The house was packed and trying to get lunch ready was a nightmare. But it was getting done slowly. When the doorbell rang Sabrina said she would get it. She opened the door and there was Cheetaur.
"Cheetaur! Good to see you come in come in, we're about to have lunch. Watch your head some of the doors are quite low. Mom, Cheetaur is here." Sabrina shouted at the kitchen.
Endora came out to greet her new houseguest. "Sabrina please introduce me to our guest." Endora was impressed, she had never seen a Cat-taur before and Cheetaur was certainly and excellent example of one. Very healthy indeed.
"Mom I'd like you to meet Cheetaur. Cheetaur this is my mom Endora."
"Very Nice to meet you Endora and thank you for letting me stay here tonight it's greatly appreciated. I hope I'm not inconveniencing you too much."
"Not at all Miss Cheetaur come on in and see if you can find yourself some room. Seems we have a full house here."
"Thank you." Endora noticed that for a large creature Cheetaur seemed to move very well in small spaces. It was then that Kathren came in to see what was going on, holding onto a very large sandwich.
"Hello." Said Cheetaur not really recognizing her On-line friend. Although she thought she seemed familiar.
"Cheetaur it's me Kathren!"
"Kathren! Really!" The two giant creatures hugged each other over and over, it was quite the sight.
"Sabrina go get my camera from upstairs I think there is a roll of film with it. I'm sure these two won't mind having their picture taken."
Sabrina ran upstairs and came back down with camera in hand. Then she proceeded in almost blinding Cheetaur and Kathren.
Kathren and Sabrina moved the dining room table into the living room giving Cheetaur a place to get off her feet so to speak. She was a little bigger than most houseguests but seemed to settle in quite well. She and Kathren chatted for quite awhile with Zig Zag getting into the conversation many a time.
One of the big things that Zig learned from them was the existence of another Tiger-skunk. Cheetaur knew him quite well, however he really didn't have very colourful markings. In fact he was basically almost all orange in colour but in her opinion he was cute that way. Zig made a mental note to find this Male, he sounded like quite a haul.
Margrette phoned Christine who of course wanted to see the will. She advised not to do anything with the apartment for the moment. It was still not settled as to what was going to happen to the stuff there. She made an appointment, which unfortunately wasn't going to be today. Margrette also called Frank and explained to him they had found the will and things were progressing slowly. He asked about Sabrina and she told him about her amnesia. And that the doctors were hopeful she would start to remember soon. She wasn't about to tell him about this witch. The conversation between them ended rather quickly much to Frank's disgust. She needed to find Endora.
"Endora I need a little private time with Sabrina. I'm going to take her up to my room."
"Sounds good Margrette it will be good for both of you. Maybe you'll stir up some memories." Maybe it will also get rid of what was making her so angry, Endora thought. She couldn't think what had upset her so.
"Oh we're going to do some stirring that's for sure."
Sabrina and Margrette headed for the room and as soon as the door closed Margrette grabbed Sabrina. "All right you little witch, we have time now! We will not be disturbed. Do your hocus pocus and you get me to my daughter now!" She was in no mood to take anything from this imposter anymore.
Sabrina was not exactly happy with the situation either and Margrette now wasn't making things any easier. "Alright just a moment! I have to get a few answers first, be back in a flash."
"Whoa there!" Margrette grabbed Sabrina's arm tightly. "You're not going anywhere without me."
"But I'm going to my world, you surely don't want to go there!" Sabrina exclaimed.
"You have deceived me and my friends. You have impersonated my daughter. You are the only link to her, I'm not leaving you alone for anything."
"Alright but I have to warn you I don't look like this. I'm what your daughter called a hairless ape."
She was surprised at that and found the aspect of a hairless ape not to pleasing but it didn't matter she was going to follow this witch to ends of the Earth if she had to. " It doesn't matter let's go, now!"
Sabrina's mother had made her point and she was determined to get her daughter back, Sabrina thought. She only hoped that she was strong enough to accomplish that. She made a gesture and they vanished from the room, leaving it once again empty.
She made her way to the lifeboat she had created and examined it. She found the pulleys were made to be operated by two people. Again she felt the crushing blows of despair but in that light she found hope. Her mind came back to the lifeboat she had made appear, why not make people to lower the boat. She put her imagination to work and imagined to strong sailors and before her eyes two strong male foxes appeared.
"Mamme we must get you to the lifeboat." One of the foxes said and hastily picked her up and put her to the lifeboat. "Now this was more like it", she thought maybe something was finally going her way.
Margrette looked around at the room they had appeared in. It was a lovely room, clean tidy and definitely a girl's room.
"Well we're here." Sabrina said. "I'm betting my Aunts are downstairs."
"Then lead the way. The faster you get your answers, the faster I get my daughter back."
The two went downstairs to find her Aunts in the living room scolding Salem the cat for something he had done. He seemed to be always getting into trouble. At the sight of Sabrina and Margrette he jumped off the couch and hid. Which drew the attention of Sabrina's Aunts.
"Ah Sabrina your back with a guest. How nice." Her words were a bit choppy and it was obvious that her Aunt Zelda was a bit startled by their sudden appearance. It might have also been the fact that she was being followed by a 6 foot tall Skunk who could bench-press them easily.
"Aunt Zelda, Hilda this is Sabrina's real mother. Her name is Margrette."
Margrette thought these things were really ugly but if these witches could get her daughter back then she would endure their company.
"Hello, now get my daughter back!" She exclaimed, there really wasn't time to waste.
"Nice morph Sabrina." Said Aunt Hilda. "You can change back if you want, no need to stay furry round us."
"Aunt Hilda this isn't my body it's the other Sabrina's."
"Nonsense, just change back."
"Aunt Hilda didn't you hear what I just said I got zapped into her body."
"Sabrina that is your body!" Aunt Hilda exclaimed. "I would know if it wasn't." She pointed her finger at her and suddenly Sabrina the skunk disappeared and Sabrina the human reappeared.
"What! How?" Sabrina was totally surprised. All along she had been under the impression that she had inhabited the body of Sabrina skunk but this now didn't seem to be the case.
Margrette didn't understand what had just happened, only the fact that her daughter's body just seemed to vanish.
"Where is my daughters body Sabrina!" She grabbed Sabrina and pulled her close. With her fangs exposed she definitely put fear into Sabrina. Too much so for her Aunts liking and they froze her in place. Margrette could hear everything but she was unable to move.
"All right young lady what's going on here?" Zelda exclaimed.
"I thought I was in the body of Sabrina the Skunk!!! I had no idea that I was in my own body."
"Ok, how did you supposably get into the body of Sabrina the Skunk?" Zelda said.
"First Aunt Zelda release Margrette she's just upset, I can understand how she feels. She didn't mean any harm."
"Alright then you start explaining." Zelda zapped Margrette and again she could move freely.
Margrette was a bit embarrassed by the whole thing. "Sorry Sabrina my emotions got the best of me." Margrette said with regret.
"It's ok Margrette, let me explain things to my Aunts and see if they know a solution to all this."
Everyone sat down and Sabrina told the whole story from beginning to end. Hoping that somewhere there was a clue and a solution to this whole mess.
"Sabrina zap your crystal ball down here, we have no more time to waste."
"Sure." Suddenly the crystal ball appeared and to their horror the scene before them was of the great ship sinking, taking Sabrina with it.
Margrette could see her daughter as plain as day, in a lifeboat on a giant ship. "Sabrina!" Margrette called out.
Sabrina put her hand on Margrette's paw. "She cannot hear you." Sabrina said.
"Sabrina you have to get her out of there and in a hurry." Aunt Zelda spoke. "She was in a dream state when you first met her but things have now changed. When you entered her world through the nexus you displaced her body putting it into her dream. If she dies there in that dream she will be forever trapped there with no hope of returning. Even beyond the power of the most powerful of witches." Sabrina's Aunts knew that the situation was not looking very good. In fact it looked almost hopeless.
Aunt Hilda and Zelda knew they had to warn Sabrina again, about interfering. "Sabrina remember you cannot help her physically or with your powers. It's a rule that cannot be broken." They stressed this to her. "If you help her through the nexus then you will lose all your witch powers forever. You can tell her what she has to do but you cannot help her in that task."
"But that's not fair!" She exclaimed. "I added to her problems. I didn't help her I made things worse!"
"I'll go." Margrette said.
"That wouldn't be wise Margrette if you die there then you'll receive the same fate." Hilda said.
"I don't care, if I die then I will die with her. She's my daughter and she needs my help, lets go Sabrina. It looks as if we don't have too much time."
"Sabrina remember you cannot help, only direct." Zelda said with concern.
"Yes Aunt Zelda." Sabrina felt horrible that she could do nothing but stand by and watch. She used her magic and she and Margrette vanished.
"Do you think she'll do the right thing Zelda?"
"If she is the witch I think she is, then all will be fine." She sighed and prayed.
The night was calm in the distance they could see the great ship floundering but to their surprise they could also see a lifeboat being lowered into the water. They could see only one, passenger and it was Sabrina. As they got in closer they saw that the lifeboat now was in the water and slowly being unhitched by Sabrina. It was then they heard a scream of agony cross the calm sea. They landed in the boat to find Sabrina collapsed. Margrette gently picked her up and hugged her. "It's me little one." She said as she softly cradled her daughter in her arms.
"Mom?" Sabrina said awaking.
"Yes my girl" Margrette had tear of joy flowing down her face. "I'm here everything is going to be fine now." Margrette turned her attention to Sabrina the witch, she wasn't sure if she truly trusted her but she had no choice. "What have we got to do Sabrina?"
"Mom is Sabrina here, she's a witch she can help. I'm sorry I was so rude to you Sabrina." She said in a soft voice, then cried out again suddenly in pain.
"Did I hurt you dear." Margrette said trying to figure out why she cried out.
"My arm hurts." Margrette felt Sabrina begin to shake in her arms.
"She broke her arm in the real world, it probably hasn't had enough time to heal. She's feeling everything because this is her real body." Sabrina said sadly.
"That makes sense, lie still Sabrina I'll get us out of here. So where to?"
"To the nexus it's behind the ship you cannot see it from here but that's where you have to go."
"Then that's where we are going." She gently released her daughter and tried to make her as comfortable as possible. "Honey I have to move this boat, you rest here and try not to move much."
"I'm sorry that I cannot help you Margrette." Sabrina said, and she was truly sorry. It wasn't fair that she couldn't help. It was her fault that Sabrina was in this mess.
"It's alright, you got me here now I guess it's up to me." She went to one end of the lifeboat and undid the latches holding the ropes to the ship. She repeated the maneuver on the other side. The boat itself was huge and was made for many more than just the two of them but she couldn't worry too much about that. She had to get the boat away from the sinking ship. She took one of the large oars and pushed against the metal hull and they were away.
In reality it took several men to row this boat but there was only one this turn. Margrette's fears surfaced for the first time while being here, she knew she was strong but was she strong enough? She knew one avenue but she wasn't sure if it was possible. "Sabrina can you get my friends? I need the others."
"It's too dangerous they all could be killed."
"Tell them of the dangers. I need any who will come, please I beg of you. You cannot help me but they can, please. If not for me for Sabrina."
She pondered this situation. Was this actually helping them? She weighed the decision and judged that she wasn't directly helping, so it shouldn't count. Her conscience weighed heavy but she had to do something and this was the right thing to do. "Ok I will, row towards the nexus, see the strange light there." She pointed out across the sea.
"Yes I see it. It seems so far away."
"It isn't easy getting there."
"I'll get there." Margrette said, in her mind she knew that Endora and Kathren would come but would the others. She was going to need all the help she could get.
"I'll be back as soon as I can, hold on Margrette."
"Sabrina?"
"Yes."
"Thank you for reuniting me with my daughter."
"It wasn't a problem." Sabrina smiled then she was gone. She knew that she was going to have a problem explaining to the group. So she returned home first.
"Well?" Her Aunts inquired, knowing she had returned fairly quickly.
"Margrette is there with Sabrina. She was in a lifeboat when we got there trying to flee the sinking ship."
"So they are ok?" Aunt Hilda asked.
"No the lifeboat is huge and too much for Margrette to handle by herself. Although she is doing ok right now but she'll tire very soon."
"So what are you going to do?"
"Offer her friends a trip to dream land, compliments of one witch. I'll explain the danger but I think they'll go anyway." Sabrina thought this was one way of getting poor Sabrina out of this mess.
"Remember you cannot help."
"Oh I'm not going to help but her friends will." She smiled knowing that things were looking better now.
Zelda and Hilda looked at each other then back to Sabrina.
"What did I do?" Sabrina thought that she had done something wrong.
"I believe the witches counsel will view this as being creative more than helping. Go but remember you cannot interfere you know the consequences."
"I will." Sabrina grabbed her crystal ball and took off. It was going to be hard to explain the situation but she had an idea. When she materialized in the room she became invisible and promptly went down stairs. It seemed that the living room was the place to be since at the moment everyone was there. She made a gesture and her crystal ball appeared on the table about 3 times its size. Showing the scene of Margrette rowing the huge boat away from the sinking ship.
Zig Zag saw it first "What is that?" She pointed at the crystal ball.
Endora looked at closely at it. "That's Margrette! What's she doing in there?"
Everyone was now gazing at the ball and calling out to her.
It was time for Sabrina to make her entrance. "Margrette cannot hear you but she is in trouble." She said in a calm voice. Everyone turned to look at where the voice was coming from and they were very surprised at what they saw.
End of Chapter 9
The plot thickens…….tune in next time for the conclusion, same Sabby time, same Sabby channel.