Hilda and the Magic Feather

Chapter 1: Flames of Curiosity

After a brief fry-up including bacon, sausages and toast, Hilda freshened up and got dressed into her usual summer outfit; a red hoodie with rolled-up sleeves, black leggings, and her favourite red boots. Though Trolberg's climate was generally cool, summer days like this could still reach into the upper teens.

Twig rushed to her side before she could reach the front door, but Hilda blocked the way. Kneeling to reach his level, she petted him on the head. "Sorry, Twig. But I need this day to myself. I promise I'll walk you on Sunday."

Twig whimpered, rearing up to place his forepaws on Hilda's leg.

"I tell you what," Hilda added. "If you behave for mum, I'll buy you some more doggy treats on the way home.

To that, Twig perked up, bounding over to Johanna while wagging his tail enthusiastically.

"Good boy," Hilda smiled. "I'll be heading out now. I'll be back before sunset, I promise!"

"Love you, Hilda. Enjoy your day, and stay safe.

"Love you, too, mum. I will." With that, Hilda left her apartment and headed down the stairs. She decided to walk through Trolberg city centre, taking in the hustle and bustle of market day as she headed toward the walls.

Walking at a casual pace, she did as her mum suggested, tuning into the background chatter she would normally ignore. One stall was selling miniature troll figurines, carved from stone. Though the craftsmanship was certainly impressive, Hilda decided not to mess with them. Her experience with troll body-swapping had made her weary of potentially magical statues.

Elsewhere, she visited a stall selling tropical smoothies, packed with a wide selection of fresh fruit to choose from. Licking her lips, Hilda rummaged around in her hoody's pocket. She was in luck: the spare change she carried was just the right amount. So, she ordered a strawberry smoothie, served in a rainbow-coloured paper cup with matching straw.

After criss-crossing her way through the busy streets for half an hour, she finally made it to the walls. Now that trolls were less of a threat, the city walls had been renovated, adding a wide footpath that ran along the top. Guests could traverse the full city's circuit, either on their own or with the addition of a tour guide, as advertised amongst various pamphlets. With Trolberg's long and rich history, there was no shortage of topics to discuss.

Hilda could think of no better place to clear her head. The walls served as a solid border between civilizations, housing the security of urban life on one side, and the wild majesty of nature on the other. Despite the bustle of inner-city Trolberg today, the city limits were relatively quiet. There were a few people chatting here and there, in addition to the frequent rumble of cars driving past; compared to the market's wall of sound, the noise level here was like a gentle lullaby.

Climbing up the stairs, she reached the top just in time to see a flock of woffs soar overhead. Ever since she was little, Hilda had been fascinated by these creatures. Like many of the magical creatures that inhabited the surrounding highlands, woffs were a scientific enigma. There was an abundance of lore about them, with some stories stretching back hundreds of years. For anyone who wanted to do serious research, however, soon found how notoriously difficult they were to keep up with, in addition to their weariness of humans and long migratory routes.

Hilda often found herself staring out her classroom window, watching the woffs fly by. How did they stay aloft? Where did they go upon leaving Trolberg? Did they make nests? One could write an entire book's worth of questions on, well, just about any magical creature they could name, with both woffs and deerfoxes being top of the list.