Witches (The Order)Revised

Chapter 1

Noch

"At this rate the hunt will be a failure." I muttered to myself as I trudged through the woods.

It's been a whole week now, and there still was nothing worth hunting in sight. I took a break from the seemingly endless walk to drink some water. On my travels there was no need to bring supplies like water skins or travel foods as it would all just hinder my movements when I hunt.

With a simple wave of my hand I reached into the earth and urged the dampness in the soil to concentrate to a gathering point and pull together to form water and then pull it up through the ground and to the surface, water gurgled from the earth forming a small pond at my feet, I drank the sweet nectar of filtered water from the ground and sighed happily. It was cool and sweet, untainted by pollutants.

Maybe it's time to give up and head home? The thought crossed my mind, but then I stopped myself. No, I can't leave here empty handed, how would that look if I wandered around the woods for 1 whole week and didn't find a lick of anything to hunt and bring back?

I got up and looked at my surroundings. The woods are lush and heavy and the smell of spring was in the air, the energy was flowing like it should and all was well with the world ... until something pricked my senses.

My muscles tensed, whatever it was, it wasn't friendly, not by a long shot, but as always I couldn't just leave it alone to wreak havoc. The others and I always come into these woods to hunt and gather supplies. If what I felt was a real threat, then anyone who would enter the woods might not ever return again.

So, of course I had to take care of it. It was a part of my responsibilities.

"What am I getting myself into this time?" I sighed out a puff of mist in surrender. I started to walk into the direction of the thing that I had sensed.

I kept my staff close by and ready for a fight. I stepped as quickly and quietly as possible over the fallen leaves and proceeded cautiously to what may or may not have been something deadly. I was hoping for the latter.

I continued to move closer to my target, inching closer and closer, trying not to make any loud sounds to alert anything to my presence. Then it just vanished ... I couldn't sense it anymore. Poof, gone.

A little miffed at the oddity, I kept on moving in the same direction with the hopes of finding something interesting. Over the rocks, around the trees, and into the edge of a small clearing in the midst of the forest.

Relief overcame me as I saw a little girl sitting on the boulder in the middle of the clearing instead of a beast or worse. I was so incredibly glad that it wasn't a wild beast. My wish was granted!

I broke through the edge of the clearing approaching the girl to share a good laugh with her at my predicament. I was getting closer until she saw me and then promptly slid off of the boulder and onto the ground, falling on her side as if she were utterly spent. I stopped for a second, blinking at her in surprise to her reaction. I hadn't even said anything yet.

With a frown I came fully into the clearing and upon closer inspection I saw that she had passed out and her breathing was shallow. She was covered almost from head to toe in cuts, bruises, blood and her aura was faint from weariness. She was clearly starving and dehydrated.

Her face and hands were smeared with blood and tears, the tears were hers, but the blood on her dress, hands and face I could already tell was not hers.

She'll die if I leave her like this. I sighed and scanned the area with my energy and my ears, gently probing the air currents with my magic to seek out any big movements. It appeared clear enough, and if I don't treat her here she won't last long at all.