Wood Witch and the Bounty Hunter
Two
It wasn’t easy to live alone in the woods, but Flora made it work. It took three years to get the run down old cottage remotely livable, and it was still fighting against nature trying to swallow it alive. Although, Flora liked the creeping vines that climbed up the side of her house.
She could feel the storm approaching, so she had to make sure to do her foraging for the next few days early in the morning. Flora could only hope that the storm didn’t cause the roof to cave in again. She had a difficult time fixing it without going into town. She had a bad reputation there, and she liked to avoid it like the plague.
Flora used to live on the outskirts of Lionsdale. Not so much by choice, but because she had been placed there after her mentor, Master Louis Abbot, felt the people could use her skills in alchemy. She mostly used her potions for healing purposes, but she could do all kinds of creative concoctions. Unfortunately, that also meant she was blamed any time something went wrong. Whether or not it was her fault.
Her sister always told her she was too soft, but Flora opted to run away and hide in the woods instead of confront anyone. Well, her sort-of sister. Elise was the closest thing to family that Flora ever had. She and Flora had both been taken away from their birth families as children when their magical abilities became apparent, and were given to Master Louis for formal training. It was a difficult life of hard studies with no fun or love, but sometimes Flora and Elise could confide in each other if nothing else. They were often pitted to compete against each other, but they also had no one else. Flora had no idea where Elise was now. Maybe she could have moved in with Flora, and a life as a hermit in the woods wouldn’t have felt so lonely.
As Flora went to her garden behind the cottage, harvesting some fruits and vegetables for the next few days. She tried her best to cover and protect the garden from the storm, but she wasn’t sure how much luck she would have. As she set up some lightweight tarps, a small finch flew from Flora’s kitchen window to her shoulder.
“Oh, hello there, Chip,” she giggled, giving the finch a scratch with her finger. “You slept in a little late this morning, huh?”
The finch responded with an enthusiastic chitter and nestled itself under Flora’s dark hair. Sad as it was, Chip the finch was one of Flora’s only friends. He fit in the palm of her hand and was missing a toe, but ever since she had rescued him after he was attacked and broke a wing he refused to leave Flora’s side. She had made him a little next in the windowsill, where he liked to take long naps and peck at the seeds and fruits she would leave for him.
As expected, the storm hit hard. Flora could feel the entire cottage shake, and she knew the roof would need some repairs when things cleared up. She stayed in her bedroom and surrounded herself with candles to try and stay as calm as she could.
By morning, the rain had decreased to a light drizzle. She put on a cloak and walked outside to assess the damage, but was distracted by the sound of hooves approaching rapidly. She instinctively wanted to hide inside, but paused when she saw the horse burst out from the bushes. It had a saddle, but no rider.
She gasped when the horse nearly collided with her and reared back, but grabbed the reigns and tried her best to calm it down.
“You’re okay, girl,” Flora said softly. “Where’s your rider? Did you get caught in the storm?”
The horse tossed her head with a panicked stamp of her hooves, and Flora knew something was wrong. It was as if the horse wanted her help.
“Okay,” Flora said. “Take me where I need to be.” She was surprised that the horse so easily let her mount, but as soon as she was in place the horse took off running. Flora held on tightly and kept a lookout for the missing rider. The horse led her right to him, and Flora gasped softly when she saw the state the poor man was in. His face was covered in blood and he had clearly suffered a head injury.
She knelt down next to him and gently touched his head, then checked his arms and legs. No broken bones, but he had wolf bites and claw marks on his skin.
“Poor thing,” she sighed. “Okay. Let’s do this.”
She was about half the man’s size, but she was able to drag him to where the horse waited and sort of toss him over the horse like a sack of potatoes. It wasn’t graceful, but it was the best she could do.
She then walked the horse back to where her cottage was. The horse was still restless, but seemed to understand her rider was in good hands. Flora tied her reigns off with a promise to take care of the man, though he had to drag him unceremoniously into the house and sort of jerk him onto the couch. She rushed over to a cupboard and took one of her emergency potions first. It was a rapid healing solution that would heal his injuries in a day, but it would exhaust him. She didn’t mind hosting a visitor, as long as she knew he would be okay.
She poured the potion into his mouth, then held his nose and mouth closed so he was forced to swallow. Right away, his breathing was less labored. By the time he woke up in a couple hours, he would see that his cuts were already in the final stages of healing but his energy levels would be drained.
Until then, Flora took to the kitchen to get started on a hazelnut soup with some magical additives to help with the process. As the soup simmered, she heard the man start to stir. She dampened a rag and moved to start wiping blood from his face and neck. His eyes opened for a moment, and Flora gave him a gentle smile. “You’re okay,” she reassured him. “You’re safe. Go back to sleep, you need it.” He stared at her half-lidded and dazed, then knocked right back out. Flora let out a sigh. She didn’t know if he would be the sort who was uncomfortable around magic, but at least she knew he would be fully recovered.
She could feel the storm approaching, so she had to make sure to do her foraging for the next few days early in the morning. Flora could only hope that the storm didn’t cause the roof to cave in again. She had a difficult time fixing it without going into town. She had a bad reputation there, and she liked to avoid it like the plague.
Flora used to live on the outskirts of Lionsdale. Not so much by choice, but because she had been placed there after her mentor, Master Louis Abbot, felt the people could use her skills in alchemy. She mostly used her potions for healing purposes, but she could do all kinds of creative concoctions. Unfortunately, that also meant she was blamed any time something went wrong. Whether or not it was her fault.
Her sister always told her she was too soft, but Flora opted to run away and hide in the woods instead of confront anyone. Well, her sort-of sister. Elise was the closest thing to family that Flora ever had. She and Flora had both been taken away from their birth families as children when their magical abilities became apparent, and were given to Master Louis for formal training. It was a difficult life of hard studies with no fun or love, but sometimes Flora and Elise could confide in each other if nothing else. They were often pitted to compete against each other, but they also had no one else. Flora had no idea where Elise was now. Maybe she could have moved in with Flora, and a life as a hermit in the woods wouldn’t have felt so lonely.
As Flora went to her garden behind the cottage, harvesting some fruits and vegetables for the next few days. She tried her best to cover and protect the garden from the storm, but she wasn’t sure how much luck she would have. As she set up some lightweight tarps, a small finch flew from Flora’s kitchen window to her shoulder.
“Oh, hello there, Chip,” she giggled, giving the finch a scratch with her finger. “You slept in a little late this morning, huh?”
The finch responded with an enthusiastic chitter and nestled itself under Flora’s dark hair. Sad as it was, Chip the finch was one of Flora’s only friends. He fit in the palm of her hand and was missing a toe, but ever since she had rescued him after he was attacked and broke a wing he refused to leave Flora’s side. She had made him a little next in the windowsill, where he liked to take long naps and peck at the seeds and fruits she would leave for him.
As expected, the storm hit hard. Flora could feel the entire cottage shake, and she knew the roof would need some repairs when things cleared up. She stayed in her bedroom and surrounded herself with candles to try and stay as calm as she could.
By morning, the rain had decreased to a light drizzle. She put on a cloak and walked outside to assess the damage, but was distracted by the sound of hooves approaching rapidly. She instinctively wanted to hide inside, but paused when she saw the horse burst out from the bushes. It had a saddle, but no rider.
She gasped when the horse nearly collided with her and reared back, but grabbed the reigns and tried her best to calm it down.
“You’re okay, girl,” Flora said softly. “Where’s your rider? Did you get caught in the storm?”
The horse tossed her head with a panicked stamp of her hooves, and Flora knew something was wrong. It was as if the horse wanted her help.
“Okay,” Flora said. “Take me where I need to be.” She was surprised that the horse so easily let her mount, but as soon as she was in place the horse took off running. Flora held on tightly and kept a lookout for the missing rider. The horse led her right to him, and Flora gasped softly when she saw the state the poor man was in. His face was covered in blood and he had clearly suffered a head injury.
She knelt down next to him and gently touched his head, then checked his arms and legs. No broken bones, but he had wolf bites and claw marks on his skin.
“Poor thing,” she sighed. “Okay. Let’s do this.”
She was about half the man’s size, but she was able to drag him to where the horse waited and sort of toss him over the horse like a sack of potatoes. It wasn’t graceful, but it was the best she could do.
She then walked the horse back to where her cottage was. The horse was still restless, but seemed to understand her rider was in good hands. Flora tied her reigns off with a promise to take care of the man, though he had to drag him unceremoniously into the house and sort of jerk him onto the couch. She rushed over to a cupboard and took one of her emergency potions first. It was a rapid healing solution that would heal his injuries in a day, but it would exhaust him. She didn’t mind hosting a visitor, as long as she knew he would be okay.
She poured the potion into his mouth, then held his nose and mouth closed so he was forced to swallow. Right away, his breathing was less labored. By the time he woke up in a couple hours, he would see that his cuts were already in the final stages of healing but his energy levels would be drained.
Until then, Flora took to the kitchen to get started on a hazelnut soup with some magical additives to help with the process. As the soup simmered, she heard the man start to stir. She dampened a rag and moved to start wiping blood from his face and neck. His eyes opened for a moment, and Flora gave him a gentle smile. “You’re okay,” she reassured him. “You’re safe. Go back to sleep, you need it.” He stared at her half-lidded and dazed, then knocked right back out. Flora let out a sigh. She didn’t know if he would be the sort who was uncomfortable around magic, but at least she knew he would be fully recovered.