Everyone looked at the stranger as she walked up to Alpha Sylvester.
'You look so much like him but you are not he. Take me to see him, immediately. Time is of the essence!'
Daniel, Alpha Sylvester's Beta came between Sylvester and the stranger, barring her way. 'Watch your speech. He is the Alpha!'
Sylvester raised his hands to stop Daniel and flipped his hand to the side as a sign for Daniel to step away.
'Why are you here?' Sylvester asked, then answered his own question. 'Right! To see Christopher, but why? How did you know him?'
'All these questions can come later. I have already been delayed as I crossed the border and I need to get to him immediately before it becomes too late to do anything!.
'Christopher is already dead, I must tell you. What reason could you possibly have to see him?' Millicent asked, her curiosity aroused.
Wendy looked at her and smiled. 'I knew he was dead even before his men at the borders revealed it to me. I would have been here sooner had I not travelled. Take me to him before it becomes too hard to bring him back to life!' she said emphatically.
'What the hell are you talking about?', Sylvester asked, thinking that the whole female flock was going crazy trying to raise someone from the dead. 'What are you and how do you suppose you can achieve this? He's been dead for about six days now!'
'Thank goodness then, because if it were already the seventh day, I would have been unable to do anything. And by the way, I am a witch. That's what I am!'
A hush descended on the gathering.
'Let me take you to him, so you can do what you can for him!' Millicent said eagerly.
'How can you trust her? Do you know what she wants to do to his body?' Sylvester asked. 'I don't trust witches!'
'What could possibly be worse than death?' Millicent countered and looking at Wendy, extended her hand. 'I am Millicent. Come let me take you to where he is lying in state !'
'Wait!' Alpha Sylvester growled. 'If this is just a waste of time, or you do anything funny like destroying my brother's body, you shall not live to tell the tale!'
Wendy nodded and smiling at Millicent, took the hand she offered and followed her into the Royal morgue.
The others followed to see what was going to happen. There was curiosity and speculation. But not everyone was allowed in. Just a selected few. Others were asked to wait at the reception hall.
'This has never happened before', Chief said. 'Hope the body of dear Alpha Christopher will not be desecrated!'
'Alpha Sylvester has given the witch permission to see the body and Millicent was only too willing to take her to where Christopher's corpse is. Let's watch and see what happens next!' an elder said.
In the morgue, the sheet covering Christopher's body was pulled down by Millicent exposing him from the head to the chest to Wendy.
She started making incantations. 'Balabasheka... Omni sorobanda... alakirisololo.. anifa ti.... Bob a', Wendy went on and on.
Then, she fell into a trance, 'Blood! We need blood to aid in his transition back to life', she said. 'It must be the blood of someone he cherishes the most!'
Alpha Sylvester came forward, 'You'd better be sure of what you are doing!' he said but hoping that the bullshit this woman was conjuring would bring his brother back to life. He normally didn't believe in such jargons but for his brother, he was willing to try anything. 'Take my blood and make this fast!' he said to Wendy.
Wendy still in a trace took hold of his hand but dropped it. 'No! Not you. Your blood was rejected!', she said frowning. 'Is there any other person whom he cherishes alot?'
Sylvester looked at Millicent. She had been through alot and he didn't know how much blood would be required nor if she was up to it. But before he could voice his thoughts, Millicent went to Wendy with her arm out. 'Try mine!' she said and then looking at Sylvester, she said, 'I am willing to sacrifice any quantity of blood he needs to come back to us. Don't worry on my account'.
Alpha Sylvester nodded, he was not surprised Millicent read his thoughts. Christopher had mentioned it to him previously.
Wendy took Millicent's hand and smiled.
'Accepted!' she said and in one swift movement, slashed her wrist.
The action took Millicent by surprise and she jerked when the sharp blade sliced through her skin and Sylvester started, ready to stop the operation if it proved detrimental to Millicent, but Millicent calmed down after the initial shock, and allowed her blood to drip as Wendy kept moving her dripping hand all over Christopher, all the while chanting incantations. Then she poured some potions in a bowl, mixed with some of Millicent blood, forced Christopher's stiff mouth open and started dropping the mixture into it. Then she proceeded to light seven candles round the corners of his body and entered into a deeper incantation.
Soon, the ice from Christopher's body started melting and they felt it was as a result of the candle lights placed in strategic corners of his body.
'Oh, bullshit! Can we get on with the rites we were engaged in before this witch's arrival, this is just a waste of time!' an elder said hissing with impatience. They had been watching the witch perform this ritual for about two hours now.
Sylvester himself was anxious because, the quantity of blood from Millicent's body had been much and she had not really been feeding well these past few days. The ritual was taking too long and he feared Millicent would collapse from fatigue but she seemed strong, watching the witches every move.
The witch ignored all of them and if she heard their comments, she gave no indication. She continued moving her hands in the air above Christopher's body while chanting more, her voice riding and she started swaying as though drunk or possessed by some force.
All of a sudden, Christopher heaved and coughed, gasping for breath.
Millicent ran to him, holding him, squeezing warmth into his hand. The others in the room were shocked and stared in fascination at the event unfolding before their eyes. The witch's incantations started coming faster and faster until Christopher regained his breath and sat up looking around him.
The witch collapsed then.
'Where am I?' Christopher asked.
