A Birth day

"Flickering trail lights, yes. Glowing mushrooms, no. There are some nonmagical as well as some magical species that actually do glow in the dark," Marcus said. "I wouldn't necessarily pick and eat any of the ones that glow, though. Best to leave those for the potions makers."

He continued to run, and he saw what looked like dark spots flying in the dark, and he wasn't sure what it was--until it smacked him in the face. It was a colony of bats flying through the woods.

"Brian, turn it off," Marcus said. "Turn off the obstacles. We've got bats. We need to be able to see."

"Lumos Maxima!" Brian fired a brilliantly bright white light from his wand, and he saw a number of bats all start to flutter in every direction, looking to avoid the blinding white light. Marcus was hit in the face and in the back of the head by several of the frightened bats.

"That's why I wasn't going to do that," Marcus scowled at him.

"Well, give them a minute, and they'll leave," Brian said. "We've never had an issue with bats before. Never had any sort of cave or anything for them to want to live in. I'll have a word with Pip and Archangel in the morning. They can do some scouting for us and maybe tell us where these are staying."

"You don't think it was one of Robert's things?"

"No. He has no ability to communicate with animals of any kind," Brian said. "This was not his doing. These are just ordinary bats."

"Lots of them," Marcus said.

"Yeah. Definitely weird."

"You both okay?" Marcus asked Arian and Ruby.

Ruby saw the bats and moved to Marcus Aria marvelled at how they flew around " wow they are magnificent, " she hard Marcus talk to Brian and chuckled " Robert might not but doesn't Kate?" she said reminding them she does talk to animals. Ruby looked at her and shook her had .

Hearing Brian ask if they were okay Ruby checked herself , yep I'm good." she said Aria did the same .

"yep no scratches" she said making sure her arms were now covered with sleeves. " just to be safe" she added having a feeling more was to come " if these aren't Roberts doing , than why here and now?" she asked with a puzzled look.

"Kate can only talk to birds of prey," Brian said, "like eagles, hawks, falcons, that sort of thing. When people can talk to animals, they can only talk to one specific kind or group--like Jack's skill for talking to canines."

"We don't know yet," Marcus answered Aria's question about why now. "We'll have to look into it. For now, let's finish our run. Just be careful." Brian gave a loud whistle, and a moment later, Archangel flew to him and landed on his shoulder.

"Protect," Brian told Archangel firmly. The bird gave a loud, fierce screech and then lifted up into the air above them.

"Good thinking," Marcus said. He looked at Aria and Ruby. "Eagles will hunt bats, so by commanding Archangel to stay with us, that will effectively drive the bats away from us for tonight. Welll done, Brian."

"Well, it's nice to have a bird that's big enough to do some good sometimes," Brian said.

"Agreed. Well, now, maybe we can finish this run in a normal fashion," Marcus said. "Let's get back on it, shall we?"

Aria listened to Brian and nodded " ah makes sense and I thought it was just because he was a werewolf?" she said listening more as he answered her question " hum, your right" she said as she saw Brian call for Arch angel " oh good idea keep those batty things out our hair, um. literally " she said making Ruby chuckle as they began to run again this time with Arch looking over them. Now with no more distractions they made good time running in a sort of formation Brian and Marcus at front Ruby in the middle and Aria behind not because she was slow but she liked it that way.

Ruby could see the end of the track and sped up a little to finish the run " thank goodness the end" she said " but knowing Robert its a trick." she said but it wasn't and she passed the finish leaning on her legs to catch her breath " I am so not fit, I have a mom bod not a fit bod. " she said knowing a few runs with Marcus and Aria she'd be back to her fit status again.

"Well, so, you need to get running and working out back in your schedule, it seems," Marcus said. "Good run, All, despite all the little quirks. We should get home, though, now. Angus and I have an early morning."

"As I told you, if you need any help, speak up," Brian told him.

"We will. Thanks. Goodnight, Brian," Marcus said.

"Goodnight, All. It was nice running with all of you," Brian said, heading back to the main house.

"Let's go home," Marcus said.

When Marcus got back to the house, the living room was empty. He didn't see the kids or Angus. None of them. For a moment, it rose his radar, making his anxious. He went over to Edward's.

"Edward, where is everyone?" Marcus asked.

"The kids are downstairs in the girls' room, playing some sort of card game. As for Angus, he's outside in the tea garden. He seemed to think Caprice was perhaps drawing him there, so I decided I'd give him some space."

"Thank you," Marcus said. Marcus walked outside and down to the tea garden. As Marcus got closer, he saw a small flame burning. "What are you doing?" Marcus asked.

"My gran wanted me to destroy that pendant of Priscilla's. I wasn't sure about it, but she was insistent. She had me bash it with a brick and then set it on fire. I didn't think gold would catch, but this sure did. Burst right into flame, and there's not much left of it now." Marcus looked down into the flame and saw there wasnt much left now but a pile of smoldering ash.

"Well, maybe the gold was blended with some sort of dark arts something or another, and that's what let it burn."

"Maybe so," Angus said.

"I'm sure that house is probably going to feel lighter without that dark thing lying about," Marcus said.

Ruby heard Brian and nodded " oh for sure will" she said smiling as they said good night to Brian and headed back to the duplex entering she followed Marcus while Aria went and showered checking on the babies but she found them sleeping with Finn at the foot of their cots . He growled at her until he realized it was Aria and then wagged his tail " good boy Finn" she said giving him a small fuss before he went back to guarding and she went to shower.

Ruby hearing Edward returned to the duplex and pored herself some water , drinking it she breathed out in relief then went to shower and change into something comfortable to sit in leaving Marcus who she saw walking over to Angus out side by a small fire to do what he does best.

Now changed Aria walked down and sat down reading her word search but glancing up she saw Marcus with Angus. walking out the door and over she looked at the fire " huh, that Pricilla's pendent?" she asked " some bad juju in that thing to go up like that" she said and looked at them both " my auntie had a friend who had bought a deck of cards , taro cards she burnt them after a family tragedy , they burnt green and turned to ash" she told them " never touch another deck again, ever"

"I knew there was dark magic tied to it, but for some reason I didn't want to destroy it," Angus said. "I only did it because my gran was relentless about it. I just hope I'm not going to regret it."

"Well, I don't think your gran has any reason to put you in harm's way, so I presume she knows what she's talking about," Marcus said.

"Presumably," Angus said, and as the very last spark of Priscilla's medallion burned out a loud lightning crack sounded from where the ashes were and a bright neon red flash of lighting rose up from the ground went up in the air and then disappeared.

"What the hell was that?" Marcus scowled, his head and his ears aching from the loudness of the lighting that had happened right in front of them. Angus saw Caprice standing there, and she was looking at him. Angus was feeling a new set of instructions. He got a large leaf from the ground, and he gathered up the ash onto the leaf, every little speck of it that he could gather.

"I'll be back. She's taking me across the estate's property line to dispose of this," Angus said.

"Well, let's go, then," Marcus said. Angus walked until he had crossed the property line of the estate. "Care to see what happens if we cast a Ventus spell together?" Angus asked Marcus.

"I can tell you what's going to happen," Marcus said. "It's going to blow that damned ash a long, long ways away from here and scattered every particle far far away from the next particle. Sounds like a fitting end of it to me." Then he and Marcus both fired a Ventus spell to blow the ash as far away from the estate as the spell would take it.

"And there, truly is good riddance to bad rubbish," Marcus said.

"Gran seems satisfied. Can we go home now? I'm hurting, and I'm tired," Angus said.

"By all means," Marcus replied.

Aria listened and nodded to them when the light show came she covered her ears and watched as quickly as it came it was gone and she breathed out " I'm in agreement , what the fluff was that?" she asked but heard Angus talk again about Caprice and what she needed him to do. "You go, I'll wait back home and put the kettle on for some fresh coffee, or tea" she told Marcus with a smile. Seeing them walk away she turned and headed back to the duplex.

Ruby had glanced out the window and seeing the red light from a distance when Aria came back she asked her what it had been and she just shrugged " something to do with bad magic I'd guess" she said and Ruby sighed and shook her head .

"well good riddance to it" she said turning to head back in. Aria headed to the kitchen and made a fresh pot of coffee while Ruby brought out Angus pain potion

Marcus and Angus started the walk back to the house, and they were back on estate property, not far from the duplex when Ruby arrived with Angus's pain potion.

"Thanks," Angus said. He took the potion and then kept walking with Ruby and Marcus towards home. "I think the worst of this pain will probably be over by tomorrow. Or at least I hope so. I'm just guessing some of it might be from normal stoving up that happens after an injury, and if that's the case, then I should feel better tomorrow."

"Or you could just be full of shit," Marcus teased, "in which case, you won't be making a miraculous recovery by morning." Angus looked at him and frowned.

"Hey, now, as my mate, don't you feel the least little bit obligated to provide me some sort of encouragement and support?"

"In other words, lie to you? Nope," Marcus teased.

"Boy, I sure do know how to pick 'em, don't I?' Angus looked at Ruby.

"Realistically? I think you'll feel better when you stop using your shoulder for stupid shit, like bashing gold jewelry with bricks," Marcus said.

Ruby let Angus take it and she walked back with them chuckling at their banter " from what I know the best friend you have always tells it like it is" she said smiling at them both as they walked " but Marcus is right, stop doing stupid shit" she said softly and chuckled to him.

Aria smiled as they entered and handed them a cup each " Irish coffee" she said and then moved to the kitchen returning with two more handing one to Ruby " thought we could use something more grown up not that the kids are in their rooms" she said as she sat and sipped her own cup " hope its okay followed your recipe Angus" she said as Ruby straightened the blanket on the recliner chair for him to sit in.