Goddess in the Moonlit Forest

Every night at midnight, the purple clouds came out to dance with the blushing sky. The last rays of the sun kissed the clouds as it sank. While most of the area slumbered, the fields and forests bustled with activity as the nocturnal creatures awoke.

I grabbed an empty basket and slipped outside. I loved nights like this. It was warm enough to walk barefoot, allowing me to connect with nature and ground myself. That wasn't often the case this far north. As much as I preferred not to wear shoes, most of the year it was too cold to venture outdoors without boots or sneakers.

Although the winters were harsh, I preferred living here to being in the city. I felt suffocated by the buildings stacked on top of each other and the lack of nature. I could barely see stars in the city with all the artificial light filling the sky. Here I could see the entire universe spinning around me.

My family hadn't understood when I chose to move here. Then again, they didn't understand anything about me. They thought I should have gone to law or medical school, like them. My parents couldn't comprehend how the very thought of that drained the soul from me.

I used my graduation money to buy an open-ended train ticket. I rode around the country until I found a place where I wanted to settle. That place turned out to be Alaska. I fell in love with the wildness of the land. I was surrounded by trees, and the water and air were pure.

As I walked, I filled my lungs with fresh air. Should I have been sleeping? Probably. But I had always loved the night, especially at this time of year when the sun fought for dominance of the sky, even when it should be well set. The violet hue cast on the clouds was magickal.

The tall grasses swished against my jeans as I walked toward the trees. I was running low on peridoxita petals. The elusive plants only bloomed a few hours at night and only under these conditions.

The delicate bluish-purple flowers grew along the water. They reached out eagerly as the sun finally took its rest, and the full moon rose to shine brightly through the branches. The creek that flowed through the forest surrounding my house provided abundantly for me. The peridoxita seemed to favor the stream. Several clusters were growing around it.

Peridoxita petals offer many uses. The essence extracted smelled delightful. I liked to mix it with rose and lavender to make perfume. Sometimes I added honeysuckle or jasmine as well.

I usually grew plants in my greenhouse if they didn't thrive naturally in this climate, but I also ordered the oils online when needed. I once had a jasmine plan, but I found the heady smell in an enclosed space overwhelming.

The petals also provided a periwinkle-shaded dye. While I most often used them to color eggs and occasionally my hair, I had saved up enough to dye an entire throw blanket a few years ago. I loved wrapping up in it and curling up before the fire.

I always kept dried petals around for use in spells. Because they were attracted to the moonlight, they heightened lunar-related incantations.

As I entered the forest, I heard a harsh scream. I smiled and held my arm up. The flutter of wings blew the hair that had fallen loose from my braid around as Nebula landed on my arm. She nipped at my cheek affectionately and then nuzzled at my hair when I transferred her to my shoulder.

She was the most beautiful barn owl I had ever seen. Beady black eyes nearly hidden by the circles of onyx around them were framed in a rusty brown. The feathers on the rest of her body ranged from indigo to denim blue. Speckles of white on the blue shone like so many stars in the night sky. Black or blue barn owls were scarce. It was incredibly rare to see one. Nebula was one of my familiars. She often joined me on my nocturnal excursions.

My other familiars were Jack and Sally, my raven friends who helped me throughout the day. Mostly they flew around the woods and nearby town unless they wanted affection, but they were a trusted source of coins, keys, and other shiny objects I could use in my spellcraft. Being diurnal, they were currently fast asleep in their roost on my roof, nestled near the chimney.

The clouds were beginning to dissipate, and the sun was finally below the horizon. The forest was becoming dark, but I knew it well enough to navigate without a flashlight. I stepped carefully to avoid small rocks and twigs in my path, but I wasn't concerned about predators. They might approach me with curiosity but never attacked. They avoided me altogether when Alejo was nearby.

Night birds sang, unbothered by my presence. Other nocturnal creatures skittered about. A few came close enough to chitter at me. I laughed and threw a handful of acorns in their direction. I always carried a variety of nuts and seeds for my forest friends.

By the time I got to the creek, the moon was shining down, reflecting off the rippling water. The melodious burbling of the stream was even louder in the relative quiet of the night. A cluster of peridoxita practically reached toward me as I bent to harvest it.

I never took more than half of any outcropping, and usually not even that much. If I were to take it all, it might not grow back. As my supplies were woefully low, tonight, I harvested as much as I dared.

Nebula flew off to hunt down a meal when I reached my front door. The runes painted on the faded periwinkle door shone in the full moon's light. I nodded to myself as I entered. It was time to touch up the chalk around the doorframe and the salt line on the ground, but that could wait until the sun rose again. I had given up on hanging bells on the door even though they added a layer of protection. Jack and Sally had a habit of stealing them.

I walked inside, navigating around the furry bodies winding their way around my feet. I rescued Winifred, Mary, and Sarah last year when I encountered local boys torturing them. I am generally gentle by nature, but my name will be uttered in apprehensive awe by generations of their offspring after I put the fear of all the gods into those children. I don't take kindly to people hurting animals.

The cats were aptly named. Either that or their names begat their personalities. Orange-furred Winifred was the bossiest of the three. Mary was a beautiful black cat who faithfully followed Winifred around. Sarah was a nearly white tabby. I was concerned that she had suffered brain damage before I saved her and her sisters. She was the sweetest cat you would ever meet, but she had a habit of falling off furniture and running into walls.

They looked like Norwegian Forest cats with their incredibly thick fur. I wasn't aware of anyone in town having cats of that breed, so I had no idea where they had come from. It wasn't unusual for animals to seek me out, though.

While not precisely my familiars, the Sanderson sisters, as Alejo called them, liked to oversee everything I was doing. Winifred was quite vocal if she disapproved of where I put something. She’d look me straight in the eye and knock things off the table. I could swear she was smiling at me when she did it.

I wiped down my kitchen table in vain. With three long-haired cats, it was impossible to keep their fur out of things. I hoped a few stray hairs in my potions wouldn't adversely affect anything.

I separated the peridoxita into piles. I tied several bunches with string and hung them above the hearth to dry. I stored another handful in oil to extract their scent while the remainder went into a pot of water on the stove. I would boil it down for dye later.

Finally, I grabbed a jar of dried flowers, including the scraps of my last batch of peridoxita and another pot of bath salts. I headed into the bathroom. I turned on the faucet of the copper clawfoot tub I had managed to acquire when one of the older homes in town was renovating. There’s nothing like a hot bath in a gloriously deep tub.

I threw a handful of dried flowers and salt into the water and went into my bedroom to change as the tub filled. When I returned, I flung open the curtain and large window. I always loved bathing in the moonlight.

I pulled my long hair from its braid and shook it out. I had been born with light brown hair, but it had turned white when I was still a child. Paired with my nearly silver blue eyes, it made me appear otherworldly.

Since it had happened overnight, during a full moon, I might add, my parents had become concerned for my health. Months of medical tests showed that there was nothing wrong with me. That is also when I came into my magick, although, it would take several years before I understood what my visions meant.

As I slipped off my bathrobe and stepped into the tub, I heard a guttural howl coming from the forest. I smiled as I sunk into the hot, aromatic water. I sensed eyes on me, but I wasn't concerned.

After my bath, I returned to the kitchen. I saw no point in going to sleep when the sun would be up soon. I could rest later.

I turned on the stove to bring the peridoxita water to a boil. I began preparing breakfast - a hash made from potatoes, vegetables, and salmon left over from the previous night’s dinner. I slid the cast iron pan into the oven to keep it warm.

Then I placed candles in the circle I had painstakingly etched into the floorboards. I used to use chalk to draw it out, but I was tired of always redoing it after sweeping. Sitting in the center, I made sure the edges of my cloak were well away from the candle flames as I lit them. While I usually wore a black or dark blue cloak to represent the night, I chose the blood-red one that had been gifted to me by Alejo.

Winifred and Mary took up their usual positions on either side of me and began cleaning themselves. Sarah bounded around playfully. She darted into the circle and settled in my lap after Winifred swatted at her to keep her from knocking over the candles.

After reciting my morning blessings, I began to meditate. I communicated with the spirits guiding me through life. I found meditation as restful as sleep. As I left my near trance state, I became aware of a presence in the room.

“Welcome back to this plane, Little Red Riding Hood. Is your granny home?” a gruff voice drawled.

I blew out the candles, then stood and turned to face him. He was tall and broad. A mop of dark brown, disheveled curls and facial hair in need of a trim framed coffee-colored eyes. His clothes were worn and filthy, but Alejo rarely wore his good clothes when he went hunting. He grinned broadly at me.

“My, what big teeth you have. And you know very well my grandmother isn't here.” I replied, hanging my cloak up. “She finds my lifestyle offensive.”

Alejo wrapped his arms around me and nipped playfully at my neck. “I’m ravenous.”

“Breakfast is almost ready. I just need to cook the eggs.” I said, turning in his arms to kiss him.

He laughed, “That is not what I meant.”

“I know very well what you meant. Go take a bath, and I’ll bring your food in there.”

He gave me another kiss before striding into the bathroom. Alejo turned in the doorway, giving me a serious look. “Anya, the wards on the door are weakening.”

I nodded. “I know. I was going to touch them up later today.”

“Make sure you do. Something didn't feel right out by the bay. It hasn't reached here yet, but it's coming.”

I stood still, uncracked eggs suspended in my hands above the frying pan. “What type of something?”

“I don't know. I didn't recognize the smell. Something otherworldly. It's not moving in a straight path. With any luck, it will bypass us.” He pulled his shirt over his head and threw it into the corner. With a guilty grin, he retrieved the shirt and tossed it in the hamper.

I was distracted as I cooked the eggs. It was much easier to prepare a defense against the known than the unknown. I pulled the pan off the burner when I realized the edges of the eggs were getting crispy.

I shook off the feeling of foreboding and prepared plates of hash and eggs. Alejo had already placed a tray over the tub when I brought his food in. I often used it as a mini altar while I bathed. I handed him his plate, pulled a kitchen chair into the bathroom then balanced my breakfast on my lap.

It probably wasn't vampires. Alejo would have recognized the scent even if we didn't have them around here. I couldn't think of any reason a vampire would venture up here unless they had gone off human blood.

They weren't inherently evil, and honestly, there weren’t enough people in the area to bother with. Vampires had a hierarchy among their clans. It was possible if a lesser member was power-hungry enough, they might want to turn an entire town. I didn't think that was likely. “So...we’re not talking vampires, right?” I verified.

“No,” Alejo replied through a mouthful of hash. “I'm not saying they wouldn't be a problem for the town, but they would know better than to threaten a witch. Anything with any sense knows you are here.”

“Okay. I’ll triple the wards around the entire house and prepare as best I can.” I was going to have to check my grimoire for general defenses.

I took a few more bites, then dumped the rest of my food onto Alejo’s plate. As hungry as I had been earlier, I was too nervous to eat. He squeezed my hand in an attempt to reassure me. I returned to the kitchen to gather what I needed for the wards.

Alejo walked out of the bathroom a few minutes later with a towel wrapped around his hips. He rubbed his fingers through his hair, messing it up more than combing it. His other hand held the empty plate, which he deposited in the sink. Alejo must have wolfed down the food to be done that quickly.

“Anya, come to bed,” he said, taking a jar of salt from my hands and setting it on the counter. “There is time. It won't be here tomorrow.”

I leaned my forehead against his chest. “I know. I just...if you’re this worried about it...I’ve never dealt with anything like this before.”

Alejo led me into our bedroom, shooing the cats away as they followed us. They looked indignant before turning as one and sauntering away in a strange weaving manner that echoed their name choice.

I couldn't help but laugh as he shook his head at them. I let him pull me down onto the bed with a sensual kiss. Despite his earlier amorous attitude, I knew Alejo was exhausted from his overnight walkabout. The full moon was a trying time for him.

I was too worried about the impending threat to fall asleep immediately. Spells and physical protections played through my mind. Maybe I should sage the house again, just to be sure. I snuggled into his arms, listening to his breaths as he slid into a deep slumber.