The Forest Witch's Home for Magical Creatures

Chapter 15: Incoming

The ground was muddy. It was splashed over her feet and up her legs. The forest had gotten a lot of rain in the last few days. Everything was green, wet and muddy.

Massie was never allowed to be dirty as a child. Her parents were high up in their coven and children were meant to reflect the parent.

The women there all wore intricate dresses and silky cloaks. They styled their hair in fancy updos or soft curls.

Massie's mother would kill her if she could see her now. Barefooted and dirty. Wearing an oversized sweater and shorts. Her curls weren't soft. They were tangled and wild.

She was not the powerful witch her mother wanted. The training, the beatings, they never stuck. She would rather be in the mud, tending to the plants.

She was a disappointment, but it was the best thing to ever happen to her.

She was alone, but she was free.

She wasn't quite alone anymore. Wren's presence was everywhere. It was seeping into the bones of her house, into the soil, in the bark of the trees. The land was accepting him and his magic.

It had been so long since Massie felt another's magic. Everyone in the nearby town was human. The last magical creature she had contact with was her brother years ago.

She was filled with undefinable joy each time she felt his presence with her magic.

She hadn't realized how lonely she was.

—---------------------------------------------------

Massie was a couple of miles away from the house when she felt it. Something crossed the border between the state park and her land. That border was the one most frequently crossed. It included the road that led to her house.

It couldnt be crossed by accident. There were "no trespassing" signs and a vehicle barrier that had to be lifted before you could drive through.

The park rangers used it when they needed to talk to her. She held most of her meetings or consultations online or in the holistic store in town, so she doubted it was a customer.

Everyone who knows about witches knows better than to sneak up on one.

She dug in her bag slung across her shoulder and checked her cell phone. She had no messages from a ranger about needing to speak with her.

She had a feeling in her gut.

The gate was a little over 10 miles from her house. She cast her magic out. Over the land and trees, over the miles that separated her from them. That separated Wren from them.

She flinched back when her magic hit a wall of complete despair and panic. It was a wild feeling, like an animal gnawing its foot off in a trap. The desperation stabbed into her head.

She was lightheaded. It was too bright. Her magic couldn't read anything but this all-consuming dread.

She sat down on the damp forest floor and breathed. She drew her magic away from the fear. She breathed. The fear didn't go away completely. She still felt afraid. She breathed.

She was afraid.

She needed to get to Wren.

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She ran. She ran over rocks and roots. She pushed her magic into her legs and ran.

It was moving fast. Faster than she was. She had less ground to cover but it was on foot. Whoever was coming was moving faster than she was.

She ran towards home. She ran towards Wren. She could feel him. He was home. She wasn't sure of the extent of his magic. He wasn't a witch but he was a magical creature. He could feel her magic, but could he feel what was coming?

What if it was another witch? Someone who was hunting Wren, who would take him and ruin his wings. Who would drain his blood until he was a gaunt and hopeless thing?

She ran.

—-------------------------------------------------------

She burst through the trees and slammed into something solid and warm. She tilted towards the ground but strong hands kept her up. She could feel the talons against her skin.

She couldn't catch her breath. Her body tingled with exhaustion.

It was close, it was coming.

Wren tightened his grip on her arms and started to drag her towards the house.

She was breathing too hard to talk. Running two miles should not be this hard. Maybe she needed to start jogging.

It was getting closer.

Wren stopped walking and bent down so they were face to face. "Breathe, witch."

She was breathing, breathing too much.

"Through your nose, little flower." He watched her face as she inhaled through her nose, then looked off towards the road.

He knew. He knew something was coming. She breathed. The blood stopped rushing in her ears. "Somethings coming."

She grabbed onto his shirt. "You need to leave."

He snorted. "The hell I do. "

She tightened her hands around his shirt. "You need to leave! It could be witches."

"I'm not scared of witches. I live with one, in case you forgot."

She was shaking. "Not witches like me !" Her voice echoed around the clearing.

She had his attention now. His stormy eyes were on hers. "Witches that will take you and hurt you. You need to leave."

He leaned down again. They were nose to nose, She could feel his breath on her face. "Listen closely, little witch. I'm not leaving you here alone."

She said nothing. If she tried to talk, she might cry.

He gave her a shake. "Understand?"

She nodded.

"Good. Now shut up." He shoved her behind himself. His wings were tight against his body. She made sure not to touch them.

They watched as it came closer. Dust and rocks were being kicked up on the road as it moved towards them. Wren steadied his stance as the car came into view.

They were silent as the beat-up, red hatchback peeled into the clearing and jerked to a stop in a cloud of dust.