The Harvest Festival

Armin had a soft smile upon his lips as he watched Willow inspect the blade. When she looked to him and asked the question he heard the panic in her voice. “I….” He drew in a breath as he seemed to think. He shook his head slightly. “I don’t believe you would do something on accident.” He smiled. “It seems your powers follow your emotions...the tree moved to protect you...it wasn’t like the tree attacked me when I approached you...hm?” He placed a hand over hers and gave a reassuring smile. “It is your power. Just as my wolf is me. You are your power.” He nodded. “I have control, just as you have control. You are getting used to your newly found self. I am going to help you...just as I’ve helped those foolishly turned to lycans by other packs.” He searched her eyes, he had leaned forward slightly as he spoke. He gazed into her eyes and gave a gentle smile, “You just have to trust in yourself.” He had a bit of crooked smile as he found himself gazing into her eyes once again. “I...uh...um...” He stuttered slightly as he seemed to fight for the right words.

There was a knock at the door then. “Armin.” Rhett pushed the door open.

Armin quickly had stood and turned, his hands in his pockets. “Brother.” He spoke as he looked to the alpha.

“Ah Willow.” He smiled, he then looked to his brother. “I just need your help for a few. Would you mind?” He questioned.

The lack of information told him exactly what Rhett needed help with. Armin drew in a breath and gave a nod. “Yes, yes of course.” He glanced to Willow. “I’ll be back soon, hm? Just don’t hurt yourself.” He followed his brother from the room.

A few minutes passed and a knock was heard from the door across the hall. “Willow?” Kai’s voice sounded. “Are you in here?” The door creaked open. The sound of Kai’s footsteps moving into the bedroom across the hall clicked through the home. Then a moment later there was a knock on Armin’s door. “Armin?” She pushed the door open. Kai had her hair up in a messy bun, but she wore a beautiful blue and white dress. “Oh Willow there you are.” She had a bright smile upon her lips. “I was looking for you.” She stepped into the room and glanced around. “Nice, shirt.” She remarked as she walked across the room. “Did Armin give that to you?” She hopped onto the bed and lay down. “Ugh Armin has the best bed. I don’t understand how it’s so comfortable.” She giggled lightly. She rolled to her side and propped her head up as she looked to Willow. “Ohhh dagger hm?” She smirked. “Did Armin give you that too? Where is that brother of mine?” She glanced about the room once again.

Kai smirked slightly as she watched Willow look to the baggy shirt that was clearly Armin’s. “Oh? Custom fit you say?” Her eyes lit up. “I’ve only a few of those. It’s quite expensive to go to the local seamstress in town. She gives me good prices but Rhett doesn’t want me spending all of our money on clothing.” She laughed lightly as she rolled to her back and gazed up to the ceiling when Willow mentioned Rhett asking Armin for help. She knew exactly what he needed help with. “Oh yes, he won’t be long at all. No need to worry darling Willow.” She spoke with a smile.

Kai glanced to Willow once again with her crystal hues, “Of course I can teach you how to use a dagger. I promised to teach you to how to protect yourself hm.” She then fell quiet for a moment. “About earlier.” She began. “I apologize that you had to be involved in that. I imagine that plenty of poor memories came along with witnessing such…grotesque things…” She sucked in a deep breath. “No need to worry about Remus anymore though.” She gave a warm smile as she finally sat up and stood. She gazed out to the rain that cascaded upon the balcony. “Rhett has sent word to the pack. We plan to have a council meeting tomorrow. A good amount of the pack will be present. From there Rhett plans to determine his actions against Ignatius.” She bit her lip slightly as she thought of it. She knew that war was imminent. There was no questioning it. The act of Remus breaking into the Alpha’s home…that was unforgivable along the list of things that the Silverfang already had against them from the Blackridge pack.

Kai stepped over to the mirror and gazed into it a moment, as if searching for something in her reflection. “So…training?” She asked as she turned and her warm smile returned to her lips once again.

Kai grinned brightly when Willow stated that all she needed was the cloth and measurements. “I’m going to hold you to that, darling.” She stepped forward and then looked to Willow with soft eyes. “It isn’t any fun, interrogation….it unfortunately always ends in the same…way…” Her lips pressed together in a flat line. She clicked her tongue slightly. “But…onto this.” She grasped the dagger carefully and looked it over. She slipped it from the sheath and flipped it around in her hands in a fluid motion. A smile curved up her lips as she did so, it was evident that she enjoyed the art of the blade. “Ah this is a very fine blade. It’ll be perfect to learn on.” She spoke and then nodded as she sheathed it and handed it back over.

Kai then took a step back, “But first, we do not need the dagger.” She nodded. “You do not have to be strong or fast to win a fight, Willow.” A smirk curved up her lips. “I’m not a large alpha, am I?” She raised a brow. “Nor am I a male. I’m quite petite in fact.” She chuckled. “As are you.” Willow stepped over into the center of the room. “You have to use that to your advantage sometimes, lycans will misjudge…hell humans do the same. We’re no different.” She smiled. Kai turned her gaze to the door as it pushed open and Armin walked into the room. “Ah, perfect timing brother.” She smiled. “Come.” She stepped over an pulled him along to the middle of the room with her. “Self defense class time.” She smiled. Armin looked to his sister and drew in a breath. He knew exactly where this was going.

“Now then. Watch carefully. I’ll show you how to do this. But first. Real time.” Kai chuckled as she looked to her brother. “Go on, Armin.”

Armin chuckled and then looked to Willow. “Kai isn’t fair with this game of hers.” He spoke as he then took an aggressive stance. He lunged forward to grasp onto her.

Kai easily slipped to the side, a smile upon her lips the entire while. She used his momentum and her hip to flip him over her body and onto his back. Armin groaned as he fell to the ground, though he started laughing a moment later. Kai smirked to her brother and helped him back to his feet. “Now then.” Kai nodded to Willow. “Come here.” She spoke and waited. “I’ll show you how.” Kai positioned Willow carefully and then smirked to her and Armin. “Alright. It doesn’t matter how big he is. Nor does it matter how strong…hm?” She nodded and then looked to Armin. “Grab her.” She spoke.

Armin reached forward and grasped a hold of Willow at her hip, his eyes gazed down into hers. The same golden ribbons swam within the crystal blue once more. “You can throw me just as easily as Kai did.” He reassured her.

Kai gazed to her brother a moment, a grin curved up her lips. A moment of silence passed. “Ah right. Yes.” She then looked to Willow. “Grab here.” She moved around the two moving Willow’s hands to Armin’s body. “Put your foot here.” She nudged Willow’s foot forward. “Do you feel how off balance he is?” She asked with a smile. “Now…give a tug.” Kai stood back with crossed arms as she waited for Willow to easily flip her brother onto the floor. It was an incredibly smart technique. It used everything about Armin against himself.

Armin gripped onto Willow’s shirt just as if he were her attacker. When she gave him the smile just before she pulled against him his eyes widened as his weight was shifted much more quickly than he had anticipated from Willow. He let out a bit of a yelp as he flipped over onto his back on the floor. As Willow began to apologize Kai started laughing. The woman stepped forward and stood over her brother. “He’s fine.” She chuckled as she looked down to him. Armin groaned slightly. “Now, that’s what I’m talking about.” She giggled and then looked to Willow. “You are a lot more powerful than you allow yourself to believe. Perhaps that it most of the problem?” She smirked as she looked back to Armin. “Come on, up you go. I have to throw you on the ground again.”

Armin groaned as he stood he let out a laugh as he got to his feet with the help of his sister. “That was surprising.” He smiled to Willow. “I’m not hurt. Don’t apologize. If you hurt me, still don’t apologize.” He winked to her then and glanced to his sister.

Kai smirked as she moved about the room. “Men seem to think it’s more beneficial to approach a lady from behind to catch her off guard.” She chuckled as she looked to Willow. “Not the case.” She positioned Willow in front of Armin. She then nodded to her brother and he wrapped his arms around Willow, hugging her against him as his arms wrapped around her waist. “It makes you feel helpless.” She spoke. “But you’re far from it, he is in a vulnerable position and he doesn’t even realize it.” She stepped forward and grasped Willow carefully. “You can move your upper body still see?” She adjusted Willow so that her upper body was leaned forward and twisted slightly, “A few quick elbows to the side of his head.” Kai grinned, “I’m pretty sure even a nasty Lycan would let you go.” She nodded to Armin whom released her. “I’ll show you.”

Kai moved to her brother, a smirk upon her lips. “Don’t…” Armin narrowed his eyes slightly to her. To which Kai only laughed in response. He shook his head and laughed as well. He grabbed Kai from behind and in quick fluid motions Kai leaned forward, her elbow contacted the side of Armin’s head with her right elbow, then her left as she twisted back. His grip on her broke and she spun and grabbed his shoulders, she brought her knee at him as if she was going to knee him in his groin. Armin was already buckling forward from fear. Kai stepped to the side and her brother stumbled slightly.

“Now you.” Kai smiled to Willow. “You can’t hurt him. I’ve been beating up on Armin since I was little. Hm, Armin?” She pat her brother’s shoulder.

Armin chuckled as he looked to Willow. “Don’t hold back.” He nodded, “Ready?” He asked as he opened his arms to grab her.

Armin held his grip, but of course he was more gentle with Willow than Kai. He prepared himself for her to bring her elbow up and when her lips pressed against his cheek, he froze. Armin’s balance was lost almost immediately and it made him easy to target for Willow to tug him onto his back. He was on the ground before he even realized what happened. His cheeks were pink as he lay on his back on the floor, his jaw slightly loose.

Kai erupted in laughter as Willow gave her explanation. “Well, now that is a self defense technique if I have ever seen one. The student has surpassed the teacher.” She giggled as her crystal hues looked to her brother whom still seemed a bit shocked. “Though, darling I’m not certain that would work on every opponent.” She stepped over to Armin. “Are you alright brother? She didn’t hurt you did she?” A playful smile curved up her lips. She’d never seen her brother quite so flustered. If she had, it had been a very long time.

Armin drew in a breath, “Oh….yes...uh...” He pushed himself up and flattened his shirt. His eyes looked to Willow. “You definitely caught me off guard...” He gazed to her a long moment.

Kai’s smile only seemed to widen as she looked back and forth between the two. “Oh was that Rhett I heard?” She questioned as she held a hand to her ear. “Or perhaps a bottle of wine with my name on it. Hard to tell. We will have to continue our lessons later, hm?” She walked between the two, she glanced to Willow and smirked to her before she slipped from the room without another word.

Armin stood, his cheeks still flushed as he looked to Willow. He shifted slightly and drew in a breath before he brushed his fingers through his fiery locks. “You….um...you learn really fast...” He spoke after a moment of awkward silence between the two.

Armin gazed to Willow, a smile upon his lips. When she apologized to him he shook his head and a soft chuckle came from him. “Willow, don’t apologize. You caught me perfectly off guard.” He glanced to the book as she did and he gave a nod. “Yes, of course.” He drew in a long breath the pink was beginning to fade from his cheeks. “A picture that can only be seen in the moonlight?” He mused as he lifted the book up and flipped through the pages before he looked to Willow. “I’ve heard of books with hidden messages in them. Some of the old books of our kind were put together with expertly crafted riddles and hidden images and text. I’ll have to show you some of the books sometime. Most wouldn’t realize that it is there.” He stepped to her and held the book forward. His eyes caught hers a moment and a crooked smile curved up the edges of his lips.

“Are you comfortable in those clothes or should I hunt Kai down for you?” He asked as he stepped over to the balcony to look outside to the storm that still allowed rain to cascade from the skies. He couldn’t get over this tug that he had on his mind. There was just something about Willow that caused him to lose his words. He hardly ever stumbled when he spoke. A fellow pack member could have kissed him on his cheek in the same manner and he wouldn’t have turned into a blubbering buffoon. He crossed his arms over his chest as he thought for a moment, his crystal hues looked to Willow. Why was he also so afraid of this feeling? He stepped forward to her, “What...should we try to see if you can do?” He asked curiously. “Is there anything in the book that you’ve found that you want to try?”

Armin gave a nod, “You’ve a whole library at your disposal downstairs. Don’t be afraid to read as many of the books as you like. But I can show you some of the more….special ones.” He smirked slightly and then looked to her clothing again. When she stated that she liked the more comfortable, loose fitting clothing better a smirk curved up his lips. “I will keep that a secret, Kai loves her dresses. Though I can only imagine how horribly uncomfortable those must be. I’ve helped her cinch down one of those corsets before….it was before one of the annual balls that we hold as a pack…” He smiled to Willow. “She wanted to look her best.” He sighed and shook his head.

Armin raised a brow slightly when the fae asked him to step closer. He stepped to her, his crystal hues trained in on her curiously. “Feel different?” He asked with a slight chuckle. He then looked down to her hand a moment as she placed it upon his chest. His eyes lifted back up to meet hers as he drew in even breaths. His eyes closed then as he drew in a deep breath, a swirl of blue magic raced across his skin on his arms and neck, but only for a second. He opened his eyes and gazed to her, “I…” He took a step back and a chuckle came over his lips. “I feel rested.” He nodded. “I feel great…in fact…” He turned and stepped over to the door. “Let’s head down to the library hm?” He grabbed the door handle and as he went to swing the door open it slammed open causing a loud thud to reverberate through the home.

Armin stared to the door with slightly raised brows. “What…exactly did you do?” He asked as he looked back to her, he had felt like he had just barely moved the door, yet that wasn’t the case. “I feel like I could run for days…my body feels alive…” He chuckled and then turned to Willow. “Hell I could uproot a tree…at least…that’s what I feel like…” He shook his head slightly.

“Are you alright?” Kai poked her head into the room. “I heard the slam…” She looked to the door which had a slight crack in it. “Oh Rhett is going to have your head…these doors are antiques, Armin.” She poked fun of her brother and shoved against him playfully before she stepped back into the room. She had a glass of win in her hand and sipped from it. “Did you make him mad?” She giggled as she looked to Willow. “He usually isn’t one to slam doors.”

Armin very carefully closed the door. He felt like he was barely touching it. “No…she did something with her fae magic…” He spoke as the door clicked shut. “Right…Willow?” He stepped over to Willow and looked to her curiously, a soft smile upon his lips.