Fantasy Familiars of a Greater Witch

[Damselfly]

The moonlit night was cold as Siseri wrapped her cloak around her more tightly. It was lined with ermine, twice-enchanted, and yet it did nothing to block the icy winds that threatened to take her hat right off her head. Luckily that was tied with a black ribbon underneath her chin, and wasn't going anywhere. She took another few steps forward. The dark, snow-covered trees stood like sentinels in the dark forest. The wind howled, obscuring any other noise. Siseri struggled on. She had to reach her destination. It was important--no, critical--that she find the Ruby Chalice. Siseri took another step forward, nearly tumbling into the deep snow. She exhaled, her breath a clear white cloud in front of her. Her age was getting to her. But her stubbornness had long since fueled her, and it kept her going this dark night.

There was a screech, different from the wind. Siseri dared to pause, and she waved her hands around her. "Daliehis fo erif!"

A firey shield burst around her, covering her in a dome of flame. It wasn't a second too late; a large white creature swiped at the shield, screeching as its talons were burned. Siseri glanced upwards, her eyes counting the many cracks. From a single attack, that creature had nearly torn through her shield. Was she losing power? Of course she was; that was a silly question. She was far from her witchlands, and far from her familiars who could've supplied her power she needed. But she had to find the Chalice alone. Had she brought her two familiars, they might've gotten killed on the journey, or worse, succumbed to another creature's control. Siseri couldn't risk that--she had invested too much power in each of them, and they were her dearest creations.

The creature swept around, its talons raking across her shield. This time, they left sizeable holes in the shield, and it began to flicker and snuff out. Siseri's eyes widened, and she muttered an incantation under her breath. The shield repaired itself, but she knew it was only a matter of time.

Siseri bent down, pulling out a black candle from her pouch. She stuck it against the fire shield, and it immediately caught alight. She huddled with it, and began to whisper to it quickly. The candle burned, faster than any normal candle would. Fortunately, this was a nuntius candle. Its matching pair was back home in her witchlands. She continued to hurriedly whisper as the creature bore down once more on the shield, screeching as the flames burned into its flesh. The nuntius candle burned to a nub, and then finally disintegrated. Siseri exhaled. It was a small chance, an astronomically low chance, but it was the only hope she had.

"Please," Siseri said to the nuntius candle remnants, her voice weak with cold and several weeks of hard travel, "Please try to get along, little ones."

Her fire shield shattered, and Siseri stood to face her attacker.

 

[Vvelvet]

Back at home, Morvyn sat and listened to the words spoken. Hearing the desperation and pain in Siseri's worn out voice brought grave concern upon her. Part of her felt upset, upset at Siseri for being gone, their bond was breaking and it hurt to be away from her owner for such a long period of time..yet, the other part of her felt a sense of determination to help. Her dearest owner was in danger and she had the power to at least attempt to complete the journey. She questioned if this was really for her to do, she was just a meer familiar, bendable to any magic users will.
However, if Morvyn and the other familiar weren't able to do this, Siseri would have never sent that message. She, more than anyone, knows the strength and capabilities of her familiars and that was enough of a reason to dispel any more questions from her mind.

Perched upon a high bookshelf, Morvyn leaped down and got closer to the other familiar which rarely ever happened. She thought for a moment, then transformed back to a human.
"Eh..a battle for us? Unusual. I think I can handle it though." She finally spoke, her tone implying thar she was waaaaayyyy better than the other familiar and could take on this task alone.
"Snow battles..Dangerous ice and cold winds..hmmm..~" Morvyn pondered, her legs crossed and her posture straightend. "Dearest Siseri is saying that we could do this together, although I'm not sure about how well we'd get along."

 

[Damselfly]

Out in the witchlands, Irri gathered the last of the red caps she could find. Siseri's stock was running low, and though Irri had tried her best to refill it, she hadn't been able to find them in the witchlands. This made Irri frown, her brow creasing with the slightest bit of worry. Red caps ought to have been in season now. But Siseri had been gone for awhile... other plants had been struggling, especially the ones that were more magical in nature. Red caps were always the first to struggle. Still, they were important in keeping Siseri's arthritis under control. Irri didn't want to fail her mistress.

She picked up her pack, slinging it back onto her shoulders. She might find some on the way back. In fact, she probably would. Irri smiled, nodding to herself. Or Siseri would return, and then all would be well. Either way, there wasn't any use in worrying about it.

Irri picked her way through the woods, eventually emerging on the other side of the lake. Across it, she could see the cabin where Siseri had made her home. Morvyn was there, likely brooding as usual. Irri had tried to offer her a few chores to do, but Morvyn had only grumbled. She did not like being left behind. Which Irri didn't understand--why would anyone want to leave the witchlands?--but admittedly, it was odd that Siseri hadn't taken Morvyn. Siseri usually always took Morvyn when she had to leave the witchlands. The fact that she hadn't taken her familiar with her was an odd choice, but Irri wasn't one to question her mistress.

She finished canoeing across the lake, and quickly strode into the cabin. She caught the tail-end of Morvyn's musings. She cocked her head, and began unpacking the ingredients she had gathered. There was a neat line of shelves filled with glass jars, each with different ingredients. The jars were enchanted to dry out the ingredients or keep them fresh, depending on what was needed. It saved Irri lots of time.

She glanced at Morvyn, at the snub of the black candle she was staring at. She turned back to her shelves. "So... I still have a few things left to do today, if you'd like to join me?"

(( Vvelvet I'm so sorry about taking so long!! It's been a busy week for me.))

 

[Vvelvet]

Morvyn fiddled with her hair and kind of smiled. "If it requires minimal effort, then yes," She responded, looking up at Irri while sat on the floor. "Mistress says we must take on a pressing journey. Together. I don't know how fun this'll be though.." She'd tell the other familiar and would then mumble under her breath. "..Especially with you tagging along.." Clearly she didn't take on the part about 'getting along' that their owner begged them to do. The two had always been quite different.

 

[Damselfly]

Irri turned her head to the side. "A journey? Why would Mistress want us to go on a journey?"

It had been awhile since Siseri had been home... and Irri now realized that she wasn't sure exactly how long it had been. A few days, certainly. Perhaps a few weeks? No, surely not. But it was hard to tell time here in the witchlands. Irri used to count the days in the seasons, but she hadn't kept up with that particular chore in some time. She fiddled with the edge of her braid nervously. "Surely Mistress wouldn't want me to leave the witchlands. I'm, well, I'm not supposed to."

There was no command stopping her from doing so. But Irri had always held firm to her rules. They kept her safe and free from worry. And Siseri had always taken Morvyn on her journeys, except this one. A tiny thought occurred to Irri, that maybe that was why Morvyn had been left behind--to guide Irri out of the witchlands. But that was silly. Irri didn't leave the witchlands. She mustn't.

 

[Vvelvet]

"Well, Irri, Mistress specified that both of us are going on this journey to the Dumo mountins. I know you're most sheltered to your soft life in the witchlands but..Mistress is asking for you to tag along. You just missed the message she sent through the candle."
Morvyn would fidget, relaying what she was told by her mistress back to Irri. "You have to come with, you wouldn't want to go against our dearest mistresses wishes...right?"

 

[Damselfly]

"N-No!" Irri said, biting her lip. "No, I wouldn't dare."



She could feel the commanding impulse, even if Siseri wasn't there. Morvyn was right. There was a command to follow. And follow it she would.



"What... What does she want us to do?"



As Morvyn explained, Irri sat about gathering supplies. She put together two neat packs filled with dried food, extra clothes, tinder boxes, and other supplies. They were human sized packs, and that made Irri pause. Would it be better if they both flew? But then they couldn't carry nearly as much... They could forage along the way, though. Maybe they didn't need the food...



Irri frowned, her nervousness blooming in her chest. Leaving the witchlands. She was actually being commanded to leave. Would they return? Surely they would. Surely everything was fine and Siseri would meet them along the way and tell them that they had no need to go on a journey at all.



And what was the chalice? Who was this queen? And what had attacked Siseri, one of the more powerful witches?

 

[Vvelvet]

Morvyn watched her pack, not saying much other than simple purrings. She sort of smiled seeing Irri panic. "Are you afraid, Irri?~" She teased, watching the worry on her face form.

Deep down, Morvyn was growing worried as well. How powerful could this beast possibly be to the point that their powerful mistress would need their help? Alas, she hid that fear, especially infront of her peer.

"Outside the witchlands isn't that daunting. Just horrid beasts, natural disasters that could kill us..nothing too bad.~" She tried to describe the most horrid things, wanting to terrify Irri for her own entertainment.