Chapter 25

Artemis spent a few hours outside picking various fruits and vegetables in her garden with the two other females and the cubs. If the cubs weren't walking by one of their mothers' sides they were helping them pick and dig up the heavier vegetables. Everything was calm and peaceful until everyone began to hear hissing sounds. "What is that noise? Are there Snake Beastmen coming?" Jenny asked. "Yes. It seems one of Ezekiel's brothers has finally shapeshifted and is coming to challenge him for The Little Snake Princess!" Artemis said. "How dare they enter our lands!" Thomas said shapeshifting into a huge Ape and looking around. "There are three pregnant female's unprotected. We don't want to harm anyone, we just want the egg". Said a young man walking into the garden. "You can't take The Little Snake Princess. You should not have invited yourself to my home to force her out of my arms!" Artemis told the young man. "I have to take her by force. She's ours!" The young man said angrily. Small little snakes came slithering to the young mans side with murderous looks on their little faces but the eight young Wolf cubs came forward in front of Artemis, Jenny and Little Wen. They slowly growled at the Young Man and the little Snakes around him. Even the Little Wolf Princess was on all four legs growling at the snakes. "They're protecting us!" Little Wen said, holding her stomach. Thomas grunted and pounded his chest a couple of times in approval of the Wolf cubs behavior. "I am not unprotected and I still know how to protect myself." Artemis announced, standing tall.

The young Snake Beastmen moved forward and shifted into a Snake bigger than his little followers and they all stalked towards Artemis and her home. Thomas jumped forward and stomped and smashed as many little Snakes as he could. Artemis' oldest cub Christopher and Jenny's oldest cub Ben directly went after the young Snake Beastmen who were leading the attackers. And the other cubs went after the other little snakes. "Ezekiel!" Artemis yelled. She wasn't afraid and she stood her ground firmly but as a Queen she knew that this fight was the Real Snake Kings fight and not her's. Ezekiel showed up almost immediately in his snake form. He was even bigger than the other young Snake and was obviously more powerful. Ezekiel rubbed his head onto Artemis' shoulder and then began to approach the Young Snake. As he got closer Christopher and Ben backed off and backed away waiting for Ezekiel to make his move. The young Snake King charged after his younger brother bearing huge fangs. He swiped at him with his tail and bit at him with his huge mouth. After biting him a couple more times the younger Snake started to waver. He was getting weak and tired. Ezekiel shifted into a half young man half snake while holding the younger Snake by the throat. "Give up Brother! I am the strongest. I am the Snake King!" Ezekiel said to the younger Snake. The younger Snake did not give up. His tail thrashed back and forth as he tried to get out of Ezekiel's grip but failed. Artemis wanted to turn her head at what happened next but it happened so fast. Ezekiel wrapped his tail around his younger brother and then shifted back into a full Snake Beastman and opened his mouth wide. In the next second Ezekiel had the rest of the other snake hanging out of his mouth and then with one gulp the younger Snake was gone. "Oh" Artemis said, surprised and disgusted at the same time. The other little snakes who were on the side watching looked at Ezekiel one good time and then left. Ezekiel shifted back into a full human and hugged Artemis. "Queen Mother! I did it. I protected you!" Ezekiel said happily. "Young Ezekiel. You protected yourself and your sister as well. Whether you do or do not become mates in the future you should always protect her this way!" Artemis smiled, rubbing Ezekiel's head. "I want to protect you and my brothers and sisters forever!" He said hugging her a little more tightly. Poor Ezekiel had no idea what was coming next but it happened like a switch had been turned on. Ezekiel fell to the ground rolling over holding one of his shoulders. All of the cubs were on the ground as well. They were all gaining stripes! Ezekiel gained his first stripe on his arm and he also changed from a Black Snake to a White Snake. Jenny and Artemis' cubs were gaining their first mark as well for bravely protecting their mothers. Not only did they upgrade another level as far as powers go but they grew in size as well. The cubs were no longer tall enough to stand up to Artemis' knees. They were at her hip now.

"You boys should be able to shift into humans now! I'm so proud of you for being so brave!!" Artemis said, clapping for her brave saviors. "Well there is always excitement going on in your household That's for sure" Thomas said after shifting back into a human. "It is attracted to me like a moth to a flame" Artemis said, sighing. "Let's go back home and clean ourselves up?" Thomas asked, reaching for her hand. "I may not be able to shapeshift or ride in a carriage but there is one way I can try to get around," Artemis announced. "How is that?" Thomas asked. Artemis smiled and concentrated hard. Yozar explained to her how to transport but she is always scared she'd end up stuck somewhere else. She figured she could try and see what happens. One minute they were standing in the garden and then next she had transported everyone back into the cave house. They all gasped and looked around as if they were looking at the stars. "What just happened?" They all asked except for Jenny, she laughed at their response to being transported " Apollo calls it 'pulling a Nana Shuu'!" she told them laughing. "Did you really just transport us back into the house?" Thomas asked her. Artemis nodded sheepishly. Thomas embraced Artemis into a hug and kissed her forehead. "You are amazing, my Queen!" He told her.

A few more hours went by until Danny and the rest of the men finally came back to the cave house. Artemis and Thomas had already started to make dinner instead of waiting on Danny to come back and cook. Thomas told the men about the Snake Beastmen invading their lands and how Ezekiel and the cubs stepped in to defend the three females and the Little Snake Princess. They were proud and surprised that the cubs had even gained a stripe. After everyone ate they all sat in the family room relaxing together. Artemis was cuddled up with Thomas while Danny and Bowen were cuddling the cubs. Apollo and Jenny were cuddled up while Draco cuddled with their three Wolf Cubs. Kasper and Little Wen were cuddled with Theo sitting on the other side of Little Wen. Ezekiel had been in his room that he shared with the Little Snake Princess. Ezekiel and the Midwife came running into the family room frantically calling for Artemis. "Queen Mother! The egg is hatching!" Ezekiel said excitedly. "Are you sure!" She asked him. "The egg won't stay still. There is already a crack in the egg. The Little Snake Princess is coming!" The Midwife responded. "Okay. I'm coming. I'll be right there!" Artemis said, starting to get up off of the floor. Thomas and Bowen immediately stood up on each side to help her. "Be careful, my Queen," Thomas said to Artemis as she tried to move quickly. When Artemis made it to the room the egg was really trembling. Artemis gasped and came closer to the bassinet that the egg was laying in. "Go and get fresh towels." Bowen told Danny who nodded in response. "Do you think she is going to look how I did before or will she be born a white snake?" Ezekiel asked innocently. "I don't know Little Snake King!" Artemis said amused.

The egg wiggled for a few minutes more until finally a bigger crack began to form. "Oh she's coming!" Artemis said, clapping her hands together. Suddenly the egg completely split open and a newborn baby girl with a pearly white snake tail instead of legs was laying in the middle. "She is so beautiful. She looks exactly like your father" Artemis said, smiling. "Eden. The Little Snake Princess!" Artemis said, leaning over and looking inside the bassinet. Bowen came forward with clean and dry furs and picked Princess Eden up and cradled her in his arms. "She's perfect!" Bowen said, admiring her. "Can I see her?" Ezekiel asked. Bowen held her down to his level so they could be face to face. Princess Eden wasn't paying him any mind though, her eyes were stuck on Artemis. "She can't be my mate when she grows up!" Ezekiel said shaking his head no. "Why not?" Artemis asked him confused. "She is small and innocent like the Little Wolf Princess Winter. I will watch them grow up together as my sisters" Ezekiel said sadly. "You don't have those feelings for your sister. That's okay. You are becoming a man anyways. You will be able to find a great mate and have your own little ones" Artemis told him rubbing his head. Ezekiel nodded and looked at the Little Snake Princess again. "Hey Princess Eden. This is our Queen Mother, Queen Artemis!" He told her lovingly. Artemis reached over to hold the Little Snake Princess and when she held Eden in her arms she felt a motherly love go through her like waves of happiness. 'How could the Tiger Queen not love this child?' Artemis asked herself. The Little Snake princess was quiet, she did not make a sound and eventually she fell asleep in Artemis' arms. "Congratulations My Queen. The Little Snake Princess is precious!" Kasper said, bowing his head to Artemis. "Thank you. She is precious!" Artemis said cradling the bundled sleeping Snake Princess.

For a while Artemis stood there holding Princess Eden until her five cubs barged in. They stood in front of Artemis sniffing the air and trying to figure out what or who was in their mother's arms. "You guys behave and be quiet. This is Snake Princess Eden. She will be your baby sister" Artemis said to the cubs. They looked at her and looked at the bundle of fur in her arms. "Yes. A Snake Princess. Mommy is a Queen now and I have big responsibilities. Some of those responsibilities may include me taking in an enemy's cub. I love all of my children which includes Ezekiel and Eden now too. My wish is that you all always love and protect each other." Artemis told the cubs. The cubs looked at each other and then sat down on the floor as if they were taking a nap but really they were on standby in case of any emergencies. Artemis smiled and then passed Princess Eden back to the Midwife who will now be the nurse for the Little Snake Princess. "Don't stay in here all night and do not disturb the Little Snake Princess!" Artemis warned before leaving the room with Danny Thomas and Bowen. "That's one down and then a whole litter to go !" Bowen said, rubbing Artemis' stomach as they made their way to the bedroom. "Right. This next Litter shouldn't be that hard considering my first litter was five cubs" Artemis said taking her time.