Janai brandished her scissors with a steady hand, their silver blades gleaming in the noontime sun. Holding the hollythorn blossom steady, she clipped it midway down its fleshy stem and let it fall into her palm. Hooking her scissors onto her belt, she pulled a small, lidded phial free and unscrewed its cap, dropping the delicate blossom into it before sealing it up once more.
Blowing out a breath, Janai stood from her crouch and stretched, her shoulder clicking and her calves protesting the motion. Securing the phial to her belt, she grabbed her staff and turned from the hollythorn bush, walking the few steps back to the forest trail she'd been following.
It was warm this time of day, despite it being mid-autumn. The sun beat down on Janai's skin and through the thin layers of loose cotton fabric wrapped around her. She knew it wouldn't be long before she started to sweat--there were a few more ingredients she needed to collect for Mathilde that were harder to get to. One of them, the thistledown, only grew in one spot on the side of a steep hill. The tree roots formed a sort of ladder, but it was always a strenuous trek.
But she wasn't just out here for her mentor. No. Mathilde had been an excellent teacher and friend thus far, but now it was time for Janai to start considering her own future as a blooming hedge witch. Healing seemed the natural route for someone like Janai, but she wondered if she could do better. She wondered if, instead of just saving the lives of sick people, she could improve the lives of everyone.
So, she was also out in these woods to gather her own ingredients. She'd spent the last few months studying under Mathilde and had learned a great deal, but she was still filling out her personal compendium of earthly ingredients. Mathilde had let Janai study her compendium, but never for long periods of time. The witch believed it was a rite of passage that Janai explore things for herself.
And she had been.
Continuing along the trail, Janai stopped to gather some milkweed. Milkweed was useful for a variety of things and grew in small but plentiful batches throughout the woods. This particular patch was thicker than any Janai had seen before, and she plucked out her journal to map it down. She was in new territory here, just on the edge of what Mathilde called the safe zone of the forest.
Outside of the safe zone, only slightly less than a kilometre away now, were the rolling buckthorn meadows--a stinking, poisonous place--and the enchanted pond. Janai had tried asking Mathilde what was so special about the pond before, only to be met with a steady look and a warning that she'd rather not find out for herself. Of course, that only made her more curious, but Janai knew better than to question the validity or severity of Mathilde's statements.
Janai shook her head. One day she'd discover the pond's mysteries for herself, but that wouldn't be today.
Up ahead, a cluster of bright orange and red mushrooms caught Janai's attention and she perked up, heading slowly toward it. Janai had discovered several new species of plants she'd never seen before just this past week. These mushrooms marked the seventh discovery in as many days.
"Now, what do you do?" she murmured, leaning closer. The mushrooms were small, with conical, spotted caps and thin, long stems. She tried to remember what she'd learned about funguses so far. Generally, the brighter the colour, the more potent of an effect they had when mixed into a salve or pressed into oils. But a brighter colour also meant they were more likely to be dangerous.
Holding her breath, Janai reached for a small phial at her hip and pulled it free, uncapping it. There was just enough space for one mushroom if she was careful with it. She'd have to make sure not to let it touch her skin. Flexing her gloved hand, she reached forward.
There was a rustling in the trees beside her, but she paid no attention to it, fully engrossed in trying to carefully pry one colourful mushroom from the cluster. Had she been paying more attention to her surroundings, however, she would have seen the small chipmunk racing across the forest floor, its cheeks stretched with its breakfast. She would have seen it turn toward her, where its nest sat atop the first branch of the tree in front of her. She would have known to get out of the way.
Just as Janai plucked the mushroom free, the chipmunk came bounding across, hopping up onto the cluster of mushrooms in the process before scurrying up the tree and out of sight.
That little hop sent a cloud of spores up into the air and Janai's eyes widened. She scrambled back, but it was too late. She sneezed, then sneezed again, then reached up to rub her face clean. Tearing into her dress pocket, she pulled out a cloth napkin and wiped the rest of the dust from her face.
Oh, dear.
This wasn't good.
"Shit," she hissed. She hoped those mushrooms weren't poisonous. Or paralyzing.
She stood still and waited. If it was anything dangerous, it was likely to start taking effect fairly soon. But after a few minutes, nothing had happened. Janai felt fine. Still, she thought it'd be a good idea to head back to Mathilde's hut, just in case. Mathilde would know what they were dealing with.
Janai stuffed the mushroom she was still holding into the phial and shoved it in her pocket. At least she still had the sample.
Turning, she grabbed her staff and headed back the way she'd come. The thistledown would have to wait until later in the day or possibly tomorrow. She just hoped Mathilde didn't have any urgent need for it.
Janai walked for a while, until the sun had started to hide behind the trees and a cool shade settled over her. She sighed happily and rolled her shoulders. The shade felt good.
Actually, it felt really good.
Rolling her head back, she spread her arms wide and turned in a slow circle. The midday air caressed her exposed skin and made the thin fabric of her dress slide against her flesh. She shivered from it. Had it always felt that way?
Her eyes had slipped shut, so she opened them, frowning when she saw a large, oval-shaped rock in the road in front of her. Hadn't she passed that already?
Janai shook her head. She must have gone the wrong way. How silly of her.
Pivoting, she headed toward where the forest started to thin. There, that felt right. Things looked unfamiliar to her, but she was certain she was headed the right way. Or, at least, that this way would take her out of the forest.
Running her tongue over her lips, she swallowed thickly. She was so thirsty. How long had it been since she'd had a sip from her canteen? Pulling it free of her belt, she uncorked it and tipped it up to her face. But she tipped it too far back, and the contents came spilling down her chin and neck, wetting her dress.
"Oops," she muttered, then giggled. She was going to have to dry that when she got back. She was such a klutz--what a horrible quality for a hedge witch to have!
She went to cap the canteen but it slipped from her hands to the forest floor, prompting another giggle from Janai. She stooped to get it, and when she did, she saw something glimmering in the distance. Cocking her head, she peered through the gaps in the trees and gasped.
Only twenty meters away from her, situated in the middle of a clearing, was the most beautiful pond she'd ever seen. Floating on its surface was an impossibly large, impossibly pink flower with dozens of large, delicate petals. From it, vines stretched across a portion of the pond in a beautiful pattern.
"Well," she said to herself. "I need to refill my canteen anyway."
