Fall Fest Bingo/Holiday Prompts (Autumn) 6
Title: The Tale of the Little Witch
Author: kira
Table: Autumn: Images (Holiday Prompts)
Prompt: Image 6; fallen leaves
Fandom: Original
Characters: Althea, Granny Blue, Althea’s mother, Ashes the cat
Word count: 715
Rating: PG 13
Summary: Althea comes home and tells her mother about her day…
Author’s note: Special thanks to my beta Kat for pinking this. Please also note that this was also written for Holiday Prompts Autumn: Images table. Also this was written for LJ’s Faerie Wish 13.
Althea, the little witch, walked briskly through the woods that bordered her village on her way home from “school.” Granny Blue, who the villagers called “a woman of wisdom,” was another witch, who practiced the healing arts and had chosen Althea as her successor. The little witch was surprised at that, like most of the other villagers, she thought Granny Blue would choose Mistress Serena. The older witch was well versed in the healing arts like Granny Blue, so she would not have to teach her all that much. Plus, she had the Sight like Althea’s mother. Althea wondered if the older witch was not chosen because she practiced the Dark Arts and as a result, most of the villagers were afraid of her. And when she thought about it, Althea, realized inspiring fear in others did not make for a good healer.
Mentally shrugging, as there was no way she could change things even if she knew why Granny Blue chose her, the little witch cleared her mind of such thoughts. Continuing on her way, she followed an old deer path as it cut through the trees. As she neared her home, Althea noticed the old oak had shed most of its leaves. They lay on the ground, a mess of silvery browns and greys, mixed with rich black forest soil. She stopped to hunt for acorns, hoping against hope; the squirrels had left her some. Acorns and walnuts were like gold as they helped stretch one’s food during the long and cold winters. Althea wished she knew a sharing spell that would work on the little furry pests, when she spotted a few acorns nestled in amongst the leaves that the squirrels had overlooked. Althea was surprised to find a good handful of them, which she tucked into her apron pocket. She also managed to find a few walnuts on the path leading to her home.
Straightening up, Althea smiled as her mother stepped outside to greet her. Thanks to the gift of Sight, her mother always knew when she would return. “Look what I found!” Althea hurried over to give her mother the nuts.
“How was school?”
“It was good. Granny Blue taught me how to make a poultice and the spell I’d need to say to help speed up the healing.” Althea followed her mother inside. “Hey, Ashes,” she said to the large grey tomcat that sauntered over to her as she washed her hands.
Ashes meowed and rubbed against her legs until Althea leaned over to lightly stroke the cat’s head between his ears. She picked him up and walked over to table and sat down. Ashes curled up in her lap and purred as the little witch petted him.
“You’ve learned a lot from Granny,” Althea’s mother said. “She must be very pleased with you.”
Althea blushed. “Yeah…” she said softly.
“You’ll make a fine woman of wisdom one day.” Her mother set a bowl of stew in front of her, before sitting down.
“Thanks…” Althea shooed the cat off her lap and began to eat. In between bites, she recounted her day. When they finished eating, Althea got up to help her mother wash their bowls. Afterwards, they sat by the fire. While her mother did a bit of mending, Althea looked over her book of spells. Though they were simple, she needed to know them by heart. She was so engrossed in them, that it was several minutes before she realized the fire had died down to glowing embers. Althea kissed her mother good night and got ready for bed.
She stripped down to her skin, and dipping a rag in some warm water, Althea washed herself as best she could. Though the autumn days still held a trace of summer’s warmth, it was too cold at night to go outside and soak in the wash tub and she was too lazy to drag it inside. Althea briskly rubbed at her goose prickles, before pulling on a clean shift. She crawled into bed and drew covers up to her chin. Closing her eyes, Althea asked the Mother Goddess to send her sweet dreams. It seemed as though her prayer was answered as the little witch drifted off to sleep, dreaming of the forest that bordered her village.
Author: kira
Table: Autumn: Images (Holiday Prompts)
Prompt: Image 6; fallen leaves
Fandom: Original
Characters: Althea, Granny Blue, Althea’s mother, Ashes the cat
Word count: 715
Rating: PG 13
Summary: Althea comes home and tells her mother about her day…
Author’s note: Special thanks to my beta Kat for pinking this. Please also note that this was also written for Holiday Prompts Autumn: Images table. Also this was written for LJ’s Faerie Wish 13.
Althea, the little witch, walked briskly through the woods that bordered her village on her way home from “school.” Granny Blue, who the villagers called “a woman of wisdom,” was another witch, who practiced the healing arts and had chosen Althea as her successor. The little witch was surprised at that, like most of the other villagers, she thought Granny Blue would choose Mistress Serena. The older witch was well versed in the healing arts like Granny Blue, so she would not have to teach her all that much. Plus, she had the Sight like Althea’s mother. Althea wondered if the older witch was not chosen because she practiced the Dark Arts and as a result, most of the villagers were afraid of her. And when she thought about it, Althea, realized inspiring fear in others did not make for a good healer.
Mentally shrugging, as there was no way she could change things even if she knew why Granny Blue chose her, the little witch cleared her mind of such thoughts. Continuing on her way, she followed an old deer path as it cut through the trees. As she neared her home, Althea noticed the old oak had shed most of its leaves. They lay on the ground, a mess of silvery browns and greys, mixed with rich black forest soil. She stopped to hunt for acorns, hoping against hope; the squirrels had left her some. Acorns and walnuts were like gold as they helped stretch one’s food during the long and cold winters. Althea wished she knew a sharing spell that would work on the little furry pests, when she spotted a few acorns nestled in amongst the leaves that the squirrels had overlooked. Althea was surprised to find a good handful of them, which she tucked into her apron pocket. She also managed to find a few walnuts on the path leading to her home.
Straightening up, Althea smiled as her mother stepped outside to greet her. Thanks to the gift of Sight, her mother always knew when she would return. “Look what I found!” Althea hurried over to give her mother the nuts.
“How was school?”
“It was good. Granny Blue taught me how to make a poultice and the spell I’d need to say to help speed up the healing.” Althea followed her mother inside. “Hey, Ashes,” she said to the large grey tomcat that sauntered over to her as she washed her hands.
Ashes meowed and rubbed against her legs until Althea leaned over to lightly stroke the cat’s head between his ears. She picked him up and walked over to table and sat down. Ashes curled up in her lap and purred as the little witch petted him.
“You’ve learned a lot from Granny,” Althea’s mother said. “She must be very pleased with you.”
Althea blushed. “Yeah…” she said softly.
“You’ll make a fine woman of wisdom one day.” Her mother set a bowl of stew in front of her, before sitting down.
“Thanks…” Althea shooed the cat off her lap and began to eat. In between bites, she recounted her day. When they finished eating, Althea got up to help her mother wash their bowls. Afterwards, they sat by the fire. While her mother did a bit of mending, Althea looked over her book of spells. Though they were simple, she needed to know them by heart. She was so engrossed in them, that it was several minutes before she realized the fire had died down to glowing embers. Althea kissed her mother good night and got ready for bed.
She stripped down to her skin, and dipping a rag in some warm water, Althea washed herself as best she could. Though the autumn days still held a trace of summer’s warmth, it was too cold at night to go outside and soak in the wash tub and she was too lazy to drag it inside. Althea briskly rubbed at her goose prickles, before pulling on a clean shift. She crawled into bed and drew covers up to her chin. Closing her eyes, Althea asked the Mother Goddess to send her sweet dreams. It seemed as though her prayer was answered as the little witch drifted off to sleep, dreaming of the forest that bordered her village.