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The Witches' Familiar

The Witches' Familiar

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An Ally in the Woods

24 Friday Apr 2015

Posted by Val McDowall in Black Cat, enchanted forest, Familiar, Green Man, Portal, Uncategorized, Witchcraft, Witches

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Read from the beginning

Mikon turned swiftly on his heels, the rest of the pack falling in line silently behind him. Before they moved off, he turned and looked at me pointedly. It was clearly my cue to join them.

Sighing heavily, I got to my feet slowly and gave a long leisurely stretch. Not being used to following orders from anyone other than my Mistresses, I took my sweet time in joining them. The coyotes parted, indicating my place close to the front behind Mikon. I rolled my eyes and blinked disdainfully but did as beckoned making a theatrical performance of reluctance.

I was flanked by the two young coyotes that had pinned Ezran down earlier. They took their place on either side of me like a pair of Foo dogs guarding an ancient Buddhist temple. I wasn’t about to protest, I’d realized by now that the only way I was going to get through this was to meet with the Emperor as demanded. Besides, with all this pomp and fuss, my feline curiosity had been well and truly piqued. I had to find out what all this was about.

I jutted my chin out in determination as the procession started to move. Some of the spectating fauna and elementals took off ahead excitedly and seemed to be spreading the word that something big was about to happen. I caught the eye of a few curious creatures as they drew in closer to stare at me. Unblinking, I held their gaze intensely, forcing them to look away first in submission. The rest of the forest inhabitants took their place at the end of the procession as Mikon lead the way.

The woods were dense and much of the light from the full moon was obscured by the thick foliage of the trees and undergrowth, especially close to the ground which was just about all I could see. Soon the terrain became uneven with pebbles and started to rise up gently in front of us. I had no idea where we were going other than a vague sense of heading north, going deeper towards the heart of the enchanted forest.

I almost lost my footing a couple of times as the soft earth gave way to hard stone. Smooth moss covered surfaces were exposed between jagged rocks as the vegetation mysteriously glided aside, granting us passage, and eventually revealing a set of worn stone steps.

006 - stone steps in the forest

The procession halted suddenly as a soft green glowing mist materialized low over the ground blocking our path. I felt a cold shiver pass through me as the temperature dropped rapidly in comparison to the balmy summer air around us. The mist shimmered and undulated and rolled slowly forward to confront Mikon. It felt cold and clammy.

Now that it was closer I could see that it was actually an entity or, more specifically, a giant floating humanoid face. Although I was only catching glimpses of it between the bodies of the coyotes, I could clearly see the top of its hairless skull, its heavy bony brow and deep dark eye sockets. A large bulbous nose hung above a wide gaping mouth with full thick lips. The cheekbones were fleshy but well defined. The edges of the apparition were blurry and appeared to resemble foliage.

I smiled to myself in quiet recognition. I knew this face very well. The elusive Green Man. Renowned as a forest deity and symbol of rebirth, his image represents the cycle of growth each spring and summer in many ancient pagan cultures. He’s a protector of sorts too, every Enchanted Forest has one.

“Who passes this way?” demanded the petulant mouth in a deep booming voice that made the fine branches of nearby trees tremble with dread.

“It is I, Mikon and honorable guest. We seek an audience with the Emperor.”

“Really?” it said, the voice dripping with sarcasm, “Just like that. And prey whom might your most honourable guest be?”

I could sense Mikon bristle at the challenge. In a tone of pure mockery of his own he replied:

“You mean you haven’t heard? Why your sources must be slipping. If you must know, it is the Witches’ Familiar Zephyr, summoned by the Emperor himself.”

The dark eye sockets of the face were suddenly illuminated as its heavy eyelids flew open. Bright green eyes pierced the darkness in a cold penetrating stare.

The enormous mouth made a loud sucking noise as it drew in a long breath. A few silent moments passed before it spoke again.

“How can that be?” The heavy brow furrowed, the bright eyes narrowed to doubtful slits as the face drew much closer to Mikon with an aggressive lunge.

“Is this some kind of treachery?”

Mikon stood his ground firmly, barely flinching at the sudden closeness of the face.

Sensing the atmosphere was turning decidedly sour; I slid forward between the coyotes and walked towards the apparition.

“Hello Gwydion, long time no see.”

There was a brief stunned silence, followed by a few fluttering eye blinks of surprise before a colossal smile erupted across Gwydion’s face.

“Dw i ddim wedi dy weld ti ers sbel!”

He exclaimed happily before translating “I have not seen you for a while!” in the broadest Welsh lilt I’ve heard in the longest time.

Gwydion. His name suited him very well. It means ‘born of the trees’ in old Welsh. I purred happily, finally a friendly face I could trust.

“Oh ‘ello luv.” Cooed Gwydion. “Oh I am ever so happy to see you again!”

“Hello old friend, it does my heart good to see you too.”

Now that the huge face was smiling, he didn’t look anywhere near as ominous as he had just a few moments before.

Incredulous, Mikon turned to face me:

“You know the Guardian of the Forest?”

“Oh we go way back … further than you can possibly imagine.” I said with a wink.

“Come in, come in, you are always welcome! How delightful that our paths have crossed again.”

Gwydion was now almost giddy with glee. I felt the same way but fought to control myself. I wanted nothing more than to curl up on a comfy mossy rock beside him and catch up on old times but, judging by the impatient look on Mikon’s face, now was clearly not the time.

“Have you seen Cerridwen since …?” Gwydion’s voice trailed off, his face a picture of concern.

The last time I’d seen Mistress Cerridwen, we were being burned alive for witchcraft, at a time just before the ghastly witch hunt fever swept through medieval Europe. There had been no trial, only spiteful retribution over absurd allegations. Don’t get me wrong, the Mistress was in deed a witch but that had never presented a problem until a love rival was scorned. I reeled at the memory.

Before I could open my mouth to respond, Mikon cut in irritably:

“Well this is all terribly touching but we have business to attend to. Save the reminiscing for another time. Shall we?” Mikon attempted to usher me forward.

I glanced over at Gwydion. I wanted desperately to speak to him but I had no choice in the matter. Now was simply not the time. My heart sunk with disappointment.

“Come back to the forest alone Zephyr … I’ll find you.”

His gentle voice filled my head. None of my companions seemed to notice. Realizing he’d spoken to me telepathically, I nodded my accord almost imperceptibly.

The whole procession was standing face to face with Gwydion. The air was expectant and silent as we waited for passage.

A gigantic gnarly old tree stood directly behind Gwydion. At first inspection the tree looked dead with its tangle of thick and weather beaten roots coiled intricately like a huge nest of writhing snakes protecting a large boulder at its base.

006 - Limber Pine

Snakes, I decided, or perhaps snaking was definitely a good way to describe this beast of a tree. The girth of its trunk was vast, a good four feet at least. It distorted in several places forming knots and folds at every twist. The full moon cast an eerie light on its bark, making it look like a tortured soul, like a melting skeletal candle, the embodiment of pain captured for all eternity.

Most of the branches high above were bare and jagged like long arthritic arms and fingers furled into claws as if raised in attack. I’d seen these ancient limber pines before, a symbol of wisdom and longevity to the native people and you could certainly see why. This tree had to be several hundreds of years old based on its size and form alone. Who knew how many harsh winters it had weathered or how many devastatingly hot and dry summers it had endured. It towered rigidly above us unwilling to yield.

Gwydion’s eyes slid slowly shut. He took a deep breath, his lips formed a small round shape and then pressed tightly together.

“Ommmm. Ommmm. Ommmm.”

The long deep note started softly and continued rhythmically with each breath. As it gained in intensity and volume a strange vibration rose through my body, meandering its way up my spine, reverberating around my ribs until it settled deep in my chest within my heart. I felt myself sink into a deep dreamy place. Was this supposed to happen? It felt so good. Don’t resist, I chided myself, just go with the flow.

I closed my eyes. The pitch seemed to alter my state of consciousness. I felt my body sag into relaxation. I could have sworn I was swaying but managed to remain upright with little effort. I was aware of so much in that instant, my physical surroundings, the sounds of the forest, the proximity of the others, but it all seemed so far away and disconnected somehow. The clutter from my mind disappeared as dark swirling colours quickly filled my eyelids and finally merged into a deep dark purple. I sat contentedly in my hypnotic state for what seemed like ages but at the same time, felt oddly as if no time had passed at all. I was in a place where physical time had no value or presence.

Finally a single image appeared before me in my mind’s eye. It was so vivid and clear, I was sure it was real.

I stared at the object in wonder. It was beautiful.

006 - Lion Head Door Knocker

A burnished bronze door knocker in the form of a lion’s head had appeared before me. Dazzling sun rays radiated from its curly mane and a large ring hung from its open mouth. Verdigris had settled into the intricate design giving it the appearance of antiquity.

It looked like a doorknocker to a mystical temple.

Instinctively I raised my arm. Although the image was crystal clear in my mind, the movement came from my physical body. I extended my claws gingerly to touch it and was instantly gratified at the sound of dainty clinks as my nails connected with something firm and metallic. I placed the pads of my paw on the base of the ring and held it there, savouring the cool feel of the bronze, and the tingly energy it was emitting. Gently, I picked up the ring and gave three sharp knocks.

An ear splitting grinding sound snapped me back to the physical world. My heart thundered in my chest at the sound of heavy stone being dragged over stone followed by another sound, like twisting and ripping roots. The ground rumbled beneath my feet. A portal was being wrenched open before me at the base of the old tree.

The portal was framed by a simple stone archway. Dust particles floating in the air obscured the view immediately beyond the opening for a second or two until the grinding finally stopped.

The view beyond the archway was truly spectacular.

We were now standing at the top of a stone stairway that descended into a magnificent amphitheatre.

The Emperor’s Ambassador

05 Monday Jan 2015

Posted by Val McDowall in Uncategorized

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

Black Cat, elemental, enchanted forest, Magic, Novel, Reincarnation, telekinesis, Witches Familiar

Read from the beginning

The gnarly coyote lay on his side groaning, a good ten feet or so away from me where he’d landed heavily.  He seemed momentarily dazed but was recovering quickly.  Whereas I had thought him a mean savage before, he was now upping the stakes to terrifying!

The assembled fauna seemed to appreciate the spectacle immensely.  Their shrieks and woops rose to a deafening fever pitch.  Keeping a safe distance around us, they were no doubt relieved they were not the focus of attention of this huge tormentor for once.  They were baying for blood and began heckling the coyote cruelly.

“Why you little vixen!” the coyote growled.

His eyes narrowed to slits, his lips curled back, displaying a full set of jagged teeth.  The hackles stood up on the back of his neck, making him seem even larger than before.  He held his head still as he came towards me, eyes never wavering from mine.

My feet began tingling again …

In the blink of an eye he’d closed the gap between us and was just about to attack when a loud piercing voice from behind me stopped him dead in his tracks.  His cold eyes darted to the source.

“EZRAN!  NO!”

A strange hush fell over the pack.

The adrenalin was still coursing through my veins; I used the distraction to my advantage.  I was so wrapped up in my own self-preservation, I didn’t care who the voice belonged to.  All I cared about was defending me.  Kill or be killed, it was as simple as that.

With the loudest hiss I think I’ve ever made, I struck out hard and fast with my right arm, all five claws fully extended.  I went for his face.  My razor sharp hooks connected with his long soft nose and dragged deeply to its cold, wet tip.  The coyote howled again in excruciating pain.  I’d landed a good one and was rewarded by a trickle of ruby red blood dripping from his nose.

He retaliated instantly.  One massive heavy paw landed between my shoulder blades flattening me instantly to the ground and holding me down.  The air was forced out of my lungs completely and I choked on the loose soil on the forest floor.  His vicious growls were deafening.  I thought my back was going to break as I bore his full weight on top of me and felt his hot breath on the back of my neck again.  His jaws began to tighten around my outstretched neck.  This was it, this time there was no escape …

“Ezran, I said NO!!”  The authoritative voice boomed loudly again.

As I lay there on the ground, my eyes squeezed tightly shut, bracing myself as I waited for my neck to snap in the coyote’s powerful jaws, I heard another two grumbling voices approach.  Swift feet accelerated towards me on the soft earth.  I felt a sudden shift in the weight above me and heard a soft ‘ooffph’ noise to the side followed by the sounds of a struggle.

I opened my eyes with trepidation, not sure what to expect and was surprised to see two young strong coyotes wrestling with the large gnarly one.  It took them a while to subdue him.  He’d worked himself into a rage but finally they pinned him down.  I could see the sheer loathing in his eyes as he continued to glare at me.

I looked behind me to see who my saviour was – my heart skipped a beat as I found myself looking directly into the eyes of another large coyote.  My body sagged with fatigue; I did not have the strength for another fight.

005 - Mikon

However, this second coyote seemed different.  He was not quite as large as the gnarly one, although not far behind.  There was a completely different aura about him.  I’d assumed ‘Ezran’, if that was his name, to be the alpha male.  I thought he was the leader of the pack, a large marauding bully but apparently I was wrong.

The other coyotes rushed up to greet this new comer.  They were excited, highly animated but very respectful at the same time.  Some of the coyotes bounced close to him, others rubbed his nose with theirs.  He allowed them to honour him with their greeting rituals and after a few moments he stepped forward to address me.

There was an almost regal quality about him.  His coat was sleek, clean and well kept.  I couldn’t see any scarring or cragginess about his body or fur.  His legs were long and muscular, he held himself with pride and dignity.  His whole manner commanded an air of respect.  He was clearly very important, the pack leader I assumed correctly this time.

His honey coloured eyes were rimmed with black; he looked intelligent and wise.  Just at that two small pups made their presence known as they rubbed themselves against his legs.  They clearly adored him. He looked down at them kindly, nudging them gently out of sight with his nose before turning his attention back to me.  The pups stared at me with avid curiosity from behind their mother, their eyes round with wonder and awe.  I don’t suppose they’d met a familiar before, certainly not one as renowned or as captivating as me.

“I have orders to bring you to the Emperor. I must apologize for Ezran, he …”

The coyote paused and seemed to grope for appropriate wording but continued simply:

“… he doesn’t like cats.”

Too exhausted to speak, I could only manage a grunt in acknowledgement.  An Emperor indeed!  Who were these creatures and why was I here?  I looked down at myself, I was a wreck.  I smelled like the gnarly coyote and it made me sick to my stomach.  I had to get that disgusting smell off my body.  I noticed a patch of open earth just off the beaten track to my left.  I couldn’t resist.  I threw myself down with reckless abandon and cavorted shamelessly.

Forest soil has a wonderfully woody musky scent, perfect for eliminating unpleasant odours.  Dried oak moss lichen from surrounding tree trunks peppered the ground in bushy clumps adding an exquisite sharp but slightly sweet and lingering base note to the fragrance.  The aroma was sensual and heady.  I was in absolute heaven, my brush with death all but forgotten in the throes of ecstasy as I rubbed every inch of my body into the ground.

The pack leader raised his eyebrows at such undignified behaviour but said nothing.  I lay there for an extended moment or two, luxuriating in my dry earth bath.  Inhaling the intoxicating aroma sparked distant memories of ancient temples and seductive sorceresses I’d once known.  Despite the obvious physical exhaustion from my ordeal, I felt invigorated and alive.

My attention snapped back to the present when a tussle kicked off suddenly as Ezran finally broke free of his restrainers.  Humiliated, he disappeared into the depths of the forest but not before he managed to hiss me a threat.

“I’ll get you for this bitch!”

I gave the fleeing coyote a sly sideward glance and began rubbing my fingers together.  My damned fingers and toes were itching again.  I must admit, weird though it was, it wasn’t a wholly unpleasant sensation.  The tingles remained mild but as I looked down at my hands, I was surprised to see that they were glowing faintly once more.

The pack leader chuckled as I got to my feet.

“I don’t think you’ll get much trouble from Ezran for a while after the demonstration of your elemental prowess.”

My what?  What was he talking about?  Then it dawned on me.  My telekinesis was returning.  I turned my face to hide my smirk. I had not expected that. This life had suddenly become much more interesting.

Telekinesis.  The ability to move inanimate objects at will.  The coyote leader had assessed my ability quite correctly.  My prowess, as he put it, was indeed connected to the elements: air, earth, water and let’s not forget fire.  Simply put, it means that I have the ability to harness the power and attributes of the elements, to manipulate objects and situations around me using my mind.

I hadn’t meant to use it on Ezran, it just happened. Heck, I wasn’t even aware I had that particular power!  I’d been acting purely on instinct.  I’d tapped into the electrical charge present in the air due to the thundery weather and plunged it into his body.  And very effective it had been too.  Now the weird tingles and blue vapour made sense.  I was quite literally manipulating lightning bolts … although I still wasn’t clear on how I’d done it.  Meh, a miniscule detail.  I’d get it.  Eventually.

I’ve never experienced an electrical discharge before.  Sure, I’ve set fires, summoned fog, and shaken the ground at will on many an occasion but I’ve never experimented with the element of air, never had to.  If the coyotes and other forest inhabitants wanted to assume that I had full control over the elements then who was I to argue?  I only hoped that my little demonstration would keep them all wary … enough to keep me alive.

The only cloud on the horizon, if any, to my new found ability was the realization that most newly acquired paranormal abilities, restored or otherwise, tend to manifest at times of extreme physical or mental stress.  Especially in the beginning.

Did being pawed, licked and mauled by a vile and vicious coyote constitute extreme physical peril or mental distress?  You bet it did!  I chuckled at how fast I’d blown Ezran right off me.  I sincerely hoped the next time we met, and should I feel the need for a few more lightning bolts, that I would at least know what I was doing with them!

I had no idea how long a full Restoration might take or even how many of my former skills I could expect to recover.  I had some pretty special powers back in the day and, like old and influential friends, I very much looked forward to being reacquainted with them.

I’d mastered the manipulation of the other elements quickly and easily enough in the past; I didn’t doubt for a second that I’d master these lightning bolts given time and ample practice.

For the first time in a long time, I began to feel confident.  And powerful.  I liked it, I liked it a lot.

I returned my gaze to my new congenial host.  I cast an appraising glance over him and, in as haughty a voice as I could muster I enquired, “To whom might I be addressing?”

Unperturbed at my deliberate lack of manners, the coyote raised a quizzical eyebrow and replied:

“You may call me Mikon.  Now.  If you’re quite ready, the Emperor is waiting …”

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  • An Ally in the Woods
  • The Emperor’s Ambassador
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