Eri beamed as Nejire handed her a bowl of vegetable stew.

The sun has set over the trio, spreading darkness over the forest. The only thing lighting it was the white stars and luminous moon. They were warmed by the orange fire on the mount of wood boiling the stew in a huge coal-black cauldron.

Eri sits on a log in front of the fire. She thanks her sister as she takes her dinner.

"Of course!" Nejire replies smiling. She sits on the opposite log from her sister and pours a bowl for herself.

Eri eats a large carrot chunk with her wooden spoon. The food warms her body, and she can't contain her smile. Her sister was the best cook in the world.

The bushes rustle behind her, making her turn in surprise. Her worries were soon settled however upon realizing it was just Me. Pumpkin.

"I cooked the deer." He says, carrying a plate of meat.

"Yay!" Eri says happily as he puts the plate next to her.

Mr. Pumpkin sits down on the log seat next to her and watches as she takes a bite into her food. Eri notices, and looks up at him in confusion, "Where's your food Mr. Pumpkin?"

"I already ate earlier," Mr. Pumpkin answered, "In the woods."

'But you never eat with us!" Eri whines, "That's so unfair!"

"Nejire saw me."

"Mhm," Nejire said with a mouthful of stew, "He eats while he's out hunting,"

"Oh.." Eri says to herself, "...well maybe sometimes I can eat with you in the woods too...!"

"The woods are a dangerous place Eri," Nejire lectures.

"But I'm sure it'll be fine if Mr. Pumpkin and I are together!" Eri protests.

"Even if you and Mr. Pumpkin are together, the woods are still scary! You could get lost, get stung by wild animals, or attacked by the dark-"

Nejire stopped herself short and lowered her gaze.

Eri's heart raced at the mention of the dark sorcerer. Vivid memories stained her mind of the times when she was enslaved by him. The horned witch lowered her gaze from Nejire. She didn't like the sound of the woods anymore.

And the sudden clap of thunder certainly didn't help either.

Eri jolted in surprise at the loud boom. She almost dropped her dinner in the process. Nejire was also shaken.

"Thunder..." she muttered to herself.

"Will lightning come too?!" Eri cried nervously. She was always frightened by the flashes in the sky.

"No Eri," Nejire assure with a small smile, "But we could probably guess we'll get a lot of rain,"

"Oh..." Eri mumbles to herself. Eri was glad there wouldn't be lighting, but she didn't like the sound of rain.

Rain meant she'd be kept up all night listening to it crash against the wooden roof of her wooden shelter. rain meant she couldn't sneak outside to catch fireflies or look at stars. And worst of all, rain meant water would leak from the roof very close to her bed. Since the run never got on her bed, she never thought it mattered enough to tell Nejire about it.

"I think I have an idea..." Mr. Pumpkin says, "That will solve our rain situation,"

Eri looked up.

"On the edge of the forest," Mr. Pumpkin says, "By the highway, there's a little run-down motel. About a week ago I found an abandoned wallet full of cash. With it, we could probably rent out for"

"No!" Nejire objected from her log, "No way, not in a million years!"

"Why no?" Eri asked, "What does Mr. Pumpkin mean?"

"I was suggesting..." Mr. Pumpkin explains, "We stay in a motel- a piece of the human world..."

"And I said NO," Nejire repeats, with a glare.

Eri was surprised at this revelation. She's never known anything of the human world... But from the way Nejire kept it secrete, she assumed it was a topic too horrid to speak of.

Yet Mr. Pumpkin was suggesting they be a part of it?

"Think about it Nejire," Mr. Pumpkin debates, "The rain will surely freeze her-"

"We've been through rain before," Nejire pointed out, "We're still fine."

"We've been through spring and summer rains. It was warmer and more manageable. Now we're in October...and it'll just get colder..."

"It won't be any better in their world! Their humans cry out loud!"

"You don't know that..."

"Don't know what-?!"

"...I finished my stew..." Eri says with an empty bowl.

Nejire and Mr. Pumpkin end their argument to pay Eri mind. Mr. Pumpkin takes Eri's bowl from her, and Nejire pats Eri on her head.

"I think it's time for your bath," Nejire says calmly, "Let's get it done before the rain starts."

Eri nods and lifts up her arms making it easier for her big sister to pick her up. As Nejire carried her away, Mr. Pumpkin cleaned up their plates.

Soon Eri was sitting in the warm water of her make-shift bathing pool. The pool is warmed by a forever burning flame created by Mr. Pumpkin. Soap washed off her body as Nejire poured a bucket of warm water over her head, her white wavy hair draping over her face.

Eri giggled as she swiped the hair away from her face. Nejire couldn't help but smile. Eri's laugh could bring a smile to anyone's lips.

Eri's smiles soon faded, as memories of dinner time resurfaced. A question began hanging over her head- a question that couldn't be washed away with rose-scented soap.

"Nejire..." she asks, looking up at her sister, "Why do you hate humans?"

Nejire's eyes widened in shock, "E-Eri! What makes you think that..?"

"You never like to talk about them when Mr. Pumpkin brings them up," Eri quickly answers, "And you never let me go to the north part of the forest...cause humans live around there...right?"

Nejire was surprised yet racked with guilt. She tried her hardest to keep her animosity towards humans away from Eri.

Nejire sighed and came clean, "I wouldn't say I hate humans...But I do have reasons to not like them very much either..."

"What's the reason?!" Eri cries in curiosity, splashing her bathwater.

"Eek! Patience please!" Nejire cried with a small laugh. She chuckled to herself a little before thinking about what Eri was asking.

"Humans haven't really liked witches much..." Nejire answered, "They were a little mean to us too..."

"How mean?"

"Well..." Nejire's voice lowered, "It's the reason why we can't see our mommies and daddies anymore..."

Mr. Pumpkin cleaned off the dirty plates from dinner. He fetched a pail of water from a nearby stream and added soap he stole from a convenience store.

Mr. Pumpkin washed the two bowls with a sponge he also happened to the there (two for one!) and put them to the side. His last task was to clean the larger chamber pot Nejire made the food in. He was about to scrub the inside when he saw something at the bottom.

Two- no, three chunks of potatoes.

They weren't very big, but they were just sitting there at the bottom of the pot. Nejire must have forgotten to clean it out before he started cleaning. Just the sight of them made Mr. Pumpkin's stomach rumble.

Mr. Pumpkincouldntfind food in the woods that day. All the wild berries were beginning to wither and die due to the could. All he could find were wild mushrooms which he couldn't confirm were completely edible.

These potatoes could serve as some sort of nutrients. Something to eat in the last two days. He could feel something dribble down his chin... saliva? It wouldn't hurt to eat the potatoes right? Would it truly be a crime to give in to his cravings-

*RUSTLE*

Mr. Pumpkin turned his head quickly as the bushes behind him rustled. His eyes were glued to the bush and whatever will come out of it.

...A bunny

A white fluffy bunny popped out of the bush. Its ears perked up the moment it saw Mr. Pumpkin. Its eyes stared up at the pumpkin boy as he held the cauldron tilted to him. It sat there as if it were waiting to see what he'd do next.

What Mr. Pumpkin did next was sacrificing his first chance at food in 2 days. He dumped the rest of the water from the pail it the cauldron, washing away all the bits of food in it.

Once the water and food was dumped onto the ground, the bunny hopped on its merry way.