Days were coming and going as the girls discussed their opinions on leaving the village to travel for awhile, or at least go to Birdseye and check it out to see if it would be something they would want to continue on with.

It was almost to be expected that when you turned eighteen you would venture out. Never the less it worried the parents knowing they could not stop them…it was in their lineage whether they agreed with it or not it had always been obeyed.

The days turned to a couple weeks as the girls settled on leaving for town taking with them a change of clothes should they decide to stay longer then a day.

Early afternoon approached bringing in a slight mist, fall had settled warm and sunny days had become seldom as the rain and cool weather arrived. It had taken a few days to reassure Serena's mother everything would be fine and to not worry.

They embraced one another in a warm hug as Luna tied the cloak around her neck and pulling the hood over head. "Be careful…be cautious…but don't be scared. Just remember they fear what they don't understand."

She kissed her mother kindly on the cheek before settling upon her horse to meet up with Mina.

"I see someone's in a hurry."

"I'm just so excited!" Mina replied already on her horse ready to leave.

They had discussed different ideas on what it was going to be like on their own even if it was only for a day or two. As the rode up on the outskirts of town they had thought it be a wise idea to tie the horses up before they headed in as a precautionary.

"At least for now this gives us just cause for leaving our hoods on." Mina stated as rain began to fall silently from the sky. Serena nodded in agreement as they both dismounted the horses tying the knot loosely around a branch knowing the horses wouldn't leave.

They began their descent slowly in to town almost as if they were connected at the hip. They noticed some of the stares but standing side by side they didn't shy away from them.

Both girls had seen towns people through out travels with the group but it was only now that they finally got to have a detailed look. For the first time they really paid attention to the difference in appearance they held in comparison to the others.

Along the way they could hear the gasps, whispers, and the rude remarks. They pretended to pay no mind to the attention they were receiving as they walked into a little shop to buy some food for them and their horses.

As they entered, both girls removed their hooding but left the cloak tied around their slender frame keeping them from being exposed to the chilled breeze.

"Can…I…um help you?" A short stout woman with dark hair mixed with gray asked uncomfortably.

"No thank you, were just here to buy some snacks." Serena replied back noticing the woman and the five customers staring openly at them with curiosity and possibly a hint of fear.

The girls looked around gazing at everything the shop had to offer, especially food they had never seen or heard of.



"Look, look. They have so many different sweets, even something called ice cream." Mina cheered excitedly as they grabbed a couple cinnamon sticks and lollipops, causing a quiet chuckle from a person or two.

"You girls care to try some ice cream…kids go crazy for this." The short woman asked hesitantly with a kind smile.

Mina eyed the vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry carefully. "Oh YES please I'll take a scoop of the…the strawberry. Yes, yes the strawberry. Thank you."

"I'll take a scoop of the chocolate Mam, thank you."

Within seconds Mina was eating it as if it were a salt lick, expressing how she had never tasted anything so sweet.

As the woman handed Serena the ice cream a little girl no older then five ran up to Mina and gave a small tug on her cloak causing her to look down.

"Is you weally a witch?" The red headed girl asked confused not even understanding what the word meant.

The girls looked at each other wide eyed at the question they were just asked. Serena bent down to kneel in front of her. "No sweetie, were not witches." She went to pat her on the shoulder when the little girl was quickly pulled away.

"Lydia, I don't want you talking to them." A woman with brown curly hair said as she grabbed the child's wrist, taking her to stand with the other customers stood watching.

Serena stood up taking a place next to Mina both carrying a small expression of hurt. They quickly and quietly handed the woman some money and made their way to the exit.

Mina stopped abruptly turning around to glare at the people in the shop. "Being ignorant and close minded…why, its no wonder your children don't know anything." And just as quickly they left hearing the faint comments, huffs and puffs of their 'well I never remarks.'

The rain seemed to be coming down a little more fervently then before, immediately causing them to pull the hoods securely above their heads to try and stay dry as possible.

"Oh cheese and rice!" Serena said bitterly feeling the ice cream dripping down her hand as they started walking towards the direction of their horses. "How is it even melting?" Whining and annoyance laced upon that comment as she tried licking it off.

"Rena, I don't know what it is but this feels like a déjà vu sort of moment."

She wasn't paying attention as Mina spoke to busy focusing on how her hand felt sticky. As she went to take a bite it fell from her hands into the mud at her feet as someone rather quickly bumped into her.

"Rude!" Serena scolded him with anger as he kept walking.

Mina's piercing blue eyes met with his chocolate brown all for but a second as he continued on with his quick stride.

"I'm really not seeing what's so special about places like this."



"Oh hush, I'll buy you another one the next time we come back."

A short time later they pulled out a couple apples as they came into view of their horses, causing them to stamp their hooves in acknowledgment at the treats. As they fed the horses in the distant background they could hear some sort of commotion.

"What do you think it is?"

"Shh, I don't know."

Before Serena could respond a short distance ahead she slightly squinted her eyes taking in the scene before her. A man was trying to run as he held his bloody hand to his neck.

She froze instantly. "Cheese and Rice!"

"What, what is it. What's wrong?" Mina asked in alarm as she turned away from the horses giving Serena her full attention only to follow where her unwavering eyes appeared to look. Her movements ceased. "Biscuits and Gravy!"