Celia (Old)

Chapter 24

The snow was falling heavily in the area now, assisting with the humans in their airplanes in their attempts to put out the fire that Walter started. Blossom wanted Walter to be burned in the fire, and that's what they did with him. Though Harley, despite appearing dead, was very much alive, just unconscious. Roscuroe stayed with him where he laid and Celia was sitting with her father. Rowan was back in Dawn's burrow with Leena, Hannah was helping Blossom clean up with a few others, and Harley continued to lay there. After a while, Roscuroe decided to carry him indoors as the snow began to pile up on him. He took Harley to Dawn's den and placed him down in one of the nests, Celia laid down in the one next to him.
"That was quite the fight out there, I'm so thankful none of you are dead." Dawn said after Roscuroe placed Harley in a nest.
"Yeah, wasn't was big as the one in Edmonton five years ago though, but I'm glad it wasn't that big." Roscuroe responded as Dawn entered the room with more bandages. She noticed Celia's scratch and immediately tended to it. Celia didn't say a word or complained about it.
"I'm glad it wasn't that big as well, a battle that size would have been the end for Blossom-Tribe." Dawn added to their conversation. There was another few moments of silence as Roscuroe sat down across from Harley, waiting for him to show more signs of life.
"The snow has arrived early this year, it's just the beginning of September currently." Dawn commented in attempt to break the silence.
"It snowed in early August one year." Leena added loudly from the other room. Dawn, Roscuroe, and Leena then all started talking about snow while Celia watched Harley. She wasn't listening to them, she was paying full attention to Harley. He was breathing, but slowly and quietly. He had injuries that Dawn was now tending to. Dawn had wrapped a bandage around Celia's neck and ankles where she had some cuts, which Celia appreciated. After a while, Dawn had wrapped everyone in the burrow's wounds up and left the room, only Celia and Harley remained in the nest room. It wasn't until the next morning when Harley woke up. Celia had fallen asleep, but she was woken up by Harley stretching and asking "Why does my entire body hurt? Am I dead?"
"Welcome back to the real world, Harley." Rowan said as he entered the nest room.
"You're not dead, you were under Walter's mind control and tried to kill Roscuroe, but then you nearly killed Walter." Celia explained to Harley. Harley looked at Celia with a confused look.
"It's true, I saw the whole thing!" Rowan exclaimed as Roscuroe entered the room.
"That can't be true, all I remember is running off into the woods, finding Walter, and-oh no." Harley began speaking before realizing something.
"Was I with Walter?" Harley asked, he was very concerned.
"Yes, you somehow were. It made me question your loyalty." Celia answered Harley's question as Roscuroe added "But now you are not and Walter is dead."
"Walter is dead?" Harley asked again.
"Yes, you nearly killed him and Celia finished him off." Roscuroe answered Harley's question. Harley thought for a moment again, it was taking him a while to process everything.
"So, this is it? Walter is finally dead and we can finally live in peace?" Harley asked again after a few moments of silence. Everyone nodded as Harley smiled, but he lost his smile when he noticed the bandages on Celia and Roscuroe.
"I seriously don't remember anything, but I hope I didn't hurt you guys." Harley said, lowering his ears a bit.
"Well, you did, but we forgive you as it wasn't your fault." Roscuroe responded before asking "And why was Walter telling me that you wanted me to kill you?"
Harley lowered his ears fully as he remembered a bit more before Walter put on his collar and blanked out.
"It is what we used to do in Paladin-Tribe, I thought that it was my time and I wanted you to end my life." Harley explained as Dawn entered the room.
"But now I'm fine, I have decided that I want to live." Harley said again immediately after as he perked his ears back up.
"What's 'Paladin-Tribe'?" Rowan asked Harley as Dawn opened her mouth to speak but let Rowan go first.
"My former home and my family before the outlaw of the feather manes. They were all hunted down and killed, I only survived because I could avoid detection." Harley explained again to Rowan. There was another few moments of silence before Dawn said "You were destined to die during that battle, but your fate decided to take a different turn it appears."
"I was supposed to die fighting?" Harley asked Dawn. Dawn nodded before saying "Your future is now raising your own family."
"With who?" Harley asked again, his eyes wide with in surprise. Dawn didn't reply, instead she turned around and went back into the room she was in. A few minutes later, Blossom entered and asked if Harley was awake.
"I am awake, I'm up, what do you need?" Harley asked as he crawled out of his nest. Celia continued to lay in hers, she was exhausted from the battle. She was still processing the fact that she killed Walter and if she hadn't thrown that spear Roscuroe could have been dead.
"I want to talk to you, if you don't mind." Blossom replied as she left the burrow.
"Uh, alright." Harley quickly responded as he quickly followed her outside. After a few seconds, Rowan asked "Ain't she his crush?"
"I believe so." Celia answered.
"Harley has a crush now?" Roscuroe asked his children.
"He has for a while now." Rowan answered Roscuroe's question.
"Strange, Harley has always told me that love was fake and stupid. I guess love changes Lizens." Roscuroe told his children before adding "This was before Celia was hatched though."
There were more seconds of silence before Celia decided to rest her eyes again. Roscuroe took Rowan out of the room to let Celia rest a bit more. Her wounds didn't hurt as much anymore, but her wings were still sore from all the flying.