Daughter of a Witch

Mothers Instinct

Westview had always been a place of quiet, tucked between sprawling woods and serene skies. But this morning, Agatha felt a shift in the air. It was subtle, a stirring beneath the usual hum of life-a cold, prickling sense that seeped through the town. Agatha knew her magic well and knew the shape and rhythm of Westview's energy, but this was a twisted, foreign presence, like a shadow looming just out of sight.

Agatha stood by the kitchen window, her fingers wrapped tightly around her mug of tea. The morning sunlight spilled through the glass, warming her face, but she couldn't shake the chill in her bones.

Behind her, soft footsteps padded into the room. "Cariño?" Rio's voice was low and careful, but there was an edge to it, a shared unease. She came up behind her wife, slipping her arms around Agatha's waist and resting her chin on her shoulder. "You feel it too, don't you?"

Agatha nodded, her gaze fixed outside. "There's something out there," she murmured, her voice taut with worry. "It's magic-but darker, twisted in a way I haven't sensed before."

Rio pressed her cheek to Agatha's shoulder, letting the steady heartbeat beneath her ear calm her own nerves. "Do we need to tell Y/n?" she asked softly.

Before Agatha could respond, Y/n came bounding into the kitchen. She had that gleam of excitement in her eyes, the one she always wore at the promise of a new adventure. She came up beside them, barely able to contain herself. "Mom, I felt something, too! There's something in Westview, and it's close!" Her words tumbled out, barely giving her mothers a chance to respond.

Agatha and Rio shared a look. Y/n's eagerness was familiar; Agatha had felt that same thrill of discovery in her youth. But this was different, and she wanted to protect her daughter from its reach.

"Y/n, listen," Agatha began, her tone gentle but firm. "Whatever's out there, it isn't a simple magical anomaly. This is dark magic, the kind that lingers."

Y/n's excitement dimmed slightly, but her resolve only seemed to deepen. "I know, Mom. But I can help! I'm not the same kid you had to protect from every spell gone wrong. I've been training. I can handle this."

Agatha sighed, glancing at Rio. Her own protective instincts flared, but Rio's expression softened, nodding in agreement with Agatha. They knew how capable Y/n had become, yet nothing could override their need to shield her from harm.

"We trust you, Y/n. But a mother's instinct is a powerful thing," Rio said, her voice warm but unyielding. "And right now, ours are telling us this is not something you should face."

Y/n looked at her moms, reading the determination in their eyes. She wanted to argue, to push her way into the fight that awaited, but the fierce protectiveness she saw made her pause. Her moms were more than just powerful witches-they were warriors, protectors, and the cornerstones of her world. As much as she wanted to prove herself, she couldn't bring herself to push them any further.

"Fine," she muttered, crossing her arms. "But you have to let me help if things get bad."

Agatha smiled, placing a gentle hand on her daughter's cheek. "Deal."

As evening fell, Westview's quiet streets darkened, the town's edges sinking into shadow as the sun disappeared beyond the trees. Agatha and Rio moved swiftly, their expressions sharp and determined, and every sense heightened as they approached the woods where the disturbance was strongest.

Y/n watched them from the edge of the yard, her heart pounding with a mix of pride and worry. She could see the fierce protectiveness in her mother's eyes, and despite her frustration, she knew they were right to be cautious.

"Stay here," Agatha had instructed her before they left, and though every fiber of her being wanted to join them, Y/n held her ground, watching as they ventured deeper into the trees.