The Raven's Apprentice - Chapter 1

 Glimmerbrook Watch, Present Day* 

"Thanks for breakfast, Mrs. G," Mariah said, "and thanks for letting me stay with you for a bit."

Mariah Huntley and Miranda Silveroak-Goth's final year of University was now behind them and, as their friend Aadi had pointed out, it had been accomplished without interruption by gangsters, vampires, evil wizards or other strangeness. They were ready to begin whatever came next.

At the moment, whatever came next consisted of a visit to Miranda's home, Glimmerbrook Watch, to spend a little time with her moms and go through her room to decide what to keep and what to store.

"Don't be silly, dear," Cassie Goth, who Mariah still found surprisingly grounded for an international musical superstar, called from the kitchen. "It's nice to have someone else to cook for... and you're always welcome."

"Of course you are," Gwen Silveroak, Miranda's other mom, added. "You're family now."

"Well, we're not married yet," Mariah said, feeling a little self-conscious. 

In fact, Mariah had been fully prepared to drag Miranda down to the Britechester courthouse and turn her fiancé into her wife the moment the graduation ceremony had ended. A smiling Miranda, however, had pointed out that Mariah's mama, romance novelist Danielle Huntley, would not be denied a wedding.

"Just a formality," Gwen smiled.

"A lovely and important formality," Cassie added, "but, I agree, a formality."

The arrival of Cassie and breakfast forced a brief pause in conversion. Cassie's cinnamon French toast, which Mariah felt was reason enough by itself to visit to Glimmerbrook, required one's full attention. The real maple syrup that accompanied it had forced her to reconsider her habitual denial of the concept of a benevolent deity.

"Gwen and I didn't get married for years," Cassie mused finally. 

"That's right," Mariah said. "You guys were living together when Miranda was little, after her dad left you..."

"At the altar," Gwen muttered savagely.

"I still don't understand why she held that against him," Cassie smiled. "You'd think she'd rather I had married him."

"High school friends, discovering love in the healing of a broken heart," Mariah said, surprising everyone accustomed to her tough-girl persona.

"Oh dear, she's been reading that new unauthorized biography, hasn't she," Cassie smiled.

"Yes," Miranda nodded.

"No," an embarrassed Mariah insisted. "I mean, maybe I read a little... there might have been an excerpt, in a magazine that I probably picked up in a waiting room... somewhere..."

"You're so cute when you get flustered," Miranda laughed.

"I hate you," Mariah laughed, blushing.

"They never get the story right, anyway," Gwen mused.

"Which is probably just as well, given the truth," Cassie chuckled.

"So, what's the truth?" Mariah asked. "I mean, how did you guys fall in love?"

"Oh well, as the Bard says, thereby hangs a tale," Cassie smiled.

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*Author's Note: After some thought, I chose to label these sections as "present day" to save confusion.

Year of the Wolf and Unguarded Heart each cover most of a year, and College Years covers three years. So, if we assume that our M&M's story started around the actual "present day" when I started writing, the story has progressed faster than real time. Suffice it to say, these parts of the story take place in M&M's "present day."

Of course, only compulsive continuity geeks, such as myself, need be concerned with such things. :) 

The Raven's Apprentice - Prologue

Willow Creek, Fall 1986

"Oh, my little Cassandra," Victoria Goth whispered as she kissed her sleeping daughter. "Sleep, and dream of wonders. You will be so amazing, my little girl. I wish..."

"Vickie? What are you doing up?" Mortimer said, sleep slurring his speech. "Why are you in your coat?"

"I have to go, Mortimer," Vickie replied softly, not looking away from her child, "but I couldn't leave without giving her a kiss."

"Go?" Mortimer struggled to clear his sleep-fogged mind. "It's the middle of the night, Vick. Where are you going?"

"Mortimer, you know I love you," Vickie stepped over to him. "I remember the first time I saw you... Ari pointed you out to me in the dorm. You looked so dashing. I think I fell in love you in that moment. I really did. What we have... it's real, Mortimer. Please, never doubt that."

"Vickie, you're scaring me," Mortimer said. "What's going on?"

"Just hold me for a minute," Vickie sighed, folding herself into her husband's arms. 

"Is this about those men who came earlier? The ones from the Agency?" Mortimer asked.

"Yes," Vickie sighed. 

"I know I promised to never ask about your past," Mortimer said. "I won't start now... but if something is wrong, we can face it together."

"I'm sorry, Mortimer," Vickie smiled sadly. "I need to face this alone. I've known this was coming for a long time. This is my Moment... and I know what I need to do."

"Vickie," Mortimer said sadly. "Will you come back to me?"

"I will always be with you, you silly man," Vickie whispered.

---------------

Outside, the cool, night air smelled of rain. It should really be raining, Vickie thought to herself. It was the kind of night that called for rain. Still, she smiled sadly to herself, it was probably best not to tamper with things.

Turning, she saw a familiar face under the streetlights and smiled. 

"Bella," Vickie said as the other woman came closer. "I'm glad you're here."

"Did you think I'd abandon you?" Bella Bachelor asked, a little stiffly.

"Not for a moment," Vickie smiled. "I knew you'd be here."

"They're coming for you Vick," Bella said seriously. "I can't... there's nothing I could do. They'll be here soon."

"I know," Vickie said calmly. "Bella, I need to ask you a favor."

"I'll do my best but, Vickie, they..." Bella started.

"It's not that," Vickie shook her head. "I need you take care of Mortimer and Cassandra for me."

"Vickie, I..." Bella stammered, shocked.

"You've always loved him, Bella," Vickie smiled sadly, "and he loves you too. He loves us both. I just got there first... but he's going to need you."

"Vick, don't talk like that," Bella said, shocked. "They're not going to..."

"No lies between us, Bella," Vickie said easily. "Not now."

"I always lie, Vickie," Bella said.

"I know, but not now, not about this," Vickie replied.  "Promise me, Bella, that if something should happen to me, you will look after Mortimer and Cassanadra Goth. Promise me."

"I promise," Bella shuddered. "But Vickie..."

"By the Oak and the Ash and the Ivy, by the Sun and the Moon and the Sea, by the Open Eye and the Open Hand and the Open Heart, I bind you to your promise, Isabella Bachelor," Victoria incanted, finishing with a Word that Bella didn't know but felt she still somehow understood deep in her bones.

"Vickie... I work for them," Bella breathed.

"I know," Victoria smiled. "I've always known, ever since you were that pretty freshman following Ari and me around. Just like I know you keep your promises. 

"Goodbye, Bella," she added as she turned away. "Take care of my daughter."

"Like she was my very own," Bella replied.

---------------

Bella followed at a discrete distance. She hated that this was happening, hated herself for being part of it. She wasn't sure what she was going to do. She knew she couldn't let Vickie walk into this alone.

She saw Vickie intercepted shortly after crossing the street. 

Of course, it's Agent Hand, Bella thought. Who else would they have entrusted with Containment order for an Active?

He's trying to reason with her. Standard procedure - talk her in. Avoid a confrontation if at all possible.

She's arguing with him. Does she know not to try to appeal to his emotions, to his humanity? Hand has neither. Surely, with everything else she knows, she knows that.

Reason with him, she silently urged her friend. Logic and reason are what Hand will respond to.

Or you could yell at him, Bella groaned inwardly.

That surprised you, didn't it, Hand. Caught you off guard. She isn't intimidated by you. Under all the cold discipline you do have some feelings, if only a sense of self preservation. 

Confrontations with Actives generally don't end well for Agents.

They see me, Bella sighed. Too much to hope they wouldn't, I guess.

She's coming over here. 

Oh, what are you doing, Vickie? Please don't tell me you've convinced him to let you surrender to me. I don't want that. How can I...

Vickie!

"Vickie! Look out!" Bella shouted.

---------------

In Memoriam 

Victoria Lenore Rowan Goth

Wife to Mortimer

Mother to Cassandra

"The Raven"

D. 1986

The Raven's Apprentice

The Raven's Apprentice

A Wyrd Tales Story

Bad Moon Rising - Afterword

Thank you for joining me for Wyrd Tales - Bad Moon Rising. I hope you enjoyed reading it at least as much as I've enjoyed writing it.

When I finished Wyrd Girls - College Years, I knew I wasn't done with writing SimLit or with the universe I'd established. I had the idea of writing some short stories to fill in some of the odd corners, like I had done earlier, so I cast around for ideas. 

Bad Moon Rising actually started as a throwaway line in College Years, Chapter 49... I needed a reasonable narrative excuse for Gwen and Cassie not to come riding to the rescue. The easiest was that they were off dealing with some big crisis of their own. So, "the Wildfang troubles" were born. It seemed like a plot line worthy of exploring. :)

It didn't take me long to remember that Claudette Faust (now Etta Blackwood), the fan-hated villain from Unguarded Heart (who I had unconsciously modeled on an ex-girlfriend), was living in Moonwood Mill. The Wildfang Troubles seemed like a great opportunity to visit her again and give her a shot at redemption. 

An early draft of Chapter 17, with Claudette confronting and repudiating her father, was actually the very first thing I wrote for this story. 

That Jake, Beth and Kristopher would play roles in the story was a given. I also knew that Kristopher's ennui was going to be significant to events. How exactly that would be resolved was one of those things that I debated heavily but I'm actually very pleased with the outcome. 

Lux Demarco was actually a late addition to the story. I realized I needed a fresh set of eyes on the story. Demarco was a character from the Sims 4 Werewolves trailer, where she plays the same role of being the audience's eyes into the new world of Moonwood Mill... but she wasn't built into the official Sims canon. She isn't in the expansion but was available as an extra character for download. 

I decided to recreate her story from the trailer, as a way of introducing her. I'm proud of that and I really want more applause for it. :) Still, I'm glad I did, because that brought in Kiril and Bianca, two other downloadable trailer characters. Unlike the other Wildfangs, Kiril is actually Evil (he has the trait). Connecting Faust to the Wildfangs through Kiril meant I could keep Rory "clean" even during her pack's fall.

The roughest part was the pacing, as you could probably tell. Chapters 1-16 (Lux's intro) cover about eight months, while chapters 17-29 (the Wildfang troubles) are less than two days and had to connect back to the College Years finale. I actually thought a lot about how long it would take Bluebell to get from Britechester to Glimmerbrook and back... a calculation that included looking up the air speed velocity of an unladen swallow.

The one thing I'm sorry I didn't do was include a little more about Etta's mom. She's a major motivator for Etta, but apart from the one flashback, I kind of left her out. If I could go back and "fix" anything it would be include more mentions and hints about her throughout Etta's parts of the story, just to keep her more in mind. I think it would have given the ending the punch it deserved. Oh well, can't get everything right.

Still, despite a few stumbles along the way, I really enjoyed writing what turned out to be a not-so-short story.

There will be more stories coming, but I'm going to take a little break... maybe I'll just play the Sims for a bit.

Thanks again for reading.

-Leo 

Bad Moon Rising - Chapter 30

"OK, so let's get started," Jake began.

"First I want to thank everyone for coming," he continued, "and I'm sorry there aren't enough places to sit... but I wanted to meet here, instead of Grimtooth's or Prowlers, 'cause a couple of days ago both packs stood here, together, against Dr. Faust and took our town back. I want everybody to remember that... the together part."

"So, in that spirit, Rory over to you," he concluded.

"Thanks, bro," Rory smiled. "OK, we're starting with 'sorry.' Being under an evil wizard's spell sucks, but it also only forgives so much. So, I want everyone to know, speaking for me and Lou, we're sorry for what we did... and we're both committed to make things right."

"I also want to say, Kiril and Bianca weren't willing to commit to that," Rory added, "and they're out. They're expelled from our pack, and we told them to get out of town. They're not welcome here anymore, so know that too."

"That's good, Rory," Lily said, "and I think I speak for everyone when I say that we appreciate your apology, but you should know, there's been talk about insisting you disband the Wildfangs entirely."

"Yeah, not happening," Jake said firmly. "We need the Wildfangs. See, that's why I wanted us to meet here... to remind us about that 'together' thing. To remind us that it was Demarco and Etta, a Wildfang and a friend of the Collective, who first resisted Faust. It was Demarco and me, Wildfang and Collective, who fought for us all ... and it was all of us, both packs standing together, who drove Faust out.

"You know what else," Jake went on, "it was both packs fighting that gave Faust his chance to begin with. The Collective treated the Wildfangs like Rory's teenage rebellion... and, Rory, you guys acted the part at every turn. Faust played on that feud. Without it, he wouldn't have almost won... and he did. He would have won if We... Hadn't... Stood... Together.

"Guys, Faust is still out there. We drove him off, but he's not going to stop. He's after the old magic in the Moonwood, and he's not going to give up. Rory kicked Kiril and Bianca out, but they haven't just disappeared, either. We'll be hearing from them again. Count on it.

"And they're not alone. There are a lot of dangers out there... and we can't hide from the world anymore."

"Things are going to change now. I know, every werewolf here knows, change is scary and painful." 

They all chuckled. 

"But we also know that change makes us stronger. We also know a little something about balancing the conflicting parts of our nature... human and wolf, Collective and Wildfang, werewolf and normal... Yeah, that's why I asked Mrs. McGee and Kurt to this meeting. We need everyone... because we are stronger together.

"So, I didn't just ask you all here to listen to me talk. We need to figure out how this is going to work."

"Jake's right," Lily said after a moment. "He's right. And, Rory, I'm sorry. I had a part in this, and I will do my best to work with you, all of you, to make things better. But first, I have a question - Where are the heroines of the hour? Where are Etta and Demarco?"

"I said we can't hide from the world anymore," Jake said. "Well, that means we can't always wait for trouble to come to us. Sometimes, we have to go out there and deal with it..."

-------------------

"I'm not ready to deal with this," Etta said. 

Warm spring sunlight didn't fit her memories of Forgotten Hollow. It should, at least, be cloudy, she thought. It should be autumn. Maybe she'd be ready by autumn.

"I just... I'm not ready," she continued lamely. 

"You can do this," Demarco said reassuringly.

"What if it doesn't work?" Etta demanded. "What if I screw it up? What if..."

"You stood up to your dad, face to face... and we won," Demarco said. "You can do this."

"I knew you'd have my back," Etta replied.

"I've got your back now, too," Demarco smiled. "You said you'd been working on that the spell you used to free me for a while..."

"It's not really a spell, you know," Etta said. "Technically..."

"Oh no, all that magic theory gives me a headache," Demarco laughed. "You said you didn't design that spell, or whatever, for me... but it worked. You can do this."

"Thanks," Etta sighed.

"Come here," Demarco pulled her into a hug. "You can do this. I believe in you."

The incantation came easily now. There were no Words of Power, but the rhythm of the incantation, the cadence of it, carried the echo of a Word. Even here, at the center of Father's Dark Power, she felt strangely calm. She could actually feel the energies of wind and water gathering in her hands. 

Father had taught her that the heart of any magic was intent and will. She'd come to realize he'd been wrong. 

The heart of magic was emotion and connection. 

Etta focused on hers.

"Come back to me," she whispered. 

"Come back to me, mom."

"Claudette?"

Bad Moon Rising - Chapter 29

"Ah, the sweet taste of victory." Faust smiled down at the frog that had once been Gwen Silveroak. "Do you see, Claudette? The mistake that you made, in betraying me!"

One chance, Claudette thought. One desperate, impossible chance. The poppet was a simple one, and she had nothing physical to bind it to him... nothing but her raging emotions, her desperate will and a plea to the Goddess of the Moon. The incantation rolled swiftly off her tongue.  

"What is this?" Faust laughed. "Aren't you a little old for dolls, Claudette?"

"This is old magic, Father," Claudette said, surprised her voice didn't tremble with the terror she felt.

"Hedge magic," Faust scoffed with contempt. "Do you really believe that a magicless witch like you can stand again me... with a poppet? What do you hope to achieve?"

"Pain, Father," Claudette snarled, channeling all her rage and pain as she stabbed the poppet. 

She was gratified when he flinched, as the blow landed. It was a small victory. 

"What are you doing?" Faust shook his head, dismissing it. "The great Guardian of Glimmerbrook is defeated. Moonwood Mill is mine. You're powerless against me. You have nothing. I've won."

"No," Etta replied. "I'm not letting you win."

"You don't have a choice in the matter," Faust chuckled.

"I always have a choice," Etta said, feeling suddenly calm.

"What are you doing?" Faust repeated.

Etta smiled. "I'm distracting you, you big turd blossom," she quoted.

The russet werewolf, running swift and silent, hit Faust in a storm of claws and fangs. Fighting to even raise his wand, the dark wizard struggled against the fury of the wolf. 

A Word of Power, one that would end this fight decisively, rose to his lips, only to be choaked off with a whimpering cry as the werewolf's clawed hind-paw slammed violently into his testicles. 

Whimpering in pain, Faust collapsed as the wolf crouched before him, snarling.

Demarco howled in victory.

Etta almost laughed out loud. She had almost felt that last blow. 

"You bitch!" Faust grunted, painfully pulling himself up. "I will make you pay for that! You will both suffer in ways you can scarcely..."

"I'm sorry, John," Cassie put in. "Are we interrupting your cliched villain moment?" 

Etta smiled at the sight of them. The Wildfangs and the Collective, battered and scared, but together standing against Faust.

"Did you want to finish your threats?" Lily asked mildly. "Or should we just skip to the part where you pay for what you've done?"

As Mephistopheles vanished in a sulfurous cloud, John Faust seemed for a moment to consider his situation. 

"Don't let him..." Etta said suddenly.

Faust spoke a Word and vanished.

"Damn it!" Etta cursed.

"I ate a bug!" Gwen gasped, standing on her own two legs again. "Ohhh... you were right, Jake. That was gross."

"Ladies and gentlemen, I give you the mighty White Witch of Glimmerbrook," Cassie laughed, breathing a sigh a of relief. "She'll be here all week, folks."

"Are you OK?" Demarco, shifted, rushed to Etta. 

"I'm fine," Etta smiled. "I knew you'd be there for me. I knew it. Are you...?"

"Fine," Demarco said, dismissing her many deep and bleeding bites and scratches. "I'm fine. Just one thing..."

"'I'm distracting you, you big turd blossom'?" She continued. "Where the hell did that come from!?"

"Guardians of the Galaxy. Summer movie nights at the library," Etta smiled. "I love that movie."

"Oh my God," Demarco laughed, pulling her best friend into a hug. "You're a nerd!"

-------------------------

Author's Note: Bad Moon Rising will conclude tomorrow (Friday, 12/15)

Bad Moon Rising - Chapter 28

"I don't believe I've met your friend, John," Gwen said conversationally as she gathered shimmering motes of wild magic around her.

"How remiss of me," Faust replied, his own dark magic burning around his wand. "Allow me to introduce my mentor, Mephistopheles of the Outer Darkness. Mephistopheles, Gwenivar Silveroak, lately famed the White Witch of Glimmerbrook."

"Guardian," the daemon's sepulchral voice intoned. "You will fall this day."

"If that is my Fate," Gwen smiled. 

"How does it feel, to be blind to Destiny, Gwen?" Faust smiled. 

"How blind am I really?" Gwen countered. "I am here, after all."

"I have Claudette to thank for that, no doubt," Faust snarled. "I had such high hopes for her. She was to have stood at my right hand."

"That wasn't her Fate," Gwen smiled.

"Fate!" Faust cursed. "I've blocked your Sight and still you prattle about Fate!"

"You have improved, John," Gwen agreed, "but you still don't understand."

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Etta running toward them. 

She smiled.

"No! It's you who doesn't understand," Faust roared. "You've never understood. I hold the Power of the Outer Darkness! You will fall and then the Power of the Moonwood will be mine! The Sages will fall. The Realm of Magic itself will crumble and I will stand on the ashes... the greatest magus alive!"

"Gwen!" Etta gasped.

"Watch, Claudette, my treacherous daughter," Faust growled. "Watch the White Witch fall before me."

Gwen struggled to bite back a cry, as the pain of Faust's magic burned through her. 

Slamming into the cold, hard ground was almost a blessed relief.

So, she thought, this is my Fate. 

My choice.

"Gwen!" Etta cried again.

Faust spat a Word. 

--------------------------

Author's Note: There will be another chapter tomorrow (Thursday, 12/14) and Friday (12/15)