Chapter 3

• Rue
• "Rue! Do not stray too far, remember tonight is the full moon. The wolves will be out, do not forget they hate half-breeds, especially witches even though you are only a half." Mother warned as she mixed the liquid in the cauldron with a green aura before her.
• Her hands were frantic as she mixed up the herbs. Her red hair was set in a bun with several loose tendrils plastering on her forehead. I hated to see her this busy so I must find the last ingredient for her as soon as possible.
• I rolled my eyes in irritation. "Aye, mother I know of the dangers lurking in the woods. You seem to forget that even though I am only eight, I can still hold up someone twice my weight. "
• Mother did not know this yet but I had been practicing spells since I was seven. I was well educated in everything considering witchcraft. I also knew how to make potions and use the deadliest ones when necessary.
• She nodded, sweeping the back of her hand against her sweaty forehead. "Very well then, you can go ahead. But be back before sunset. Your father will be back then and he will not be pleased to know that you have gone out while he was away. You know how protective he is." She laughed while throwing some white dust in the cauldron. It emitted the sound of dried leaves being licked by fire.
• I nodded. "I will be back before Father even knows I was out," I promised while putting in some powerful potions inside my satchel. They were for fear that I would run into vicious wolves on the way or worse, rogues.
• I had been treading through the woods for what felt like hours. I was careful to not let any dirt ruin my pretty green dress. I hated to be a dirty girl. Aye, I was blessed and beautiful, there was no denying it.
• On the way, I had collected enough herbs to make healing and toxic potions. I had a tendency to experiment with some special herbs. I was always curious as to what I could create, whether it was toxic or healing.
• Being a half-wolf helped me with my senses. I was always amazed at how I could smell a plant that was toxic five minutes away. I could also hear the running of wild animals or the cry of crows high above my head louder than a normal witch or werewolf.
• The sound of running water was louder than the scampering animals in the forest. The trees were lusher and greener than those close to my home. I must've entered another territory. I was far from home, this much I could tell.
• It doesn't matter, no one will dare lay a finger on me. If they do and ruin my dress, I'll cast a spell to melt their eyes.
• I ambled on, intrigued to know where the sound of rushing water was coming from. My booted feet stepped on curled-up brown leaves half embedded into the damp earth.
• I heard the crisp snap of dry twigs underneath my boots as I followed the sound of running water. It was calming and there must be something else. I did not know what exactly it was, but I felt the need to find it.
• I could see it now through the dense trees. A waterfall! One so beautiful that it couldn't possibly be real. But as I stepped towards it, and dipped my fingers into the cool clear water, I knew it was real.
• I felt a surreal power, tickling my fingertips and running up my arm. This water was not normal. Aye, it was real, but it was magical! I looked at my reflection in the water, watching my violet turn lighter than usual. My icy blonde hair swept back.
• My lips parted when what resembled glowing tiny orbs circled around the tips of my fingers that were in the water. They were white at first but later it changed into something golden.
• The gold orbs emerged together and what looked like a glowing gold flower floated to the surface. It was beautiful and I could feel its power. I had never felt such magic before.
• It felt like my hands had a mind of its own because my fingers automatically dug into my satchel and pulled out an empty potion bottle. The flower was the size of a fingernail, tiny, and could easily fit inside the bottle.
• Somehow, I knew I was supposed to take it. Without much thought, I dipped the bottle into the water and captured the flower along with the water. Whatever it was, I knew it was something out of this world.
• I pushed the cork into the bottle to seal it and lifted it to stare at the glowing gold flower. It looked like a lotus of some sort but it definitely was not just that. I stood up and pushed the bottle into my satchel. As I had done so the most shocking thing happened.
• What was once a waterfall was now a dry patch of grass.
• I stood frozen, staring at the patch of dry grass where the waterfall had been moments before. My heart raced—where had it gone?
• Then, a rustle in the trees snapped me out of my daze. I turned quickly, sensing something was wrong.
• The full moon!
• But it was too late for me to realize that the full moon hung above, casting its cold light through the dense trees, turning the forest into a shadowed maze. A strange stillness filled the air, broken only by the distant rustling of leaves.
• Mother’s warning echoed in her mind: The wolves will be out tonight. Do not stray too far... they hate half-breeds, especially witches. The weight of the words pressed on my chest, making every crack of twigs, and every whisper of wind feel like a threat.
• Then, I heard it with my wolf’s senses.
• A whisper-like cry tore through the silence—pain-filled, desperate. A boy’s voice. My heart stopped, a chill running down my spine. Was it a trap? Were the wolves already closing in on me?
• But even as fear gripped me, something inside me stirred—an urge, a need to help the boy. I couldn’t just turn away.
• I stepped forward, my pulse racing, knowing full well I was walking straight into danger.