Witches at war

Three

A week passed without any interference from the nearby wolf pack. Jack, Kris and Max hadn't appeared before me again, making me feel like I was not classified as a concern to them.

My sleepless nights had yet to pay off and my progress was slow. Between working during the day and using up all my magical energy at night, my body was beginning to weaken.

I decided to use my first day off to go shopping, in the hopes that I could find the ingredients to make a simple witches meal to regain my strength.

The supermarket was a little further away than the cafe, but I still chose to walk. I'd learnt about the modes of transport in the first plane, but having never used them I was unsure what the proper steps were. It felt easier to just walk places as I did back on our plane.

Passing unfamiliar houses and shops felt oddly relaxing. Having spent all my time exploring the isolated areas of Blue Hill, it felt good to see the inhabited sections. The sun was far brighter than I was used to and the town seemed to glow in the sunshine. The greenery was beautiful and the architecture was stunning.

Arriving at the supermarket was a relief. The heat was reaching its peak and, since I wasn't used to it, I was beginning to feel faint. Walking inside the store was like a slap in the face. The cold air was a juxtaposition to the heat bearing down outside and I was amazed at how significant the difference was.

Giving myself a minute to cool down, I soon made my way around the large shop. Seeing such a grand display of foods and products was strange as I was used to small markets and home grown foods. The more I looked around, the more I became unsure about what I should buy.

I took my time, picking up any products that seemed to resemble foods I was used to. I ended up with lots of human herbs, since witches used herbs in regenerating drinks and soups, although I wasn't sure how effective they were going to be. Adapting to another lifestyle was difficult, especially when there was no one around to help me understand their culture.

I couldn't just ask someone what 'Pringles' were, or in what circumstance 'Thyme' was used. I'd be caught out as a witch almost immediately. Instead, I had to use trial and error. With a metal basket of various random products in my hand, I walked slowly towards the front of the shop. Before I made it towards the tills, a voice called my name.

I turned around to see Kris stalking towards me, with Max, Jack and another girl I didn't recognise. My heart rate picked up, the nervousness of being surrounded by such powerful wolves coming back to me. Although they had seemed to deem me as non-threatening, I would always be worried that they would discover my true identity.

"Hello," I said with a smile, waving at the approaching group. Kris reached me first, smiling widely with an unusual amount of enthusiasm. The unfamiliar girl was close behind her, a frustrated look on her face. I couldn't tell whether the look was directed at me or not. Jack and Max seemed to be less bothered about my presence, at least they weren't showing much interest. However, Jack's eyes were as curious as they always were when they looked at me.

I didn't know if his curiosity was personal or pack related, but either way, it made me more nervous.Trying my best to avoid Jack's eyes, I focused my attention on Kris. "It's good to see you again," The tall girl started, "Oh. This is my girlfriend, Tia," Kris said, motioning towards the girl I hadn't met before. Tia was shorter than Kris, with darker skin and brown hair and eyes. She was very pretty, but the look in her eyes seemed to be warning me against getting on her bad side.

They must be soulmates, I thought, that would explain the jealousy. Soulmates were common among many species, werewolves being the ones with the most intense mating bond. Two people, made for each other and destined to be with each other for the rest of their lives. Witches didn't often have mates, since our bond of sisterhood was meant to outweigh any other, however there were cases of witches being the soulmate to a member of a different species.