@bekkasan : great update!
Wow, such a beautiful sunset!
Ohoh! The cabin has been enlarged and there is food in the fridge and they are brave enough to stay in it?????? Although Adam doesn´t sense anyone there could be someone who can hide from his werewolfe senses!!
Wow, he knows his wife veeery good! That he himself found out that she and Jennifer are pregnant!!! I hope he won´t cancel the trip now or that he will be too distracted from now on to concentrate fully on his quest!!!
So much hair in the drainpipe now, I hope that the water still can get out of the bathtub! (what about waxing???? )
At least Dedric knows how to do it!
Aww, he found another little dragon! Well, better his own dragon Jadeth did! How she lead him to the baby was so sweet! Good that Aydanath accepted the food by Dedric who know owns 2 dragons I suppose! And the new one is a red dragon who spits fire!!! I hope it will never be angry about one of the family members!
I wonder where it came from? Did someone broke in the dragon chamber and tried to steal an egg????
What a cute picture of the two little dragons! (I really whished they had made the dragons more dangerous! And after grown up a bit bigger! I always try to play with them but always think they are too useless and too small to be a fear, they could have been such a great add on to Supernaturals!)
@bekkasan The forest looks gorgeous in the evening light.
Strange that the cabin is full of food... Maybe someone really does live there and is returning home anytime now . Scary!
Ha ha, smart guys - they already know about the pregnancies ! Too funny.
Still no reception... Sigh . I like the look on Adam's face in that picture where he's standing with the phone.
Lovely bath tub pics.
I never realized Marshall is that hairy - but it suits him .
No wonder the guys look deep in thought, having realized their ladies have a little secret.
Awwww, poor little dragon. I love the picture where Jadeth stands next to the dragon lying on the ground .
Jadeth is a good girl getting help.
I wonder where that dragon egg came from.
Poor little baby - I'm glad food made it feel better. I guess Dedric is a lucky owner of two dragons now .
Aydanath is a great name.
@AlexaKry Thanks so much for commenting.
Adam and Marshall are very brave and had no qualms about staying in the cabin as long as no one else shows up.
Right now, no one can hide from werewolf senses. Alice is working on an Elixer though to help protect the more vulnerable occult from the stronger ones.
They are too close to the glade to go home now.
hehe, I love my hairy sims. Marshall was hairy before he transformed but more so after he was turned. lol
I really am not sure how the egg/dragon came to be on the lot. I did not put any on the lot except in the nest area, so am not sure if they are randomly placed by the game. It is fun dealing with stuff like that and incorporating it into the story though.
I do wish there was more to do with the dragons but they are adorable. I would love it if they grew a bit bigger and you could fly on them.
@meerkattime Thanks so much for your comments.
I think of it as a hunting cabin and is kept stocked with basics for hunters. I do want to play this world sometime though. It really is so pretty and the builder added so many pretty places.
He would love to have talked to his sneaky wife!
gotta share some hot pics from the guys occasionally.
I was surprised by how the game transformed him when he became a werewolf.
I really am not sure how the egg/dragon came to be on the lot. I did not put any on the lot except in the nest area, so am not sure if they are randomly placed by the game. It is fun dealing with stuff like that and incorporating it into the story though.
Yep, Dedric has his hands full with them and his two kids and Wisteria. I guess I better not give him a pet to take care of too. lol
The next morning at breakfast, Dedric describes finding the baby dragon to the others during the night. "I'm intrigued as to how the egg got in the yard. I know I've not inspected every inch of the yard and there are brambles in that area that could have hidden the egg. Adam said the eggs needed human touch to activate the hatching so who handled it and when? It is a mystery!" They discuss possibilities including a chance that an adult female dragon returned to lay her eggs, but couldn't travel to the nesting area since they secured the opening. They plan to search the rest of the yard after breakfast.
Willow is a fussy eater and makes a mess including pushing her bowl off the tray. It hits the leg of the highchair and breaks into pieces landing on the floor. Willow giggles and peers over the edge. "It fall down."
Kailena rolls her eyes to the ceiling warning Willow. "Uh oh, Willow's in trouble!"
Dedric picks up Willow and scolds her for making a mess. "You know there are starving children in Riverview who would love to have your oatmeal. No more pushing food and bowls on the floor. If you don't want it, tell us no thank you. Ok?"
"ok, no mess." Willow's little lip trembles knowing she displeased her Daddy. She hides her face as he carries her over to the swing. He sets her in it to keep her out of the way while he cleans up the mess. He has a hard time not laughing at her adorable little face, but he knows she has to learn better behavior so he keeps a straight face.
Everyone helps with the search, even the little one's help by searching the flower beds. They find three more dragon eggs hidden under the shrubbery. They are very careful not to touch them with their hands. Dedric scoops them up with a shovel and transfers them to a box. He takes them down to the nesting area and very carefully places them in the sand. He will check on them in a few hours and if they seem to be ready to hatch he will have Jennifer and Wisteria come down. Perhaps they should reconsider the closing of the outdoor tunnel that leads to underground rooms. It seems as if a dragon still considers Red Dragon Lair their nesting ground. He will mention it to Adam and Marshall when they return.
The next morning Adam leads the way. The glade where his mother is buried is not far away. It should only take a few hours to get there. Both Adam and Marshall can scent other werewolves in the area. "We are out of rogue territory so let's hope these are not rogues. The trail leads to an observation deck that has been built atop this mountain, and they can see for miles around the forest. Adam points out where they will go next to Marshall. Three men appear out of the trail from the north. Adam recognizes Benot, brother of Drogo who challenged and killed his own brother for the clan leadership. His hair is gray now but otherwise appears unchanged.
"I recognize you," sneers the leader as he jabs his finger at Adam. "You stink of my brother Drogo and the Fairy he brought into our clan. He brought disgrace and dishonor to our clan with his actions. I defeated him in a challenge battle and became the new Alpha. You disappeared during the celebration. I guess you knew you were next on the list to die. I am Benot! Leader of the Clawfist Clan. You will bow down before your clan leader."
Adam looks over Benot. He has aged but still has the powerful presence of an Alpha leader. Adam with his own Alpha power experiences no urge to bow down before Benot. "I am not a member of the Clawfist Clan. I bow down to no one. I lead my own clan Drogo!"
"You are challenging me, pup!" shouts Benot. "I have wiped stronger wolves than you off this planet."
"I am not challenging you, old one. It would not be a fair fight. You are out of your territory and have no right to challenge me by clan laws."
"This land is close enough to Clawfist land. You passed through my land without permission. I have managed to rid the world of all Drogo's spawn. He turned you, and I will rid the world of you as well."
Adam realizes that the old man is not quite sane any longer. He looks over at the other two men who accompanied Benot. They shrug as if to say nothing we can do to stop him.
Benot is infuriated that Adam is refusing to fight. He strikes out at Adam who is standing at the top of the stairs, knocking him down the stairs. Adam quickly jumps up as Benot jumps down the steps and taunts him with cowardice.
Benot's sons Titus and Claude finally make an attempt to stop him. He is determined to fight Adam by fair means or foul.
"I think you are going to have to fight him." Marshall looks over at the Clawfist werewolves who do not appear to be having any luck talking Benot out of his challenge.
"It will be a fight to the death. That is the way of the wolf whether I like it or not." Adam shakes his head. "I don't like it, but he is not giving me any choice."
It is evening in Dragon Valley, and the kids are in bed. Dedric and Wisteria are in their home. Jennifer and Alice enjoy some key lime pie. "I sure wish we had heard from Adam and Marshall today. I know they said the mountains would interfere with signals, but I don't like the silence."
"I would love to have heard from them too. I'm certain they will call us as soon as they can get reception again. They know we will worry. Tell you what let's take our mind off things and do some shopping." Jennifer picks up the plates to put in the dishwasher.
"It is getting a little late to go shopping, isn't it?" questions Alice.
"Not with the new channels on the tv. We have the sims shopping network and simsQVC. Grab your credit card and lets shop!"
Adam opens the box that Nickolas gave him. Inside is a potion. "I need you to hold onto this and use it if the time comes. I don't anticipate any trouble defeating him, but he is an aggressive and dominant wolf in his own right despite his age. If by any chance he does defeat me, you must throw this potion at me before I take my last breath. It will sever my bond with Alice and prevent her from dying."
Marshall is stunned. "Are you out of your mind? You are not going to lose! Why didn't you bring a flask of angry bees or a zombie potion? I don't mind hurling one of those at you!" Marshall jerks his head staring daggers at Adam. "I know it is not going to happen because you will defeat him. I can't believe Nickolas got this for you."
"Actually, Nickolas understands better than most what happens when a bonded mate dies. He did not want to give up hope for his daughter, my mother, but when Kailon died he knew Nissa was gone. Nickolas had this potion with him on all his assignments for the King. His most trusted assistant carried it with the same instructions I just gave you. Nickolas did not want Anastasia to die. The twins would have been orphans. I know it is distressing to request this of you, but just in case. I trust you, Marshall, to do the right thing."
Marshall struggles with his emotions. He does not have a fated life bond with Jennifer like Adam and Alice. They were both humans when they became a couple. He assumes the Fates only bond occults and not humans. He knows he would give his life to protect Jennifer. She is his soulmate even without the bond. He has dedicated his life to be Adam's clanmate and second. He understands what Adam is requesting him to do and why. Alice befriended him when he came to Midnight Hollow and introduced her best friend, Jennifer to him. Alice is still his best friend and closer to him than his sisters as much as he loves them. He will do what he must to protect Alice if something should happen to Adam.
"I understand and will do what needs to be done." He tucks the potion into his backpack. Marshall looks over at Benot. "You know, I grant he probably has a lot more experience fighting and actually killing other werewolves than you do. He still looks strong and fit. I bet he wasn't trained by Victor in martial arts. I think you can use your training and expertise to totally throw off his game."
"Excellent advise!" Adam nods in agreement. "Thank you for understanding. I'm not planning on losing, but I'd be a fool not to consider all the possibilities."
Trying to lighten the mood and make Marshall laugh, Adam retorts. "Obviously, if I am winning, don't hurl it at me."
Marshall grins and punches Adam in the arm. "Let's do this!"
Benot refuses to listen to his sons and continues to taunt Adam. Adam offers him one more chance to back down from the challenge.
Drogo shakes his fist in Adam's face. "Bring it on spawn of Drogo!"
Adam very calmly nods his head. "I accept your challenge Benot."
Benot and Adam transform into their werewolves. They waste no time beginning the fight. It is intense and both are determined to win. Benot has maturity and practical experience on his side, and Adam has youth and stamina. It looks like Benot got the first few hits and Marshall watches carefully. They circle around each other with Benot trying to knock Adam to the ground, so he can subdue him. He lunges forward and attempts to stagger Adam with a series of jabs to his chest and face while sweeping with his right leg to knock Adam down. Adam quickly reverses and spins his body to avoid the takedown. He strikes with a furious uppercut and lands a severe blow to Benot's jaw that staggers him. Adam takes advantage of the opening and plants a roundhouse kick that sends Benot flying. Marshall knows very well how much those kicks hurt.
Surprisingly Benot recovers quickly and jumps into his fighting stance. He leads with several jabs to Adam's chest that Adam easily avoids. Adam watches carefully noting Benot's fighting technique as he bobs and weaves waiting for the right opening. The fight continues for several minutes with both taking jabs and delivering powerful blows. Adam notices Benot is slowing, his blows are less powerful. Adam is ready to end this fight. He finds the opening needed and strikes quickly with several punches to his chest and face. He spins back and delivers another roundhouse kick, and Benot is down. Adam presses his attack before Benot can stand up. His sharp werewolf teeth biting down on Benot's shoulder, trying to get him to submit. Benot refuses to submit. He growls at Adam and tries to shake him off. He would rather die than submit to another. Adam knows he must survive for his family's sake. He quickly ends the fight not wanting to prolong the agony and Benot stops struggling his neck broken.
Benot's last words no longer taunt him as a coward. "A strong and worthy warrior despite my brother's blood." The four werewolves howl as death claims Benot.
Adam talks with Titus and Claude about the clan. He wants no part of clan Clawfist. Neither Titus nor Claude is eligible to lead the pack. They are not Alphas wolves. Benot was the last Alpha in the pack. Many of the young werewolves fled the pack over the years dissatisfied with Benot's rule. They joined other packs, moving into other territories or towns. They both stayed watching over their father realizing his mind was slipping and keeping him away from humans.
"We will find another pack to merge with."
Adam is quiet, taking Benot's life has left a mark on him. He apologizes to the brothers for not finding a peaceful way to end the fight. Titus claps his hand on Adam's shoulder. "Cousin, I wish I could tell you not to worry about it. I feel you will not heed that advice. You will have to find a way to make your peace with what happened. My father was a rogue warrior and not willing to change. He went the way he would want...in battle. If not you, someone else would have taken him eventually. He was determined he would not die in his sleep."
@bekkasan : what an exciting and sad chapter!
Nickolas´ present is well thought, but it puts big pressure on Marshall´s shoulders. (I had no doubt Adam would win, but there could be an even more dangerous situation for Adam in the future and then Marshall must cut the bond)
Marshall is such a good friend!!!
Gosh, Benot got so many chances given to stay alive by Adam! But he decided to die! Great desciption of the fight! I really hope that his sons get a better life from now on. It must have been awful to stay with their dad and see him losing his sanity....
I hope the two will get connection to their wifes soon to tell them everything.
I hope they find Adam´s mum´s remains soon and can get back to their families!
@AlexaKry Thanks so much for your comments! I sure am glad he did not have to throw it!
When I created Benot I gave him skills to match his years of experience so I knew there would be a chance he could win. That would be a very different story for me! I probably, most likely...yea for sure, would have reloaded.
I didn't quite get the next update finished yesterday. Will depend on work and how tired I am this week after work.
@bekkasan Kailena looks super cute in that picture of Willow dropping the bowl .
3 more eggs! No way they can keep so many dragons .
It might indeed be better to open the entrance to the outdoor tunnel again.
I like the picture of the three kids in the middle of the flowers. Cute!
Benot sounds like a scary man - I hope Adam and Marshall are safe... Oh no, this doesn't sound good... There's three of them against Adam and Marshall...
Fortunately Titus and Claude don't see the point of the fight either, so at least they'll stay out of the fight if there will be one.
If Jennifer and Alice only knew what's going on with their husbands...
I hope TV shopping gets their minds somewhere else than the missing phonecalls.
Oh no, I don't like this at all... Marshall must feel awful hearing Adam talk about the potion even though it makes sense he wants to save his wife from dying.
I'm so worried about Adam now although I don't think you'd really let anything happen to him .
Wow, that was intense writing. I hope Adam can live with the fact that he killed another werewolf, but on the other hand, he simply had no choice and he needed to win the battle .
I hope Benot's sons will accept the situation and let them go. I see they do - they knew their father.
Hopefully the rest of the trip will be safe.
@meerkattime Thanks so much for your comments. Much appreciated!
Yep, getting to be too many eggs. They might have to start giving eggs away to townies! lol
I only had Benot and Adam fight. In every book, I've ever read that had werewolves and clans, etc a challenge fight would take place between the two alphas and no one else was allowed to interfere. Marshall did transform but only one of the sons transformed the other stayed human.
It would be very difficult for me to let anything happen to one of my sims that couldn't eventually be fixed.
The death will bother Adam, but he did what he had to do.
@bekkasan I absolutely LOVED these last couple of chapters! Very well written, suspenseful, and that fight even had me on the edge of my seat! You rocked these lady!
That poor little red Dragon... I also wonder who may have touched the egg and it's made a connection to. Or was it just momma Dragon trying to reach the nest, but couldn't, and she couldn't hold back laying any longer? Hmm? You have piqued my curiosity here.
It totally looks like Kailena is rolling her eyes in that picture! Or almost like she's thinking, "Here we go again with Willow pushing her bowl onto the floor...and this time it shattered."
"You know there are starving children in Riverview who would love to have your oatmeal...
^Oh my gosh, LOL! I LOVE it!
I still tell L every once in a while that there are starving children in this world and she needs to be thankful for all the food she has and that they'd give anything to eat what she doesn't like....
3 more dragon eggs were found? Wow!
Babies playing in the tulips.
Oh dear...That was quite the confrontation from Benot and he really does look like an old, stubborn and rude (werewolf) man that you just wanna slap! (Sorry if that sounds terrible, but y'all know the type. ).
I wish Benot would've listened to his sons and not been so territorial and filled with hate.
Cute to see the ladies doing TV shopping!
----
This chapter started very dramatically and surprised me. (In a good way. ). Adam loves Alice unconditionally and he would never want her to die because of all this...at the same time I can see where Marshall thinks he's crazy because he too loves Adam and Alice very very much. He doesn't want to witness either of them dying! He's thinking, "If you really want me to throw something at you Adam then I'd rather throw bees or a zombie potion over throwing out THAT!!" It was just something he never fathomed doing because he would never want to. This moment really illustrated their deep love for each other and I think you portrayed it perfectly!
Nickolas was wise in keeping that potion on him and giving it to Adam. It was a selfless act. And of course Marshall would do the right thing at the request of his dear friend.
Marshall struggles with his emotions. He does not have a fated life bond with Jennifer like Adam and Alice. They were both humans when they became a couple. He assumes the Fates only bond occults and not humans. He knows he would give his life to protect Jennifer. She is his soulmate even without the bond.
^Awww... I just want to give Marshall a big hug!
And darn skippy!
Hee hee, gotta throw in a little bro humor there to ease the tension.
But yeah seriously, this fight had me on the edge of my seat! I mean, deep down I pretty much knew you wouldn't have Adam lose a fight to the death, but...I had wondered if you might surprise us all. I'm glad you didn't. Like you said, Adam is the hero.
You did very well writing it, even though I don't know how to write out a fight well either , and also in staging the pictures. 👍
Titus and Claude were very kind to Adam despite the situation and I'm glad they were understanding. It seems deep down they were relieved that their father is no longer in charge. A sad situation indeed.
Taking a man's life will always haunt a person and I hope that Adam will be able to find peace with it, especially since it was done out of self defense. He has a wonderful support system and I know they all will help him through it.
Fantastic! I look forward to more very soon!
@emorrill Thanks so much for your comments.
I wondered if Mom's still say that to kids these days. I know mine did and yep I said something similar to mine.
Benot was an ornery ole' coot! I wonder if that word will get 'flowered'. lol
Wait til y'all see what the girls bought!
I did put a bit of drama in it! I'm glad you liked it. I do like fleshing out the characters. I think Marshall was just a bit shocked at how sudden it was being presented to him and perhaps Adam should have told him about the potion earlier in the trip.
Writing the fight was hard but fun trying to fit the few fighting words and terminology that I knew.
It was late when Titus and Claude left the overlook taking Benot's body with them. They will bury him at the clan burial grounds. Adam, exhausted after the fight sits on the steps of the overlook. Marshall insists they spend the night at the overlook and start fresh in the morning. They slept late the sun already high in the sky by the time they were ready to leave. It's a beautiful day for a change. Adam is quieter than normal. Marshall is sure Adam is thinking about the challenge and having to kill Benot. Adam insists he is fine, just ready to go home.
The last leg of the journey passes quickly. The path narrows as they climb up the mountain. They pass an interesting waterfall that drops down into a gorge. They both peer over the edge, it sure is a long way down. Adam remembers the closed up mine. "Did you see those glowing eyes in the mine?" he asks Marshall. "It used to freak me out when I was a kid sneaking behind Drogo as I followed him to the glade. I never suspected someone painted those eyes when the mine was closed to keep curious youngsters from exploring. It worked for me. I was never tempted to go down in the mine."
They finally arrive at the glade. Adam shows Marshall where Drogo used to place flowers.
"I think he placed her remains in the ground right here."
Adam pulls out a collapsible shovel and opens it. He digs a hole and very soon his shovel hits something firm. He digs carefully eventually unearthing the remains. Adam packs the remains in the prepared urn that he had been given. "You know, Drogo must have had some feeling for my Mom to place her in a special place and mourn her for so many years. What he did was wrong though, kidnapping her and taking her away from all she knew and loved. She didn't deserve that. He could have killed me at my birth, and I still don't know to this day why he didn't."
"Perhaps he kept you because you were a part of her and he made you a wolf so you became part of him as well. He and his brother were twisted. Neither knew how to love and ruled with fear and aggression over the clan. You were very fortunate you made your escape when you did."
Adam takes one last look at the glade and turns to follow the trail that will lead them down the mountains to get back to Moonlight Falls. They stop for a brief break near a waterfall and small pond. It is soothing hearing the water splash into the pond. Adam lights a fire feeling chilled to his bones even though they will not be here long. He hears some rustling in the woods and a black dog rushes from the bushes and comes over to sniff his legs. The dog woofs as if to say hello and then sniffs at Marshall woofing again. Marshall talks and plays with the dog for a few minutes. Adam looks into the fire his thoughts dark and somber.
He is startled out of his thoughts with the sudden appearance of Victor. "Wha...what are you doing here?" Adam looks at Victor with suspicion. "Did Alice call you?"
"No, I have not heard from Alice, my boy. You called me!"
Victor greets Marshall who is playing with the dog. Marshall grins at Victor. "Good to see you, sir."
Adam looks at Victor bewildered. "No, we have not had any cell service for days in these mountains. I didn't call you."
Victor shrugs. "I did not mean on the phone. There is a disturbance in you. Something happened to you. Your mind called out to me even if you did not. It is how I knew when you and Alice got a little bit too frisky when you were teens. I would reach into your minds and tell you both to back off. When you went to university, I told you both I would not be in your mind any longer. I always know when you are troubled or hurting even without being present all the time. I usually just call and chat or have Gardenia call. This time I felt the need to show up in person.
Before we start, Gardenia says to tell you both hi and that she loves you and you are both right about Alice and Jennifer. Oh, and do not be mad they did not tell you before you left because you are right they did not want you to cancel the trip."
Marshall looks at Victor in amazement that they knew all that. "We figured that was the reason they didn't tell us. We just want to get home before the babies are born."
Victor nods. "You will."
Adam smiles at Gardenia's advice. "I guess she is in our minds too?"
"No, she cannot do that. I never conceal anything from her. I let her know when something is off with any of you and we talk about it and decide what to do. So, everyone sit down. Adam talk to me!"
They all take a seat including the dog. Victor looks over at the dog. "Why is that dog here?"
Marshall looks over at the dog who has sat down with them as if following Victor's request to sit. "I have no clue. He showed up just after we had arrived here. He seems friendly enough. Perhaps he escaped his leash or home? I guess we can try to find out where he is from and return him before we leave. We both are ready to go home, though."
"Hmm!" Victor harrumphs and peers into the dog's eyes. "No, he is a very lonely pup. He was let out quite young and has been wandering the mountains for quite some time. He saw you in the glade and followed you down the mountain. He sensed you would be friendly and that he could trust you. It seems he has adopted you two rather than the other way around. His name is Shadow. Very apt, since neither one of you observed him following you! It seems you two need more training in keeping your senses alert." Victor agrees with the dog's assessment of Marshall and Adam.
The pup wiggles his hind end, swishing his tail back and forth, and woofs in agreement. Marshall reaches over and ruffles the dog's fur. "I think the kids would love having a dog. I hope he gets along with dragons!"
"woof, woof!" Shadow 🐸🐸🐸🐸 at Marshall's hands happy to have found people to love and help.
"Well, now that is resolved. Talk Adam!"
Adam relates meeting up with Drogo's brother Benot and all that transpired. "I tried making him back down from the challenge. I didn't want to kill him. He wouldn't submit to me when I had him down. I knew I couldn't just let him go. If I didn't kill him it was possible in his state of mind that he might find where we lived and hunt us down. I couldn't take the chance. I had to protect my family. I broke his neck and ended it.
His sons had no problem with the results of the challenge. They acknowledged what he was and even said he went the way he would want to go, in battle."
Adam stares at the flames flickering in the pit. "I didn't want to fight him. I didn't want to kill him. I did what I had to do. I can't get it out of my head. Should I have done something differently? Should I have pressed harder for him to submit to me?"
Victor reaches over to clasp Adam on the shoulder. "You would not be the man you are if it did not bother you. Do not second guess yourself. There was no other option possible for you except to kill him. Rogues like Drogo and Benot don't even think about others in relation to their own actions. They are purely selfish in that regard. He would have eventually escaped his sons and searched you and your family out."
Adam leans into Victor unconsciously needing that close connection with him. "I know you went after the vampires that killed your family and turned you and Autumn. Then you worked as an enforcer for years with the Council. How did you get used to it?
"You never get used to it, Adam. Not if you are a normal person. You do learn to deal with it. I killed most of the vampires the night I escaped with Autumn and the other captives. We had planned our attack and escape very carefully. Autumn dealt with some and the other captives did as well. A few of the vampires were able to escape. I spent several years tracking them down and avenging what they did to my parents, my other siblings, and Autumn. It was justice and the only form we had back then. It was not easy taking the life of someone else but to prevent further death by their hands I was willing to do what was necessary. It is not a matter of getting used to it. It was a matter of doing what had to be done to save others. I never liked doing it, but I was good at it. That is the difference between someone like me and Benot and you and Benot. We do not like doing it. You will most likely live the rest of your life and never kill again. I hope and pray to the Fates that you will not. This death did not change you, Adam. You are still Adam Moonwalker, son of Nissa and Kailon, Gardenia and my cherished foster son, the love of our daughter Alice's life, Dad to Kailena and the one to come, leader of Clan Red Dragon, best friend to Marshall, Jennifer, Dedric, and Wisteria, beloved grandson of Nickolas and Anastasia, and grandson to the Fairy King and Queen. We all love you, and you will have our support whenever you need it."
Adam feels a giant weight lift off his heart and soul with Victor's words. He no longer feels numb, and the world around him seems brighter if at all possible. "Thank you! I hope nothing like this ever happens again! I had started feeling like I wasn't me anymore. You said what I needed to hear. I am still me, and am ready to go home to Alice and meet our soon to be born child."
"So, shall I teleport you back to Dragon Valley?"
"That would be awesome, but we left the car in Moonlight Falls, so I guess you better teleport us there if you don't mind."
The first thing they did after arriving in Moonlight Falls was to call the girls. Hearing the voices of their loved ones made both of them want Victor to teleport than home and not worry about the car. Victor had assured them they had plenty of time before the birth of the babies, though.
Alice and Jennifer are sitting on their recent purchases admiring how much better it looks in the laboratory area with the new furnishings when the calls come through from Adam and Marshall. They are so excited to hear from their husbands. Both tell them to hurry home but drive safely.
Victor takes a moment to chat with Marshall. "I think Adam will be fine but if you are troubled just text or call, or just yell Victor in your head, especially if you need me fast. I am tuned to all of you."
Marshall thinks that is a cool talent to possess and agrees to do that. He gets up his nerve to ask Victor a question. "Would you be troubled if I wrote a fictional series of books loosely based on your life? I would love to write your story, but I know you wouldn't want your name out in public.
Victor is surprised but once he thinks about it he agrees. "It would be similar to the werewolves stories you have written that are based on truth as well as legends? I have read all your books and you have quite a way with words and building excitement in your stories."
"Yes sir," he responds. "Thank you! I would want to interview you a few times to develop some background for the characters."
" I expect we will be in Dragon Valley in a few days. We can do the chats then. You should also arrange to interview Rafe. He is one of the oldest living vampires around. He has some tales that would curl your toes and be interesting to your readers."
They hug Victor goodbye and settle Shadow in the back of Mustang. Adam waves out the window and calls out to Victor. "Thank you for always being here for me. I love you Dad!
Victor watches them leave as his vision blurs, tears running down his cheeks.
@bekkasan : VICTOR!!!!!
Oh, what a great vampire and father!!!! Coming as soon as he senses that Adam was feeling so numb was so Victor!!!
It was such a relief for Adam to have his support!
Although I would find it creepy to know that he was in my mind, here it was very good, because even if Adam is an adult and a father of his own he still needs some assisitant from a father sometimes, especially after having killed for the first time! Good that Victor could sense that and even much better that he came as soon as possible! That says a lot about his love for Adam!
I had to chuckle about Victor admitting that he helped Alice and Adam to stay innocent as teenagers! creepy!!!
I love Gardenia´s advices and that she told Victor to tell them to Adam!
Wow, what an impressive family tree Adam has and how many important people he knows and who love him! Reading that all one after the other makes me realize that he could be very powerful if he ever claimed some of his titles.
Can you please explain to me why the girls decorated for Christmas in their newly purchased furniture? The Lebkuchen house and the reindeer lok a bit out of time when I see how the girls are dressed!
Nice reading corner!
So there will be a big dog running around in house from now on? I hope the girls like him, too! He seems very friendly! And he adopted them, so sweet!
Great to know that Victor and Gardenia will be there after the births! Yey!!!
@AlexaKry Thanks so much for your comments!
I knew you would love Victor showing up.
Victor loves his family and extended family and he has a strong need to always know and be there if they need help. He just senses their emotions and doesn't poke around to be nosy.
hehe, he poked both Adam and Alice's mind several times when they were teens! Even though he knew they were bonded he felt they should wait before getting too intimate.
They are not decorating for Christmas. That is all the stuff they bought from the shopping network. They left it out so Adam and Marshall could see and then they will store it with the other Christmas stuff. I was so surprised to see the gingerbread house on the shopping channel. It is a cc deco item I got several years ago so of course, Alice had to buy that item! I knew it was a Sims 2 conversion for Sims 3 but not that it was featured on the shopping channel. So perfect for the story.
The dog will come home with the guys! I'm excited about adding him to the family.
VIctor can be stern and gruff and even mean and deadly when he needs it. Inside he is a teddy bear. That was the first time Adam called him Dad! He cried like a baby!
@bekkasan Nelly gracious! That was my reaction when I realized last night that I hadn't posted comments on this recent, awesome chapter! (I think us chatting a little about it via text threw me off. )
I completely understand Adam's desire to return home.
I like that story about the glowing eyes in the mine. Sure would've kept me out!
Glad there was something left of his mother's remains to take back. (Nice way you placed that shovel to look like he was holding it. )
"You know, Drogo must have had some feeling for my Mom to place her in a special place and mourn her for so many years. What he did was wrong though, kidnapping her and taking her away from all she knew and loved. She didn't deserve that. He could have killed me at my birth, and I still don't know to this day why he didn't."
^Ditto. I've been wondering this for a while as well. I guess it's possible for even the most wicked of people (or in this case, werewolf) to have a little sliver of a place in their heart for love. Or maybe he felt a hint of remorse for kidnapping her? I guess we'll never know...
Where'd this dog come from?
VICTOR! Yay!
So the dark thoughts and anxieties of Adam's mind called out for Victor? I really like that.
It is how I knew when you and Alice got a little bit too frisky when you were teens. I would reach into your minds and tell you both to back off.
^Ha ha! A great way for a father to look out for his daughter huh? A magical power I'm sure ALL men wish they had. To an extent!
Aww, the dog sensed Adam and Marshall's good nature and wants to go home with them. A subtle little rebuke Victor gave them there. And I love how he's all, "TALK Adam!" (Quit beating around the bush.)
I knew I couldn't just let him go. If I didn't kill him it was possible in his state of mind that he might find where we lived and hunt us down. I couldn't take the chance. I had to protect my family. I broke his neck and ended it.
^You know, that's a good point that I didn't even think about so that further justifies what he did had to be done and that too should provide a little comfort. Even though this will still always haunt him.
Ah, the normal wondering if you should've done something different. I understand Adam... {{{Hugs}}}
Something like this would definitely cause a person to feel like they've lost themselves...
He needed this beautiful reassurance from a father figure like Victor so so much and I am SO glad he showed up in Adam's hour of need! I love Victor all the more for this!
Very nice recliners the ladies got there.
OMGosh that would be wonderful for Marshall to write a novel that's loosely based on Victor's life and adventures! I love it!
Aww, Adam saying, "I love you dad." That did get me a little teary-eyed. :'-) As I said before, Victor reminds me of my own dad in many ways.
Very fitting song to include at the end. This was a fantastic and heartwarming chapter!
@emorrill Thanks so much for the comments
I've been wanting to get to this point in the story for a good while.
I had to figure out a way to have him hold that shovel somehow! lol
The dog was actually created to dig that hole. Then I just had to add him 'cause you know once I've created a sim they have to be used.
When I read my first draft of the chapter I knew something was missing. Adding Victor brought it together. No matter which part of the family I'm playing Victor is the glue that will always hold the family and the others that he loves together. His love is boundless and he will be there for them no matter what. Awww, that is sweet that he reminds you of your Dad!
I'm happy you liked the song. I just Daughtry's voice, even if he's not country.
Victor teleports home to Midnight Hollow. He finds Gardenia working in her garden. He hugs and kisses her even though he has barely been away a few hours. She smiles at him and kisses him back. He tells her about his conversation with Adam and what happened with Benot. Her instinct is to gather everyone together and have Victor teleport them to Dragon Valley right away. He reassures her it is not necessary to rush. They can go as planned in a few days. "Adam will be ok. He did what he had to do and he has accepted that. It will still be there in his mind but he will not dwell on it anymore. Marshall will let me know right away if he is troubled about Adam."
She clasps his hands. "What else happened. I can tell you are holding something back."
With a big grin on his face that seems to light up the entire yard, he tells her, "Adam called me Dad as they left!"
"Oh, Victor! That is so beautiful. It makes me want to hurry and get there anyway. I guess we need to let them have a day or two before we descend on them." She gives him another hug and puts her arm around his waist. "C'mon Dad, let's walk to the side yard and finish setting up for Josef and Jillian's birthday."
Josef is the eldest twin, and he gets to blow out his candles first. He has been looking forward to becoming a teenager and when the magic spins him, he becomes a handsome teen.
Jillian now has her turn to blow out the candles on her cake. She makes a wish and hopes it will come true. She turns into a beautiful young teen. The family celebrates both birthdays with cake and ice cream and opening presents.
The kids are excited about seeing Dragon Valley as well as Alice, Adam, and the rest of the friends. They have already looked up many of the fun things to do and see in Dragon Valley. They presented their Dad a list of all the places they want to check out.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Back in Dragon Valley, everyone gathers to watch the children as they see the new play yard. Alice and Jennifer found a lot of new stuff on the shopping sites. The toddlers hurry through the gate excitedly chattering about what they see. Drew tries to take a bite out of the cupcake fence. Jennifer stops him with a well-timed "No Drew." She explains to all the toddlers that the fence is not edible, it just looks like cupcakes.
Dedric and Wisteria work in the garden while Alice and Jennifer sit on the benches watching the kids play at the block table. "I hope it won't be too long before they get here."
"Me too," Jennifer tells her with a sigh. "I'm not looking forward to explaining to Marshall why I didn't tell him about being pregnant."
"I expect that is going to be the first thing they notice. We are both as big as elephants! We meant it for the best of reasons. I don't think I can keep anything from him in the future, though. The guilt has really got me down."
The guys arrive in town and even though Adam is tempted to keep his speed up, he slows down and maintains the proper speed, despite his desire to get home now.
Kailena and Drew both notice a scent in the air. Their werewolf noses tell them their Dad's are home. They both stop playing and run across the yard as fast as their little toddler legs will go. Jennifer and Alice see them take off. They are not worried as both children love exploring the yard. They continue their conversation until they hear Kailena and Drew yell "Daddy." They both jump up and hurry across the yard to see Adam and Marshall scooping up and hugging their children.
Soon they too are enveloped in the arms of their loves.
Adam's heart feels so much lighter holding his daughter and his wife in his arms. He feels whole again. He knows he needs to talk with Alice about her not telling him about the pregnancy before he left. He looks down at her belly and then at her face. "I think you have something to explain, Alice."
Alice nods and nibbles on her lower lip. She hated not telling Adam and still feels she did the right thing even if she feels so guilty looking at him. She takes his hands. "Well, obviously you can see I am pregnant. I'm sorry I didn't tell you before you left. I knew you wouldn't go and really felt you needed to go and recover your mother's remains. You needed that closure for yourself as well as your grandparents." She looks into his eyes hoping he understands and will forgive her.
Adam reaches out and touches her belly. "Alice, I understand why you didn't tell me. You are right, I might not have gone. It is possible you could have persuaded me though. Just like you did with taking Marshall along. Please don't ever keep anything from me again though. We are part of each other, and we need to be completely open with each other no matter what."
Alice nods her head knowing she got off easy. She rubs her eyes to keep from crying while Adam continues talking. "Marshall and I got to talking about why you girls didn't insist on coming. Being pregnant was the only thing we could come up with that would keep you away."
Alice thinks Marshall and Adam are just a tad too insightful and know them too well.
Adam grins at the stunned look on her face. "Dad confirmed it when we saw him."
Alice gasps. "Dad! What happened? I didn't call him! Why was he there?"
Adam laughs. "Apparently he is still more tuned into us then we thought. But, we can talk about it later. Everything is fine."
He moves his hand across her tummy and can feel the babe kicking. "A strong kick! Perhaps it will be a boy this time. Kailena had a strong kick too. Do you know?"
"No, I decided to wait until we talked about it. If you want me to find out I will."
He looks up at her face, smiling happily as he continues to rub her belly and talk with the baby. "I say we wait and be surprised. I don't care either way. I'm happy and excited about having another baby in the house. Have you been very sick?"
She shakes her head back and forth. "No, not too bad, but I sure could use one of your awesome backrubs."
Adam obliges.
Jennifer and Marshall finally come up for air after their long kiss hello. "I've missed you so much, Marshall!"
"I've missed you too." He looks her up and down and raises his brow. "So, put on a bit of weight while I was gone, have you?"
Jennifer reaches out and smacks his arm. "Maybe I didn't miss you that much after all."
Marshall laughs and bends down and talks to the baby. "Daddy's home now and is looking forward to seeing you soon."
He straightens back up and puts on his serious face. "I wish you had told me before we left. No more secrets from each other, ok? I do understand you probably thought we wouldn't go, but we should have been part of the decision making process."
"No more secrets! I promise! I know this is a little sooner then I had planned on being pregnant again. I guess Fate had other plans for us. You are ok with it?"
"Ok? I'm ecstatic! You know I was ready for another one a couple of days after Drew was born."
She laughs in remembrance. "Perhaps next time you can carry the baby and deliver it."
Adam picks up Kailena and Marshall picks up Drew. They walk across the yard to say hello to Wisteria and Dedric as well as Willow and Fillian. They stayed in the play yard to give them privacy. Marshall calls Shadow who has been exploring the yard. He wants to make sure Shadow is introduced to the others and is gentle with the kids.
@bekkasan : great update!
Aww, Victor is such a softy!!!! So sweet that he is so happy about Adam calling him dad!!
Is this a huge spider sitting in the corn field at the first pic???
The twins look cute, I wonder what will happen when they meet Briana, Bran and Kaifindar! They surely will be partners in crime!!!
Bummer that the family couldn´t sit at one table eating the cake. At least nobody went into the house to eat! (My loner Tyler always uses the most far away table he can get if I let him )
Gardenia´s outfit is nice, ist it CC or store?
Drew trying to eat the fence! It looks tasty, of course, no wonder he tried! The Katy Perry Stuff is good for building something for kids! "Sweet" playground"! The girls purchased a lot at the shopping channel!
So sweet that Kailena and Drew ran towards their daddies, they surely missed them much. Good, that the girls had a bad conscience!
The last picture is a perfect family shot!!
I can´t wait for the babies to be born!!! (and see Victor again )
@AlexaKry Thanks so much for the comments!
I was amazed you were able to see the spider! You have some awesome eyes! Yep, that is Aragog from Severinka. The Hungarian horntail flies over the house. Buckbeak is in the back yard too. Crookshanks is near the garden. I love Harry Potter stuff!
I know I put that big table out there and they all usually scatter including sometimes in the house.
I think the twins are going to enjoy themselves and love having some teen friends.
I'm hoping the save will do ok with adding the family. I'll make sure I do an extra 'save as' in case I have to go backward. I'm going to have them stay in a separate house this time so the lot won't lag too much. I've got a couple of houses in my library that I tried in the past when I sent Victor to Dragon Valley to test houses. Gonna have to hunt them down.
They are both store items that Gardenia is wearing. I finally let her have a couple of more casual outfits. I used to dress her pretty formally all the time.
Thanks, I love having the Katy Perry stuff back in the game now. I didn't put it on my laptop. I'm not fond of most of the clothes but I do love the deco and furniture for kids.
I'm excited about the babies too. I don't even know what they are having as I keep the setting random so I won't know. I have 10-day settings for pregnancies so they still have a few days to go. I need to double-check the number of hours left.
@bekkasan : Thanks for the nightmares then!
Uhg, I don´t like spiders at all. Unfortunately I live in the countryside and alone, so every time I have a spider in my flat I feel as if I have to fight the hardest battle of my life to get them and to throw them out again! Good that I don´t live in Australia, they have spiders there which are as big as Aragog in your pic! At least my mind would make them as big as him!
Do they prepare for Halloween that they have decorated the house with the animals???? Or are that pets????
Fingers crossed that everything goes right with your save! It would be a bad timing if you had to take actions to make the game run better again! It always take sooo much time to find out what to do to make the game run better (well, I know what I´ve done wrong most of the time, I´m just too stubborn to take actions, because they last so long! (To porter a whole town to a new save takes me 3 to 6 real life days, because of the long loading times))
I purchased the Katy Perry Pack just a few months ago. I always denied to buy it because it had such a bad reputation and I don´t like her. I think that the CAS items are horrible (have you ever tried out the cupkace bra on a Sim with a bit bigger breast???? Ridiculess! But the build items are great if you would like to decorate children´s or teen girl´s rooms!!!! Your playground looks great, it´s a paradise for the toddlers!
I always know what kind of gender my Sims expect. I haven´t set longer pregnancies, I just stop the developing time with MC untill I´m ready to play with a baby. Or delete the pregnancy if it doesn´t fit in. (my Sims breed like rabbits, if I would allow Travis and Haldir to decide for themselves they would have one child after the other! Now way!!)
Gardenia´s top is really nice, it fits her very much!!! (Already going through my clothes from the store to see if I have it, too...)
@AlexaKry I don't like spiders either! They grow some big ones in Florida that jump and tote the babies around on their backs. Nope, not even thinking about trying to catch and toss outside. That is what the bug man comes and sprays my house for! There is one spider that is called a banana spider that is black and yellow and the biggest one I've seen was the size of my fist. They live in the top of the trees but sometimes come down and make webs lower where you can see them. Talk about nightmares!
I put them out when I first built the house so they are pets. I move Aragog and Buckbeak around when I pop in to buy or build. The Hungarian horntail stays on top of the roof. I have a picture of it somewhere in the story when I took a picture of the house.
It took me a couple of weeks the last time I had to port them because I had to remake the worlds with the fixed venues and houses as well as delete some of the sims from the world so I could add the ones that I used in my story. I'd have to go in and do that again. I love having the connected worlds though so I'd do it again if I have too.
I put the clothes from the KP pack on a couple of sims after I got the pack just so I could giggle. I won't use them and blacklist them so the townies can't wear them!
My favorite piece of furniture...the banana split couch!! I've used it in a game room I set up for the kids and teens in one of my big families.
I've known in past stories what the babies would be, but in this one, I chose to hide it.
That is so funny that Travis and Haldir could still be having kids.
@bekkasan : I did the mistake to look up the banana spider. Again, thanks for my nightmares tonight!
Here in Germany the spiders aren´t as big as this monsters, the biggest I had to hunt and catch in my flat was around 2 cm big, with legs.
But I can remember one holiday where my family and I went to a holiday home which wasn´t very clean and which had spiders everywhere! Right after our arrival my parents, my sister and my brother had to clean up first (I was too young so I was sent out to play in the run wild garden).
My brother called me in again and showed me "somethin exciting"! It was a very big spider with very long legs (I´ve never saw an equally big one again in my life!) sitting in the bathtub. I was screaming so he was "nice to me" and wanted to flush it down the drain. Unfortunately it crawled back up into the tub again twice. This gave me so many nightmares in the years to follow!
I haven´t noticed the horntail in your pics, have to look for it again! (good reason to read your great story again!)
Because I have portered the Sims form Moonlight Falls a few times now, I have prepared an empty town for them (as I have for Bridgeport, as well) where all houses and venues are placed like in the recent, now abandoned town. So I just have to move the whole town Sims to an empty world (mostly Builder´s Island, because it loads so fast) and then move them into the new, readyly prepared Moonlight Falls again. (I just don´t know if I´ve taken the wrong Moonlight Falls this time, because this save still makes problems )
I like the playground things from the Katy Perry pack, since I have it I use them a lot.
Travis is pregnant again, it will be a boy so he is allowed to live!
@bekkasan This chapter was very much worth waiting for.
Aww, Victor sharing how touched he was that Adam called him Dad. I love it!!
(I have to say I didn't notice the giant spider in the background AT ALL - until AlexaKry pointed it out, and...I'm really glad I didn't. Spiders me no likey, but cool CC nonetheless! I used to be into Harry Potter when I was teen. Still kinda am, but it was great to hear about Buckbeak and Crookshanks again. )
Happy Birthday to Josef and Jillian! They aged up well.
(Very cute dress Jillian is wearing. 👍 )
I loved that you highlighted them for a little bit in the story here.
The new play yard is cute! Drew wanting to take a bite out of the cupcake fence was so stinking adorable, and funny.
Ha ha! Alice saying they're as big as elephants. I sure felt the same while being preggo...
I know I would feel guilty about not revealing the pregnancies either, but I think the guys will understand that they were being selfless in their decision to not tell them and were trying to do what was best.
Nice mustang!
Kailena and Drew both notice a scent in the air. Their werewolf noses tell them their Dad's are home. They both stop playing and run across the yard as fast as their little toddler legs will go.
^This was too cute. And awwwww to this picture!
Oh my gosh I love love LOVE this picture!
I knew Adam would forgive Alice. (Of course.)
I look forward to reading Alice's reaction to what happened between him and Benot.
To this day I still tip my hat to those who choose to be surprised what the gender of their baby is. I gotta KNOW so I can prepare properly!
Jennifer and Marshall finally come up for air after their long kiss hello. "I've missed you so much, Marshall!"
"I've missed you too." He looks her up and down and raises his brow. "So, put on a bit of weight while I was gone, have you?"
Jennifer reaches out and smacks his arm. "Maybe I didn't miss you that much after all."
^LOL Marshall! Shame on you! But oh how I loved it! Jennifer's playful response back was golden!
And no surprise that he was forgiving also.
I love the beautiful relationships these 4 have and you really highlight their deep love for each other. It's the way all relationships should be.
I'm glad Shadow is a part of the family now. He couldn't have picked a better one.
This chapter was just pure joy! I look forward to more as always!
@bekkasan Victor is a good husband, kissing his wife right away when coming back from his trip .
It's sweet that he's so thrilled about Adam calling him dad.
Happy birthday to Josef and Jillian! They look lovely as teens.
Poor Drew learned one of life's hard lessons regarding the fence .
Lol, the ladies have no idea their husbands know about their pregnancies already. They must be eager to see the guys again and hear everything about their trip. I hope Alice won't be too worried about Adam.
Awww, the kids greeting their dads are adorable .
I hope the dog will like its new home and be friendly with children.
Adam is very understanding about Alice not having told him about the pregnancy.
It's a bit late to ask Marshall if he's ok with the baby coming but I'm glad he is more than ok .
Shadow is a cutie.
@AlexaKry ack! Don't look up spiders. I made the mistake of watching a youtube about Australia's deadly critters. Kinda made me want to postpone my dream trip...forever. LOL
OMG...that is a horrible spider story and shame your family had to clean the place up like that.
Actually that is a good idea to start working on the new version of the towns before I need them. I could do it when I'm too tired to play but not too tired to build.
Congrats to Travis and Haldir!! As soon as I'm done posting these comments I'll pop over and read the newest chapter.
@emorrill Thanks so much for your comments.
Victor was very happy!
I don't like spiders in RL either but can deal with cc ones.
I aged them up once before but ending up not saving it because something glitched. I thought I saved the pics but couldn't find them so I guess I deleted them.
I know I felt big as one too.
It was a fun chapter to write!
I don't really do anything special to prepare for the baby as I don't do rooms in blue or pink. I pick a theme and stick to the theme for baby rooms. As they get older rooms will be decorated more with their fav color and traits/skills in mind.
hehe, Marshall will probably get some payback for his weight comment!
I like keeping my sims in good relationships. It is much more relaxing for me to play that way.
@meerkattime Thanks so much for your lovely comments.
Victor is definitely a romantic! He sure loves Gardenia!
He's happy Adam felt close enough to call him that.
Thanks. I'm hoping they will enjoy staying in Dragon Valley with the older teens that are going to have a kinda boot camp with Adam during the summer.
I hope Alice will not be too worried about him. She's gonna pin him down and grill him once they all get settled.
The dog has some nice traits so I hope he will be gentle with the kids.
Comments
Wow, such a beautiful sunset!
Ohoh! The cabin has been enlarged and there is food in the fridge and they are brave enough to stay in it?????? Although Adam doesn´t sense anyone there could be someone who can hide from his werewolfe senses!!
Wow, he knows his wife veeery good! That he himself found out that she and Jennifer are pregnant!!! I hope he won´t cancel the trip now or that he will be too distracted from now on to concentrate fully on his quest!!!
So much hair in the drainpipe now, I hope that the water still can get out of the bathtub!
At least Dedric knows how to do it!
Aww, he found another little dragon! Well, better his own dragon Jadeth did! How she lead him to the baby was so sweet! Good that Aydanath accepted the food by Dedric who know owns 2 dragons I suppose!
I wonder where it came from? Did someone broke in the dragon chamber and tried to steal an egg????
What a cute picture of the two little dragons! (I really whished they had made the dragons more dangerous! And after grown up a bit bigger! I always try to play with them but always think they are too useless and too small to be a fear, they could have been such a great add on to Supernaturals!)
https://forums.thesims.com/en_US/discussion/953447/streuner-a-cat-s-tale
Strange that the cabin is full of food... Maybe someone really does live there and is returning home anytime now
Ha ha, smart guys - they already know about the pregnancies
Still no reception... Sigh
Lovely bath tub pics.
I never realized Marshall is that hairy - but it suits him
No wonder the guys look deep in thought, having realized their ladies have a little secret.
Awwww, poor little dragon. I love the picture where Jadeth stands next to the dragon lying on the ground
Jadeth is a good girl getting help.
I wonder where that dragon egg came from.
Poor little baby - I'm glad food made it feel better. I guess Dedric is a lucky owner of two dragons now
Aydanath is a great name.
Adam and Marshall are very brave and had no qualms about staying in the cabin as long as no one else shows up.
Right now, no one can hide from werewolf senses. Alice is working on an Elixer though to help protect the more vulnerable occult from the stronger ones.
They are too close to the glade to go home now.
hehe, I love my hairy sims. Marshall was hairy before he transformed but more so after he was turned. lol
I really am not sure how the egg/dragon came to be on the lot. I did not put any on the lot except in the nest area, so am not sure if they are randomly placed by the game. It is fun dealing with stuff like that and incorporating it into the story though.
I do wish there was more to do with the dragons but they are adorable. I would love it if they grew a bit bigger and you could fly on them.
@meerkattime Thanks so much for your comments.
I think of it as a hunting cabin and is kept stocked with basics for hunters. I do want to play this world sometime though. It really is so pretty and the builder added so many pretty places.
He would love to have talked to his sneaky wife!
gotta share some hot pics from the guys occasionally.
I was surprised by how the game transformed him when he became a werewolf.
I really am not sure how the egg/dragon came to be on the lot. I did not put any on the lot except in the nest area, so am not sure if they are randomly placed by the game. It is fun dealing with stuff like that and incorporating it into the story though.
Yep, Dedric has his hands full with them and his two kids and Wisteria. I guess I better not give him a pet to take care of too. lol
The Cowboy and the Mermaid
Midnight Hollow, The Ballan Family
Adam's Quest
The next morning at breakfast, Dedric describes finding the baby dragon to the others during the night. "I'm intrigued as to how the egg got in the yard. I know I've not inspected every inch of the yard and there are brambles in that area that could have hidden the egg. Adam said the eggs needed human touch to activate the hatching so who handled it and when? It is a mystery!" They discuss possibilities including a chance that an adult female dragon returned to lay her eggs, but couldn't travel to the nesting area since they secured the opening. They plan to search the rest of the yard after breakfast.
Willow is a fussy eater and makes a mess including pushing her bowl off the tray. It hits the leg of the highchair and breaks into pieces landing on the floor. Willow giggles and peers over the edge. "It fall down."
Kailena rolls her eyes to the ceiling warning Willow. "Uh oh, Willow's in trouble!"
Dedric picks up Willow and scolds her for making a mess. "You know there are starving children in Riverview who would love to have your oatmeal. No more pushing food and bowls on the floor. If you don't want it, tell us no thank you. Ok?"
"ok, no mess." Willow's little lip trembles knowing she displeased her Daddy. She hides her face as he carries her over to the swing. He sets her in it to keep her out of the way while he cleans up the mess. He has a hard time not laughing at her adorable little face, but he knows she has to learn better behavior so he keeps a straight face.
Everyone helps with the search, even the little one's help by searching the flower beds. They find three more dragon eggs hidden under the shrubbery. They are very careful not to touch them with their hands. Dedric scoops them up with a shovel and transfers them to a box. He takes them down to the nesting area and very carefully places them in the sand. He will check on them in a few hours and if they seem to be ready to hatch he will have Jennifer and Wisteria come down. Perhaps they should reconsider the closing of the outdoor tunnel that leads to underground rooms. It seems as if a dragon still considers Red Dragon Lair their nesting ground. He will mention it to Adam and Marshall when they return.
The next morning Adam leads the way. The glade where his mother is buried is not far away. It should only take a few hours to get there. Both Adam and Marshall can scent other werewolves in the area. "We are out of rogue territory so let's hope these are not rogues. The trail leads to an observation deck that has been built atop this mountain, and they can see for miles around the forest. Adam points out where they will go next to Marshall. Three men appear out of the trail from the north. Adam recognizes Benot, brother of Drogo who challenged and killed his own brother for the clan leadership. His hair is gray now but otherwise appears unchanged.
"I recognize you," sneers the leader as he jabs his finger at Adam. "You stink of my brother Drogo and the Fairy he brought into our clan. He brought disgrace and dishonor to our clan with his actions. I defeated him in a challenge battle and became the new Alpha. You disappeared during the celebration. I guess you knew you were next on the list to die. I am Benot! Leader of the Clawfist Clan. You will bow down before your clan leader."
Adam looks over Benot. He has aged but still has the powerful presence of an Alpha leader. Adam with his own Alpha power experiences no urge to bow down before Benot. "I am not a member of the Clawfist Clan. I bow down to no one. I lead my own clan Drogo!"
"You are challenging me, pup!" shouts Benot. "I have wiped stronger wolves than you off this planet."
"I am not challenging you, old one. It would not be a fair fight. You are out of your territory and have no right to challenge me by clan laws."
"This land is close enough to Clawfist land. You passed through my land without permission. I have managed to rid the world of all Drogo's spawn. He turned you, and I will rid the world of you as well."
Adam realizes that the old man is not quite sane any longer. He looks over at the other two men who accompanied Benot. They shrug as if to say nothing we can do to stop him.
Benot is infuriated that Adam is refusing to fight. He strikes out at Adam who is standing at the top of the stairs, knocking him down the stairs. Adam quickly jumps up as Benot jumps down the steps and taunts him with cowardice.
Benot's sons Titus and Claude finally make an attempt to stop him. He is determined to fight Adam by fair means or foul.
"I think you are going to have to fight him." Marshall looks over at the Clawfist werewolves who do not appear to be having any luck talking Benot out of his challenge.
"It will be a fight to the death. That is the way of the wolf whether I like it or not." Adam shakes his head. "I don't like it, but he is not giving me any choice."
It is evening in Dragon Valley, and the kids are in bed. Dedric and Wisteria are in their home. Jennifer and Alice enjoy some key lime pie. "I sure wish we had heard from Adam and Marshall today. I know they said the mountains would interfere with signals, but I don't like the silence."
"I would love to have heard from them too. I'm certain they will call us as soon as they can get reception again. They know we will worry. Tell you what let's take our mind off things and do some shopping." Jennifer picks up the plates to put in the dishwasher.
"It is getting a little late to go shopping, isn't it?" questions Alice.
"Not with the new channels on the tv. We have the sims shopping network and simsQVC. Grab your credit card and lets shop!"
The Cowboy and the Mermaid
Midnight Hollow, The Ballan Family
Adam's Quest
Adam opens the box that Nickolas gave him. Inside is a potion. "I need you to hold onto this and use it if the time comes. I don't anticipate any trouble defeating him, but he is an aggressive and dominant wolf in his own right despite his age. If by any chance he does defeat me, you must throw this potion at me before I take my last breath. It will sever my bond with Alice and prevent her from dying."
Marshall is stunned. "Are you out of your mind? You are not going to lose! Why didn't you bring a flask of angry bees or a zombie potion? I don't mind hurling one of those at you!" Marshall jerks his head staring daggers at Adam. "I know it is not going to happen because you will defeat him. I can't believe Nickolas got this for you."
"Actually, Nickolas understands better than most what happens when a bonded mate dies. He did not want to give up hope for his daughter, my mother, but when Kailon died he knew Nissa was gone. Nickolas had this potion with him on all his assignments for the King. His most trusted assistant carried it with the same instructions I just gave you. Nickolas did not want Anastasia to die. The twins would have been orphans. I know it is distressing to request this of you, but just in case. I trust you, Marshall, to do the right thing."
Marshall struggles with his emotions. He does not have a fated life bond with Jennifer like Adam and Alice. They were both humans when they became a couple. He assumes the Fates only bond occults and not humans. He knows he would give his life to protect Jennifer. She is his soulmate even without the bond. He has dedicated his life to be Adam's clanmate and second. He understands what Adam is requesting him to do and why. Alice befriended him when he came to Midnight Hollow and introduced her best friend, Jennifer to him. Alice is still his best friend and closer to him than his sisters as much as he loves them. He will do what he must to protect Alice if something should happen to Adam.
"I understand and will do what needs to be done." He tucks the potion into his backpack. Marshall looks over at Benot. "You know, I grant he probably has a lot more experience fighting and actually killing other werewolves than you do. He still looks strong and fit. I bet he wasn't trained by Victor in martial arts. I think you can use your training and expertise to totally throw off his game."
"Excellent advise!" Adam nods in agreement. "Thank you for understanding. I'm not planning on losing, but I'd be a fool not to consider all the possibilities."
Trying to lighten the mood and make Marshall laugh, Adam retorts. "Obviously, if I am winning, don't hurl it at me."
Marshall grins and punches Adam in the arm. "Let's do this!"
Benot refuses to listen to his sons and continues to taunt Adam. Adam offers him one more chance to back down from the challenge.
Drogo shakes his fist in Adam's face. "Bring it on spawn of Drogo!"
Adam very calmly nods his head. "I accept your challenge Benot."
Benot and Adam transform into their werewolves. They waste no time beginning the fight. It is intense and both are determined to win. Benot has maturity and practical experience on his side, and Adam has youth and stamina. It looks like Benot got the first few hits and Marshall watches carefully. They circle around each other with Benot trying to knock Adam to the ground, so he can subdue him. He lunges forward and attempts to stagger Adam with a series of jabs to his chest and face while sweeping with his right leg to knock Adam down. Adam quickly reverses and spins his body to avoid the takedown. He strikes with a furious uppercut and lands a severe blow to Benot's jaw that staggers him. Adam takes advantage of the opening and plants a roundhouse kick that sends Benot flying. Marshall knows very well how much those kicks hurt.
Surprisingly Benot recovers quickly and jumps into his fighting stance. He leads with several jabs to Adam's chest that Adam easily avoids. Adam watches carefully noting Benot's fighting technique as he bobs and weaves waiting for the right opening. The fight continues for several minutes with both taking jabs and delivering powerful blows. Adam notices Benot is slowing, his blows are less powerful. Adam is ready to end this fight. He finds the opening needed and strikes quickly with several punches to his chest and face. He spins back and delivers another roundhouse kick, and Benot is down. Adam presses his attack before Benot can stand up. His sharp werewolf teeth biting down on Benot's shoulder, trying to get him to submit. Benot refuses to submit. He growls at Adam and tries to shake him off. He would rather die than submit to another. Adam knows he must survive for his family's sake. He quickly ends the fight not wanting to prolong the agony and Benot stops struggling his neck broken.
Benot's last words no longer taunt him as a coward. "A strong and worthy warrior despite my brother's blood." The four werewolves howl as death claims Benot.
Adam talks with Titus and Claude about the clan. He wants no part of clan Clawfist. Neither Titus nor Claude is eligible to lead the pack. They are not Alphas wolves. Benot was the last Alpha in the pack. Many of the young werewolves fled the pack over the years dissatisfied with Benot's rule. They joined other packs, moving into other territories or towns. They both stayed watching over their father realizing his mind was slipping and keeping him away from humans.
"We will find another pack to merge with."
Adam is quiet, taking Benot's life has left a mark on him. He apologizes to the brothers for not finding a peaceful way to end the fight. Titus claps his hand on Adam's shoulder. "Cousin, I wish I could tell you not to worry about it. I feel you will not heed that advice. You will have to find a way to make your peace with what happened. My father was a rogue warrior and not willing to change. He went the way he would want...in battle. If not you, someone else would have taken him eventually. He was determined he would not die in his sleep."
The Cowboy and the Mermaid
Nickolas´ present is well thought, but it puts big pressure on Marshall´s shoulders.
Marshall is such a good friend!!!
Gosh, Benot got so many chances given to stay alive by Adam! But he decided to die! Great desciption of the fight! I really hope that his sons get a better life from now on. It must have been awful to stay with their dad and see him losing his sanity....
I hope the two will get connection to their wifes soon to tell them everything.
I hope they find Adam´s mum´s remains soon and can get back to their families!
https://forums.thesims.com/en_US/discussion/953447/streuner-a-cat-s-tale
@AlexaKry Thanks so much for your comments!
When I created Benot I gave him skills to match his years of experience so I knew there would be a chance he could win. That would be a very different story for me! I probably, most likely...yea for sure, would have reloaded.
I didn't quite get the next update finished yesterday. Will depend on work and how tired I am this week after work.
The Cowboy and the Mermaid
3 more eggs! No way they can keep so many dragons
It might indeed be better to open the entrance to the outdoor tunnel again.
I like the picture of the three kids in the middle of the flowers. Cute!
Benot sounds like a scary man - I hope Adam and Marshall are safe... Oh no, this doesn't sound good... There's three of them against Adam and Marshall...
Fortunately Titus and Claude don't see the point of the fight either, so at least they'll stay out of the fight if there will be one.
If Jennifer and Alice only knew what's going on with their husbands...
I hope TV shopping gets their minds somewhere else than the missing phonecalls.
Oh no, I don't like this at all... Marshall must feel awful hearing Adam talk about the potion even though it makes sense he wants to save his wife from dying.
I'm so worried about Adam now although I don't think you'd really let anything happen to him
Wow, that was intense writing. I hope Adam can live with the fact that he killed another werewolf, but on the other hand, he simply had no choice and he needed to win the battle
I hope Benot's sons will accept the situation and let them go. I see they do - they knew their father.
Hopefully the rest of the trip will be safe.
@meerkattime Thanks so much for your comments.
Yep, getting to be too many eggs. They might have to start giving eggs away to townies! lol
I only had Benot and Adam fight. In every book, I've ever read that had werewolves and clans, etc a challenge fight would take place between the two alphas and no one else was allowed to interfere. Marshall did transform but only one of the sons transformed the other stayed human.
It would be very difficult for me to let anything happen to one of my sims that couldn't eventually be fixed.
The death will bother Adam, but he did what he had to do.
The Cowboy and the Mermaid
That poor little red Dragon... I also wonder who may have touched the egg and it's made a connection to. Or was it just momma Dragon trying to reach the nest, but couldn't, and she couldn't hold back laying any longer? Hmm? You have piqued my curiosity here.
It totally looks like Kailena is rolling her eyes in that picture!
I still tell L every once in a while that there are starving children in this world and she needs to be thankful for all the food she has and that they'd give anything to eat what she doesn't like....
3 more dragon eggs were found? Wow!
Babies playing in the tulips.
Oh dear...That was quite the confrontation from Benot and he really does look like an old, stubborn and rude (werewolf) man that you just wanna slap!
I wish Benot would've listened to his sons and not been so territorial and filled with hate.
Cute to see the ladies doing TV shopping!
----
This chapter started very dramatically and surprised me. (In a good way.
Nickolas was wise in keeping that potion on him and giving it to Adam. It was a selfless act.
And darn skippy!
Hee hee, gotta throw in a little bro humor there to ease the tension.
But yeah seriously, this fight had me on the edge of my seat! I mean, deep down I pretty much knew you wouldn't have Adam lose a fight to the death, but...I had wondered if you might surprise us all.
You did very well writing it, even though I don't know how to write out a fight well either
Titus and Claude were very kind to Adam despite the situation and I'm glad they were understanding. It seems deep down they were relieved that their father is no longer in charge. A sad situation indeed.
Taking a man's life will always haunt a person and I hope that Adam will be able to find peace with it, especially since it was done out of self defense. He has a wonderful support system and I know they all will help him through it.
Fantastic! I look forward to more very soon!
@emorrill Thanks so much for your comments.
I wondered if Mom's still say that to kids these days. I know mine did and yep I said something similar to mine.
Benot was an ornery ole' coot! I wonder if that word will get 'flowered'. lol
Wait til y'all see what the girls bought!
I did put a bit of drama in it!
Writing the fight was hard but fun trying to fit the few fighting words and terminology that I knew.
The Cowboy and the Mermaid
Midnight Hollow, The Ballan Family
Adam's Quest
It was late when Titus and Claude left the overlook taking Benot's body with them. They will bury him at the clan burial grounds. Adam, exhausted after the fight sits on the steps of the overlook. Marshall insists they spend the night at the overlook and start fresh in the morning. They slept late the sun already high in the sky by the time they were ready to leave. It's a beautiful day for a change. Adam is quieter than normal. Marshall is sure Adam is thinking about the challenge and having to kill Benot. Adam insists he is fine, just ready to go home.
The last leg of the journey passes quickly. The path narrows as they climb up the mountain. They pass an interesting waterfall that drops down into a gorge. They both peer over the edge, it sure is a long way down. Adam remembers the closed up mine. "Did you see those glowing eyes in the mine?" he asks Marshall. "It used to freak me out when I was a kid sneaking behind Drogo as I followed him to the glade. I never suspected someone painted those eyes when the mine was closed to keep curious youngsters from exploring. It worked for me. I was never tempted to go down in the mine."
They finally arrive at the glade. Adam shows Marshall where Drogo used to place flowers.
"I think he placed her remains in the ground right here."
Adam pulls out a collapsible shovel and opens it. He digs a hole and very soon his shovel hits something firm. He digs carefully eventually unearthing the remains. Adam packs the remains in the prepared urn that he had been given. "You know, Drogo must have had some feeling for my Mom to place her in a special place and mourn her for so many years. What he did was wrong though, kidnapping her and taking her away from all she knew and loved. She didn't deserve that. He could have killed me at my birth, and I still don't know to this day why he didn't."
"Perhaps he kept you because you were a part of her and he made you a wolf so you became part of him as well. He and his brother were twisted. Neither knew how to love and ruled with fear and aggression over the clan. You were very fortunate you made your escape when you did."
Adam takes one last look at the glade and turns to follow the trail that will lead them down the mountains to get back to Moonlight Falls. They stop for a brief break near a waterfall and small pond. It is soothing hearing the water splash into the pond. Adam lights a fire feeling chilled to his bones even though they will not be here long. He hears some rustling in the woods and a black dog rushes from the bushes and comes over to sniff his legs. The dog woofs as if to say hello and then sniffs at Marshall woofing again. Marshall talks and plays with the dog for a few minutes. Adam looks into the fire his thoughts dark and somber.
He is startled out of his thoughts with the sudden appearance of Victor. "Wha...what are you doing here?" Adam looks at Victor with suspicion. "Did Alice call you?"
"No, I have not heard from Alice, my boy. You called me!"
Victor greets Marshall who is playing with the dog. Marshall grins at Victor. "Good to see you, sir."
Adam looks at Victor bewildered. "No, we have not had any cell service for days in these mountains. I didn't call you."
Victor shrugs. "I did not mean on the phone. There is a disturbance in you. Something happened to you. Your mind called out to me even if you did not. It is how I knew when you and Alice got a little bit too frisky when you were teens. I would reach into your minds and tell you both to back off. When you went to university, I told you both I would not be in your mind any longer. I always know when you are troubled or hurting even without being present all the time. I usually just call and chat or have Gardenia call. This time I felt the need to show up in person.
Before we start, Gardenia says to tell you both hi and that she loves you and you are both right about Alice and Jennifer. Oh, and do not be mad they did not tell you before you left because you are right they did not want you to cancel the trip."
Marshall looks at Victor in amazement that they knew all that. "We figured that was the reason they didn't tell us. We just want to get home before the babies are born."
Victor nods. "You will."
Adam smiles at Gardenia's advice. "I guess she is in our minds too?"
"No, she cannot do that. I never conceal anything from her. I let her know when something is off with any of you and we talk about it and decide what to do. So, everyone sit down. Adam talk to me!"
They all take a seat including the dog. Victor looks over at the dog. "Why is that dog here?"
Marshall looks over at the dog who has sat down with them as if following Victor's request to sit. "I have no clue. He showed up just after we had arrived here. He seems friendly enough. Perhaps he escaped his leash or home? I guess we can try to find out where he is from and return him before we leave. We both are ready to go home, though."
"Hmm!" Victor harrumphs and peers into the dog's eyes. "No, he is a very lonely pup. He was let out quite young and has been wandering the mountains for quite some time. He saw you in the glade and followed you down the mountain. He sensed you would be friendly and that he could trust you. It seems he has adopted you two rather than the other way around. His name is Shadow. Very apt, since neither one of you observed him following you! It seems you two need more training in keeping your senses alert." Victor agrees with the dog's assessment of Marshall and Adam.
The pup wiggles his hind end, swishing his tail back and forth, and woofs in agreement. Marshall reaches over and ruffles the dog's fur. "I think the kids would love having a dog. I hope he gets along with dragons!"
"woof, woof!" Shadow 🐸🐸🐸🐸 at Marshall's hands happy to have found people to love and help.
"Well, now that is resolved. Talk Adam!"
Adam relates meeting up with Drogo's brother Benot and all that transpired. "I tried making him back down from the challenge. I didn't want to kill him. He wouldn't submit to me when I had him down. I knew I couldn't just let him go. If I didn't kill him it was possible in his state of mind that he might find where we lived and hunt us down. I couldn't take the chance. I had to protect my family. I broke his neck and ended it.
His sons had no problem with the results of the challenge. They acknowledged what he was and even said he went the way he would want to go, in battle."
Adam stares at the flames flickering in the pit. "I didn't want to fight him. I didn't want to kill him. I did what I had to do. I can't get it out of my head. Should I have done something differently? Should I have pressed harder for him to submit to me?"
Victor reaches over to clasp Adam on the shoulder. "You would not be the man you are if it did not bother you. Do not second guess yourself. There was no other option possible for you except to kill him. Rogues like Drogo and Benot don't even think about others in relation to their own actions. They are purely selfish in that regard. He would have eventually escaped his sons and searched you and your family out."
Adam leans into Victor unconsciously needing that close connection with him. "I know you went after the vampires that killed your family and turned you and Autumn. Then you worked as an enforcer for years with the Council. How did you get used to it?
"You never get used to it, Adam. Not if you are a normal person. You do learn to deal with it. I killed most of the vampires the night I escaped with Autumn and the other captives. We had planned our attack and escape very carefully. Autumn dealt with some and the other captives did as well. A few of the vampires were able to escape. I spent several years tracking them down and avenging what they did to my parents, my other siblings, and Autumn. It was justice and the only form we had back then. It was not easy taking the life of someone else but to prevent further death by their hands I was willing to do what was necessary. It is not a matter of getting used to it. It was a matter of doing what had to be done to save others. I never liked doing it, but I was good at it. That is the difference between someone like me and Benot and you and Benot. We do not like doing it. You will most likely live the rest of your life and never kill again. I hope and pray to the Fates that you will not. This death did not change you, Adam. You are still Adam Moonwalker, son of Nissa and Kailon, Gardenia and my cherished foster son, the love of our daughter Alice's life, Dad to Kailena and the one to come, leader of Clan Red Dragon, best friend to Marshall, Jennifer, Dedric, and Wisteria, beloved grandson of Nickolas and Anastasia, and grandson to the Fairy King and Queen. We all love you, and you will have our support whenever you need it."
Adam feels a giant weight lift off his heart and soul with Victor's words. He no longer feels numb, and the world around him seems brighter if at all possible. "Thank you! I hope nothing like this ever happens again! I had started feeling like I wasn't me anymore. You said what I needed to hear. I am still me, and am ready to go home to Alice and meet our soon to be born child."
"So, shall I teleport you back to Dragon Valley?"
"That would be awesome, but we left the car in Moonlight Falls, so I guess you better teleport us there if you don't mind."
The first thing they did after arriving in Moonlight Falls was to call the girls. Hearing the voices of their loved ones made both of them want Victor to teleport than home and not worry about the car. Victor had assured them they had plenty of time before the birth of the babies, though.
Alice and Jennifer are sitting on their recent purchases admiring how much better it looks in the laboratory area with the new furnishings when the calls come through from Adam and Marshall. They are so excited to hear from their husbands. Both tell them to hurry home but drive safely.
Victor takes a moment to chat with Marshall. "I think Adam will be fine but if you are troubled just text or call, or just yell Victor in your head, especially if you need me fast. I am tuned to all of you."
Marshall thinks that is a cool talent to possess and agrees to do that. He gets up his nerve to ask Victor a question. "Would you be troubled if I wrote a fictional series of books loosely based on your life? I would love to write your story, but I know you wouldn't want your name out in public.
Victor is surprised but once he thinks about it he agrees. "It would be similar to the werewolves stories you have written that are based on truth as well as legends? I have read all your books and you have quite a way with words and building excitement in your stories."
"Yes sir," he responds. "Thank you! I would want to interview you a few times to develop some background for the characters."
" I expect we will be in Dragon Valley in a few days. We can do the chats then. You should also arrange to interview Rafe. He is one of the oldest living vampires around. He has some tales that would curl your toes and be interesting to your readers."
They hug Victor goodbye and settle Shadow in the back of Mustang. Adam waves out the window and calls out to Victor. "Thank you for always being here for me. I love you Dad!
Victor watches them leave as his vision blurs, tears running down his cheeks.
The Cowboy and the Mermaid
Oh, what a great vampire and father!!!! Coming as soon as he senses that Adam was feeling so numb was so Victor!!!
It was such a relief for Adam to have his support!
Although I would find it creepy to know that he was in my mind, here it was very good, because even if Adam is an adult and a father of his own he still needs some assisitant from a father sometimes, especially after having killed for the first time! Good that Victor could sense that and even much better that he came as soon as possible! That says a lot about his love for Adam!
I had to chuckle about Victor admitting that he helped Alice and Adam to stay innocent as teenagers!
I love Gardenia´s advices and that she told Victor to tell them to Adam!
Wow, what an impressive family tree Adam has and how many important people he knows and who love him! Reading that all one after the other makes me realize that he could be very powerful if he ever claimed some of his titles.
Can you please explain to me why the girls decorated for Christmas in their newly purchased furniture? The Lebkuchen house and the reindeer lok a bit out of time when I see how the girls are dressed!
Nice reading corner!
So there will be a big dog running around in house from now on?
Great to know that Victor and Gardenia will be there after the births! Yey!!!
BUT WHY DOES VICTOR CRY?????
What a great update!!
https://forums.thesims.com/en_US/discussion/953447/streuner-a-cat-s-tale
@AlexaKry Thanks so much for your comments!
I knew you would love Victor showing up.
Victor loves his family and extended family and he has a strong need to always know and be there if they need help. He just senses their emotions and doesn't poke around to be nosy.
hehe, he poked both Adam and Alice's mind several times when they were teens!
They are not decorating for Christmas. That is all the stuff they bought from the shopping network. They left it out so Adam and Marshall could see and then they will store it with the other Christmas stuff. I was so surprised to see the gingerbread house on the shopping channel. It is a cc deco item I got several years ago so of course, Alice had to buy that item! I knew it was a Sims 2 conversion for Sims 3 but not that it was featured on the shopping channel. So perfect for the story.
The dog will come home with the guys! I'm excited about adding him to the family.
VIctor can be stern and gruff and even mean and deadly when he needs it. Inside he is a teddy bear. That was the first time Adam called him Dad! He cried like a baby!
The Cowboy and the Mermaid
I completely understand Adam's desire to return home.
I like that story about the glowing eyes in the mine.
Glad there was something left of his mother's remains to take back. (Nice way you placed that shovel to look like he was holding it.
Where'd this dog come from?
VICTOR!
So the dark thoughts and anxieties of Adam's mind called out for Victor? I really like that.
Aww, the dog sensed Adam and Marshall's good nature and wants to go home with them.
Ah, the normal wondering if you should've done something different. I understand Adam... {{{Hugs}}}
Something like this would definitely cause a person to feel like they've lost themselves...
He needed this beautiful reassurance from a father figure like Victor so so much and I am SO glad he showed up in Adam's hour of need!
Very nice recliners the ladies got there.
OMGosh that would be wonderful for Marshall to write a novel that's loosely based on Victor's life and adventures! I love it!
Aww, Adam saying, "I love you dad." That did get me a little teary-eyed. :'-) As I said before, Victor reminds me of my own dad in many ways.
Very fitting song to include at the end.
@emorrill Thanks so much for the comments
I've been wanting to get to this point in the story for a good while.
I had to figure out a way to have him hold that shovel somehow! lol
The dog was actually created to dig that hole. Then I just had to add him 'cause you know once I've created a sim they have to be used.
When I read my first draft of the chapter I knew something was missing. Adding Victor brought it together. No matter which part of the family I'm playing Victor is the glue that will always hold the family and the others that he loves together. His love is boundless and he will be there for them no matter what. Awww, that is sweet that he reminds you of your Dad!
I'm happy you liked the song. I just
The Cowboy and the Mermaid
Midnight Hollow, The Ballan Family
Adam's Quest
Victor teleports home to Midnight Hollow. He finds Gardenia working in her garden. He hugs and kisses her even though he has barely been away a few hours. She smiles at him and kisses him back. He tells her about his conversation with Adam and what happened with Benot. Her instinct is to gather everyone together and have Victor teleport them to Dragon Valley right away. He reassures her it is not necessary to rush. They can go as planned in a few days. "Adam will be ok. He did what he had to do and he has accepted that. It will still be there in his mind but he will not dwell on it anymore. Marshall will let me know right away if he is troubled about Adam."
She clasps his hands. "What else happened. I can tell you are holding something back."
With a big grin on his face that seems to light up the entire yard, he tells her, "Adam called me Dad as they left!"
"Oh, Victor! That is so beautiful. It makes me want to hurry and get there anyway. I guess we need to let them have a day or two before we descend on them." She gives him another hug and puts her arm around his waist. "C'mon Dad, let's walk to the side yard and finish setting up for Josef and Jillian's birthday."
Josef is the eldest twin, and he gets to blow out his candles first. He has been looking forward to becoming a teenager and when the magic spins him, he becomes a handsome teen.
Jillian now has her turn to blow out the candles on her cake. She makes a wish and hopes it will come true. She turns into a beautiful young teen. The family celebrates both birthdays with cake and ice cream and opening presents.
The kids are excited about seeing Dragon Valley as well as Alice, Adam, and the rest of the friends. They have already looked up many of the fun things to do and see in Dragon Valley. They presented their Dad a list of all the places they want to check out.
Back in Dragon Valley, everyone gathers to watch the children as they see the new play yard. Alice and Jennifer found a lot of new stuff on the shopping sites. The toddlers hurry through the gate excitedly chattering about what they see. Drew tries to take a bite out of the cupcake fence. Jennifer stops him with a well-timed "No Drew." She explains to all the toddlers that the fence is not edible, it just looks like cupcakes.
Dedric and Wisteria work in the garden while Alice and Jennifer sit on the benches watching the kids play at the block table. "I hope it won't be too long before they get here."
"Me too," Jennifer tells her with a sigh. "I'm not looking forward to explaining to Marshall why I didn't tell him about being pregnant."
"I expect that is going to be the first thing they notice. We are both as big as elephants! We meant it for the best of reasons. I don't think I can keep anything from him in the future, though. The guilt has really got me down."
The guys arrive in town and even though Adam is tempted to keep his speed up, he slows down and maintains the proper speed, despite his desire to get home now.
Kailena and Drew both notice a scent in the air. Their werewolf noses tell them their Dad's are home. They both stop playing and run across the yard as fast as their little toddler legs will go. Jennifer and Alice see them take off. They are not worried as both children love exploring the yard. They continue their conversation until they hear Kailena and Drew yell "Daddy." They both jump up and hurry across the yard to see Adam and Marshall scooping up and hugging their children.
Soon they too are enveloped in the arms of their loves.
Adam's heart feels so much lighter holding his daughter and his wife in his arms. He feels whole again. He knows he needs to talk with Alice about her not telling him about the pregnancy before he left. He looks down at her belly and then at her face. "I think you have something to explain, Alice."
Alice nods and nibbles on her lower lip. She hated not telling Adam and still feels she did the right thing even if she feels so guilty looking at him. She takes his hands. "Well, obviously you can see I am pregnant. I'm sorry I didn't tell you before you left. I knew you wouldn't go and really felt you needed to go and recover your mother's remains. You needed that closure for yourself as well as your grandparents." She looks into his eyes hoping he understands and will forgive her.
Adam reaches out and touches her belly. "Alice, I understand why you didn't tell me. You are right, I might not have gone. It is possible you could have persuaded me though. Just like you did with taking Marshall along. Please don't ever keep anything from me again though. We are part of each other, and we need to be completely open with each other no matter what."
Alice nods her head knowing she got off easy. She rubs her eyes to keep from crying while Adam continues talking. "Marshall and I got to talking about why you girls didn't insist on coming. Being pregnant was the only thing we could come up with that would keep you away."
Alice thinks Marshall and Adam are just a tad too insightful and know them too well.
Adam grins at the stunned look on her face. "Dad confirmed it when we saw him."
Alice gasps. "Dad! What happened? I didn't call him! Why was he there?"
Adam laughs. "Apparently he is still more tuned into us then we thought. But, we can talk about it later. Everything is fine."
He moves his hand across her tummy and can feel the babe kicking. "A strong kick! Perhaps it will be a boy this time. Kailena had a strong kick too. Do you know?"
"No, I decided to wait until we talked about it. If you want me to find out I will."
He looks up at her face, smiling happily as he continues to rub her belly and talk with the baby. "I say we wait and be surprised. I don't care either way. I'm happy and excited about having another baby in the house. Have you been very sick?"
She shakes her head back and forth. "No, not too bad, but I sure could use one of your awesome backrubs."
Adam obliges.
Jennifer and Marshall finally come up for air after their long kiss hello. "I've missed you so much, Marshall!"
"I've missed you too." He looks her up and down and raises his brow. "So, put on a bit of weight while I was gone, have you?"
Jennifer reaches out and smacks his arm. "Maybe I didn't miss you that much after all."
Marshall laughs and bends down and talks to the baby. "Daddy's home now and is looking forward to seeing you soon."
He straightens back up and puts on his serious face. "I wish you had told me before we left. No more secrets from each other, ok? I do understand you probably thought we wouldn't go, but we should have been part of the decision making process."
"No more secrets! I promise! I know this is a little sooner then I had planned on being pregnant again. I guess Fate had other plans for us. You are ok with it?"
"Ok? I'm ecstatic! You know I was ready for another one a couple of days after Drew was born."
She laughs in remembrance. "Perhaps next time you can carry the baby and deliver it."
Adam picks up Kailena and Marshall picks up Drew. They walk across the yard to say hello to Wisteria and Dedric as well as Willow and Fillian. They stayed in the play yard to give them privacy. Marshall calls Shadow who has been exploring the yard. He wants to make sure Shadow is introduced to the others and is gentle with the kids.
The Cowboy and the Mermaid
Aww, Victor is such a softy!!!! So sweet that he is so happy about Adam calling him dad!!
Is this a huge spider sitting in the corn field at the first pic???
The twins look cute, I wonder what will happen when they meet Briana, Bran and Kaifindar! They surely will be partners in crime!!!
Bummer that the family couldn´t sit at one table eating the cake. At least nobody went into the house to eat! (My loner Tyler always uses the most far away table he can get if I let him
Gardenia´s outfit is nice, ist it CC or store?
So sweet that Kailena and Drew ran towards their daddies, they surely missed them much. Good, that the girls had a bad conscience!
The last picture is a perfect family shot!!
I can´t wait for the babies to be born!!! (and see Victor again
https://forums.thesims.com/en_US/discussion/953447/streuner-a-cat-s-tale
@AlexaKry Thanks so much for the comments!
I was amazed you were able to see the spider! You have some awesome eyes! Yep, that is Aragog from Severinka. The Hungarian horntail flies over the house. Buckbeak is in the back yard too. Crookshanks is near the garden. I love Harry Potter stuff!
I know I put that big table out there and they all usually scatter including sometimes in the house.
I think the twins are going to enjoy themselves and love having some teen friends.
I'm hoping the save will do ok with adding the family. I'll make sure I do an extra 'save as' in case I have to go backward. I'm going to have them stay in a separate house this time so the lot won't lag too much. I've got a couple of houses in my library that I tried in the past when I sent Victor to Dragon Valley to test houses. Gonna have to hunt them down.
They are both store items that Gardenia is wearing. I finally let her have a couple of more casual outfits. I used to dress her pretty formally all the time.
Thanks, I love having the Katy Perry stuff back in the game now. I didn't put it on my laptop. I'm not fond of most of the clothes but I do love the deco and furniture for kids.
I'm excited about the babies too. I don't even know what they are having as I keep the setting random so I won't know. I have 10-day settings for pregnancies so they still have a few days to go. I need to double-check the number of hours left.
The Cowboy and the Mermaid
Uhg, I don´t like spiders at all. Unfortunately I live in the countryside and alone, so every time I have a spider in my flat I feel as if I have to fight the hardest battle of my life to get them and to throw them out again! Good that I don´t live in Australia, they have spiders there which are as big as Aragog in your pic!
Do they prepare for Halloween that they have decorated the house with the animals????
Fingers crossed that everything goes right with your save! It would be a bad timing if you had to take actions to make the game run better again! It always take sooo much time to find out what to do to make the game run better (well, I know what I´ve done wrong most of the time, I´m just too stubborn to take actions, because they last so long!
I purchased the Katy Perry Pack just a few months ago. I always denied to buy it because it had such a bad reputation and I don´t like her. I think that the CAS items are horrible (have you ever tried out the cupkace bra on a Sim with a bit bigger breast???? Ridiculess! But the build items are great if you would like to decorate children´s or teen girl´s rooms!!!! Your playground looks great, it´s a paradise for the toddlers!
Gardenia´s top is really nice, it fits her very much!!! (Already going through my clothes from the store to see if I have it, too...)
https://forums.thesims.com/en_US/discussion/953447/streuner-a-cat-s-tale
@AlexaKry I don't like spiders either! They grow some big ones in Florida that jump and tote the babies around on their backs. Nope, not even thinking about trying to catch and toss outside. That is what the bug man comes and sprays my house for!
I put them out when I first built the house so they are pets. I move Aragog and Buckbeak around when I pop in to buy or build. The Hungarian horntail stays on top of the roof. I have a picture of it somewhere in the story when I took a picture of the house.
It took me a couple of weeks the last time I had to port them because I had to remake the worlds with the fixed venues and houses as well as delete some of the sims from the world so I could add the ones that I used in my story. I'd have to go in and do that again. I love having the connected worlds though so I'd do it again if I have too.
I put the clothes from the KP pack on a couple of sims after I got the pack just so I could giggle. I won't use them and blacklist them so the townies can't wear them!
My favorite piece of furniture...the banana split couch!!
I've known in past stories what the babies would be, but in this one, I chose to hide it.
That is so funny that Travis and Haldir could still be having kids.
The Cowboy and the Mermaid
Here in Germany the spiders aren´t as big as this monsters, the biggest I had to hunt and catch in my flat was around 2 cm big, with legs.
But I can remember one holiday where my family and I went to a holiday home which wasn´t very clean and which had spiders everywhere! Right after our arrival my parents, my sister and my brother had to clean up first (I was too young so I was sent out to play in the run wild garden).
My brother called me in again and showed me "somethin exciting"!
I haven´t noticed the horntail in your pics, have to look for it again! (good reason to read your great story again!)
Because I have portered the Sims form Moonlight Falls a few times now, I have prepared an empty town for them (as I have for Bridgeport, as well) where all houses and venues are placed like in the recent, now abandoned town. So I just have to move the whole town Sims to an empty world (mostly Builder´s Island, because it loads so fast) and then move them into the new, readyly prepared Moonlight Falls again. (I just don´t know if I´ve taken the wrong Moonlight Falls this time, because this save still makes problems
I like the playground things from the Katy Perry pack, since I have it I use them a lot.
Sorry for derailing your thread, I´ll stop now!
https://forums.thesims.com/en_US/discussion/953447/streuner-a-cat-s-tale
Aww, Victor sharing how touched he was that Adam called him Dad. I love it!!
(I have to say I didn't notice the giant spider in the background AT ALL - until AlexaKry pointed it out, and...I'm really glad I didn't.
Happy Birthday to Josef and Jillian!
(Very cute dress Jillian is wearing. 👍 )
I loved that you highlighted them for a little bit in the story here.
The new play yard is cute!
Ha ha! Alice saying they're as big as elephants.
I know I would feel guilty about not revealing the pregnancies either, but I think the guys will understand that they were being selfless in their decision to not tell them and were trying to do what was best.
Nice mustang!
Oh my gosh I love love LOVE this picture!
I knew Adam would forgive Alice. (Of course.)
I look forward to reading Alice's reaction to what happened between him and Benot.
To this day I still tip my hat to those who choose to be surprised what the gender of their baby is. I gotta KNOW so I can prepare properly!
And no surprise that he was forgiving also.
I love the beautiful relationships these 4 have and you really highlight their deep love for each other. It's the way all relationships should be.
I'm glad Shadow is a part of the family now.
This chapter was just pure joy!
It's sweet that he's so thrilled about Adam calling him dad.
Happy birthday to Josef and Jillian! They look lovely as teens.
Poor Drew learned one of life's hard lessons regarding the fence
Lol, the ladies have no idea their husbands know about their pregnancies already. They must be eager to see the guys again and hear everything about their trip. I hope Alice won't be too worried about Adam.
Awww, the kids greeting their dads are adorable
I hope the dog will like its new home and be friendly with children.
Adam is very understanding about Alice not having told him about the pregnancy.
It's a bit late to ask Marshall if he's ok with the baby coming but I'm glad he is more than ok
Shadow is a cutie.
@AlexaKry ack! Don't look up spiders. I made the mistake of watching a youtube about Australia's deadly critters. Kinda made me want to postpone my dream trip...forever. LOL
OMG...that is a horrible spider story and shame your family had to clean the place up like that.
Actually that is a good idea to start working on the new version of the towns before I need them. I could do it when I'm too tired to play but not too tired to build.
Congrats to Travis and Haldir!! As soon as I'm done posting these comments I'll pop over and read the newest chapter.
@emorrill Thanks so much for your comments.
Victor was very happy!
I don't like spiders in RL either but can deal with cc ones.
I aged them up once before but ending up not saving it because something glitched. I thought I saved the pics but couldn't find them so I guess I deleted them.
I know I felt big as one too.
It was a fun chapter to write!
I don't really do anything special to prepare for the baby as I don't do rooms in blue or pink. I pick a theme and stick to the theme for baby rooms. As they get older rooms will be decorated more with their fav color and traits/skills in mind.
hehe, Marshall will probably get some payback for his weight comment!
I like keeping my sims in good relationships. It is much more relaxing for me to play that way.
@meerkattime Thanks so much for your lovely comments.
Victor is definitely a romantic! He sure loves Gardenia!
He's happy Adam felt close enough to call him that.
Thanks. I'm hoping they will enjoy staying in Dragon Valley with the older teens that are going to have a kinda boot camp with Adam during the summer.
I hope Alice will not be too worried about him. She's gonna pin him down and grill him once they all get settled.
The dog has some nice traits so I hope he will be gentle with the kids.
The Cowboy and the Mermaid