Arista Thornton

May 02, 2013 11:41 PM

Family Meeting (Clara/Thorntons) by Arista Thornton

Arista being the oldest Thornton and the oldest cousin had taken it upon herself after her talk with Clara to send an owl to Grandpa Abernathy. It was a long trip for her little snowy owl, so she didn’t expect her to be back right away. However, her sweet Tepp (as she’d been named), returned the evening after the day she’d sent her off to England. Tepp flew into the Teppenpaw Common Room and right for Arista. Ris gave her some treats and send her up to the owlery to rest as she opened the letter from her grandfather.

Dearest Arista,
Your worry is well founded my dear. I’m glad that Airlea has told you and you have brought it to my attention. I did know of the problem already, however, the fact that you came to me instead of your mother is exactly what the adults have discussed. If you need to know anything about the situation, you ask myself, Aunt Charlotte, Uncle Bryan or Uncle Damon. Aunt Simone can also be asked, however, she does know less since she’s out of the area again.

Uncle Bryan will be expecting all of you to go home with Clara on the Wagons once school lets out. He will already have your mother and younger siblings there with him. From Napa you will all be coming here to the Manor. Your Aunt Simone, Aunt Charlotte, Uncle Damon and the children will join us all here as well. You will all spend a good portion of the Summer here and then, once things blow over a little you will all return home.

I know this is a lot to take in for you, but you are the oldest, therefore you are the one to whom I must place an extra responsibility on at this time. I must tell you exactly what happened and then the aftermath of the facts.

Most of this I would like you to keep to yourself until Summer, but I will tell you what I would like for you to tell Clara and your sisters as well. This is what I want for you to know, for now. The others will find out later on. Firstly, your ‘father’ has cheated on your mother with a younger woman and has made the other woman pregnant. The woman had a little boy the day that Airlea wrote to you. Your mother found out when she caught your ‘father’ buying baby clothes for a boy. She confronted him and that is when it all came out. Your Uncle Bryan was the first to know and he, in turn, contacted me about it. Your mother, with good reason, is very upset and that is what Airlea and the others have seen. None of this needs to be mentioned to the others just yet, however. In fact, I feel bad enough telling you this close to your RATs Exams, but I know you well enough to know that if you were not told you would be worse off than if you were.

I also must ask you to pull your sisters and Clara aside, somewhere private, and tell them that instead of going home to Oregon when the school year ends, all of you will be getting off the wagon with Clara at Napa. Tell them that once you are all at Napa that they will all (including Clara) be coming to England. Say no more, no less. It will be easier for them to take when all their family is around them. I hope you understand.

I love you all, please heed my desires, my dear Arista Rose. I leave you in charge of making sure the others have as normal as possible end of the year as their Summers will be a complete upheaval.

Grandfather Abernathy


Ris finished reading her grandfather’s letter and covered her face from embarrassment, anger, sadness and tears. When she felt as if she’d calmed down enough to get up and move to her room, she did. Crawling into her bed, she covered herself up with her blanket, head to toe, and cried till she fell asleep.

* * * * *

The next morning she wrote out a letter for her sisters and Clara.

My dearest sisters (yes, you too Clara!),
I need you all to meet me in the MARS water room at our break in classes today. Thanks!
Love,
Ris


She went up to the Owlery and whistled for Tepp to come down to her. “Tepp, I need you to bring this to each of my sisters and also to Clara. They each need to read this.” Tepp made her sound of approval and went off to Addi, Mir, Andri, Bri, Abi, Ana and Clara. Ris got dressed, grabbed her stuff for classes together and left for breakfast.

* * * * *

After breakfast and classes, Ris made her way to the meeting spot. By this point each of her six sisters and her cousin should know that she needed them to go to the MARS rooms, she only hoped that they would all follow through and come. Walking in, she smiled. Today, the water room was a nice lake scene with a mountain behind it that the dew was coming up off the lake. It made Rista smile, as she sat down at the edge and pulled off her shoes and socks and stuck her feet into the cool water.

The door opened and she turned to see who showed up first.
0 Arista Thornton Family Meeting (Clara/Thorntons) 0 Arista Thornton 1 5


Addison and Aubrielle Thornton

May 02, 2013 11:51 PM

What's this about? by Addison and Aubrielle Thornton

Addison saw Rista’s owl coming straight towards herself and Bri, who were sitting together at Teppenpaw’s table for lunch. “Isn’t that Rista’s owl?” she asked Bri, slightly wondering why their sister (who was in their own house) would be sending them a letter. It flew right to Addi and Bri spoke, “Well, so open it. See what she needs.”

Addi nodded and did just as her sister suggested. The older of the two Thorntons read the note aloud to the younger and looked curiously at her sister. “What could she want?”

“No idea…” Bri thought aloud. “Maybe she’s planning something? Maybe she’s worried about someth-” Bri stopped in her tracks. “Nah, she’s got nothing to worry about but the RATs and…” she stopped again. “And what she’s going to do with the rest of her life… Never mind, she has every right to be worried about something…” Bri added, hoping she hadn’t upset her older sister.

“Yeah, she has ever right to be worried. Every right.” Addi added, getting terrified for her own RAT’s Exams the year after. “Ris graduates this year, I think maybe we should all do something for her, you know, like a present or something?” she suggested.

“YES! I think that’s a great idea! But what could we do?” Bri asked Addison as the gears in her head shifted to so many different locations.

“Well, I dunno, I think maybe we should talk about that amongst ourselves though, so she doesn’t know about it. Make it a surprise. You know?” she asked to the answer of cheers from her sister. Addison giggled and re-read the letter once more. “Oh no! This is the break between classes! We’d better go!”

“I’ll run on ahead and tell them you’re coming. Don’t you dare run!” Bri fussed at her older sister.

Addi rolled her eyes at Brielle’s retreating back and shook her head, getting up and slowly walking up to the MARS rooms. She wasn’t all wrong, Bri. She meant well by saying that and Bri was right. Addi should not be running at all.

* * * * *

Bri showed up at the room first, which was odd as they seemed to have gotten the letter to them so late and she looked at Ris. “Hey sis! Addi’s coming too. She and I were together just now when Tepp came up to us with your note.”

“Great!” Ris said, as the door opened up to admit someone else.

* * * * *

Addison had walked, slowly, thinking of what this little family meeting could be about, her bag lightly slapping against her back as she walked. Sure, she had been exercising and swimming daily, eating better and feeling much better about herself, thanks to Josie and Emma’s help and she’d lost some weight by it, just not all of what she wanted to lose yet. She got to the MARS rooms and opened the door to the water room.

“Hey. I’m here.” she said to Bri and Rista. “You okay sis?” she said worriedly.

“Yep. I’m fine!” Arista said, lying through her teeth as the door opened again.
0 Addison and Aubrielle Thornton What's this about? 0 Addison and Aubrielle Thornton 0 5


Amira Thornton

May 02, 2013 11:55 PM

No idea... by Amira Thornton

Amira had read Arista’s note and though she didn‘t want to (she had more things to worry about than seeing what her sister really needed) she showed up, hoping it wouldn’t last too long. She still had to make the important decision of who her assistant captain would be for the next two years before they took over when she Graduated like Ris would be doing this year, Sophie too.

If she’s calling us all over to her to be mushy, I swear I’ll- she thought as she walked down the corridor to the MARS rooms from her class. I’ll just do something stupid… she had changed her mind on what she said, censoring herself even in her own mind. Wow… Maybe I really am maturing? she thought, smiling and in all honesty proud of herself.

She walked into the MARS water room where Arista had asked them all to meet and saw Ris there with Bri and Addi. The door opened with a small squeak and she heard Ris say that she was fine, but what Mira saw in her oldest sisters eyes did not scream I’m fine. Mir had no idea what was going on, but she was sure to find out eventually.

Amira was not the one to delve into other peoples lives, even her siblings if they didn’t want to tell her, so she kept quiet on the subject. “Hey girls. Will this take long Ris?” she asked her sister, slight worry threading her brow. She still really didn’t know what to do about her little issue and it was really stressing her out on top of the CATs Exams that were coming very soon.

“No, won’t be long, I promise." Ris answered her as the door opened again.
0 Amira Thornton No idea... 208 Amira Thornton 0 5


Clara Abernathy

May 03, 2013 1:53 PM

This can't be good by Clara Abernathy

Clara was gathering up her stuff for class when Ris’ owl Tepp flew through her dorm window. She took the envelope from Tepp’s leg and ruffled the bird’s feathers as she thanked it for the delivery. She tore open the envelope and saw the note from Arista inside. It was asking her to come to the MARS water room for a family meeting. She wondered for a second what in the world Ris might want everyone for, but was struck with an idea. Maybe its about Airlea’s letter from home she thought to herself as she grabbed her shoulder bag and headed out of the Pecari dormitory. She hoofed it as quickly as possible to the MARS room and gently opened the door. She saw a few of her cousins already in attendance and gave them all a hug hello. She didn’t get to see her cousins much due to them all being in different houses. It was very rare that outside of holidays they all got together. She took a seat on the beach nearby and placed her bag down near her.

She looked around at the cousins already assembled and noticed that each of them appeared to be either worried or annoyed. At least that’s how they looked to her…especially Amira. She decided to keep her comments to herself for the time being while she waited for the rest of the girls to show up. She knew that there was a good chance that Arista had probably already written to their grandfather on the home issue. If she was calling a meeting now of herself and all her sisters (Clara was included apparently) it could only mean that she had received word from him already and was told to discuss it with everyone. She couldn’t help but wonder what Grandpa Abernathy had to say. She hoped that Arista had left out the fact that Clara had overheard her dad and Aunt on the phone and she already knew what the problem was. She drew her knees up into her chest and wrapped her arms around them while she waited. She didn’t want her other cousins to know that she already knew anything.

She heard Amira ask if the meeting would take long and Arista’s reply that it wouldn’t. Clara was surprised that something this big wouldn’t take long to discuss, but that would depend on what grandpa said to begin with. She tapped her fingers on her arm and just continued to wait. Hopefully the rest would get here soon and they could get this over with.
0 Clara Abernathy This can't be good 232 Clara Abernathy 0 5


Andrina and Abigail Thornton

May 09, 2013 10:17 PM

No... surely not by Andrina and Abigail Thornton

Andri and Abi were sitting in the library, reading from their Care of Magical Creatures Class when they saw an owl that looked alot like Rista's fly right up to them. Abi looked at the pretty owl and smiled at it. "She's just so pretty Andri! I can't wait till I can have an owl all my own!" Abi said, petting down Tepp's feathers as she hooted gently at her.

"Give it time Abs, give it time." Andri said, smiling at her younger sister as she took the letter off Tepp's leg and read it out loud to Abi. "Uh oh..." she added at the end of the reading.

"Guess we should go then, shouldn't we?" Abi asked Andri as the Aladren nodded to her Crotalus sister. "Right..."

The girls picked up their books, put them away and walked together to the MARS rooms to go see what Arista wanted.

They walked in just as Ris was telling Mira whatever it was that she had to say wouldn't take long. Andri shrugged and sat down with her bag in her lap, slightly worried. Abi watched around at her sisters and Clara, wondering what in the world they all needed to be there for. She wanted to read more on the animals in her books.
0 Andrina and Abigail Thornton No... surely not 0 Andrina and Abigail Thornton 0 5


Analea Thornton (with a bit of Ris)

May 10, 2013 12:28 PM

Uh oh... by Analea Thornton (with a bit of Ris)

Analea got the letter brought to her by Arista's owl, Tepp and she fretted that something was wrong if she was pulling them all together and someplace private, no less. Ana put on her favorite hand me down robe (it had been Addison's at her age) and Ana felt comfortable with Addison being nearby. She knew how she felt, after all. Then she pulled up her hair into a pony tail and walked slowly up to the MARS rooms.

She got there and looked at the others who were all there already. "So..." she said softly, as she glanced around. "I guess I'm the last one here, did I miss anything?"

Arista looked at Ana and smiled. "Nope. I wanted all of you here at the same time."

"How come? What's the matter Ris?" Ana asked, worriedly, glancing around at the others and stepping next to Addison for comfort. Ana’s mind ran through the hamster wheel of negative thoughts. Could this be about Aislynn? The triplets? What? she thought, looking at Addison once more as Arista spoke again.

“Okay. I brought you all here to tell you something I’ve just been told to tell you all.” Ris looked at Clara and winked at her. “Grandfather Abernathy has sent me a letter to let us all know that we will be going home to Napa after school is out and meet Momma and the littles and we’re all going to England!” Ris said happily, grinning at her sisters before turning to Clara. “You’re coming too, so are Aunt Charlotte, Uncle Damon and the kids. Grandfather even says Aunt Simone is coming!” she said to them as she waited for their reactions.
0 Analea Thornton (with a bit of Ris) Uh oh... 0 Analea Thornton (with a bit of Ris) 0 5