Our Wild Family

First Day of School

First Day of School

Luz wrinkled her nose as she looked at the dead creature.

"Um...What is that?"

"It's a trash slug!" Eda grinned, marching up to it, "They crawl along the beaches eating trash from all over, including the human realm, until Blam! It gets hit by a wave and croaks from all the salt and boiling water!"

Evan silently handed her a bandana, tying one over his own face. Luz took it and watched as Eda began hacking into the trash slug.

"Somehow, I imagined being a witch's apprentice to involve more...magic..." She grumbled.

"Aunt Eda has a much more "Hands on" approach to learning," Evan shrugged, scrambling up the side of the slug.

"That's right!" Eda tossed a handful of human items into a pile. Trash slugs aren't just full of junk we can sell. It's also full of potions ingredients. Like this!"

She grabbed Luz's hand and plunged it into a particularly slimy part of the slug. Luz gagged even as she pulled something out.

"Oh, hey." She grimaced, "A greasy slime ball."

"I'll be honest. I don't know any potions that use that." Eda put her hands on her hips before standing upright. "But a good witch is always resourceful. So use your slime ball wisely."

Luz blinked down at the slime ball and tucked it into her pocket. "I...don't really know what to harvest from a trash slug. Can I just go back to the house and read about it for today?"

"What's the matter, Luz?" King teased, "Don't you want to pick apart a garbage carcass at the dump?"

Eda frowned and looked between her apprentice and son, "Yeah, sure. And take this rugrat with you. I only bring him on trash slug day because I don't want to leave him alone with Hooty."

Luz nodded and scooped King off his beach blanket. She held him against her chest as she wandered into the forest. Her frown deepened as she walked.

"Are you ok, Luz?" King tilted his head.

"Yeah." Luz shrugged, "I'm just thinking."

"You look like your head is going to explode."

Before Luz could reply another voice drifted over the bushes. She stopped and turned.

"Maybe one more try?"

"It's hopeless, Amity. I'll never get this right."

"Willow." Luz stepped over and pushed her way through the bushes.

Willow was sitting with another witchlet. Both were dressed in the same magenta uniform and the new girl had bright green hair. They sat on the ground by two massive cauldrons.

"Even with you and Mr. Darius helping me, I've never really made an abomination work," Willow bemoaned, "I hate it! I hate making abominations! I hate getting bad grades!"

"Willow!" Amity gasped as green magic spread over the clearing.

Luz yelped as the bushes crushed in around her and King. Thorny vines wrapped around her ankles and dragged them out of their hiding place.

"Luz? King?" The green glow faded from Willow's eyes, "Oh my Titan! I'm so sorry!"

"I-It's ok," She rubbed her ankles, "I don't think it broke skin. But, what's going on?"

"My abomination," Willow hung her head.

She led Luz and King over to her pot and lift the lid. Luz tilted her head at the goop.