WWotWW - Chapter 26 - Last minute checks (Patreon)

“Here you go, girls. I know it doesn’t look like much, but it should keep you going for a week or two,” Harmony declared as she handed me a heavy leather satchel. “Are you sure you need to leave today? If you gave me a little more time, I could cook you up some better trail food.”

I flipped open the flap and peeked inside to find a good selection of different dried meats, nuts, fruits, and trail bread. “Well, I’d like to take you up on that offer, but our guests appear to be in a rush,” I said, nodding towards Plays, who was standing at the entrance to the village talking to the spirit. 

“Don’t worry, Harmony, this is more than sufficient for our trip. Zoey and I can always hunt for small game and collect berries if the trip takes longer than expected. Thank you,” Clara said, taking the satchel from me and throwing it over her shoulder. 

“Well… you’re welcome,” Harmony replied. “You two take care of those girls, you hear me? They may seem to be in high spirits now, but they just spent who knows how long in captivity. You can see how skinny they area, and all the scars they have on their arms and legs, but what you can’t see is the trauma. They went through a lot, and although they’re all smiles now, who knows what might set them off. You keep an eye on them, got it?”

“Yes, Ma’am,” I replied seriously.

“Good. Now then, safe travels, you two. Don’t worry about the coven, we’ll handle things here, just focus on your charges for now,” Harmony said. “We’ll see you in a few days.”

“Thanks, Harmony, stay safe,” Clara said, stepping in to give the woman a hug. I stepped back, awkwardly, and just gave the woman a friendly wave. I was beginning to feel comfortable around the members of the coven, but not that comfortable.

While Clara said her goodbyes to a couple of other Coven members, I wandered over to where the girls were waiting. “How are you girls feeling? Ready to go?”

“Ummm… I think so,” Mary said, shifting uncomfortably. 

“What’s the matter? You were all gun-ho yesterday. Why are you so nervous now?” I asked.

“Oh, don’t get me wrong, Plays has told me a lot about her people, and I’m excited to visit them. It’s just… I haven’t had much horse-riding experience. I’ve taken short trips before, but I’ve never been,” she muttered. 

“That’s nothing to be ashamed of. A lot of people prefer to use carriages or trains these days, so not everyone is taught,” I told her. “It’s pretty easy once you get into the saddle, just try to relax, and if you feel unsteady, hold onto the saddle horn.”

“The saddle horn, not the reins?” she asked, confused. 

“Oh, you’ll need to hold onto the reins too, but if you use them for balance, it’ll confuse the horse. Since we’re travelling as a group, your horse should instinctively follow the rest of the group. If you ever feel the horse is moving too fast, or you feel unsafe, pull back on the reins and call to either Clara or me. We’ll take things slow until you feel more sure of yourself, okay?” I said.

“Okay,” she replied, giving me a shy smile. 

I patted Mary on the head, then turned towards Plays. The other girl watched me out of the corner of her eye, but never turned towards me. Instead, she just continued her conversation with the spirit. 

The wolf, on the other hand, stared directly at me. Even though I knew the thing wasn’t a threat, I found the thing unsettling. Its eyes were far too intelligent; it was like it was constantly judging me.

Kaylee jumped up onto my shoulder and joined me in staring at the spirit before letting out a low. “Muuuurrrrrr….”

“I know you’re worried. I don’t think it’ll do anything during the trip, but if you’re worried just stick close to me,” I whispered, giving her a quick scratch. 

“Okay, I’ve finished saying my goodbyes. Is everyone ready to leave?” Clara asked as she walked back to our little group.

“Yeah. I’ve saddled up the horses and stowed most of our supplies,” I replied, finally turning away from the spirit. You might want to check your own tack, though.”

“I’ll do that,” she replied, slipping a small bag off her shoulder. “Oliva wanted me to give you this.”

I hesitantly accepted the bag, holding it at arm's length as I checked inside. “What is it?”

“Scrying crystals. We give them to everyone who leaves the coven grounds,” Clara explained. “If you inject them with a little magic you can send a short message to other people, but if you can’t, you can still hold them up, rotate on the spot, and they’ll light up when they’re lined up with another crystal.” She paused and looked over at me. “You didn’t use them at your old coven?”

“We had talismans that performed a similar purpose, but they were far more intricate,” I replied. 

“Really? That seems like a waste for a disposable charm,” Clara muttered as she ducked down and tugged at the saddle straps. 

“Yeah, well, that’s because they weren’t disposable. They were re-usable, as long as you recharged them every couple of weeks,” I replied. “Guess that’s just another thing my old coven did differently. Why are there so many?” I asked, pouring a couple of crystals into my hand.

“One for you and the girls, as well as one for each of the horses,” Clara explained. “Our horses may be well trained, but if we somehow get separated from them, we’ll definitely want a way to track them down again.”

Kaylee reached down towards the crystals and started batting the air because she couldn’t reach them. “Mow!”

“You don’t need one. I can sense you wherever you go,” I told her. 

“Merrrroooow!” she immediately replied.

“I don’t care how pretty you think they are. They’re magical tools, not toys,” I grumbled. 

The cat settled back onto my shoulder and just stared into the side of my head as I walked over to Nightmare so I could affix one of the small pendants to her bridle. As I continued down the line, attaching a pendant to both Mary and Plays horses, the cat continued to stare. 

“Fine! You can have one if there’s any left over. Happy?” I exclaimed once I was done. Even though the cat had only been staring at me for a minute or so, I knew she wouldn’t stop until I gave in.

“You shouldn’t spoil your pets,” Mary giggled as I stepped over to where the girls were. 

“Yeah, well, she’s not a pet, she’s my familiar,” I muttered, handing her a pair of pendants.

“What’s the difference?” Mary asked, cocking her head to the side. 

“Familars are pseudo magical creatures that bond with witches. They’re far more intelligent,” I glanced at the cat lounging on my shoulder. “And occasionally annoying than a traditional pet.”

“Psudo magical? What’s that” the girl asked.

“It means they can’t naturally cast magic, but when bonded with a witch or another magical, they can occasionally borrow their contractor’s powers,” I explained. “At least, that’s what I learned out east. I’m sure if you asked Clara she’d use different terms, and a slightly different explanation. It seems like there’s quite a difference between my old coven, and this one.”

With my explanation finished I gestured at the pendants in Mary’s hand. “Please give one of those to Plays, and ask her to put it on and not take it off until we get to her village. That goes for you, too.”

I waited patiently for her to do what I asked, then stepped over to her horse. “Alright? Everyone ready to go? Anyone need to pee?” 

“I’m not a toddler,” Mary exclaimed, blushing. “I’ve already done everything I need to prepare.”

“All right, all right,” I said, holding up my hands. “I was only joking.” I paused for a moment, then gestured to the horse. “Do you want a boost?”

Mary blushed even deeper and looked away. “Yes, please,” she muttered.

I gave her a gentle smile, then effortlessly lifted the girl up into the saddle. She was far too light for a girl her age, so I made a mental note to pay attention to what she ate.

Plays and Clara had already climbed into their saddles, so I stepped over to Nightmare. 

“Alright, everyone set?” Clara asked, receiving a nod from Mary and a curious look from Plays. “In that case, we’re off. Keep your eyes out for anything strange, and let either Zoey or me know if you have any problems. We want to make good time, but we also don’t want to take any unnecessary risks. Slow and steady, got it?”

“Got it!” Mary repeated excitedly.

“Alright then,” I said, gently pulling Nightmare’s reins so she’d turn towards the town’s exit. “Let’s go.”