CACKLE- Book 1

Chapter Eleven

Remi had fallen asleep as her magic carried her this way and that, following her initial directions- it would keep her safe. Though, she didn't feel safe while sleeping at all. Her dreams of Anna pulling her closer to where she wanted to be. When her eyes opened it was mid-day. She was much closer to the village than she would have been if she walked through the night. Still, she felt incredibly drained. Her magic was pulling every last bit of energy she had, to keep her going.

Looking around, realizing her progress Remi felt surprised. She figured at some point in time she would wake up and have to make camp. She hadn't been expecting her magic to carry her through the whole night.

However, when she thought about it, Anna had mentioned that when she was a child she would sometimes use her powers while she was asleep. She would say some children sleepwalk and some little witches who could conjure up the elements, burst into flames or levitate themselves through the cave when they sleep. One night during a particularly bad dream Remi had caused an earthquake. Anna had to shake her until she woke up. Rocks had fallen from the walls and their garden had been buried in debris. They were able to salvage some of the root vegetables, but they had to go a few weeks without much fruit. The lack of sweets made Anna irritable, and Remi often found herself having to stay home in the cave while Anna went looking for food.

She had to stop and find something to eat. Her stomach was growling. She tapered her magic down and landed a bit unsteadily on her feet. Her magic sighed within her, relieved to have a break. She took stock of the foliage around her. Recognizing a potato plant, she pulled off a few leaves to munch while she walked through the brush, searching for something a bit more filling. It was a while until she came across a small growth of wild blueberries. She jumped a little and squealed, grabbing a handful of berries, she shoved them into her mouth. Whether it was due to the wildness of these berries or a lack of time to mature, they were quite sour. Though the bush itself was large, it wasn't too easy finding full berries. Some of the branches appeared to have been picked clean. Remi wondered if the shrubs were frequented by other animals. Her stomach growled so loudly now that the sound shook in her chest. Wait. That wasn't her stomach...

Remi froze. A pair of deep, black eyes was watching her, she could just make them out through the thicket. Whatever the creature was, it was standing on the other side of the bushes. She didn't move, her breathing came in quick, short bursts. She tried to settle the shakes that were starting in her legs, begging her body to be as quiet as possible. A snort and a shake from the beast made Remi jump. It began munching loudly on whatever it was eating. Perhaps the berries on the other side? She could only hope.

She should have known that a larger creature would be responsible for the sparsity on this bush. Remi's hands quivered as she collected a few more blueberries and popped them quickly in her mouth, her hunger more pressing than her body's desire to flee.

The black eyes on the other side just blinked at her. She could feel a wordless truce as they both ate their fill. Before Remi had finished she heard another snort and footsteps pounding the ground. The beast was on the move. It was coming around to her side of the hedge.

A massive black paw took a step out into the light. Claws embedded into the dirt below, she saw the creature's full body as it rounded the corner. She was practically nose to nose now with a huge black bear.

At first she felt scared, her magic responding to her racing heart with green flickers of sparks at her fingertips. The bear looked down at her hands, seeing the lights, its large snout leaned in closely to sniff her. She froze for a second before Anna's absent voice echoed in her head. 'A hedge witch has the favour of mother earth's creatures. Pure souls can sense the magic within. Look to the Goddess if you're ever in fear. Look to your magic to do what is natural.'