A Witch and her Familiars

Chapter Five - A Friend

Wind blew through the leaves and Daphne's orange hair as she waited for Sabine to arrive. She felt strangely nervous, like her heart and stomach were a bit higher up in her body than normal, and she kept tugging on her sweater sleeves. Even though it was the late spring, it was a chilly, cloudy morning, and Daphne felt comfortable wearing her favorite stockings. Hadn't Sabine said that she liked them? Not that it mattered.

"Daphne!" someone called out behind her. It was Sabine, dressed in jean shorts and a soft-looking t-shirt. Her curly hair was pulled back in a headband, and she carried a large duffle bag. "Oh, good, I was worried you might not be here."

"Why were you worried?" Daphne asked.

"Maybe you decided this was too dangerous after all and stood me up." She dropped the bag on the ground and started rummaging through it. "It's good to see you. Are you ready to get started?"

"Huh? Oh. Oh, yeah." Daphne pulled her wand out of her purse when a dreadful shock hit her. "What if someone sees us?"

"Don't worry about it," said Sabine, pulling a white mask out of her bag. "It's the middle of the morning on Wednesday, so everyone's at work or in school. Besides, the buildings all around the park are empty, and there are tons of trees to hide us."

A thought struck Daphne. "Why aren't you in school?"

"I just moved here. By the time I find a school, it'll be summer break."

Daphne laughed. "That explains why your were wandering around Detroit by yourself!"

"Is... is that not something you do here?" she asked innocently.

"Not unless you want to get mugged."

"Oh. Well, we'll be together when we go out monster hunting! And we'll be armed!" She dove back into her bag and pulled out a long silver saber. "I used to fence when I was in middle school," she explained. "I figure if a Reliquus can be attacked by a bottle, it can be attacked by a saber." Sabine flipped the sword over in her hands. "We might have to sharpen it up, a little bit, though, since the blade is purposely dull..."

"Let me." Daphne took the sword from Sabine and placed it on the ground. She was intensely aware of Sabine's eyes on her as she pulled out her wand and passed it above the sword, concentrating. Peels of metal started to flake off the sword's edge, and before long it gleamed sharp and deadly.

Sabine carefully picked her saber up, her amazed gaze darting from the blade to Daphne's wand. "It's... it's real," she breathed. "I hadn't been sure before, but this is incredible," she whispered as she carefully ran her finger down the blade. "How do you do that?" she asked, her voice full of longing. "Is it possible... I mean, could a mortal...?"

"Magic is inherited," Daphne said, shyly tucking her wand into the folds of her skirt.

"So no mortal can... learn to use magic?"

"It's forbidden," she answered simply.

"But it's possible?"

"Yes, but very dangerous. It's said that witches who gain their power through unnatural means have a higher chance of losing their magic, and the shock of the loss is easily enough to kill."

"Witches can lose magic, then?" Sabine mused.

"Magical power can be lost naturally, or taken. It's the greatest punishment the Coven can order... and it's what will happen to me if they find out about this," Daphne replied, trying to keep the quavering out of her voice. She had been scared of someone taking her magic ever since she had read about it in one of the books her mother had left lying around. The book didn't go into specifics, but Daphne couldn't imagine what it would be like to live without magic after experiencing it. It was so much a part of her. Would she still be herself if the Coven took it from her?

She gasped as someone wrapped their arms around her, but it was just Sabine hugging her from behind. "Hey, don't worry," said Sabine, squeezing her tighter. "We'll just have to make sure they don't find out." She released her from the hug and picked up her sword again. "Ready to practice?"

"Yeah. Ready," replied Daphne. "Use the trees. We can both attack them and I can heal them with magic. It's good practice both ways."

"Okay! Here goes!" Sabine cried, getting into what Daphne assumed was position: one slender leg stepping forward while the hand not holding the sword was up and out of the way.

They began. Sabine showed off her leaps and lunges while Daphne demonstrated blasting waves of blue energy, healing the trees after they became too beaten up. By the afternoon both girls were drenched in sweat and exhausted, but rather pleased with themselves.

"I'm beat," Sabine moaned, letting herself fall back on the grass.

"Me too," said Daphne, plopping down next to her. "Magic takes a lot of work, you know!"

Sabine checked her phone (Daphne looked on curiously, still rather interested in the strange devices). "School will be getting out soon. We should probably stop now."

"Are you kidding? I could go all day," groaned Daphne sarcastically, wiping off her sweaty forehead.

"Yeah, you're a trooper," Sabine laughed. She hoisted herself to her feet, then held out a hand to help Daphne up. She took it. When she was on her feet, Sabine gave her another hug, awkwardly wrapping her arms around Daphne's shoulders. She hugged back just as awkwardly, because although she was quite cuddly with cats and would always hug her mother, she had never really embraced another person before... well, she had never had a friend before.

"Are we friends?" asked Daphne, again stumbling into the habit of saying whatever was on her mind.

Sabine pulled away from her, and Daphne was at first terrified that she had said something wrong, pushed friendship too soon, been too strange for Sabine to handle. But it was only so she could smile at her. "Of course we are!" said Sabine joyfully.

Daphne's tummy gave a little jolt. Friends! Just imagine! She had always been too shy to make friends with any witches her age, and since she and her mother mostly kept to themselves, there hadn't been a chance for her to meet any mortals. At least, not until now.

"Hey, would you be okay with meeting here tomorrow to practice some more? I want to make sure we're prepared before we face the real world," Sabine continued.

"Same time, same place?"

"Sure," Sabine answered with a smile. So I'll see you tomorrow?"

"Tomorrow," she replied, smiling—no, beaming—at her new friend. "You can get home okay?" she asked, suddenly concerned. Sabine had proven herself to be rather naive when it came to street smarts.

"I won't go wandering around the city again, if that's what you're worried about. I learned my lesson," she said jokingly as she gathered her things. "Besides, I'm armed!"

When she was all packed up, she straightened up and gave Daphne a little wave. "See you!" she called.

"Bye!" Daphne said back, watching as Sabine left the park and started down the road.

She slipped her wand back inside her purse and left the park in the opposite direction, running her hands over the leaves on the small trees. In the past two days she had fought a Reliquus, broke the most important rule known to witches, and agreed to a near-stranger's half-baked plan to protect the city from monsters with a flimsy sword. Her head buzzed with worry, but somehow, her heart was content.

A friend. She had a friend.