Lightening flashed in the blood-stained night sky. The earth shook as the poor citizens of Greendale ran for their lives. A small horde of underage victims stood trying to figure out how to salvage the night. Little did they know…. The night would never be salvaged.
…
“Are you sure about this?” said the wavering voice. The cold-hearted woman crossed her arms and rolled her eyes. “If there really is some unidentifiable creature running around than Cat is the only witch that may know what is killing your mortal pets.” The girl stopped in front of the door. She looked at the two besides her unsure. “You say that, but none of the books we’ve read had any clue of what has appeared in Greendale. Why would some academy witch know?” The boy on her right put his hand on her shoulder. He seemed to be the surest of the three. “Sabrina, Cat isn’t just some academy witch. She’s a Moreau. Thinking otherwise may put us all in more danger.” Sabrina just muttered under her breath as the other one pushed open the door. “She better be helpful…”
The three walking through the aisles of magical grimoires and ancient texts until they reached what seemed to be a small circular clearing within the back shelves of the library. A single wood table and light sat center with a peculiar witch sitting and reading. Her outfit was an unusual dark purple that in the shadows seemed black, but if hit by the little light that fell from the ceiling would shimmer for just a moment. While. The girl’s looks were also peculiar looking even in this sort of place. Her hair was a startling wavy pale green, eyes an even brighter shade of green and lips lined with a dark blue of all colors. She didn’t even look up from the giant grimoire that seemed to hide her almost completely.
The boy besides Sabrina stepped forward, “Cat.” The girl looked up from her reading and smiled. It seemed to be more innocent looking than one would first imagine. “Nick. It’s always a pleasure to see you.” The other student besides Sabrina rolled her eyes. “Still a shut in I see, Catnip.” The witch put down her book and the seemingly innocent smile she wore shifted to quite a bit darker one. “I see you’ve finally been knocked down from your stand Prudence. How odd is must be for a Blackwood to find themselves below a Spellman once again.” Prudence went to step forward when Sabrina put her hand up. “I was told you could identify the creature plaguing Greendale.”
Catnip’s smile disappeared. “I can. Can you pay my price?” Nick stepped forward and held out the wet looking brown bag. The liquid from inside was beginning to drip through. “The still beating heart of a warlock’s dying owl.” She stood up and walked towards Nick. Catnip eagerly taking the bag from him. “Alright. Shall we negotiate?” Sabrina looked at her completely flustered. “Negotiate? We just brought you a still beating heart. Your price is paid.”
Catnip chuckled to herself. Prudence being the one to enlighten her. “We only paid the negotiation fee. Catnip’s services are overpriced.” Catnip narrowed her eyes at the witch. “If you find my services overpriced you are welcome to figure out the creature yourself.” Brave Nick stepping in between the two ladies. “Now, now girls. Settle down. Sabrina is the one making the request. Not Pru.” Catnip sighed and turned to look at Sabrina. This was the legendary half-breed she had heard all about. She was entirely uninteresting to her.
Sabrina glared at her. “What’s the price?” Catnip leaned back so she was hitting the edge of the desk. The sound of rat squeaks could be heard. “Since Nick recommended you I’ll do it for a bargain. I want a gift only you can give from each of you.” Prudence got completely annoyed. “Three demands to find out the name of one creature. Are you mad.” The sound of the squeaks got louder. The room seemed to sound as If hundreds of rats were scurrying around them. Sabrina looking around confused. “What’s happening?”
Nick sighed, “Ignore it. It’s only her familiar.” Sabrina looked at him confused. “Familiars aren’t allowed at the Academy.” Catnip chuckled and walked towards one of the book shelves. She opened one of the books to reveal a large black rat sitting in a chewed hole. The noises disappearing. “Dantalion was a wild familiar. He doesn’t like to listen to the rules.” She turned back around and smiled. “Don’t let it bother you. He comes and goes with the whispers of the Academy.” Catnip, with the rat now on her shoulder, walked back over to them. “So, will you pay my price?” The two spectators turned to look at Sabrina. She nodded her head. “We will.” She smiled and turned around. There was now paper and a pen on the table behind them. “Once you three sign we can begin.”
The three walked over to the table. Once Sabrina picked up the paper, two different versions appeared in the hands of Prudence and Nick. Each had to sign their own contract. Sabrina looked up at her confused. “You want a day with Harvey, Rosalind and Susie?” Catnip smiled. “Us witches never get to see the mortal world. Except for you of course.” She picked up the pen and handed it to Sabrina. “Shouldn’t you share with your sisters?” Sabrina narrowed her eyes. “I’m not going to let you hurt them.” Catnip could only laugh and cross her heart. “Oh, I swear I won’t hurt your mortals. You can even come with us if you want.” Prudence looked up from her contract. “Sabrina…” Dantalion started to squeak silencing the girl. Sabrina signed her name. “Now what.”
Catnip turned to the other two. “And you two?” Nick signed immediately; however, Prudence’s was a slow battle of her reluctance against the pressure of stares. Catnip clapping her hands together. “Let’s begin.”
The lights in the library dimmed after flickering for a moment. Lit candles appeared around the circle of the room and Quentin appeared in one of the isles holding two large bags. “As you requested, Miss Moreau.” Catnip smiled. “Thanks, Q.” The young boy smiled at her before stepping aside to observe. Sabrina turning to the two besides her. “What is she doing.” Prudence just crossed her arms with an evil twinkle in her eye. “Just watch. You aren’t going to want to miss this.”
One bag of salt was spread as a circle around the edge of the clearing. On the inside of it was a circle of mixed herbs from the other bag. Dantalion bit Catnip’s arm and seemed to coat its self in his witch’s blood. Sabrina going to step forward when Nick held her back. “She’s fine. Don’t move until she tells you.” The old language began to be whispered on Catnip’s lips as her now bloody familiar scampered around the circle drawing lines and patterns in her blood. Suddenly, out of the shadows of the rows four other academy students silently appeared. They took the hands of Sabrina, Prudence and Nick and positioned them on the edge of the circle in different spots. The four new students gesturing for them to repeat the words they themselves were speaking.
Catnip smiled. “Let the creature be named.” She opened the brown bag and pulled out the bloody heart. Kneeling down in the center of the circle she began to eat. Dantalion to Sabrina’s surprise burrowed its way into the organ, eating as well. Somehow, before she even realized it, both the organ and the rat disappeared inside the girl. The chanting seemed to get louder and the lights in the library exploded leaving them in complete darkness. Then the blood in the circle seemed to glow and light the area around them. Catnip’s eyes turning white and her mouth opening wide as you could barely see Dantalion recrawling out of her mouth and back on to her shoulder. When the rat reached her ear and spoke in a language only those two may know a massive amount of energy shot out of her and blew Sabrina, Prudence and Nick back. Somehow, the other four knew just how to step away back into the shadows.
Light returned to the room in the form of newly lit candles. Catnip was sitting in the center looking worried. Sabrina rushing over to her. “Did you see what it was! The creature.” She reached her hand up to scratch her rat’s head. “I did. And it isn’t something we can do anything about.” Prudence stood up and brushed off her dress. “I told you this is just an overpriced light show.” Sabrina grabbed the girl. “Just tell us who it is.” Catnip hit her hands away. “Fine. As soon as you deliver on your end.” Sabrina looked at her shocked. “What.”
Catnip returned to the table and picked up her grimoire. “You will get to know what creature you are dealing with when you deliver on your day.” Sabrina stormed towards her. “This is serious. Innocent people are dying.” She waved her away. “Innocent people are dying every day.” Sabrina went to cast a spell when Nick pulled her back. Sabrina looked at him shocked. “Leave it. It’s quicker if we just do as she says.” Sabrina looked at him completely annoyed. “I can’t believe you are taking her side.”
Catnip waved her hand without looking up from her book. “If you are going to bicker than do it outside my library.” The three felt themselves forcibly pulled out from the library and having the doors slammed in their faces. Sabrina looking completely enraged. “Your library!” She went to open the door when to her surprise Prudence stopped her. “Normally, I’d love to insult Nick’s fragile lack of self worth and his need to be dominated by more powerful females, but this time he happens to be right. It’s faster and safer for us to just to follow her rules.” Sabrina looked between the two of her friends. She felt completely enraged, but… But she also needed all the help she could get. “Fine. But if she says one word of complaint afterwards-” Nick cut her off. “She won’t.”
…
“She’s more interesting than I first thought,” said one of the shadows. It had a smooth male voice that seemed to entice people in. “What a hot head. Don’t be surprised if she tries to cheat you in some way sister.” Said the second shadow. Its voice was high and soft like a child’s. “She’s too worried about those mortals of hers to come up with any significant cheat.” Said the third voice. This was one was also feminine, but coarser than the first. “Who cares about any of that. Who is it? My flowers keep dying because of them.” Responded the last shadow. The female sounding voice was somewhere between the other two. Catnip only smiled. “Don’t you want to be surprised?”
Rats In The Cellar – Aerosmith
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