Witchhazel Academy

The Beast

Lavina slipped into a bench by the table where her friends always sit at. Except there was nobody there. They'd disappeared, like Sonya. Kids streamed in and out, talking and sauntering with each other while their trays held beautifully made food. Maybe they got caught up in class. She gritted her teeth, knowing well that that wasn't the truth. She bit into her moist, succulent waffles, the taste of chocolate swarming her taste buds, however she felt nothing and they were tough to chew.
Numbness overwhelmed her, first from the tips of her fingers and all the way down to her heart. Breakfast had silenced all around her. Everyone was as solemn as she was. Suddenly she saw a streak of red hair, and Sonya popped up from a hoard of girls. She ran to Lavina, eyes widened with worry. "Where were you?", Lavina asked. "I-I thought I was going to Pyromancy and then this thing just came up and- come with me!", she exclaimed, gripping her wrist.
Running out of the halls, she realized they were heading toward the Enchanted Garden. Sonya continued to run, but Lavina was cautious. She was aware of the traps planted here and there, and so was Sonya. A Venus flytrap snapped its jaws, salivating and growling, at Lavina, who flinched in shock. Vines twirled up their legs, but burnt to crisps once they'd touched Sonya. Lavina gasped.
Sonya's hair was flaming at the tips, anger swirling color from her eyes. The luscious blades of grass writhed and withered at her slow footfall, burning a path of footprints into the soil, as Lavina followed cautiously. Soon, after pushing past bushes and nearly avoiding death, Sonya's hair went flat and she glanced around. Only when she did that did the most peculiar creature step forth.
It was most definitely a she-wolf, as their signature crescent moon was on her shoulder. However she was much bigger, and much more feral. Blood stained her obsidian lips as her yellow eyes radiated wisdom and a leader's prowess, alongside cruelty and anguish. "This thing took Ernie! We always meet up after History of Magic, but I didn't see him at all. I only found this out by fishing his bag out of a pool of tar and I knew who took him.", she growled, fingers displaying talon like fingernails. Lavina remembered reading about this she-wolf.
She fed the first Necromancers.
She aided them, gave them power, and now, here she was, in the Enchanted Garden's depths. She was silent, quietly studying the two girls at her side and suddenly laid down, whimpering, as her eyes met Lavina's.
A great storm approaches you, Sorcerer.
Lavina flinched at her, eyes widening as Sonya hurried past her, concerned about Ernie's wellbeing.
I am not your enemy, I am not your ally. It'd be smart for you to heed my warning.
Sonya later emerged with a frightened Ernest. He looked distant and listless as he anxiously ran his fingers through his hair. "Ernie, calm down.", Sonya soothed. "I can't! Mel's gone!", he screeched. Ice reinforced his finger tips as he struck at the she-wolf's chest.
She howled, the entire forest rippling like water, as darkness and blood laced each and every plant. "You fool! Do you not know who I am?!" Her mouth didn't move to match the words, only gaped open to reveal sickening fangs and a disgusting, rancid breath. Ernest stepped back, alarmed, yet he stood his ground. "Where's Mel?!", he demanded. The she-wolf smiled a wicked smile. "You thought I'd let some rodent live in MY garden?" She laughed, "He's in the pits of my stomach!" Cackling, with a puff of black dust, she dissipated.
"No!"
Ernest flopped to the darkened earth with a thud. "He can't be dead!", he cried. "Guys?"
Lavina whipped around to face Thorne, her hair and clothes decorated with rotting leaves and brambles. "What's going on?", she asked softly, eyes widened to the extent. "His rat's dead. A she-wolf ate him and-"
Before she could finish, Headmistress Wrathmore, Professor Marley, and Esther approached behind Thorne. "That she-wolf's name is Fenrir.", Wrathmore answered, "And she was the keeper of this garden. Now it's befallen a terrible calamity all because of your meddling!" Furious, she gripped Lavina by the arm and escorted her towards the school.
Sonya and a trembling Ernest behind her, Thorne tried to placate him, but his icy glare worsened and he slapped her embrace away. Thorne, hurt and betrayed, sped up towards Lavina and sighed, "I doubt he's going to get over this. I mean, it was just a rat!" "True, but Mel meant a lot to him.", Lavina replied, suddenly saddened. Ernest was always a gentle soul, however now he seemed like those Frost Giants thriving in frozen clouds above the sky. They walked up a never ending spiral in a spire that probably lead to Wrathmore's office. But instead, two gargoyles shoved them in a large containment unit and snickered.
"Watch out!", one of them rasped, "Now you're in for it for real!" The second laughed with him as he locked the cage. Thorne and Esther were speaking with Marley and Wrathmore in hushed voices.
Marley's beady eyes glared at the delinquents. Wrathmore was tense and furious. They left into a dark doorway and shut it behind them.
"Great. Now we're stuck here without food and water! All because of a rat!", Lavina exclaimed. She persistently head butted the bars as Ernest was stifling multiple sobs. "That's a bit rude! Mel was very important to Ernie.", Sonya hissed.
"More than that!", Ernie croaked, "He was my familiar!"
Lavina's heart dropped, "You had a familiar? But they give it to us at school. How?" Ernest gave her an angry glare, "Why do you care? After all, Mel was just a rat to you anyway." She turned away, scowling, and sighed. Because of Ernest they got in trouble. They went through all that and he misses his rat the most. "How did Fenrir even kidnap you? She was confined to the Garden.", Sonya asked, bewildered.
"She didn't. I went myself because Mel said something was wrong in the Garden and Fenrir wouldn't let us escape until you guys came."
"And you just went there carelessly? Over the opinion of a rat?", Lavina seethed. Sonya's eyes widened as Ernest rose to his feet. "He was MORE than just a rat, you imbecile! He was my familiar, and his senses were very strong!", Ernest protested. "But what could you have done against FENRIR?! Instead of telling your professor, you went and let your rat die!", Lavina screamed.
"Shut up! I didn't let him die! I didn't even know he was dead until a few moments ago!", he retaliated. "Guys stop-" Before Sonya could intercept the quarreling two, Lavina made sand appear out of nowhere and drown out Ernest's body in a lethal sand storm. "LAVINA! WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!", Sonya screeched. "I DON'T KNOW!", Lavina cried. The entire cell was being filled to the brim with piercing sand minerals.
Until the entire vicinity was delved in a blue sheet of thick ice.
The ice student emerged, coughing, as, with a snap, he shattered the ice and the sand was no more.
"You're not who I thought you were."