Raven Saga 01 - Raven

a pair of black pumps, which she hastily dressed herself with.
    “I'll explain later,” she whispered.
    Sammy appeared then, recognising Rose's dulcet tones.
    “He's still out cold,” he whispered, “I didn't want to try and wake him in case he freaked out again. I think he's okay though.”
    Rose nodded and told us to stay out of the room. She didn't want him to wake up and see us before he saw anyone else. She asked Sammy to call Gabriel immediately.
    After he had done so, he came over to me and gently put his hand on the back of my neck, “Don't worry, Lilly. I'm sure everything will be all right.”
    I let out a sigh and sat down on the cold stone floor, wishing I could morph back into human form. I wanted to speak to Sammy so badly but I couldn't. There was no way he could understand me so I just curled up on the floor, waiting. Waiting for something to happen.
    We heard Rose's voice from Gabriel's bedroom, where Sammy had lay Oliver down until he came to. Although we couldn't hear what she was saying, we could tell that she was reasoning with him. Occasionally, his voice could be heard too – but he never shouted. There was no anger there, which was at least something to soothe my worrying head.
    It wasn't much later when I heard the sounds of an engine roaring up the driveway. Gabriel was home. I leapt up, not sure what to do with myself but before I could do anything, Gabriel was at the door, opening it.
    As he rushed in, he gasped at the sight of me with Sammy.
    Speechless for a second, he suddenly gushed, “Lilly?”
    I nodded and rushed to his side, brushing my head against his legs gently. I was afraid he might be angry but he looked so proud and he smiled at me warmly for a moment until Sammy filled him in on the evening's events.
    “Oliver?” he said, “Where is he?”
    “Rose is with him now. They're in your room.”
    He patted me on the head and told us both to just stay in the living room out of the way until he had spoken to him.
    I was desperate to see Oliver for myself. I was desperate to speak to him and plead forgiveness for keeping this from him. But the sight of me wouldn't help my case.
    I watched as the door shut slowly behind Gabriel and waited patiently, not able to do anything but pace up and down the living room floor.
    “Come and sit down, Lilly. There's nothing you can do,” said Sammy kindly.
    I shook my head and sighed heavily, wishing that there was something I could do.
    Then the phone rang. Knowing that he shouldn't answer it in case it was someone other than a family member, he picked it up without saying a word and listened carefully. It was Jo, however. Relieved to hear a friendly voice, he recounted what had happened and she told him she would be right over.
    Luckily she only lived a stone's throw away so she arrived within a few minutes.
    With a gentle knock on the door, Sammy gingerly peered through the window to make sure it was her. When he saw that it was, he opened the door and she stepped in, becoming speechless at the sight of me in all my feline glory.
    “Wow, Lilly. This is amazing. You're a... you're a mountain lion. A black one!” she exclaimed, stating the obvious. “Do you mind if I stroke your head?” she asked tentatively.
    I shook my head and she moved closer to me and I felt her hand softly touch the top of my head and move slowly down my back. It was a soothing motion, helping me to feel a bit calmer after everything that had happened.
    Suddenly the bedroom door opened and Rose appeared, shutting it behind her.
    “It's good of you to come, Jo. I think Lilly needs as much support as she can get right now. I'm afraid Oliver's not taking this very well.”
    I sighed loudly once again, wishing I could rewind time and save Oliver and myself all this heartache. Although he was probably feeling something far more than heartache – shock, outright disgust, perhaps?
    As the three spoke amongst themselves for a few moments, I tried to will myself to change back, closing my eyes hard and thinking, 'change, change, change'. But nothing happened and so I had no choice but to wait until it occurred naturally.
    “Well, I have said everything that I can say and done everything that I can do. Gabriel is the best person to reason with Oliver at this stage, so I think you and I should go back to my house, Lilly. Jo, can you stay for a while? Gabriel might need you.”
    Jo agreed and asked whether she should call anyone else.
    “I'll leave that up to