Hunter and the Hart

Sorrows and Sparrows

I hadn't flown in a long time, and had forgotten how quickly I tired as a bird. I had been dropping to a forest below me, near the foothills of the Appalachian mountain range. A flock of sparrows flittered up to join me. I could see a vague shimmer from the ground to the sky, a beautiful iridescent green color. I knew that I had seen something like this before, but I couldn't place my finger on where. Or when. As I drew closer to the ground, I passed through it, the shimmering barrier tickling across my skin like carbonation in a soda. I closed my eyes, inwardly giggling as I enjoyed the feeling. I opened my eyes slowly, and felt a pain tear through my right wing, causing me to careen toward the ground at an alarming speed.

I managed to keep myself from a complete nosedive, and shifted at the tree level, knowing that a crash at that speed, in that form, would have killed me. I barely managed to keep myself from crashing headfirst into a tree, shifting into a small fox as I pulled myself into a nearby bush, my hurt paw pulled up to my chest.

"Mom, I think we caught an intruder!" The voice was male, roughly my age, and I curled further in on myself.

"Malcolm, what are you talking about?" An angry sounded woman stomped toward the young man, his biker boots barely visible through the roots.

"The barrier spell tripped." He said in a duh tone. "The coven set it up to automatically attack anyone who enters without the permission of the high priestess. So, in other words, unless you give someone permission, which you decided was a sigil they carry on their person, they can't enter the barrier without getting attacked." 

"I do not appreciate your tone, young man." I heard a soft rustling of fabric, and it reminded me of when mom would prop her hands on her hips. The thought sent a pang of grief through my chest as I slunk out of the bushes and into another, glancing over my shoulder. I froze at the sight of the two people in front of me. 

How did I not recognize them? I laughed inwardly, pulling myself behind another tree, making sure the coast was clear and nobody could see me before shifting back into my human form, stifling a scream as the damage from the barrier spell elongated, a deep gash running from my shoulder down to my elbow. 

After a few seconds of trying desperately to regulate my breathing, I stood up and walked out from behind the tree.

"Hey, Aunt Ava." I grimaced, holding my arm.

"Oh, ladyb--" She started.

"Holy shit! Your arm!" Malcolm bolted forward barely catching me as I lost my footing, tearing the hem of his shirt to wrap around my upper arm.

"Hey, cuz." I chuckled softly, my forehead falling against his shoulder as I struggled to stay conscious now that the adrenaline was wearing off. "Any chance you guys know any healing magic?"

He picked me up with a heavy sigh, carrying me bridal style toward the car he had parked on a path I hadn't noticed from the sky. "C'mon mom, we gotta get her to Sasha."

"I'll drive." She said, taking the keys from her pocket and jogging around the car while Malcolm held me in the back seat, doing his best to keep me from losing any more blood. I had still lost quite a lot, and kept fading in and out as he murmured soft encouragements into my ear. His voice quickly took a panicked edge as he jostled me slightly.

I could vaguely feel the car jolt, and the sensation of being carried again before a new voice cut in. One I hadn't heard before. I was too exhausted to pay any attention to what she was saying, and the plethora of herbs I could smell only deepened my desire for sleep. I never fully succumbed to the darkness, only lingering on that knife's edge of sleep and waking as the older woman's warm calloused hands went to work fixing the wound. Her voice was like warm honeyed tea, calm and relaxing, with a sweet undertone. 

It wasn't long before my eyes flickered open, flickering around the room in curiosity. 

"Back from the dead." The old woman cooed. "Not the first time I'll bet." She ran her hands over my head gently, the way a mother does to calm a child.

"You'd be right on the money." I laughed softly, feeling almost high from exhaustion and blood loss.

"Oh, honey. You have suffered quite a lot, haven't you? I can sense the pain, sweet child, though I am not the one who will heal the scars etched into your soul." She kissed my forehead softly. "You can call me Aunt Sasha, darling. Your mama probably never told you about me. I had a falling out with your gram a long time ago. Something foolish. Seemed much bigger at the time, but that's just how it goes."

"Nice to meet you." My words slurred slightly as I yawned, curling against her hand.

"Sleep now, Elissa Hart, we'll have plenty of time to talk once you wake up." I nodded slightly, succumbing to the sweet release of sleep almost as soon as she'd finished speaking.

The next time I opened my eyes, the windows led to full darkness, the scent of dried and burning herbs still hanging in the air. Malcolm was sleeping, in what could not have been a comfortable chair, beside me. I sat up and took the chance to take in the room. I had been lying on what looked like a wooden operating table, like those used in the middle ages, in a room that was full of different kinds of healing herbs. I could faintly hear Aunt Ava talking to Aunt Sasha. I kicked Malcolm in the shin and he jumped, glancing around like we were under attack, before settling a sleepy, completely unthreatening glower my way.

"Couldn't just say something to wake me up, no, you had to kick me." He stood up and stretched before helping me off the table and lending me his shoulder, half carrying me to the dining room. 

"Looks like our ladybug is finally awake." Aunt Ava smiled at me, and I had the urge to launch myself into her arms like I had always done as a child. "Feeling better, hon?"

I managed a half smile and nodded. "Better than I have in days, Aunty." I leaned over and kissed the side of her head before settling into the chair between her and Aunt Sasha. 

"How's your mama? I haven't heard from her in a while. Never were good at keeping in contact, either of us." She shook her head, smiling fondly. "I'm sorry I missed your big day, bug, but being leader of a coven is a lot more work than I had expected. How was it? I'm sure your mama planned a whole shebang for you sweet sixteen. Biggest day for any witch."

I felt my heart stutter, and it felt like a wave of ice slid through my veins. I stared wide eyed at my aunt, shaking my head softly. "You.....don't...know? You...you didn't feel it?" The words were a mere whisper, I couldn't trust my voice with anything louder. How did they not feel it? The feeling of something in your chest shattering, the hollow ache left behind. I stared unblinking, my breath coming in ragged pants, the edges of panic clawing at my gut.

"Know...what, Lissy?" Malcolm was the first to break the silence, his voice as uneven as I felt.

Aunt Sasha grabbed my hand, rubbing it encourgingly. "Tell us, dear. What happened?"

Aunt Ava nodded, swallowing harshly. The feeling of fear surrounding us seemed to increase with every breath I took trying to steady my voice.

"Everyone....." I felt the panic stab through me. I closed my eyes, forcing myself to take deep breaths. I knew this would hurt, the first time you say it out loud, it always hurts most. As the old song goes "the first cut is the deepest". 

"Take your time, ladybug." Aunt Ava tried for a smile, my own panic feeding into her own.

"Everyone else is dead." The words fell from my mouth like glass, pain searing through my throat, driving shards into the hearts of everyone around me. "And I need help finding the person responsible."