Mountain Witch

One For Sorrow.

Her head tilted back and her eyes traveled up, following the tall trees the surrounded her. It was too dark to make out the colours of the leaves or needles that covered their branches. Too dark to see the individual markings and channels that had covered the bark over the years. Too dark to differentiate between what was a shadow or a rock.

She turned slowly, her blue eyes looking for the one source of light there was in this endless shadow forest. She stopped her bare feet bringing dirt and leaves to a standstill beneath her. There it was, hanging in the night sky, impossibly large and full.

She smiled at the moon closing her eyes as it's glow gently caressed her face. A breeze blew through the woods, rustling the leaves, and the lose strands of brown hair that covered her shoulders.

Her eyes snapped open and she let out a shaky breath. The air turned white as it flowed past her lips, curling and spiraling upwards. It was cold. She watched as the moon started the rise. Fear and curiosity was mixed in her furrowed brow and her breathing quicked.

The shadows shortened, recoiling to the base of the trees as the moon moved across the sky. She pulled her eyes away from the moon and spun around. Her feet crushed leaves as she stumbled in a circle. She could see everything. The leaves, the rocks and sticks that littered the ground, the forest floor.

A silent scream escaped her mouth in another puff of vapor as her foot came down on a sharp rock, and her arms flailed wildly while she fell backwards. She lay on her back, staring wide eyed at the moon that hung directly above her like a giant glowing plate.

She stayed there. Gasping for breath. The forest had gone quiet and still. The breeze had all but died.

Suddenly from behind her there came a cry from a bird. She twisted on the ground to look over her shoulder, but barely caught sight of the source before it flew over her head. Looking back she gazed up.

It's black eyes stared down at her and the glow from the moon lit up its white belly, and the white feathers in it's wings. The magpies tail bounce up and down as if it had the jitters, or was about to take off. For a moment nothing happened.

Then it opened its beak.

A sound like nothing she had ever heard before echoed through the woods. Her hands flew up to her ears and she screamed in agony as it pierced her eardrums. The trees swayed as if hit with a large gust of wind, and the ground shook.

Tears streamed down her cheeks and she stared in fear at the bird. Its wings were raised above its head and it shook with convulsions. The magpies feathers lifted from its skin and started to glow a dull orange. The sound stopped and the bird burst into flames.

Once again it was quiet save for the sobs that tumbled from the girl's lips. She lowered her shaking hands and stared at the ashes that fluttered down through the air. It grew cold again, and she jumped to her feet. Her eyes glanced around the woods wildly and she whimpered as a chill ran down her back.

Then the moon turned red.

~~~~~~

Kira gasped sitting up in bed. Her skin was slick with sweat and she gasp for air. She reached her hands up shakily and ran them through her hair.

It was a dream. It had all been a dream.

Her right hand reached down to the pentacle necklace she wore around her neck. She rubbed it between her finger and thumb closing her eyes she asked for strength from the Goddess and God. Breathing in through her nose and out her mouth the slowed her breathing, then opened her eyes.

It was friday. A beautiful friday as long as the sun filtering through her curtains wasn't lying. She had to work, but then she had a long weekend to look forward too. That and maybe a few drinks.Throwing her blankets off she walked up to her window and pulled the curtains back.

She felt her blood run cold and her breath hitched in her throat as she looked out her second floor window.

There among the branches, its black eyes staring right at her, was a magpie.