The next morning, Mirta didn't come out for breakfast, telling Flora though the door she wasn't ready for company right now.
"Are you okay, sweetie?" asked Flora, "I'm a little worried about you."
"I'm not gonna freak out again, if that's what you're thinking," was the reply, "I just want some alone time."
"Okay, then. We'll be around, if you want us," said Flora, and went on to the dining room.
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At noon, Mirta came out and ate a very light lunch. She didn't say much, and everyone avoided the subject. Chatta was all excited about Mirta seeming to feel better, and Flora had to grab her and calm her down before she said something really inappropriate.
After lunch, Flora and Mirta went outside. It was a beautiful day, not too hot, with a light breeze.
"I couldn't stay in my room any longer," said Mirta, looking around, "I feel I should go for a walk in the woods and clear my head. Are there any paths I can take?"
Flora smiled. "Your Nature Fairy side is getting stronger," she said. She pointed between two tall trees with fernlike leaves. "Go that way, and it will take you down to the lake. It's very beautiful there. We built a picnic area at the water years ago."
Mirta grabbed Flora in a hard hug. "Thank you for being my friend. Without you and the other girls, I don't know where I'd be now."
"That's what friends are for, sweetie," said Flora, returning the hug.
Mirta let her go, and went for her walk. As she passed between the two tall trees, it was as if she was suddenly in another realm. There were no signs of civilization. Even the path she was on might have been made by animals going to the lake.
She slowed her pace, and opened her senses to the Voice of Nature, like she had been taught at Alfea. All around her, the plants were going about the business of living. The animals she could sense could also sense her. A few chose to hide, while others moved away from her.
As she walked, she suddenly sensed unhappiness off the path. Following the feeling, she found a young tree next to a tall one. Squatting beside it, she concentrated on the tree, and finally understood it wasn't getting enough sunlight.
She stood and looked up at the tall tree. The problem was a dead branch that hung over the small tree, preventing most of the sun from reaching it.
Taking careful aim, she sent an orange bolt of magic that severed the branch neatly at the trunk. She quickly caught it in a levitation spell, and set it gently down in a clear area.
The feeling from the small tree changed to happiness. It didn't know what had happened, but was glad to get the full benefit of the sun.
Mirta's attention was drawn to the big tree. Removing the dead branch made it feel better too. She smiled, and touched both trees before returning to the path.
She stood there, looking along the path. She hugged herself. That had felt... good, helping those plants. Maybe, just maybe, she had taken the correct fork in the road for herself after all. Flora had told her a Nature Fairy's life could be very fulfilling. If that was a sample, she could get used to it.
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Another ten or fifteen minutes of walking brought her to the lake. Nearby was a wooden picnic table and benches, and beyond it a fire pit made from local rocks. She sat on the table and took a lotus position. Birds and other flying animals were calling from the trees, while waterfowl drifted on the water. The breeze made ripples on the lake, reflecting a distorted view of the far shore and the sun and clouds.
She closed her eyes and thought. Maybe the humans on Linphea didn't want her, but Nature here accepted her, as it accepted nearly everything else. Life went on, human affairs notwithstanding. She drifted away in meditation. It was so peaceful and wonderful, she didn't care if she lost herself in it forever.
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Suddenly she was aware of herself and her immediate surroundings again. Something... she opened her eyes to find Rose standing nearby, looking at her with relief.
"Rose? What's wrong?" Mirta asked. She stretched her legs, and winced a bit. They seem to have kinda frozen in place.
"You finally heard me calling you. I've been trying to get your attention for the last five minutes," Rose answered, sitting on the bench.
Mirta climbed down from the table and sat beside her. "Really? I was that out of it? What's wrong?"
"I was getting worried. You've been here for hours," said Rose, looking up into Mirta's face.
With a start, Mirta looked toward the sun. Sure enough, it had changed positions and the shadows around them had changed as well. The ducks in the lake were gone.
"Wow, I didn't realize..." she said.
"Thank you for helping that little tree," said Rose with a smile.
"How did you know?" asked Mirta, a bit taken aback.
"Someday I'll be a Fairy of Nature too, and I'm already sensitive to it. That poor little tree has been unhappy for a long time, but I didn't know what to do about it. You also made that big tree happy," said Rose.
"Well, I-- it just seemed like the right thing to do," Mirta said, a bit embarrassed.
Rose cocked her head to look at Mirta. "I think you have strong instincts. You'll be a great Nature Fairy."
Mirta blushed but didn't know what to say.
"Can I ask you something?" said Rose, turning serious.
"Sure," said Mirta.
"Is it true? Did your family really kick you out?" asked Rose.
Mirta sighed. "Yeah, it's true. They didn't like me becoming a fairy. So now I have no family, no home, and not really much of a future." Rose opened her mouth, but Mirta stopped her from speaking by holding up a hand. "I might be a Nature Fairy, but that policeman made me realize something. Nobody's gonna hire a fairy tainted with as much dark magic as me."
Mirta hung her head and shook it. "Maybe I should tell Flora to turn me back into a pumpkin and plant me. At least then I would have a purpose."
Rose looked horrified. "DON'T YOU DARE!!"
"Why not? I kinda liked being a pumpkin," said Mirta.
"Because then I couldn't be your family," said Rose.
Mirta looked at her sharply. "HUH?"
Rose took Mirta's arm. "I'll be your family, your little sister."
Mirta took Rose into a hug. "I don't know what to say... do you really want me? A half-witch?"
"You bet! I like you a lot!" said Rose.
Mirta smiled. "I like you too. Okay, then, 'little sister'." She ruffled Rose's auburn hair.
"I know it isn't real, but now you have somebody," said Rose, trying to straighten her hair.
"It's real enough for me. Thank you," said Mirta.
Rose stood. "I'm going back to the house. See you soon?"
"Sure. I want to do a little more thinking, then I'll be back," was the answer.
"Okay, Bye!" Rose gave her not-sister a smile, and headed up the path.
Mirta sat and thought. She suddenly did feel a lot better. Rose had said just the right thing to make her see that all was not hopeless.
Suddenly she heard a scream from up the path. She quickly got up and ran that way. She hoped she would get there before something happened to Rose.
Suddenly she stopped. There on the path before her was another woman. She had pale pink hair, and was dressed in a khaki safari outfit, without the pith helmet. There was a dark green canvas bag over her shoulder. The newcomer turned at the noise Mirta made.
"Ah, another witch! Good!" she said.
"Who are you?" asked Mirta.
"My name's Inez. Yours?" was the answer.
"Uh, Mirta," she said.
"Well, Mirta, I'm collecting sokama berry bushes, and some local brat saw me. If you help me get rid of her before she can tell anyone, I'll split what I've got with you," said Inez.
Mirta thought. Sokama berries looked good, but weren't edible by humans. Injected with a certain poison potion, they could be instantly deadly.
"THERE SHE IS!" exclaimed Inez, and sent a greenish blast of magic at Rose. It struck the tree she was hiding behind, and took a chunk out of it. Mirta could feel the tree's sudden discomfort. Rose ran to hide behind another tree a bit farther away.
"If we have a deal, go that way and cut off her escape!" said Inez, putting down the bag of berry bushes.
"Sounds like a good deal to me," said Mirta, grinning.
Rose had heard the conversation, and gasped. What would happen now?