Gods School Book One: Into the Forest

Into the Cottage

Soon enough, the girls had found a cottage. While Elisha was not usually someone who went into strange houses in the woods, the smells inside were so tantalizing. Mmmmmmm. So good. Gotta have more. But, when she entered the cottage, she saw a young woman stirring at the flames. Not the pot. The flames. And as she did, she hummed this song: "Grow baby, glow baby fire of mine. Make a soup most sublime. Give it flavor from the hearth and love from the smell. And oh baby, no baby. The fun ain't happenin' yet. The fire gonna scorch the Mint and... fry the blueberry. And oh this food is, oh super good it's scary. Oh, baby, grow, grow, grow. I love you, don't ya know, know, know. So just Grow baby, glow baby fire of mine."

She had sung this three times over when Elisha stepped in and asked for a bite.

"Why yes dear girl. I am Konohana Sakuya Hime no Mikoto but many merely call me Kamuatatsu hime. I prefer Aunty Konohana. How much soup?"

"2 bowls."

"Hungry?"

"Oh no! I have a friend with me." And with that, Royoko stepped off the doorframe.

"Ah. Hello. Do you want me to fix you some water as well?"

"Oh yes!"

Both girls eagerly devoured their soup and asked her secret.

"I stir up a soup fit for a king's delicious mouth without any hate. I sing to the fire, urging it to swim the soup. In order to do so, I sing this song: Grow baby, glow baby fire of mine. Make a soup most sublime. Give it flavor from the hearth and love from the smell. And oh baby, no baby. The fun ain't happenin' yet. The fire gonna scorch the Mint and... fry the blueberry. And oh this food is, oh super good it's scary. Oh, baby, grow, grow, grow. I love you, don't ya know, know, know. So just Grow baby, glow baby fire of mine." Aunty Konohana smiled and refilled their bowls. "What do you think of the song?"

"Simply splendid. More soup?"

She refilled the bowl. "My pets love to feed my little friends."

"Pets?"

"Ah, yes. The woods are my friends, my friend, the animals in the garden are my pets. I ask them and they help. I can have half a forest worth of plants in a minute." she smiled "Let the garden grow, let the winds blow, let the water flow and the fire GLOW." she looked about and some animals came over and smiled as much as an animal can smile. "Get me a broth of honey, honey, honey. This soup is not gonna be funny, funny, funny." And the animals ran off.

Soon the animals came back and she sprinkled the herbs into the soup. She poured the drink over the bowls and they fell in. Aunty Konohana happily served up the bowls. Soon the girls couldn't eat another bite if they tried.

"Oh, my young ones! Come. Aunty Konohana has a bedroom."

"Nah. We'll sleep outside," said Royoko instantly. Royoko hustled both of them out.

"What," asked Elisha. "was that for."

"I know of her. She set her house on flire to prove her kids were kids of a spirit. I heard from a friend she still burns her house at night in order to prove she was correct."

Suddenly the sun went down and the house burst into flames.

"See."

Elisha didn't answer cause she had fainted.

Almost as soon as she woke up the next morning, Elisha went to the no longer burning house and asked for some morning porridge from Aunty Konohana.

"Why of course dear! I hope the flames didn't scare you too much. I'm not used to visitors."

"Let's just say I had plenty of sleep." They both chuckled.

Once Elisha was on her second bowl, she asked ere Royoko was.

"She is still asleep.," said Aunty Konohana mildly.

So Elisha left to find Royoko. To her shock, Royko was awake and packing. "Wanna come inside? Porridge is ready."

"No."

"Why?"

"I had enough when we finished supper. I was going to tell you we leave at dawn but you were asleep."

"Come. In. And. Have. Some. Porridge." said Elisha forcefully.

"Okay, okay."

Aunty Konohana was waiting for them and gave Royoko a full bowl of porridge. As Royoko dug in Elisha could see the look of amazement on her friend's face. "Wow. This is so good."

"Told ya."

"Yes, you did." The two girls chuckled.

As they got ready to leave, They smeared some honey over a leaf of Minsheng and gave it to Aunty Konohana. "Put it in your freezer for a year and a day and it will freeze into a sculpture."

"Thank you!"

The girl laughed as they left, feeling better then they had in ages.

"You know," said Elisha. "I am glad we stopped. We had two nice meals and a comfortable sitting area."

"Fire." was all Royoko said.

"Right. The whole fire and animals thing."

"Mmmhmm."

Elisha just rolled her eyes. "Whatever."

"Laugh all you want, but I warn you, you will not be happy when you get burned."

"I'm to smart to get burned."

"Mmmm."

"Ha ha ha."