Bewitching Waters

Chapter 4: Old Oscar

Jackson could see that his granddaughter was still coming to terms with the history and heritage shared to her that had been kept hidden from her so long.

Yet, he had also watched her strange actions. As though she was pulled towards the staircase now. Pulled towards those books, and of all of them... she was pulled towards Lilly's grimore.

That had touched Grandpa Jackson's heart. At the same time, it was bittersweet for him. The Ravenwood bloodline and lineage wasn't his, it never had been all of this time - it was Lilly's and then to be their daughter Heather's. Fate had worked in its cruel ways, and Heather had never gotten a chance to train her daughter and Lilly would not live to see what would become of their line with a mysterious mix of blood in their granddaughter Saorsie.

He had thought wrongly, with a hope in his heart, that his granddaughter was like him. Human, maybe with the only otherworldly experience being if she were to meet another Hunter and Jackson had trained her without her know for this. In fact he had trained her to be able to handle most creatures warranting hunting: vampires and particularly his speciality - werewolves.

Despite his best efforts and hopes, his deepest fears and sadness began unlocking from his heart when she was drawn to the grimores... it had always been in her. She was of the Ravenwood bloodline after all.

Keeping the truth of it... of all of it from her for so long. He mused, pinching the bridge of his nose in the drivers seat of the car. Was I right to do it? Was I just being selfish?

Tears rolled down his eyes as he turned the key to ignite the engine of his truck. He glanced in the mirror of the visor that was already down seeing the sorrow and loss of the years staring back at him in his own eyes.

"I just wanted her to grow up happy and normal. To give her a chance of a life away from all of this madness... all of this death." He spoke to himself, trying to calm himself down. "She knows... I told her she is free to go back down to the practice space. I hope... I hide I have done the right thing."

Knowing the road would clear his thoughts, Jackson was off. Pressing the clutch.

They really did need shopping and that would mean going into the local town.

It was late enough but not the late to get the essentials; milk, rice, spice, sugar, bread, oats and some vegetables. It wasn't much but then, they had never needed much to get by.

The Ravenwood family wasn't exactly poor either. Some grand witches of their line had done exceedingly well in various mysterious ventures, generations before and they never had to worry about financial problems.

Jackson, too, had his generous pension from being a retired Hunter and one well known for his high times, leading many against werewolves and culling numbers. It was a past that eventually did bite him back in the worst way. Still, not many Hunters got to retire. Few rarely lived to see grey hair or a natural death.

Living humbly was lifestyle for the family to live happy and content. Never too flashy or lavish, it wasn't needed.

Once Jackson got to the local grocery shops, he parked up in the disabled space.

Grabbing his stick, he slowly eased out and down from the truck.

This Hunter isn't what he used to be. He thought to himself as his feet touched the ground with his stick balancing - ready to catch what little weight he had on his frail older body.

Closing the truck door and locking up, he hobbled into the shops, grabbing a cart and hooking his stick on the handle by its wooden curve.

He knew what he was getting and why he was here. Jackson put enough vegetables into the cart first. Saorsie had always been such a good child and had loved her fruits and vegetables, it had never been a problem and that carried into her through to this day. She wasn't a vegetarian but she had never developed a huge appetite for meats. That's wasn't to say she didn't like or eat it, but it was at most once or twice a week she might cook some pork.

Next, he went to the fruits. Plucking the best apples from the shelf and placing it in his cart by the vegetables.

Most girls liked chocolates for an apology. For Saorsie, good quality fruit and vegetables would be the same.

As the old man continued on his business around the grocery store at this late hour, a group of some men had noticed him, but Jackson had yet to notice them. He was too busy shopping and focusing on the task at hand, helped take his mind off wondering if, and how much he had failed Saorsie.

Among them was Oscar, a man as old as Jackson was. He didn't need a cane and could still stand well on his own two feet, but scarring around his left eye was present and that eye was covered by a patch that went over longer salt and pepper greying white hair.

"...so you survived after all..." His bright brown eyes never left Jacksons movements and trained on him.

They stood at the end of the meat section and it opened up in a way that gave a clear view through and around the glass cabinets to the other side, where the vegetables and fruit lay.

Things not very appealing to werewolves who preferred their mostly meaty diets.

Beside him was Old Tom, a friend of Oscars... he was in the Bloodfang pack and of the older generation too. While he hadn't been there that night and didn't know what Jackson looked like or either of the witches, he knew the story that the wolves who survived came back with. He with his deep-set gunmetal grey eyes and short whit hair, he looked long at the man before back at Oscar.

He had sensed his friend and packmates shift in energy and focus, although nothing had been communicated, through the pack bond. "Who's that?" His tone carried its curiosity with some interest, yet there was caution instead of usual on-brand, 'Tom-foolery'.

Tom's oldest son, also named Tom but nicknamed Tommy, was also with the two older wolves. With thr same anthracite grey eyes as his father, he too was taking in the atmosphere at old Oscars observations. Tommy was young, but had a good broad build and decent height for a young wolf. His sandy blond hair tied up neatly in a bun. They had only went out to get some meat for a barbecue the pack was having tomorrow and his own father and Oscar weren't exactly cubs anymore.

Opening one of the freezers and pulling out a large slab of pork and another 3 of stake and lamb. Tommy coughed to get the older gentleman's attention as this was getting odd. "Is this enough, or is there something else?" The young man glanced at the older man the two had been looking at and exchanging glances over. He wasn't meaning the meat, but it could easily be assumed that's what he went.

Old Tom was the first to speak, "Your mum and sisters are doing the seasoning, I'd quite like some mutton myself." At this he was meaning the meat. He too felt a little unusual about Oscars reaction and was looking for an out. However, he did like mutton, an unusual meat for it was what sheep meat was called if they were no longer lambs. It also was a code between the old two men from the Bloodfang pack.

They were old, all 3 of the men (even if one wasnt aware he was being watched) and Tommy was still to have his first wolf change. They weren't exactly the most useful.

At that, old Oscar recovered himself from his thoughts and looked smiling at both Old Tom and Tommy before he spoke slowly with a strange smile, "I might fancy some horse." Beginning to walk towards the old man with a stick slung on his cart handle, they had been watching him this whole time but had been subtle enough, other than Oscar.

Tommy's stomach dropped and concern turned to bubbling anxiety.

Before he could say or do anything, Old Tom grabbed Oscar by his bicep, stopping him in his tracks, "Who is that? Why risk a confrontation here, in here of all places? Do you want to send the Hunters down on us?"

His words stopped Old Oscar in his tracks and he seemed to calm down. He never apologised, only grunted before finally saying, "Fine."

Young Tommy with his hands full of meat packages then spoke up. "Horse and Mutton added, we should go pay." He had grabbed mutton for his father and horse stakes for Oscar - although he hadn't understood what Oscar meant fully. Trying to give him an opportunity for his father to drag him with them.

An incident was the last thing they needed and all the facts weren't known to all of them in the group.

Old Oscar then went and took one last glance at the older man with the stick, when he did, he noticed he was no longer in the vegetable isle.

He was gone. "Right," he said, "On we go to the checkout, then." He ushered them.

Thinking perhaps that is where the old Hunter also went.

"Who?" Old Tom asked.

It was one word but Old Oscar both knew what he meant.

Tommy listened in as they spoke, he knew a little of the past but not enough of the details.

"He is an old Hunter." Oscars words were so low and growls could be heard only by the other wolves close by, emitting from the old werewolf in human form's chest as he continued, "He is the husband of the grand witch. That coven that has plauged our pack for years. We killed his wife, and the daughter he sired with her," The disgusting was clear on old Oscars face, "Harold wanted HIM dead and believe on his death bed that he had long died, perhaps to that witch once she had her way with him... he would be howling in his grave knowing this. We should finish what he wanted."

Old Tom and Tommy with listened intently, but Old Tom never let go of Old Oscar. Fearing what he may do. He could feel him shaking with rage but by his face, he seemed trying to maintain composure.

"Let's.. get the meat for the barbecue first." Tommy chimed in, a smile on his face but concern on his mind.

Old Tom too was concerned for his old friend. He wasn't there that night and couldn't be sure... he wanted to believe his friend but at the same time, he didnt. "Are you certain that is the one?"

"It's the same scent." The eye, not nunder the patch, was narrowed.

The trio of wolves got to the checkout and the girl at the till rung up the items. Tommy thought she was quite cute and was flirting with her through the whole process. The two older wolves were too busy with their conversation to notice his actions. Old Tom might even have encouraged his son or hi-fived him afterwards.

She seemed receptive but it was only a little light flirting. It was actually her being polite - unknown to Tommy.

All of the items bagged and paid for. The trio returned to their car, parked a few rows away from the store. It was late enough there wasn't many people in the store, or cars out front.

While they walked out, Old Tom clocked the same old man Oscar had been fixated on sitting in a truck. Nodding for Tommy to take a look.

"We follow for now." Tommy said, out of old Oscars range of hearing.