Into the Woods

Salem's hair blew around quickly as she felted up the book to the moonlight, the chanting increasing before a cloud passed over the full white moon, ending the ritual. The candles stopped spinning and went out before dropping to the ground. Salem's eyes turned back to normal and the forest went quiet.

"what type of bulls*it is this?! I work hard to practice my magic, but noooo." She snatched her chain off her neck and threw it to the ground. Salem's anger turned toward Morgan. "You're enjoying this aren't you?!!" The daughter of Hecate shouted.

"Not exactly, no," I replied with calm. "Summoning the dead from the Underworld never really appealed to me, to be honest, even if I'd love to meet Tiresias or other great personalities. I'm here because I know how dangerous necromancy can be, so I can protect you in case something happens."

I dropped the bag of food on the ground as the forest gradually got warmer; it wasn't as cold as thirty seconds ago, luckily. Even I had started to get eerie goosebumps.

"I don't need your protection, Morgan." She frowned, more, clutching her hands together. She was more disappointed in herself than anything else. "I give up." She threw up her arms, sitting on the ground.

"How could you know you don't need it if you haven't been in the situation," I retorted, sitting down cross-legged on the cold forest ground, in front of her. The candles were letting warm, molten wax drip out on the grass sluggishly. "Want some fries?" I asked, holding up the bag.

"Just shut up, sister." Salem sneared before snatching the bag of fries from her, stuffing some in her mouth before tossing them back at Morgan. She flipped her hair over her shoulder, staring off into the distance. She secretly envied Morgan because of her quest out to help save the gods, but she would never admit it out loud.

"If you ask so nicely," I shrugged, biting into three fries at once. My fingers quickly got greasy and salty but my gods, were they good. Salem and I shared the Fanta, giving the cup back and forth every few seconds until it was empty. We even shared the burger, which I cut in half with a clean slice of my sword. First time the stygian iron blade absorbed mayonnaise.

The daughter of Hecate sighed and looked at the ground beneath her, wondering what she did wrong. "One day me and mom are gonna have a talk."Salem mumbled, pulling her hair over her face in distress. She didn't want Morgan see her as a tear rolled down her fair skinned cheeks.

Close call, Aria thought. She felt sorry for the Hecate girl, but at least the dead had not been raised. Why did they wish to speak with Tiresias? Sure he was a great prophet, but that did not give any answers.

"Why? Because you have problems mastering your powers? That's not Mom's fault," I shrugged.

I drew a Kleenex from my pocket and cleaned my fingers, summoning water just on the edge of my skin to get the grease and salt of my hands. Our mother loved her children, but they had to prove themselves. They had to work very hard and there was no place for whiners or cowards. We had to take risks, initiatives, and push ourselves to our limits to get recognition.

"You're right, but I still could use a pat on a back or something."Salem looked over at Morgan. "I want to master my abilities and I want you to help me." She stood up and placed a hand on her hip. To go against Morgan would be a true testimont of how much she has mastered her magic. The daughter of Hecate stood up shook her hands, trying to get them lose. "Fight me. Right here, right now."

Aria looked at the girl from the high branch that she was perched on. Her body was still hidden in the shadows. A fight? No! What would happened if one of the girls got hurt? Would she be in trouble with Chiron for being here? She shifted her weight, her foot on a thin branch below the one that she was sitting on. It immediatly snapped the moment that she put any weight on it. The twig fell to the ground, making a thudding noise.

Shaking the remaining droplets of water from my fingers, I stood up, unsheathing my sword just as a branch snapped and fell to the ground. I jerked around. Monsters? I was ready to grab Salem's wrist and shadow-travel away when I caught a glimpse of a young girl with blonde hair, perched in a tree.

"Okay, how many of you are out here exactly?" I asked, looking straight at her with my Mist-blue eyes.

Aria's gray eyes were wild, but piercing. She looked right at the second Hecate girl, smiling. "You can relax. It's only me... However the real question is why you are both trying to raise the dead?"

Salem was about to conjure a fireball, but stopped when she saw the girl. She snatched her hand from Morgan's grasp and stepped forward some. "Don't ask questions, just leave." She stated plainly. "Before I make you leave."

Aria climd down a few branches, then hopped down, landing on her feet. "Look, usually I'm not a snich. But as far as raising the dead, that is Hades and his children's area of expertise. If you don't explain, I will have to tell Mr.D and Chiron.." She folded her arms, pleased with herself.

Salem raised an eyebrow and looked at Morgan. "Did she just threaten me?" She asked in a whisper before looking at the girl. She narrowed her eyes and a sinister smile crept across her face. "Is your mother Athena?"

Aria nodded. "Afraid so." Why did that matter right now. Couldn't she ever get a straight forward answer?

"Um, for your information," I said, checking my nails, "Hecate has powers over the dead so it's normal some of her children are gifted in necromancy."

I sheathed my sword, since there was no threat anymore. Sure a monster could always come berzerking into our spot but we'd hear it coming.

"But what do I know about that, I'm just a dryad."

Salem smiled and walked away into the forest. She returned with a tarantella a few moments later. "Awww. Isn't she adorable?" She asked as she walked back beside Morgan. The tarantella was about the size of her hands put together. It was a brownish color and had hair all over its body.

Oh my gods, I thought closing my eyes. This was gonna go down violently. Her Mist-tarantella was actually pretty good: long hairy limbs, glittering eyes, sharp-looking chelicerae... Even I was pretty freaked out -- I hate spiders, okay. And ants. And pretty much anything that crawls except ladybugs.

Aria heard what the dryad had to say. "Of course, but still, it is Hades expertise." She saw the Hecate child walk into the woods as she propped herself up on the tree. Seeing the girl come back with the Tarantula she squinted her eye brows. "Cute? You think a thing with eight hairy legs is cute?!"Her voice continued to go up a few octaves as she spoke. She drew her sword. "Go. Go and put it back from where you got it."

Salem clicked her tongue as she let the spider crawl on her shoulder. "I think I might keep it..." She purred, kissing it. The daughter of Hecate looked at the sword in the girl's hand. "Oh please, put that thing away. We don't want you to get hurt." She whispered as the spider made a hissing sound.

"Well you know, it has that furry, fuzzy kind of thing going on," I said.

I myself detested spiders, as mentioned above, and I couldn't wait for Salem to release it into the Mist.

"Y'know, I bet it smells fear. You should go before it comes after you."

Aria lowered her sword, but did not put it away. Daughters of Athena were brave on all grounds except spiders. "Smell fear, please. As far as keeping that.. that thing.. Just keep it away from me.

Salem tapped her chin and thought about it. "How about no!" She took the spider off of shoulder and threw it toward the girl. The arcniad bore it's fangs at the Athena girl, hissing with bloodlust. However before the spider could land on her, it disappeared in the mist. The daughter of hecate couldn't help, but laugh...more like a cackle.