The Witching Hour

Chapter 20 - Gray

The Pentacle scrambled. Ella called upon the flames, but they reappeared without her calling to them. Another whoosh came by, closer this time. Cassie attempted to continue knowing she had very little time left. The assailant ramped up its attack. The wind the attacker produced almost caused the Pentacle to release their hold on one another. Marina gripped tighter until her knuckles turned white. Ivy tried to stay as strong, but the power from the outside figures made it hard to stay seated. She felt like she would fall at any moment. Cassie's face disappeared before reappearing dimly.

"Be...car—council—betrayal—trust each—help..." The pain in her last word echoed long after her face faded for good this time.

"Cassie!" Marina screamed and lurched forward as her flame extinguished itself. The others weren't too far behind it. "Quick, sit down. We can still get her."

They tried despite the onslaught of their current foe. Winds whipped around them, causing the materials to shudder with each passing swipe. The only thing protecting the Pentacle was the salt circle. No matter how hard the witches focused, Cassie wouldn't reappear. Marina slammed her fist on the table. Ivy shot her a concerned look but didn't have time to be worried when the whole circle reverberated.

"What the fuck is going on?" Ella's eyes doubled in size.

"Stay within the salt. We'll be fine." Aura threw her hands out to prevent anyone from leaning over or exiting, much like a mother gathering her children behind her skirts.

A maniacal laugh sounded from deep within the forest before they began their onslaught again. The four witches held on to each as they hoped the salt would continue to stand strong. One wrong step outside of it, they weren't sure what would happen. The whooshing and the reverberating continued as the foes tried to rattle them.

A low growl sounded from behind the group. A figured leaped overhead, blurring due to its speed. A thud then tearing boomed through the trees. Something screamed, breaking the silence. The leaping figure had caught up to whatever made the whooshing sound. Shivering more so from fear than the cold, Ella gathered her bearings to light a single candle. Leaning over Aura's arm, Ella held it out in front of them illuminating what they least expected to find.

A wolf.

The gray canine padded toward them, its body looming before them. Blood covered its fur, the only evidence of a struggle. The animal didn't appear to be injured; the red liquid clearly belonged to the assailant. It locked eyes with the group, eventually landing on Ivy. She inhaled sharply at the intensity behind its irises. A tremor ran down her spine. The wolf cocked its head to the side and took a step forward.

"Don't you come any closer." Ella held her hand up ready to throw the fireball starting to form.

"Ella, wait." Ivy didn't look back as she raised a hand to block the threat. She took a step out of the salt circle despite the protests from the others.

Ivy approached the wolf slowly. It backed up at her advancement in the beginning but stopped when she put a hand out for reassurance. Vines wrapped themselves at her feet in an effort to beg her to retreat. They sensed the danger that she could not. Something deep within her very being knew the wolf meant them no harm. She felt it in the depths of her core.

When she stood a mere couple of feet from the beautiful beast, the vines had reached her stomach. All they did was to slow her down. Since she controlled them, they couldn't fully prevent her forward movement. However, that didn't mean the other witches would allow her to get closer and put herself in further danger. Aura called upon a gust of wind to pull her back, knocking her on her back.

The wolf bared its teeth and growled. His gaze focused not on the earth witch in front of him but those behind her. The canine took a defensive stance at her side. Her eyes locked onto its coat, imagining how soft it would feel under her fingers.