Witch Doctors Inc: SEASON TWO (Ongoing)

Part 3.11

The rocks flanking the valley path act as a shield against the sun. I silently thank them as I make my way after the others. The coolness charms flit after us, lighting up the shadows with electric swirls of peppermint blue.

Lily, Onyx complains. Must you always be the slowest one?

"I'd be faster if you didn't keep chasing the coolness charms away," I say. "I'm overheating here."

"Use your witch magic," Addy suggests.

"What if one of the Larans sees me? I doubt they're friendly towards witches.

"You never know," Maya says. "They've kept to themselves for a very long time. They might not share the same prejudices."

"Or they could be worse." Ruby shrugs.

I'm used to people not liking me, but I don't want to cause a scene when Scion's out there waiting for me to slip up. In and out, quietly - that's the way to do this.

Maya leads the way down into the valley. Before we're even halfway there, she suddenly stops, and I crash into her.

"Sorry," I say, but her attention is elsewhere.

Nestled in a patch of ground-hugging bushes shaped like mushroom heads, is a small hill of colour. It's only when the hill moves that I realise it's a person. "Do not be afraid, friends of the stone forests," she hill person says. "We are a people of peace."

She is dressed head to toe in robes woven from squares of fabric in bright, varying colours. Every few seconds the squares flash, then become another colour, making the robes look as though they are shifting. A peach-coloured headdress shimmers on her head, flashing apricot and butterscotch.

"I am Celine," she says, as the peach squares become teal, and the teal squares become aquamarine.

Maya is the first to recover. "We also come on peace," she assures the girl, who I take to be a Laran. "My name is Maya, and this is Addy, Ruby, Lily and Onyx. We've lost something in the forest."

Celine peers at Onyx, curious. "You have brought a cattus with you."

Maya smiles. "We call them cats. This one goes everywhere with us."

It is you who are accompanying me, Onyx says. I am no ordinary house pet.

Maya, unable to answer in front of Celine, strokes him behind the ears.

A little to the right. Just there. That is the spot. Onyx purrs.

Celine seems amused . The colours of her robes shift again. She catches me looking and says, "They are spun from rainbow cotton. They grow here in some abundance."

"I've heard of rainbow cotton," Addy says. "The balls of cotton fluff on the plants change colour with the slightest change in breeze. They're absolutely magical. Your robes are wonderful, Celine. I wish we had them in Zilitron."

Celine smiles slyly. "So you are friends of the crystal forest."

Maya returns her smile. "Friends of the crystal forest. Yes, I suppose you could call us that."

"I heard you were attacked by skree-" Ruby starts, but Maya steps on her foot. I glare at her too, just in case she didn't get the point.

"I am delighted to meet you," Celine tells us. Beneath her headdress she has red velvet eyes and skin spun from snowflakes. "Let me take you to Uncle. We shall share our food and stories with you."

I hesitate. I was expecting wariness, maybe even hostility. Why was Celine so friendly? I direct my telepathy at Maya. We should decline the invitation.