The first witches

The start of winter

5 months on from when the seven children had their tenth name day ceremony and gained their spirit animals. So far all life in the village was peaceful like every other day. But as the months went on, so did the seasons and now everyone is preparing their last finishing touches for winter as the storms and cold air approach quickly. But as winter was coming, so was something else.

"Papa is this going to be enough wood to last us all of winter?" Cylus asked as he loaded the wood onto a big stack of logs in the barn which was attached to the hut. "Maybe we should get some more just in case." Cylus' father replied as he loaded the last of the wood onto the stack. "Ok, do want me to help or would you like we to get the barn ready for the animals?" Cylus asked as he bashed off the dirt and wood dust of his clothes. "Um.... yeah get the barn ready for the animals. I should be alright." Cylus' father replied as he picks up the rope for the sled. "Ok papa! Would you like me to make sure the walls a strong enough to keep them apart, so there's no fighting and so they're not on top of one either?" Cylus said as he grabbed a wooden hammer and a saw. "Yes. That would be great." Cylus' father said as he opened the barn door and pulled the sled out. "Ok just be back soon. Mamma is making rabbit stew!" Cylus Yelled out as his father slowly closed the door. "I will!" Cylus' father said as he closed the door and walked away with his sled.

Cylus put the fences up in the barn and put the gates back together and joined them up onto the fences. He then grabbed some straw and hay, and started to spread it out over the ground. "Hopefully that's enough to keep them warm in the cold." Cylus said out loud as he picked up the wooden hammer and saw, and then put them inside a chest where his father kept all his tools. Cylus then opened the doors to allow the animals to come in. He herded up the six sheep and pulled in the three cows. He then chased after the chickens around the chicken pen until he collected up all ten and then he brought in the two groats. And the dragged in the horse. He made sure they were all in their selected pens in the barn. With the cows in one pen. The sheep in one. The groats in another, the horse in another and the chickens in the roof where they sleep anyway.

"It's starting to get dark, I wonder where father is." Cylus said as he locked up the barn and went inside the hut. "What was that Cylus?" His mother asked as she stirred the stew. "Oh I just was wondering where father is because he said he was going to get some more wood." Cylus replied as he sat down at the table. "Your father will be back he probably just forgot about the time." His mother said as she kept stirring the stew. "Yeah maybe." Cylus said with a worrying look on his face. "Don't be afraid he always comes back. Now can you pass me your bowl, the stew is ready!" His mother said as the scooped up a spoon full of the stew. "Here." Cylus said as he passed his mother a wooden bowl. "And could you pass me mine. We'll leave your fathers for when he gets back so it stays nice and hot for him!" She said as she handed back the bowl full of rabbit stew. "Smells great mamma!" Cylus said as he took a big sniff of the stew. "Well thank you Cylus. Shall we have blessing!" His mother said as she sat down at the table. "Sure." Cylus replied as he laid out his hands and closed his eyes. His mother held his hands and closed her eyes as she said "Dear ancestors, we gracefully accept this offer you give us. We only ask that you give my husband safe passage on his way home. And we ask that you give us a safe and quick winter so that we can produce more of Gaia's beautiful creatures! Amen!"

They both started slurping up the stew as they suddenly heard a bang at the door. "Hopefully that's father." Cylus said as he got up to open the door. His mother got up and put her hand around a handle of a sword just in case it was a raider or enemy. "Hello young man! Is your mother home?" The stranger asked as Cylus opened the door to reveal the strangers face. "Whose asking?" Cylus replied with a condescending look on his face. "I am norm. The blacksmith of the village!" The stranger grunted as he pushes opened the door. "This is important I must speak to her. It's about your father boy!" The man said as he pushed his way into the hut. "And why do you need to speak to me about my husband?" Cylus' mother said with a hint of attitude. "Because he's dead and your going to join him!" The man said as he pulled out his sword from his hood and aimed it at Cylus' mother. "Ahhh!" The man screamed as he charged at Cylus' mother. She then pulled out the sword she was holding and threw it over her shoulder into the mans head. "No one threatens me or my family!" She yelled as the mans body dropped to the floor. The sword falling out of the mans head slicing the head in half. "Who was he?" Cylus asked. "That Cylus is a raider from a nearby village who must be looking for supplies for winter. And if he had killed me he would have raped you because that the village enjoy raping children and enjoy killing women who are from other villages!" She said as she picked up the mans legs and dragged him outside. "But is it true that he killed father?" Cylus asked as he helped his mother with the body. "I have no idea, but he mostly likely didn't because if I could take him down that easily, then your father would of done it even easier!" She replied as they threw the body out into the cold night to leave it for wolf meat.

A few moments later as Cylus and his mother sat back down at the table. Cylus' father walked into the hut. "Sorry it took me so long. I just couldn't find any good wood, it's all moist or rotted." Cylus' father said as he sat down at the table. "That's ok, we left you some stew." Cylus' mother said as she served up his dinner. "Yeah mamma just killed a raider who tried to kill her and said he had already killed you!" Cylus said as he chewed on the rabbit meat. "I was wondering why there was a man out there with his head sliced in half!" Cylus' father replied. "Yeah she was very brave!" Cylus said as he chewed another piece of rabbit. "Yes but so were you." Cylus' mother said as she lifted up her bowl to drink the juice from the stew. "That's good to hear. That means your ready to learn how to fight but we will wait until after winter! We must save our energy for the cold!" Cylus' father said as he lifted up his bowl to drink the juices as well. "Cool papa. I won't let you down!" Cylus said as he Picked up another piece of rabbit. "I know you won't!" His father said as he looked him in the eye.

As the night grew darker and as the flame in the middle of the hut started to dim. Outside there was rain and lightning as well as loud thunder. Everyone's asleep except for Cylus who just lays there wondering how the rest of the world works with the rule of the demons. He thought about if there will ever be a way to just get rid of every last demon off of this world. So everyone can know peace and happiness not just the people of nytt håp. Then he thought to himself, 'what if he was the one to save the world with his Phoenix spirit animal' and then he realised it kinda made some sense because he was the only person to have a powerful creature as a spirit. Then he just stared at the roof of the hut until he fall asleep.

That's the end of this chapter. Thanks for reading it hope you enjoying the story so far. Soon we will learn how the witches got their special abilities.
Stay turned!

Cheers moonclaw