//------------------------------// // Ch. IV: Home (Terra) // Story: The Witches of Moonlight Lake // by Phoenix Heart 27 //------------------------------// Same day. Around the same time…) The sound of a headboard knocking against a wall was audible as the occupants of the room could be heard ravishing one another fervently from the other rooms, despite the bedroom being closed and locked. Trying to block out the sounds with a pillow, Terra sighed as she realized that sleep was pointless and decided to get up. Rolling out of bed (and avoiding falling on her face), she managed to sluggishly get to her hooves as she trudged towards the bathroom. After a quick shower and teeth brushing, Terra barely had time to attempt to use a quick drying spell before the door would be pounded upon. Unfortunately for her, the “simple” spell backfired greatly as her now neon green aura nearly singed her fur as she tried to dry off from the otherwise relaxing shower. Causing her to yelp rather loudly as her fur singed and scramble to fix it. Unfortunately, somepony heard her yelp in pain. “What's going on up here?”, Green Tea, Terra’s aunt asked as she saw her 16 year old niece with now singed fur and an annoyed look. “Nothing! I'm good Auntie ‘T’! Honest. I... must've had a magic hiccup or something.”, Terra reassured her aunt as she slid her towel up closer to her flanks. She then apparated to her room without excusing herself. Back in her room, Terra sighed as she looked through her closet to find a nice sundress for the day. After finding a nice blue one that complimented her coffee and cream colored coat, she slipped that one on as she fixed it so that her cutie-mark wasn't showing. When she was done, she apparated downstairs to get some breakfast. “Morning mom.”, Terra greeted her mother with a kiss to the cheek. “Mornin’ baby. What was your auntie fussin’ at ya about now?”, Bundty Cake asked her daughter with an inquisitive glance as she pulled out her daughter’s favorite cereal from the shelf. “Huh? Oh! Nothing, I just had a magic hiccup and singed my chest while trying to dry off from my shower. Speaking of which” she paused at the sound of the shower running again “Sounds like that brother of mine is awake...more now.”, She finished with a sly smirk as she poured her cereal. Bundty rolled her eyes at her daughter’s antics at antagonizing her older brother. “So what's on the agenda for today hun?”, Bundt asked Terra as she started stuffing her muzzle. “After this, heading to the park. Might catch up with the crew while I'm at it. If Dart asks where I am, tell him I'm at that weird abandoned diamond mine near the woods. That'll shut him up quick.”, Terra laughed at the thought of her brother's fear of that place. “Okay miss smart ass. Oh, and don't think that the conversation about the incident at school is over. You really should be lucky! I should be grounding your delinquent tail for fighting, but I suppose the 2 week suspension from school is punishment enough. Plus the chores.”, Bundty cakes replied in a tone that meant ‘cool it kid’. “*gulp* Yes ma'am.”, Terra replied as she got up from her seat and put away her bowl. Just then, the landline rang and Terra went to answer it. Instead of it being whoever she was expecting, it was Solange’s mom. “Ma! Ms. Bridleway’s on the phone!”, Terra shouted from the living room. “Okay okay! You ain't gotta shout. This ain't Neigh York no more.”, Bundty chastised her rapidly retreating daughter who, in her haste, dropped the receiver. Picking it up, she answered. “Hey Sam. How goes--”, she was interrupted instantly by her friends’ worried babbling. “Woah! Woah there! Calm down. Okay now what was that about cutie-marks?”, Bundty asked more clear. “Have you. Looked at. Terra or Amaris’s cutie-marks recently?”, Sammy replied slower on the other end. “No. Why?”, Came the immediate response from her and Diana. “Because I think it's time.”, Sammy stated. Both mothers immediately replied with a ‘WHAT?!?’ before asking to elaborate. “Okay, so I was helping Solange with the baby this morning and I noticed her magic was off. It wasn't the normal blue aura she has, but a blood red one. Plus her cutie-mark was completely different!”, Sammy explained. “How so?”, Bundty asked. “It wasn't a sunflower like normal….it was a caldron with smoke.”, Sam said in an almost fearful tone. At that, Bundty dropped the receiver in shock and she assumed Diana did to as she heard a phone drop on her end too. “I-It can't be?! There's no way.”, She tried to reason, but Diana butted in. “Of course there's no way! Our girls’ wouldn't be that dumb as to go into those woods and find the stuff!”, She rebuttaled. “I'm afraid so. Solange showed me the book and caldron she shrunk down in her saddlebags. If I'm right, Terra and Amaris must have the cross and voodoo doll. Ask them immediately!”, Sammy warned before hanging up. Placing the receiver back on the dock, Bundty dropped to the floor in shock. Only one thought occuring in her head. “Damn.”