Witch, Wolf, Woods

CHAPTER 32: LEAVING THE HEXEN

Katja woke early the next morning and changed clothes in the bathroom, forgoing a dress in favor of soft but sturdy breeches and a long-sleeved tunic. While it was summer, Wolf had told her it could still be quite chilly in the deepest parts of the forest, so she was going to take an overcoat, as well.

Reaching into her wardrobe, she paused, turning her head to look at the trunk under her bed. If she was going to wear her mother's ring, why not her cloak, as well?

Carefully packing the cloak in the bottom of her knapsack, Katja added other things, such as additional socks, an extra shirt and pair of pants, a small sewing kit, shoelaces, and a bag of coins from the sale of her jewelry. She wasn't certain why she'd need money for a venture into the forest, but it seemed better to bring it and not need it than to leave it behind and wish she'd brought it.

She would stop by the kitchen on her way out and carry as much food as possible; thankfully, finding drinkable water in the forest wouldn't be a problem and, given Wolf's senses, they would be able to forage for berries and edible plants, as well.

As she packed, she found herself glancing repeatedly at the bedroom door...it seemed odd none of the Hexen Seers had foreseen her leaving—and going into the Schwarzwald, of all places—and she half-expected a knock to ring out at any moment. None came, though, and she finished organizing her provisions, doing her best to put the concern from her mind. She didn't actually want to be delayed by a Seer, or forced to defend her decision to leave publicly, of course; but still, it would have been nice to feel like the other witches cared whether she stayed or went.

Done with her packing, she summoned a Helferin and directed it to relay messages, one pair to Tante Gerta and Tante Maedra and a second pair to Tante Winola and Tante Hedda. She planned to start with the last two witches to see her mother alive and, as Tante Maedra was currently the Sprechen, she'd asked them to meet her in the Sprechen's office in half an hour about something involving her mother's ring.

As Katja hitched the straps of the pack higher onto her shoulders, Wolf trotted out from behind the wooden screen and pricked his ears, his tail wagging.

"At least we don't need to bring extra provisions for me," he said in a tone Katja knew was intended to be teasing.

Even though she appreciated his effort to lighten the mood, she also couldn't help taking a long look around her bedroom; while she didn't want to dwell on it, there was a chance she wouldn't return from the forest, and she wanted to appreciate the space that been her home one last time.

As she and Wolf stepped into the hallway, Katja placed a hand on the wooden door.

"Thank you," she whispered to the room. "I hope I see you again soon."

And with that, she and Wolf made their way to the Sprechen's office, where her aunts were waiting, concern pinching their faces.

"What's going on?" asked Tante Gerta, her eyes quickly taking in Katja's traveling clothes and knapsack. "Your message said it was about your mother's ring?"

Katja nodded as she closed the door behind her, then looked at Wolf, drawing comfort from his unwavering gaze.

"I learned something about the ring," she began, causing both of her aunts to glance at one another in surprise before turning their attention back to her.

"One of the benefits of my affinity for metal is I can learn a lot about the origin of a piece when I touch it," she explained. "I hear the metal's particular song, but I also learn a lot about where it came from and where it was made."

Technically, that wasn't true, but Katja couldn't very well say she'd come by the information from Wolf without needing to explain what, and who, he really was. It didn't seem that different from her ability to hear the song of a given metal, so she hoped it sounded plausible enough to keep her aunts from questioning it.