California. Finally.

[Joshua Hanson]

Josh made the last leg of the journey to his apartment with Blake and his belongings. He was never happier to be home. When they had stopped along the way, Blake had filled him in on what happened in the forest, and he was shocked that Cloe had gone to the extremes that she had. He took Blake's trunk right into the spare bedroom and placed it at the foot of the bed, then returned to the living room.

"Well, welcome to California. This is not much of a place, but it works. We are right on the beach, so feel free to enjoy it." He smiled at his son, not sure what to do next. "Um, the kitchen is over here. And the fridge is stocked. I think I am going to go and take a shower if you don't mind. Feel free to settle in." He noticed the lost look on Blake's face. "Oh, and the paper is in the desk there and my owl is yours to use. Just don't tell her where we are in case Cloe gets ahold of the letter." He smiled at the boy again, then turned and headed down the hall to his bedroom to clean up and let Blake adjust to his new surroundings.

 

[Blake Zepline]

Blake would have been impressed by the location of Josh's residing, and also the airy comfortability his home offered, had he not been too busy trying to block out the last hour or so, going through Josh's tour unconsciously.
He was grateful to Josh for his hospitality, but he could not find the right words to express it. "Er... thanks," he whispered as Josh headed down the hall. The first thing Blake wanted to do was give Isabeau a proper burial. Without too much thought for fear of having an emotional break down, he picked up the little cloaked bundle and headed out the back door to Josh's yard.
It was a mournful process digging a measly hole for his best friend. Isabeau had been there for him in ways that no one else had, or ever could. She had tolerated captivity on Blake's behalf when she could easily have run away at any point over the past year and a half. She had been his only constant friend, and to that, Blake was more than grateful. No possible amount of words could ever sum up the loss that he was feeling, that he was sure he would always feel.
All the digging should have taken Blake less than ten minutes, but his movements were sluggish and unseasonal, all the while fighting back tears.
This is what you get for being too attached, his little voice nagged. Hopefully you've learnt a lesson.

Once it was completed, Blake placed a heavy rock slab on top, taking a moment of silence to honor the life that had been snatched from him. However, when he found he could not prevail over showing emotion, Blake was up and off, deciding to wash himself off for a distraction. Ready to call it a day when he finished showering and was dressed in a fresh set of clothes, Blake lagged on a little longer knowing that he would not have a proper sleep unless he wrote to Lily first.

Lily,

Josh and I made it back safely, and I hope you made it back to the castle without any more untimely interruptions. I can't begin to tell you how horrible I feel, yet also relieved that you came out safe, if also a little shaken up. I will ask Josh about having you over for the summer.
Until then, be safe.

Blake

As soon as Josh's owl was gone, Blake dozed off to a much needed nap. Unfortunately to his horror, it came with a disturbing nightmare filled with death, loss and despair. Everyone around him was dying, one by one, and to no avail, it was all his fault one way or another. Everything always was.
But he was awoken suddenly from the nightmare as a screeching owl swooped in through the bedroom window and perched on the foot his bed frame, a letter tied to its leg.

 

[Joshua Hanson]

Josh walked out from his bedroom a short while later, dressed in a fresh shirt and pair of jogging shorts. He looked around for Blake, then realized that he had headed down and outside. Josh walked onto the apartment\'s balcony, looking down and saw he was burying the body of his snake in the small yard that bordered the beach. He took a deep breath, not really sure how to help this boy that he was just getting to know. He decided to let him be, and put his socks and shoes on, then headed down for a run, leaving Blake a note on the counter.

A few hours later, Josh returned to the apartment to find it empty. He looked around to see where Blake might be, or if he had left him for some odd reason. Soon he found the boy asleep in the spare bedroom, looking like he was having a fitful sleep. He looked at him for a few minutes, noting how his features were quite like his own at the same age. Slowly shutting the door, he walked back to the kitchen and made some dinner for himself, then sat down to watch some late night tv.

Soon, Josh was starting to doze on the sofa. He woke up enough to realize that he needed to go to bed himself. Turning off the lights, he walked down the hall to his room, ready for a quick shower and then to crawl into bed. Just as he was shutting his own door, Josh heard a sound that woke him completely up. A screeching owl coming from Blake\'s room. \"What on Earth?\" he yelled as he ran across the hall to the spare room. Throwing open the door, he saw Blake just as shocked as he was, with an owl on the end of his bed. \"Who is that from?\" he asked as he motioned to the owl.

 

[Blake Zepline]

Blake surveyed the strange owl, wondering also who it was from. "I dunno," he answered Josh, feeling a little confused himself. At first he'd thought it was Josh's owl bearing Lily's letter, but then he realised that it was too soon for a reply, and that this owl was much larger, and covered in black feathers. To its leg was tied a neatly folded piece of parchment that was sealed with green wax.
"Should I open it?" he asked Josh after a while. There was no addressee written on it, and he wondered if perhaps it was a confidential letter for Josh. Yet, something about it gave Blake unsettling vibes.

 

[Joshua Hanson]

Josh looked at the letter with curiosity. "I don't believe that would be for me since it landed in here. Go ahead. Open it up." He was wondering what was inside himself, and hoped that it would not be anything as bad as the dread he felt in his stomach.

 

[Blake Zepline]

Blake shrugged uncomfortably, but reached for the letter anyway. Breaking the seal and unfolding the letter, he found only three words written in a thin slant scrawl.

You were warned.

Blake laughed at the text, then scrunched it up. "Probably just someone's idea of a joke," he added as the owl glared at him. With one last deafening screech, it flew out the window. "Strange..."