Ash And Ember The Wolf / Witch Hybrid

Chapter 3

It had been six days of training from sunup to sundown and Ash was beyond exhausted. On the first day of training, Marlin pushed her into the Olympic-sized pool and, thanks to Ember’s hatred for swimming, Ash managed to evaporate all the water out of it. Ash wasn't even sure what had happened at first, it actually seemed as if Ember had done it. Everyone had decided that fire was Ash's element, and she began her training with Vladimir.

Vladimir was strict and demanding, but that's because of how dangerous fire can be. He was also pushing Ash to her limits and Ember was starting to get angry about not being able to shift and go for a run. On the first day, Ash had told Vladimir about the pool and voiced her thoughts about it actually being Ember. He just brushed it off and told her that most witches that control fire tend to have similar experiences and that she needed to focus more.

The sun had just started creeping over the mountains when Sharra walked in and opened the curtains. "Time to get up, sleeping beauty." Sharra was practically singing while trying to get Ash out of bed. "You don't want to be late for your lessons today."

"Five more years." Ash responded, barely lifting her head from her pillow. She desperately wanted nothing more than to sleep.

"I know that Vladimir is being hard on you and if you can't do it today, then I'll tell him that I won't let you." Sharra sat down on the edge of the bed and softly spoke. She wasn't pleased with how much Vladimir was pushing Ash and had told him as much a few days prior.

"No, I'll go." Came a grumble from Ash's pillow.

"OK, then I'll let you get dressed." Sharra gave Ash a kiss on the back of her head and left.

"What do you mean, you will go? I'm just going to lie here and sleep." Ash inwardly asked Ember.

"I'm going to give him a piece of my mind. He has never pushed anyone this hard and I'm done with it." Ember growled and forced her way forward. Their body shifted forms right there on the bed.

"Fine, just don't get caught in the castle or we will both be in trouble." Ash murmured as she sank deeper into the back of her mind.

Ember knew that they weren't allowed to be in wolf form inside, but today she didn't care. She quickly made her way out of the room and to the stairs before she even bothered to see if it was safe. Today she was going to show Vladimir that even though he was the teacher, there were limits and he had hit them. She jumped down and landed at the foot of the stairs without making a noise this time. Pleased with herself, she quickly went out of the door. She stopped and just breathed in the morning air, letting the breeze blow through her thick red fur. Oh, how she missed that feeling.

Vladimir was standing off to the side of the door smiling when Ember came out. "I was beginning to wonder if you would ever come out for training."

Ember spun around ready to attack before she realized who was speaking to her. There was a flame dancing in her eyes as she growled at him. She suddenly realized that she wouldn’t be able to talk to him so she would just have to growl.

"I figured if I pushed hard enough then you would make an appearance. Shall we begin." Vladimir's smile was mischievous, and some would have found it unnerving, but Ember found it irritating.

As he went to walk to their training spot, he was stopped by a wall of fire. Looking at it as if he was pleased, he raised his hand and started to lower it. Ember was not having any of his games and willed it to grow higher and hotter. He took a step back and then looked Ember in the eyes.

"I've taught you almost everything that I can, Ember. I knew that it was you as soon as Ash told me about what happened. I'm happy with how you have been growing into your new-found abilities, but now it is time to see where Ash's abilities are and what she can do." He spoke softly and his smile was now reflecting the immense amount of pride that he felt for her. "We will still need to work on controlling your emotions, but you are doing better than anyone would have ever expected."

Shocked by what he had just told her, she willed the fire away as she walked closer to him and bumped his shoulder with her snout. Ember was a large wolf standing around six feet tall at her haunches, so she had to bend down to be eye level with Vladimir's 6’5 frame. He put his forehead against hers, as was everyone's way of showing her affection without making her feel like a pet. After a moment, he moved towards a bush and pulled out some sweats so that she could shift and dress in privacy.

"Now you should probably wake Ash up and have her come inside for breakfast," he said as he walked away.

"Ash, wake up. Did you see what I did?" Ember was prancing around proudly.

"So that wasn't a dream? Vladimir complimented you." Ash was astonished that she had actually been right, and Ember conjured an impressive fire wall.

"Although now I'm tired, so it's your turn to take over. I'm going to sleep." Ember yawned and forced Ash to the front of their mind.

"Sleep well, you deserve it." Ash chuckled as she shifted and quickly got dressed in the sweats that Vladimir had brought out for her. She couldn't believe that Ember had magic. No wolf that she had ever heard of had abilities like a witch. It was impressive, to say the least.

As she walked back into the castle, there were people hurrying about and talking excitedly in hushed tones. Thanks to Ash's wolf hearing, she knew that they were talking about her and Ember. At least they are trying to be subtle about it, Ash thought as she made her way to the dining hall. As she passed by the stairs, she heard a high-pitched, nasally voice that she hated. It was Melony and her group of lackies who were coming down for breakfast as well.

"I can’t believe that not only are they letting her stay, but now they are saying that she has abilities. I know it's a lie, they just want to keep their pet around for as long as possible." Melony complained loudly. Her goons agreed with every word.

"Your mother is right. They need to get rid of her." One of them stated matter of factly.

"Who ever heard of a dog with magical abilities anyway?" Melony giggled.

Ash's blood began to boil. She wanted to wake up Ember and show them how pathetic and wrong they were, but before she could, someone placed a hand on her shoulder. She looked over to see Vladimir standing there, and he looked just as angry as she was.

"It won't do you any good to wake up Ember right now, she has to rest." He whispered to her. "But we will stand here and watch the blood drain from their faces when they get around the banister."

Ash gave a firm nod and squared her shoulders, putting on her best scowl. She knew that Vladimir hated bullies just as much as she did. They both stood there listening to the girls talking, letting the anger roll off them in waves. When the group of girls finally rounded the corner, they all froze in their tracks. They looked as if they were ghosts as all the color drained from their faces.

"Have you not been warned about this kind of behavior before girls?" Vladimir growled at them. "This was the last chance for all of you."

In an instant, all the council members were in the hallway and looking at the scene in front of them. They all knew what was happening when they saw the six girls. Melony and her group of friends had always looked down their noses at almost all the other students and even some of the staff. Apparently, they got caught by Vladimir, of all people, this time. Brenda was the only one that didn't look mad or disappointed at the girls. In fact, she looked proud of them. Marlin stepped forward and recited an incantation that immediately transported them to the council chamber, where the girls would face their punishments.

"So, before we hear what you girls have to say, Vladimir will show us why we were summoned in the first place." Marlin spoke but without any emotion at all. It was unsettling for Ash to hear his voice so cold and empty.

Vladimir stood and raised his hands, summoning a cloud of white smoke in the center of the room. The council sat at a crescent table while the group of six girls sat on stools that almost made a complete circle. Ash was in a chair off to the side, as if to be a witness of the proceedings. All the girls, except Melony, looked afraid of what was about to happen. Melony acted as if she was completely untouchable because her parents, Brenda and John, were on the council.

As the smoke started to swirl, a very clear image of all six girls came into view. They were almost to the stairs when a young boy with dark blond hair and blue eyes came across them and excitedly told them the news about Ember. Melony snorted and slapped the boy across the face, calling him stupid for believing such lies. All the other girls laughed and giggled as they took turns pushing him around until he finally fell on the floor. Each girl kicked him as they walked past. Ash was furious with what she had just seen, and Ember was fully awake and ready to tear them to shreds. She tuned out the conversation that she had already heard as she fought to keep control and calm Ember down.

After the events had been shown, Vladimir waved his hand and the smoke disappeared. There was a deafening silence in the room while each member processed what they had just seen. "That is why I have summoned the council." Was all that he could manage to say.

"Well, I didn't see anything that would warrant this meeting, Vladimir. These girls were just standing up for what they believe in." Brenda was the first to break the silence, her irritable tone oozed with disdain towards Vladimir.

"Brenda," John said in a harsh warning tone. "If you honestly believe that physically and emotionally abusing others is perfectly OK, then you should move to the other side of the room with these girls."

"What?" Brenda's eyes were so wide that it looked like they were about to pop out of their sockets, and she started screaming. "How dare you speak to me like that. You are my fated one and Melony's father. What kind of a man goes against his own family?"

"Enough!" Marlin slammed his fists on the table and stood. "I will no longer tolerate your behavior or antics, Brenda. All in favor of removing Brenda from the council stand."

Sharra and Tonia stood silently, as did Vladimir, they were all three staring daggers at her. John locked his eyes on Brenda's, letting her see the hatred that he felt for her, and slowly stood to his feet. He couldn't take anymore of her acting like she was better than everyone else, and Melony's actions had proven to him just how bad things had gotten. With a snap of John's fingers, Brenda was now seated on a stool next to Melony. The reality of what was happening hit both Brenda and Melony at the same time.

"Now that we are one member short on the Council, you seven will be put in the dungeon until the vacancy has been filled and then the full council will decide what to do from there." Marlin addressed the room, sounding emotionless once more. He recited another incantation and the seven were gone. Ash sat frozen, too afraid to move. She had never before been a witness to the council proceedings and she never wanted to go through that again.

"I believe that it is time for brunch now. Shall we adjourn to the study." Tonia finally spoke, trying to sound like nothing had just happened.

"That sounds like a good idea. We have much to discuss and Ash still has to find her abilities." Marlin had finally regained his cheerful tone, but the anger hadn't left his eyes.

Ash was suddenly aware that they all remembered that she was there even though she had tried to make herself as small as possible curled up in the chair she was sitting in.

"On second thought, I think we owe Ash an explanation before we leave." Tonia never meant to frighten her, but Ash let out a small squeak when she moved closer.

"Ash, my little one, I'm sorry that you had to be here for this, but the poor boy is in the hospital wing with some injuries and couldn't come." Sharra softly said as she pulled a chair in front of her and sat down. Tears began to fall from both of their eyes.

"The boy, Tomas, is going to be ok. But since they turned their anger towards you, you were the only other one who could witness this. That's why I stopped you in the hallway." Vladimir was looking tired as he spoke. "I stood by you so that they couldn't hurt you in your weakened state. And I am very proud of how you handled yourself both out there and in here. You were still willing to defend yourself and I know that if you had seen Tomas in trouble then you would have defended him as well. You and Ember are true protectors and so much stronger than I realized."

Ash and Ember were both in complete shock at Vladimir's words. They had never thought that cold-hearted Vladimir would be proud of them. Ash gave him a small smile and nodded. She then looked around and noticed that everyone was looking at her with the same amount of pride as Vladimir. Before anyone could say anything else, her stomach started grumbling loudly, causing everyone to chuckle.

"Well now, I guess it's time to go eat." Tonia smiled brightly and extended a hand to help Ash up. As soon as Ash was standing, Sharra recited an incantation, and they were all transported to the first-floor study.