It’s #BookQW and when Fern is in trouble, it’s Cor’s ‘pleasure’ to help.
Again, a #BookQW word that I don’t seem to use much. But this quote in Fern’s point of view in book 2 of my series–Cor’s story!–lets me point out that Fern’s story continues as the friendship between these two develops.
More from chapter 6:
The stem broke in Fern’s hand, and with a start, she saw its worn brown had turned a fresh green.
With that break in her stare, the leader asked, “Witch? You hear me?”
Her arm was tingling. She was totally going to blow the No Use of Magic Against Others rule in Bonterra. Then Mom would quash her for sure. “I hear you.”
“Brilliant. You here alone?”
“Waiting for someone.”
“No good for you to be alone here. Right, Cara?”
The brunette in a skirt and leggings murmured agreement, but the blond guy snorted.
“So here’s the thing, witch. I’m Marty and this is my area and my tribe and there’s only two ways we let anyone else be here. You pay or you join.”
She’d left her purse back in Colorado and had only a few bucks on her. If she went back to saying nothing, could she stall and hope the bus returned for her?
“You want to come with us?” Marty asked. An edge of taunting pleasure filled his voice.
Leaving was not an option. She could prevent them from dragging her out of here, if she had something to grab on to. She could even lock herself to it with her magic, couldn’t she? What to use? She casually looked around. No poles. Crap. What kind of a street was this? No light poles, no electrical poles, no signposts, nothing but…trees. Okay. Plants, very useful. Natural poles.
“So, you plus us equals no alone. Get it, little lost witch?”
Marty was past letting her stall. Abruptly, Fern leaned forward, raised her shoulders and stuck out her elbows, a wrestling trick to make herself look as big as possible. “I get it.”
Each of them took a step back. As they did, Fern bounced backward and stepped up onto the raised bed with her long legs. Crushing asters—sorry, Duffy—she shoved her way toward the tree, but the next plants didn’t give, and her slacks caught—damn. Berry bushes.
“Hey, you’re goin’ the wrong way.” Marty laughed—and he’d lost his tough-guy accent.
Thorns jabbed her thighs. She lifted her leg and tried stepping over the berry canes. Then on them. There were too many. The tree was…just…out…of…reach…
Close rustling meant they’d also climbed the bed.
She twisted to push through, thorns dragging painfully across her thighs. “Youch!”
Laughter erupted. “Told you, you’re better off with us.” Marty and the hoodie guy were only feet away. “Just come along.” He waggled a finger at her.
~~~
Buy Guardian of the Pines online!
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On a personal note, our last week has not been a pleasure. Two fires broke out in the area of Colorado where our cabin is. It was a week before they were contained and we knew our town was safe…though we are told not be complacent.
Then the #EastTroublesome Fire raged over the Continental Divide and flamed into one of our favorite hiking and camping areas of Rocky Mountain National Park. The snow has helped, but the area is not out of danger.
My memories of this park go back to childhood, but the best have been in recent years with my husband and kids, particularly elk-watching.
One of the most peaceful afternoons I spent in September was sitting in Moraine Park and watching the elk while visiting outdoors with friends–an activity we could do together and maintain social distance.
I’ve cried over the fire maps that show these stands Ponderosa pines along the Moraine Park perimeter have burned. Folks, please support our firefighters in any way you can! The work they are doing to protect property and lives is hard and dangerous.
The scale of loss of our western forests is beyond what I want to think about. It’s more than spaces that we personally love, though that’s what we think of first. It’s habitat for wildlife. It’s cycling of CO2/oxygen into clean air. It’s holding the ground in place to prevent mudslides like Colorado experienced in the 2013 floods. It’s more change to our unbalanced earth systems.
Sorry, I don’t mean to turn gloomy here. I write about nature and natural communities because I love them. I can only hope that going forward humans can find a place of balance to help our natural world.
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