Chapter 2

Trina entered the warm cottage where she lived. She looked at the tiny living room. A fireplace burned across the room. Across from it was a little couch and rocking chair that was Trina’s grandmother’s before she passed away. Trina ripped off her hoodie and hung it on the coat rack before walking into the kitchen.

            On the table in the center lay a note. Trina approached the table and looked at it.

           

Trina,

I have gone out for a bit of shopping. I should be home by 5:30. If you get hungry there’s fruit in the fridge.

Much love,

Serenity

 

            Serenity was Trina’s caretaker. She saw her as a mother though since Trina’s mother died when she was very young. She sighed and looked at the clock on the wall. It read four-thirty. That wasn’t too bad. She’d be home in an hour. Trina got up and opened the fridge to see a wicker basket full of apples, bananas, and peaches. Why Serenity put wicker baskets in the refrigerator, Trina would never know. She picked out an apple and began eating it. She paced around for a bit until she completely stopped at the bay window by the table.

            She sighed and looked at the bare trees outside. They should already have blooms on them. Trina looked at her bow that hung on a hook across the room. Without a second thought she grabbed her bow and hoodie and rushed outside. The breeze was even chillier now than before. Trina marched across the path past some kids playing with a ball. She sneaked around a nearby house and leaped through the bushes into the forest.

            Trina never listened to the stupid rules of the tribe. She constantly went into the forest, luckily she never got caught. Trina trudged through the forest, stepping over sticks and twigs being aware of her surroundings. Every good hunter knew not to make any noise when walking. Trina wasn’t really out to hunt, just get some air. Grabbing her bow was just second nature too. She looked up at the tree tops that were becoming bare because of the cold. She sighed wishing she knew what was going on.

            Suddenly Trina heard a snap behind her. She turned quickly aiming an arrow to strike the person she’d heard. Her jaw dropped when she saw the one that approached her. She lowered her bow at the woman. She wore a beautiful emerald silk dress. Her skin was flawless, no bumps or blemishes. She just radiated in beauty. Trina stepped back. She just couldn’t believe who she was looking at. This was indeed the Ancient Witch of Nature.

            “Sorry to startle you, my child,” she apologized while bowing gracefully to Trina.

            Trina bowed back, but looked confused.

            “You’re the Ancient Witch of Nature. I thought you were like an old witch. That’s what everyone says,” she commented.

            The witch merely shook her head. “Ancient doesn’t always mean old, my dear. Anyway that is not the reason why I am here. The forest is in great danger,” she said.

            “Why? What has happened to the forest?”

            “The emerald Trina, the Emerald of Law has been stolen.”

            Trina gasped. “But how can that be? It is heavily protected.”

            “Never the less, the forest is slowly dying,” the witch commented.

            “But you’re the Witch of Nature! Can’t you keep the forest alive?” Trina argued. This didn’t make any sense to her. Why couldn’t the witch sustain the forest herself?

            “I, alone cannot protect this forest from everything. The Emerald of Law radiates an energy force around the forest to protect it from outsiders. I too help this energy force, but my magic alone cannot keep the forest alive. Trina, if the emerald is not retrieved by June 21, the forest will die and all will be lost.”

            Trina stood there unable to speak. June 21, it seemed like such a long time away being as the month now was March, but Trina knew well enough that June wasn’t that far away. The forest would not see a spring this year. Everything she knew and loved would be gone. How could this happen?

            “But why have you told me this? What can one sixteen year old do?” Trina asked.

            “More than you think, Trina. I know you’ll do the right thing,” the witch said as she began to disappear.

            “No wait! I don’t understand! Wait! I can’t just leave the forest!” Trina shouted.

            The witch said nothing as she disappeared into nothingness.

            Trina narrowed her eyes and kicked a stick. Again, why did everyone expect so much out of her!? Wait! This was no time to be worrying about her problems. She needed to get back to camp and tell the chief. She quickly rushed back toward camp and snuck back onto her street. She looked at her house and smelled something cooking from the kitchen window. Five-thirty already! Trina rushed over to the house and came inside.

            Great Serenity would be mad at her now. Trina should have been here before Serenity got home. Trina took off her boots at the door, hung her hoodie up and put her bow back on its hook and walked into the kitchen. Serenity was cooking over the stove. It smelled like tomato soup and basil. That was Trina’s favorite.

            “Where were you?” Serenity asked not even looking up.

            “I uh went on a walk,” Trina answered.

            “Oh really? To where?”

            Trina casually sat down at the table. “You know around camp,” she said.

            Serenity turned around and looked at Trina. “Trina, you know I- Oh my! Trina you are as white as a ghost! What happened?!” she cried rushing over to her feeling her forehead.

            Trina never realized it, but she was kind of freaking out. Getting a visit from the Ancient Witch of Nature wasn’t exactly a normal thing, and not to mention the forest was going to be completely dead by June 21 didn’t help either. Trina sighed and explained what had happened to Serenity. It was weird though. Serenity was one of the only people Trina trusted. She didn’t even trust her own sister Delfi, who was the Commander in Chief of the army, if you’d even consider all of the twenty who were in it an army.

            Serenity stepped back almost like she was going to pass out.

            “I’m guessing you believe me?” Trina asked.

            “I know you would never lie to me dear, but if it is true then we must inform the chief at once,” she exclaimed.

            The more Trina thought about it, the more she thought it really wasn’t a good idea to tell the chief. One, she’d get into trouble for leaving camp, and two honestly what middle-aged chief would believe a sixteen year old girl. Let alone one who doesn’t obey the rules.

            Trina was about to tell Serenity this, but the slamming of the front door made her forget about it. Delfi walked through the walkway into the kitchen.

            “Hello Delfi how was training the new recruits?” Serenity asked.

            “Yeah any of them cute enough?” I teased.

            Delfi glared at me. “The recruits are all twelve you pervert!” she yelled.

            Trina just laughed. Her sister was twenty-one, but she talked about how cute seventeen and eighteen year olds were, Trina couldn’t resist a joke.

            “Anyway, it was fine. They are learning well, although some like to not be in a proper battle stance. That could get them killed in battle,” Delfi explained to Serenity.

            Serenity smiled. “Well I’m sure they’ll get it soon enough, dear,” she said turning back to the stove. She began pouring the soup into bowls and setting them on the table. Delfi sat in her usual spot and sighed.

            “So what’s been up with the weather lately? Isn’t it suppose to be getting warmer?” she commented.

            Trina stayed quiet. No way was she going to tell her sister what she had seen in the forest. Delfi wouldn’t believe her anyway. Serenity thankfully didn’t mention it either. She walked over and placed a bowl in front of Trina and Delfi.

            “I’m not sure Delfi, but I have a feeling it’s not good though. Now eat. You’ve both had long and productive days,” she said sitting in her own chair with a bowl.

            The meal consisted of Delfi bragging about her training skills and how well everything went today, well besides the poor battle stances. She so nicely mentioned Trina’s score for the hunting assessment. Serenity went on a rant like she usually did about it too. Usually Serenity was the sweetest woman in the world, but when it came to Mistress she just went off.

           

After dinner Trina gathered the dishes and washed them off before trudging away to her room. She lay in bed staring at the ceiling thinking about what the witch had said. How could Trina know what to do? And even if she did do something, what would that be and how is she sure it’s right?

            Serenity opened the door and walked in while Trina was in mid thought. She sat up and looked at her caretaker and sighed.

            “Serenity I’m so confused. What should I do?” she asked as Serenity came and sat on the edge of her bed.

            “The only thing you can do is tell Chief Friggins, sweetie,” she said.

            Trina sighed. “But it seemed like the witch expected me to do something about it,” she said.

            Serenity sighed. “The witch works in mysterious ways. You can’t take her too seriously or too lightly. Trina all we can do for now is to tell Chief Friggins. He’ll know what to do,” she said standing up. She kissed Trina on the forehead and walked out of her room.

            Trina sighed and rolled over. She was still confused, but she was too tired to really worry about anything else. She slowly closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep hoping that tomorrow would be a little bit better than today.