Changeling Witch

(S2) Mother Nature Knows Best

"Oh, my word," Terra remarked, resting her chin on her hand. "Where could Kikimora have gone?"

Even her voice sounded sweet yet scary. Hunter shuddered as he and Kikimora ducked out of sight.

"Such a valued member of the coven must be found posthaste!" she declared, her voice carrying over the street. "Have you seen her, little fly?"

Terra summoned a flytrap in her hand, which wasted no time in eating the bug that dared to fly too near.

Her smirk grew wider. "Hmm. Guess not."

Thinking as fast as he could, Hunter drew another invisibility glyph and held his breath, starting to move away.

Terra sighed melodramatically. "Such a shame for her to disappear, and right before her promotion..."

Kikimora let out a little squeak.

"Oh, the missions she would've led," Terra continued, starting to draw a spell circle. "The shiny new badge... not to mention respect." One of her vines slowly drew backwards. "Guess we'll have to find someone else."

The tip of the vine grew spikes as it shot right towards them—

And then a pair of astral hands yanked it back.

Hunter gasped for breath, then started to run.

He didn't make it fifty feet before Edric ran up beside him, wearing a Zachary-esque trenchcoat that looked hella nice on him.

"Fishboy!" Hunter said, instantly brightening. "How'd you find us?"

"Well, when Emira mentioned that she'd sold those fireworks I made to King, I figured you might need some backup," Edric answered. "Didn't think you'd actually do the Weathers Auction Heist, though." He flashed Hunter a grin. "You really are something else."

Hunter skidded to a stop. "Wait, wait, wait—you made those 'Ricochet 11' fireworks? Not Emira? You? With the insult settings and everything?"

Edric nodded. "Yeah, been trying my hand at inventing. The 'eleven' in the title is actually the number of times I've been sent to the Healing Co—" He did a double take. "Hunter, why are you looking at me like I just established world peace?"

Hunter dropped to one knee. "Edric Blight, will you marry—"

"OKAY, you've officially hit too-gay-to-function-mode," Edric decided, yanking Hunter to his feet. "We can talk about that when we're in our twenties and have been dating for longer than a couple weeks, but right now, I'd rather not have my boyfriend in prison again, so let's skedaddle."

"Whatever you say, handsome," Hunter said under his breath, grinning.

Blushing hard at this point, Edric drew a spell circle and summoned a little skateboard, pulling Hunter onto it. The skateboard sped off the second they got on, hopefully leaving Terra in the dust.

..................

After a few minutes of speeding through the streets, they finally arrived at the docks, where Kikimora's hand dragon was waiting.

"Okay, Kiks, Medusa here will get you to Palm Stings by morning," Hunter told her, climbing up onto the dragon's back. "She's great, and I don't really wanna say goodbye, but, well, Bump couldn't keep her at his place anymore." He set Kiki down in the little chair and handed her back her whistle.

"Hunter, you sure about this?" Edric whispered as he slid back down. "This is freaking Kikimor—"

"I know," he said in an undertone. "I'll tell ya later."