the witch in the forest

help.

As they made their way back, Perdita felt a deep sense of gratitude towards Lillith for healing her, and she prepared to express it. However, when she turned around, Lillith had vanished into thin air. Perdita furrowed her brows and glanced around, the crease on her forehead deepening as she tilted her head slightly, hoping to catch a glimpse of Lillith. "Lillith..?" she called out, the sound of her voice drowned out by passing cars and chirping crows. With a heavy sigh, Perdita continued walking, her frustration palpable as she clenched her jaw at Lillith's abrupt departure, especially considering she was only 15 years old.

After about two hours, dusk began to set in, casting an ethereal glow over the surroundings and further disorienting Perdita. Eventually, she reached a point of utter exhaustion and frustration, feeling defeated and lost as she sank to her knees. At that moment, she felt like a child once more—lost and afraid.

As she closed her eyes, an unexplained sensation of a loving presence enveloped her, accompanied by a familiar voice whispering, "Perdita, come home." Startled, Perdita jolted upright, only to find that she was entirely alone. Her cry for help pierced through the darkness, "Please... someone help!"

Suddenly, a tall figure cloaked in mystery emerged from the shadows, their face obscured from view. "You, what are you doing here, alone?" they questioned, their voice filled with a mysterious authority.

A spark of hope flickered within Perdita as she heard the voice. Her words trembled with fear and uncertainty as she spoke, "I was here with someone, but they left me here. They just... disappeared. They'll, um, be back though."

The mysterious figure hesitated, giving the impression of carefully considering the next words to utter. "Who was this person? What did they look like?" they mused aloud. Leaning in, Perdita revealed, "Her name is Lillith. She is a witch."

The cloaked figure's demeanor shifted as they started to avoid eye contact, a faint frown forming on their concealed countenance. It was midnight, and the darkness enveloped them as they stood there, hidden beneath the thick, enveloping cloak. Perdita's head tilted to the side, the dim light casting shadows across her face as she asked, "What, what is it?" Her intense gaze narrowed with interest, revealing her profound curiosity.

The mysterious figure hesitated, avoiding eye contact and almost appearing scared as they whispered, "Don't trust her."

A tense silence enveloped the area. "Why...?" Perdita's voice wavered as she spoke.

The figure, tall and cloaked in mystery, leaned in and whispered, "They aren't good, you know. Want to hear a fun fact? Her name means 'belonging to the night.' She is the Moon Witch, seemingly kind but dangerously manipulative. She will deceive and lead you to failure."

Perdita, with a doubt evident in her expression, inquired, "How can you be so certain?"

The imposing figure confidently replied, "I just am. She has deceived countless children, men, and women. She's not to be trusted. Her sole concern is reclaiming Lyra's pen."

Perdita fell silent as she glanced down and noticed the pen she held, still stained with blood. A faint frown appeared on her face as she tightened her grip on the pen.

The mysterious figure fixed their gaze on Perdita's hand holding the pen and remarked, "You are the one she's after because you possess the pen. Am I mistaken?"

Perdita's emotions betrayed her unwavering determination, overshadowing any hint of sadness. As her eyes flashed with rage, she locked gazes with the figure and declared with conviction, "Yes, I do possess the pen." she responded as her gaze wasn't on the figure anymore.

The figure nodded in acknowledgment and inquired, "I was right. May I ask... how did you possess such power? Lyra had considerable prowess; her pen is imbued with magic, you know. So, may I ask again, how did you come to possess the pen?"

Perdita hesitated briefly before responding, "My sister gave it to me... or 'Lyra'... I'm still confused by that. But one thing is certain – I will not allow Lillith or Soleil to gain control of the pen."

A subtle smirk materialized on the tall figure's face, relishing Perdita's unyielding determination. "You're quite resolute, aren't you?"

"Why wouldn't I be?" she responded with an annoyed tone, her voice carrying a subtle edge of danger. Slowly, she turned to face the mysterious figure, her eyes narrowing with a dangerous intensity that seemed to pierce through the darkness.

The figure chuckled softly, the sound echoing hollowly in the still night. They appeared unafraid of Perdita's menacing glare, perhaps because they knew that Perdita's rage was not directed at them, but at Lillith.

Meanwhile, Lillith found herself back in the familiar forest, bathed in the tranquil glow of the moon. She was humming softly, immersed in the ancient contents of her spellbook. As she delved into her studies, her familiar, a raven named Ink, stealthily crept up on her and perched on her shoulder. Lillith acknowledged Ink's presence with a warm smile, saying, "Ah, Ink! Just in time. I need you to spy on a specific someone..."

The raven tilted its head and let out a soft caw, seemingly inquisitive about the target of its surveillance.

"Perdita," Lillith answered. "I need that pen."

The raven, also known as 'Ink', responded with a proud caw before flying off to find Perdita. Eventually, they found Perdita talking to a mysterious figure. The raven perched on a branch, trying to appear like a normal bird, but in reality, they were collecting information. After gathering what they needed, they attempted to steal the pen from Perdita's hand and then flew off.

Perdita and the cloaked figure noticed a bird and immediately started chasing after it, eventually leading them to Lillith.

Lillith put on a fake warm smile, unaware that Perdita knew the truth. She said, "Oh my stars! You're back! I'm so sorry, I had to do something. I completely left you! I'm so glad you're okay, Perdita."

Perdita sighed, staring at Lillith with a dangerous glare, and then turning their gaze away from her. They demanded, "Give me the pen back, moon witch."

Lillith's brows raised as she cleared her throat, clearly shocked. She spoke, "What..?"

Perdita met eyes with Lillith, her face clearly dangerous as she spoke, "I asked for my pen back."

Lillith narrowed her eyes. "So you know the truth, who told you-"

Lillith cut herself off as she noticed the tall cloaked figure and scoffed. "Blood moon."

The tall cloaked figure chuckled softly. "The one and only, moon witch."

Perdita was still glaring at Lillith, pure anger in her eyes.