The Lost Witches

Chapter 1 - Ari

A ball of fire shot through the air next to me landing in the basket of berries. Turning them completely to ash. I turn and glare at Kori who was sitting at the top of a tree cleaning her nails. "I guess that's less dinner for you!"

I shout up at her. Kori's blood red braid covered her face as she looked down, feigning confusion "why would that be?" Then she glanced over at my smoking basket "where did all the berries go? Now we will have to do extra work. I'm exhausted. We've been out here all day!"

She flicked her braid over her shoulder, stood up on her branch, and jumped, landing gracefully on her feet. Then she walked over and popped some berry ash in her mouth. "You will most definitely have to find a new bush."

She started walking towards the camp. "Where do you think you're going?" Kori turned, smirking at me "it only seems fair since you lost the berries, you should be the one to pick new ones." She winked and pointed towards a new bush "chop-chop you wouldn't want to be out here when it gets dark." Picking up her black cloak she walked down the make-shift path towards the camp. Leaving me with a basket full of ashes and no berries.

When I returned to the camp the sun was setting and I only had half a basket full. As I stepped back over our protective barrier someone called my name. I looked around trying to figure out who when Willow popped up behind me, her frizzy brown hair brushing across my face and snatched the basket. She toddled back over to the cooking pot and dumped them in.

Turning towards me with a spoonful of rabbit stew she shoved in my mouth "how does it taste?" I gave a thumbs up and tried to swallow the scalding broth without spitting it out."

I have been waiting for the berries to finish it off all day!" I tried to explain but she just pats me on the hand and winks. "Run along now, Genevieve was looking for you." I walked towards the big, baby blue tent and ran through all the scenarios of why my Elemental leader could possibly need me. I hang my cloak on the hook outside and step through the open flap.

"Genevieve, Willow said you needed me," I waited a couple of seconds, staring at the back of her graying hair before I tried again, "Genevieve did you hear me?" Still no reply "GENEVIVE!" She turned from her desk and gave me a big smile.

"Ah! Ari, I've been looking for you, where have you been child?" Her old withered hand reached towards mine and grasped it in her loving I'll-let-go-over-my-dead-body grip. Genevieve had always been like a grandmother to me. When my mother died Genevieve took me and Lihra in and raised us as her own.

"Willow sent me out in the woods this morning to pick berries, but she sent Kori with me, and she burned them all." Genevieve chuckled her wrinkled skin bunching up as she smiled."
"Kori can be a prankster sometimes but she does love you like a sister."

"There are a few things we need to discuss-" then someone from the fire yelped followed by the whoosh of wings. Willow screamed, "Lihra is back!" I jumped out of my chair so fast you would've thought my pants were on fire. Genevieve's face lit up and we ran out of the tent, I looked up towards the woods and even the hunters came running towards the fire pit. All fifteen of us were there and crowded around her.

When she saw me she pushed through everyone and sprinted towards me, enveloping me in a bear hug. She whispered, "I'm back." I squeezed her as hard as I could, already crying. "I'm home." She smiled and planted a kiss on my forehead. Then she let me go "I have to go talk to the 'oldies' but then I'll try to tell you all about my trip." The oldies glanced at each other and turned towards the Coven leader's orangy-red tent followed by Lihra, my older sister.

Everyone was abuzz with excitement, Lihra was finally back! Kori came over and gave me a playful punch. "Sorry 'bout the berries, you know I was just playing" she winked and went over to talk to their group. The older girls. The group consists of Oaklee, Kori, Quinn, Elora, and Lihra. They were all born around the same time, give or take. So they stay clustered together. Right now they were talking loudly about how they were going to celebrate Lihra being home. They were all 16 or older, and best friends, my group's older sisters.