THE GHOST CLUB #4: Hemlock Jones & the Mystery of the Purloined Bones

( PART FOUR )        
          
The night begins to fall and wraps its arms around the two who lay between a fire.          
That gentle flits and snaps its words aflame, with sparks that lift as faeries float in air. There are no words to speak when Death is near, ‘tis now the ones who wait won’t sleep tonight. Their eyes be closed, their minds alert and watch, for in the wake of battle, ‘morrow’s keep.          
           
The tiger squints her eyes to slowly stretch, and in the grey of predawn dim she yawns.  The huddled hunch of warrior starts to stir, and rolls upon his knees to look around.  The tumbled pile of wood now cinder black, is colder than a witch’s mammary. There’s nothing here to eat, cold cuppa tea, is all there’s left but no one thinks of food.  The Toxin One walks quickly to a tree to cast a stream of water to its roots.          
           
“I always thought of night the time of ghosts,          
I never knew how active spirits are.          
When here before the dawn, just gaze above          
For proof they follow with us all along.”          
           
As tiger curls around and starts to preen, she sudden hears the rustled flap of wings.  Both she and Toxin jump and point at those they see approaching fast: Murder of crows!          
           
( The Harbinger )          
           
And separate from the flock is Reggieness, who fans his feathered tail for coasting in.  He shakes his plumage then he starts to hop to where the tiger perks and  gives a smile.          
           
“ A’llo, mi’luv, I’ve come ta give ye news,          
I understand you’re headed for a fight.          
Just want to let ya know, best be forewarned,          
Your adversary comes before tonight.          
           
She don’t exactly know you’ve come for ‘er,          
So luck, you got surprise be on your side.          
But make it quick, your plan to do the deed,          
Ye’ll have the edge, I’ll tell the folk she’s died!”          
           
And with the words delivered, understood, the camp was quickly struck, they left the woods. The crows took flight and followed within sight, as Toxin and the tiger headed west.          
           
As sunlight of midday was straight above, the salt sea air grew stronger as they neared, until they left their tracks on pebbled beach, and good to see their destiny in reach.          
           
”My Brother, Toxin, I will stay aground,          
And wait to change my form when comes the pale.          
It’s then I’ll fly to join you in the fight,          
for justice is our might, we must not fail!”          
           
“Agreed, my sister Hemlock, tell me though;          
The witch I’m dealing justice for her crime.          
For what she’s done, it’s death and only so,          
There’s never enough years to do her time.”          
           
”Ah yes!  The name is Zazzles, now you know;          
The shame, a once-admired Witch digressed.          
The sun is passing quickly, time to go,          
May all our ancestors guide your success!          
           
( The Confrontation / Kendrake’s incantation for Toxin )          
           
There was no way to know exactly when the culprit sorceress would soon be seen. The tiger watching on from far below, was racing back and forth while gazing on, the Warlock rising higher in the sky; his weapons at the ready, sword and shield.          
           
As minutes turned to hours, all seemed lost, as Toxin started flagging in the heat.  He hardly heard the tiger with her roars, as wildly pounding to and from the surf.            
           
‘Twas at that moment she began to spin, to shape-shift into human form of Witch.  She felt the time had come he needed her, and soon the tiger sparked from light’s transform.  There was no time to waste, she ran the dunes, and lifted off the beach, her arms outstretched.            
           
But Toxin couldn’t see as she approached, for he was looking at another speck.  The spot was growing fast with every breath, the pearls of sweat were running down his face.          
           
He fought to concentrate on what to do. Was something missing, something he should say?  He heard his sister calling as she flew, and then it came to him just what to do.  The voice, the weapon mentor’s strong and deep, was in his head, and what he said, the Warlock shouted out with all his might, what strength was left, into the wind:          
           
”I summon thee, Ice Sharks of Wrath,          
I summon thee.          
I light the Way, dark frozen path,          
I light the Way.          
Obliterate, death to my foe,          
Obliterate.            
Cast the remains, send down below,          
Cast the remains.          
           
“Depth of the sea, deadly and blue,          
Depth of the sea.          
No light of Sol, no sight no view,          
No light of Sol.          
No breath of life, no life sustained,          
No breath of life.          
Obliterate, eat the remains,          
Obliterate.”          
           
A swirling fog of ghosting mist appeared, in roiling waves as if a storm was borne upon the ocean seen for miles around.  The figure coming fast from out the west, could now be seen the Witch, the sorceress.  The Warlock dropped his shield and his sword, as Hemlock pulled beside him and she cried;            
           
“My Brother, let us use our fire spell!            
We do it now we might send her to HELL!”          
           
They mouthed their divination silently, their piercing stares as Zazzles nearer came.  In each their right hands held a fireball, and both let go and sent them straight at her.  But just before she on her broom could reach, the double spells, their tails of magic-meet!           
           
The mightiest explosion blew them back, in topsy-turvy, swallowing the wind. Expanding cloud, a mushroom firestorm, annihilating Zazzles into dust!         
           
And from the spell of Kendrake, turned the sea, into a churning bedlam scene of sharks, with appetites unfilled for centuries, would now be satisfied with scraps of Witch, as falling from the cloud that billows still, of tiny bits of Zazzles to this day.          
           
           
<><><><><><><><>END OF PART FOUR<><><><><><><><>          
           
Hemlock Jones (a Tiger & shape-shifting Witch) = Jade Pandora  
Toxin (a Cat & shape-shifting Warlock) = Hepcat6  
Kendrake, Master Forger of Weaponry = Ken  
Regginess, a Harbinger Crow = ReggiePoet (Reggie)  
Witch Zazzles = Zazzles (Broom) – by raffle ticket drawn from a boot
 
And following in the Series: “PART FIVE: The Final Spell”