Fee Fi Fo Fum

Jack chuckled hearing Marcus and Angus's banter " yeah and has the brains of one too." he added listening more he looked at Marcus "Good luck with that and yeah, I's protect Jess with my life if need be, and I don't care how much she protests, I'll be at her side the whole time." his voice showing his slight anger at his brother for having them stay close to the girls when they should been living there lives.

"Hey, I don't have any issues, but Jess and Khaat might have" He looked to Brian " I don't envy your job of telling Khaat." He moved to the kitchen again leaning on the counter "dam you brother, we shouldn't have to do all this." Taking out his wolfsbane he took a small sip feeling his anger subside he breathed out slowly, composing himself before returning to the living room again.

"sorry sometimes my anger gets the better of me and I need to calm down" he said to Marcus " I was forced by my brother to..." he paused and looked to Robert for help, not knowing how to explain it to him.

"His brother was the one who turned him--fairly recently," Robert explained.

"Well, in that case, I agree with you, Jack, your brother is a nutter," Marcus said. "Sorry about that, Mate. Still, it sounds like you're amongst friends here."

"He is indeed," Robert said. "Jack is a fine auror, and he also helps with my Paris venture."

"Ah. I wondered if you were part of that," Marcus said.

"Marcus ended up finding out about us a few years ago," Robert said. "He was digging into some illegal potions work and got wind of some secret business I had in Paris. He thought, for a bit, that I was the illegal potions maker, so I chose to take him into my confidence. He's been a good informant for us since."

"I was asking Angus about the estate," Marcus said.

"It's bloody big, that's what you need to know," Angus said.

"I'll get you a map," Brian said. "There's a lot of land, and a lot of it is still untamed. There are woods, creeks, some caves and sharp drops. There are lighted riding trails, though, and it is a working farm. Its guarded on all four corners, and it is unplottable. Its not going to be any place James can get into easily. We've worked hard to make it as secure as we know how to make it."

"I'll want to see that for myself. I'll want to go riding at daylight," Marcus said.

"One of us will go with you," Brian said. "Whichever one of us is up for a horseback ride at that hour."

Jack nodded to Marcus " yeah, thanks" he said with a small smile. he listened to Angus describe the grounds and felt he too needed to scout out the area. " I'll go with him, I need ..want to scout the area for any place my brother could infiltrate, no offense your guards are the best but it takes a were to know a were's ways." he said and sighed " and unfortunately for me I know him all too well."

"So Marcus you up for a walk around with me?" he asked " I don't bite...well unless you annoy me, or I'm hungry." he joked with a smile.

"Sure," Marcus smiled.

He was up again not long after daylight. He rather liked his room here, and he had taken his own tour of the house. If the size of this enormous log mansion was comparable to the size of the property itself, then he could full well understand why Brian worked so hard to try to secure it. The bigger a property was, the harder it was to secure.

He had decided on jeans since he was going on what sounded like a lengthy horse ride. He had just jeans, a denim jacket and a white v neck tee shirt. The morning air was crisp this time of year, and he figured he might need the jacket for awhile until the air warmed up.

He'd found Angus downstairs fixing breakfast. It looked like he was fixing enough for a small army. He thought perhaps he would be the first one up, but Angus said that Brian was up and was working out downstairs already. He'd gotten himself a mug of tea and had gone outside for a cigarette and to enjoy his first cup of the day. Yeah, he'd work out another time. He had done that before Robert had contacted him last night. He was good for now.

He heard porting sounds behind him, and he turned to see Robert and his wife--what was her name again? Oh, yes. Kate. They had just arrived. He wasn't surprised that they'd come to check back in after last night's events. Still, this house seemed like it never slept. He wondered whether this was the normal rhythm of things here.

And then he saw something he hadn't expected to see. A bloody big eagle, and the thing landed on the picnic table not far from him.

"What the devil are you doing here, Mate?" Marcus asked, seeing that the eagle didn't seem to be the least big afraid of him. "Waiting for breakfast, are you? Why don't you go hunting for it? Big bloke like you ought to be able to land anything you want." The eagle screeched at him. Was this thing actually tame?

Jack had slept in a chair next to Jess that night. He woke before the sun rose and did his morning routine before dressing in a tee and jeans with a pair of army style boots. Heading down he pored some coffee and moved out side to watch the sun rise he chuckled as an eagle landed by Marcus.

"You know that eagle?" he asked walking over " Morning." he added " I only ask because you seem friendly with it." he lent against the railing as he drank his coffee only glancing up as Robert and Kate appeared " morning to you both too, Robert Jess slept well last night, I kinda stayed with her to make sure." he could not help the blush that sat on his cheeks as he recalled the night.

" Okay, Marcus still up for that ride?" he asked " because now I've had my coffee I'm all but ready to get the lay of the land " he admitted downing the last bit of his now warm coffee.

"Good," Robert said. "I'll see to her in a bit. Is she planning on being up this morning, did she say?"

When Jack asked Marcus if he knew the eagle, Marcus just shrugged.

"Nope, not me," he said. "He's acting like he's a regular here, though."

At that moment, Kate came outside with a plate of small fish. The eagle seemed to get excited and flapped its wings and screeched at her.

"Hello, Boys," Kate said, heading towards the eagle. "Hello, Arrow. Ready for breakfast?" She picked up one of the fish by the tail and fed it to the eagle, and Marcus watched.

"You know him?"

"Since he hatched," she said. "This is Arrow. I trained him, and he took to Khaat. So, I trained him to do owl duties, amongst other things. It's what she uses instead of an owl. He's very dedicated to her. Let me feed him, and then you can both say hello. He needs to get to know you both anyway, right?"

"There isn't much that's standard in this house, is there?" Marcus teased. Kate just laughed.

"Well, there's standard for everyone else,and then there's standard for us," she told him. "Why don't you boys take Arrow with you when you go riding? He could use a good flight today. It would be good for him."

"Fine by me," Marcus said, as Kate finished feeding the bird.

"Come say hello," Kate told them. Marcus went over, and Kate handed him a fowler's glove. He put it on, and she had Arrow hop over to Angus's arm.

"He's heavier than I expected," Marcus said, petting him.

"He's a big boy," Kate explained. "He weighs just about 15 pounds, but you won't find a better companion out there on the grounds than him, I promise you that. Jack there's another glove hanging over by the deck door if you want to meet Arrow."

Jack stood stunned as Kate walked over to the eagle and pet it as if it was a dog or cat. " wow, yeah im seeing that now too" he said glancing over where the second glove lay he moved and picked it up slipping it on he moved to Marcus holding his arm out for the bird.

"Well I'm stronger than a normal guy so he'll be light to me, but I have to say Kate..hes magnificent." he said admiring the birds feathers and the elegance of the coloring he had. He knew the bird would sense he too was a predator, like he was.

" Hi Arrow, you up for some Arial recon?" he asked chuckling " if you spot anything I'll get you a rabbit." he gently stroked down the birds back.

Arrow hopped over to Jack's glove easily at Kate's command.

"He's fiercely protective of Khaat," Kate said. "I speak to birds of prey, so that makes training birds like him like child's play. Arrow is eager to please, and he's learned to understand a lot of human words, so, if he learns you're not an enemy, he'll respond to you too. If he thinks you're going to hurt Khaat, though, you're liable to have to contend with him."

"Well, then, he and I ought to get on just fine," Marcus said. "And he eats just meat, I suppose?"

"They prefer fish, really," Kate said. "But they'll eat other meat too. Fish is by far the favorite, though. He pretty much hunts for himself here because fish are so plentiful on the estate, but he doesn't fail to come around for breakfast. I think it's more about the routine and the contact with people. Angus keeps quite a stock of all kinds of little fish for him in the fridge. Arrow, show Jack your wings."

The bird flapped his wings and stretched them out to show his tremendous wing span and then closed them again.

"He is impressive indeed, Mrs. Lupin," Marcus said.

"Oh, call me Kate," she said. "Everyone does. Alright, Arrow. Off with you now. You can go with them with they go riding." The bird took flight, making it look entirely effortless.

"I could get to like birds like that," Marcus said. "I think we ought to go soon, or the bird's going to leave without us, Jack."

Jack looked at the eagles wing span and smiled " impressive" he said then listened to Kate say he ate fish " oh sorry dude, trout, if I can catch it." he said " fishing isn't my strong point." he lifted his arm as Kate told Arrow he could leave.

He could not help but marvel at the grace of the large bird as it took off into the sky. Looking to Marcus he chuckled " you mean you." he said teasingly " but yeah we should get moving, um..Kate which way to the stables?" he asked not knowing as never having been there before, and maybe I could have a map too?" he asked sheepishly " just until I know my way around of course." he quickly added.

once told he moved towards the stables seeing in the distance a beautiful black stallion large enough to take his large form among several others in a corral and he smiled "Seems their horses are just as magnificent. " he said pausing as the horse stopped and looked at him.

Kate provided them with maps and directions to the stables, and Marcus was impressed by what he saw on the map. There were, however, some sections that were very clearly marked to be taken on foot only and were supposedly rocky and dangerous with sharp cliffs and drops, and some caves. Much as he didn't want to go there on his first trip, that area definitely would be an excellent hide out by the fact that the land itself would have so many hiding places and would discourage visitors. He doubted that they would get it all visited today anyway, though.

Jack had chosen a black stallion that was certainly a fine looking horse. Marcus had taken a shine to an American paint horse that had a fine looking build and markings of white and brown. The groom saddled the horses, showing them both how to do it in case they wanted to ride when stable hand wasn't available.

Marcus had certainly ridden before, and he swung up easily into the saddle and rode out of the way so Jack could mount the large black horse. He glanced up to see the eagle making lazy circles above the stables, waiting for them.

"First time seeing the estate?" The groom asked.

"Yes. We'll be working security. What do you advise we see first?" Marcus asked.

"I'd start by checking out the main gate--that way," the groom pointed. "And then head to your left. Stay along the fenceline, and it'll take you to the first corner guard tower. It isn't far. The main gate was positioned there so the corner tower could cover it. That's where I'd start if I were you. All the other towers report into them anyway."

"Thanks, Mate," Marcus said. "That sounds like a fine place to start. You ready, Jack?"