her. Maybe it WAS her fault.
The ground began to shake a little.
No no no no, calm down Willow. Breathe in. 1. 2. 3. 4. Breathe out. 1. 2. 3. 4..
Being home, in their natural realm, Willow had felt a lot more in tune with the plants around her. And that they were more in with her. Way more than before. Maybe it was because she was away for so long and wasn't used to it? or maybe it was because her emotions were running so high? Most magic didn't work that way though, it was connected by spells and the mind, but somehow hers was linked to her emotions. And if she was gonna protect them all, she needed to get that under control. She'd have to numb herself somehow. She had done it before. she could do it again.
But the plants didn't stop. She could almost hear their subtle cries. They tried desperately to tell her something but she didn't know what. And that scared her. Maybe she needed to check on the others? Every night it was the same thing over and over again. She'd wake up from that same hellish nightmare, hear the plants anxiousness, get up and check on the others, and everyone would be fine.
She looked beside her, the illusionist lay curled up beside her, luckily he slept soundly enough once he was out. She supposed Amity did too. but she never saw her face? Maybe she was awake. But didn't want to bother her... or maybe she didn't care?
No. stop that Willow. It's not about you.
She stood up and stepped over the sleeping Gus, exiting their makeshift tent. With no real supplies around except for the giant trees and plants, Willow and Amity had constructed two tents. Willow, Gus, and Amity shared one. Hunter, Camila, and Luz shared the other. Camila seemed to be the only one to calm Hunter down their first night here. When he had woke up in a fit o rage, ready to literally murder Belos. She remembered having to manhandle him while Camila convinced him he was ok. That Belos wasn't around, they had to find and stop him first. The mother had cupped his angry face and spoke softly, telling him, everything would be ok baby. She promised.
Hunter seemed to snap out of it. Crumbling to the ground in tears. Willow wanted to stick around, comfort him. But she was so angry. She wanted revenge just as bad, if not, even more! This was someone she cared sooooo much about. And for that- that monster to do that to him? To treat him as though he was worth nothing. That he was nothing. No worth to anyone. To hurt his best buddy through Hunters body?? She had to run. She remembered practically wrecking a section of the forest in anger. Slumping to the ground in her own tears. Alone. But that was ok. Hunter was ok. Hurt in so many freaking ways! ... but he was alive... and that's all that really mattered to her.
The two hadn't really talked at all since then.
She sighed and looked up at the sky. If she had a mirror, she knew her eyebags would be showings right now. Kind of like Hunter's when she had me him. That boy seriously didn't get enough sleep back in his golden guard days. And he was so oblivious to think six o'clock was sleeping in. She chuckled a bit at the memory.
Was it wrong that she wanted to go back to that? If it meant Hunter would at least still be... happy?
Was he ever really happy?
They had talked a lot, yeah. From their meeting the day she started their flyer derby team. He seemed happy? He seemed thrilled for them to be able to join the 'best coven there was'. And then somehow, for some reason she still didn't know. He changed his mind. He protected them. And then she received a buddy request from him. Titan he was such a slow typer too. Somehow she had found that weirdly cute. She figured he hadn't had any type of social media- or experience with witches his age. But he tried, had sooo desperately tried to get her to like him. To be his friend. She missed... getting those photos. She was sure anyone that knew Hunter would've known how much he loved that bird. But she felt prideful knowing she was the first one he had shared that love with. And now... now she didn't know how to feel.
She had never seen a palisman give their life to a witch before. Well. Grim...walker?
Did he know he was... a grimwalker? She hadn't heard much about them. She just knew that they went extinct a long time ago. That they were clones. Now that she thought about it, Belos had called him Caleb. That was the same name he used to disguise himself when they met. Caleb Jasper BloodWilliams. Maybe he had always known.
How... does someone live knowing they're a clone? She didn't care what he was. But she figured that must have been hard on him. Titan... his whole life had been so hard. Why?
"Why do you keep doing this to him?!" She shook her fist at the sky. She didn't know when she had started crying but she could feel the warmth of the tears against her fingers as she rubbed her eyes. "Why?" She cried silently now.
"Willow?"
Her heart dropped. No. She didn't want anyone to see her like this. She quickly tried to wipe her face dry, "Yeah?" her voice broke. Dang it.
"I- are you? No she isn't ok, why ask that." He muttered to himself. "Do you...wanna talk about it?"
"What? No! I'm OK!" She laughed forcefully. "What about you? How did you manage to get past Camila and Luz? Surely they... well. I just haven't seen you out here..."
"Because you haven't been sleeping but for maybe two to three hours a night." He stated as a fact more than a question.
"N-no?"
Hunter walked around her and pulled her hands from her face down.
She shook her head and tried to pull away, knowing the tears were starting to fall. "I'm sorry I-"
"No." He held one hand up. Using his other to continue to grip hers, "I'm sorry.
"No! That's not why."
"Is it because I lied to you?" He asked softly, sorrow and guilt clouded his eyes but he held her gaze.
She shook her head. "Hunter, no. I'm not mad at you. I. I was just-" why not just come out with it. He had already caught her crying, and she needed her head in the game instead of being distracted. She needed to get this off her chest. "I was so scared- I-"
Hunter's eyes widened and he released her hand like it was a burning hot coal. "I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to scare you. I promise I really thought Belos was here-"
"No!" She grabbed his hands and pulled him back. "Not of you! I could-" she hiccupped. "I could never think you would want to harm any of us. It's just-" she hiccupped again. "We could have lost you... I could have lost you!" She snapped. "You were so cold, you weren't moving! You were- i thought you were dead! You were dead! I would've lost if- if Flap..."
And then he pulled her into a hug.
That was her braking point.
She hugged him back like every ounce of her being needed to feel him against her. Her fingers curled into his shirt as she gripped the soft material and sobbed violently. Her glasses hurt from her face being pressed so hard against his chest but she didn't care. She just cried until her throat hurt, and soon it turned into soft whimpers and subtle shudders of breath.
He let her cries die down before softly gripping the sides of her head and pressing her ear against his chest. "See, it's beating... It's not a heart like yours but it works the same way. Its called a galderstone... I'm sure you've heard about those. But... I'm alive." He said softly.
She nodded and listened to the soft thuds, a soft sigh and hiccup escaped her mouth.
He used one of his hands to hold her close and used the other to rub circles on her back. In attempt to comfort and calm her down. "Do you feel that? I'm moving. And... well. since it is a bit chilly out here, I can only hope I feel warm enough for you." He muttered softly.
She let out a small laugh and nodded, releasing her grip on him just a little bit at the confirmation. Somehow, even after all the crap he had went through, he was comforting her.
So she pulled away. "I'm sorry. I- I shouldn't have. You're the one... that has been through all of- I'm so sorry."
He frowned at loss of her in his arms. She felt nice there. He hugged her again.
"What are you-"
"Shh. This is for me."
"Oh... Ok." Willow seemed to like that answer and hugged him back.
Hunter let out a long sigh and maneuvered them to the ground, only letting her go long enough that they needed before pulling her back into a hug. Willow pulled one arm away and cast a quick spell. A large leaf formed behind them and Hunter gratefully leaned back into it, taking Willow with him.
"You haven't been sleeping."
"Neither have you."
"That's not true." Hunter replied curtly. "I have been getting more sleep then you at least." He muttered when she raised a brow at him.
"Well... I think I'll sleep a little better now. I know you're alive... even better now." She tried.
"Sorry for worrying you, Captain."
"I forgive you. It... wasn't your fault. You fought back, you did everything you could... It was him." she seethed.
Hunter gulped at the coldness in her eyes at the reference of Belos. If he didn't get to Belos and finish him first, the captain would no doubt rip him apart. "That's... not entirely true. I knew what Belos was doing. He was... I knew I would die if I fought him back. Don't ask me how... but I knew. I was the perfect vessel for him. I couldn't let him hurt ya'll through me. Not another one."
"You were incredibly strong for that."
"I guess. But I am also made out of some pretty sturdy stuff, so. That helped."
"Did... did you always know... that you were-"
"No. I.. found out after me and Luz were in Belos mindscape. That's... that's how she knew."
She nodded her head.
"Do you think I'm... uhm. Do you think any-"
"No. I don't care what you are. We're all made different. Me, Luz, King, Hooty... It doesn't matter to me."
"But I'm a clone."
"So am I."
"What?!" Hunter almost pulled back at the utter shock he felt, letting confusion roam his mind as she started giggling.
"Well.. not exactly but I'm made by my parents DNA so... we kind of all are in a sense." She finished softly.
"Oh... I didn't think about it like that I guess."
Willow let out a yawn and nodded, tired from crying so much and content with her answers, snuggling closer to the boy. She then cast another spell and a large leaf covered their bodies as she leaned into him. "Stay here with me... please?"
Hunter nodded and pulled her closer, letting his head rest on hers after removing her glasses and setting them next to him. He was definitely not as wild of a sleeper as her. They'd be safer on his side.
"When all of this is over... I would like to hang out with you more. Just... the two of us though."
Hunter felt his galderstone pick up pace a little at that. Was she? Did she mean?
He looked down to see the girl already sound asleep. The barest hint of a smile played on her lips before her mouth slightly opened and the snoring began. He smiled at the sight and thought of what future he might be lucky enough to have with her. He didn't know how or why, but the fluttering in his chest seemed to tell him brighter days were ahead. He had hope.
And even though he had lost Flapjack physically, he knew and heard and felt the bird inside him. He wasn't alone. He'd never be alone again. And he would never let Belos hurt anyone again.
The blonde soon fell into a deep sleep next to the girl beside him, holding her close to him as she moved around in her sleep. The two slept better that night than they had in days. They didn't realize just how bad they would need it for the days to come.