Chapter 2: Whitetail Woods

The moon was full. It's the perfect time to collect moonshine flowers. Though they bloom regularly at night, the full moon's light brings out their magic potential. Potions become more potent when mixed with moonshine pollen, and its petals can be made as a remedy for serious ailments.

Brielle walked through the Whitetail forest to get to where the flowers grew: under the great willow tree near the river. As she made her way through the forest, she took in the sounds of the night around her. Crickets chirped among the grass. There was also the occasional hoots of owls in the trees.

Soon, she heard the rippling sound of water accompanied by a soft chorus of croaks. A little further and she saw the willow tree surrounded by a field of moonshine flowers.

Having arrived at her destination, she started collecting flowers, carefully snapping the stem and tapping the pollen into a jar in her basket. She then puts the flowers she picked into her basket. After picking a basket's worth of flowers and a jar's worth of pollen, she was satisfied and decided to enjoy the scenery and the sounds that the night provided.

She decided to head back home to call it a night after she stifled a yawn. On her way home, she heard voices. The mage noticed the hostile tone in some of the voices, she quickly hid herself in a nearby bush to avoid being seen.

The moon and stars provided adequate light that Brielle could identify the people on her path. Three men surrounded a boy wearing a green cloak. All of them were muscular and appeared to be led by the one in the middle. She could properly hear them from where she was. They seem to be arguing about something.

"Listen kid, just give us your money and we'll let you go." The middle man said. "No need to resort to violence."

"Well gentlemen," the boy replied calmly. "I am very tempted to do just that but there's just one teensy weensy problem: I don't have anything to give you!" the boy snapped, clearly annoyed. "Now please leave me be. There are more important matters I must attend to." He said as he pushed his way out of their circle, only to be pulled back in by one of the henchmen.

"Then how 'bout that shiny necklace you're wearing?" the man said, pointing a knife at his neck. "That's sure to fetch a good price in the Alley."

"Hey, watch where you point that thing!" the boy yelled, slowly backing away. "I'm not giving you this. It's a family heirloom."

"Kid, this is a robbery. We don't need your permission. We simply take it." The man drew his knife closer to the boy's neck.

As the boy backed away once more, jar fell from his cloak. The jar broke and its contents spilled on the ground. They glistened under the bright moonlight.

The three men looked down at the broken jar. "Flowers petals? You came out here at night, just to collect flowers?" the men broke into a hearty laugh and began stepping on the flowers.

"Wait, don't!" yelled the boy as he tried to stop them from further damaging them. "You don't know how important those are!"

Brielle suddenly realized what they were.

(Wait, moonshine petals... and he said he was in a hurry... Oh stars and moon! Someone he knows might be terribly ill!)

She had to help him. Gathering all the courage she could, she stepped out of her hiding place.

"Excuse me, I think you have to let him go now. He really needs to get home to treat his ill friend or relative." Brielle meekly said.

"Huh? Where'd you come from? This doesn't concern you, girl. Now run home." The man said, surprised at the girl who just showed up.

The boy was surprised too. Why would a girl be out all alone this late at night in the middle of the forest?

"You're not from around here are you?" Brielle replied smiling. "I'm quite known around these parts." She continued as she snapped her fingers.

"Uhmmm boss? Isn't it suddenly a bit bright in here?" one henchman pointed out.

"Yeah, a bit hot too." The other one said.

And before they knew it, all their garments were ablaze with red flames. The men tried to extinguish it by dropping and rolling on the ground but it proved to be useless as the flames continued to eat away their clothing, licking their skin, and tasting their flesh. They had no choice; they removed their cloaks and tunics, exposing their skin to the cold air of the night.

Brielle quickly took hold of them in her telekinesis and threw them across the path. the thieves groaned in pain as they tried to get up.

"You should really consider finding a new line of work. Robbery isn't a very sustainable source of income." she quipped.

"You haven't seen the last of us mage!" they screamed as they disappeared into the night.

"Gee, thanks for your help back there, I really appreciate it." The boy said with relief. "I don't want to be rude but I have to get going now. I need to gather a new batch of flowers and I am really running late." He said as he started to walk in the direction of the great willow tree.

"Oh you don't have to." Brielle replied as she levitated her basket towards the boy. "Take as much as you need." She offered.

"Whoa, really? Thanks, you have no idea how much I need this!" the boy said, picking three flowers from the basket.

"Believe me, I d-" Brielle chuckled right before the boy hugged him tightly. With almost no experience being in such close contact with people, Brielle froze right where she stood. The basket slipped through her magic's grasp.

The hug seemed to last for an hour until the boy decided to break away. He thanked her once more and ran off deeper into the forest.

"I promise I'll find you to thank you properly!" he yelled as his voice trailed off into the woods.

Brielle stood there, frozen until she was brought back to her senses by a hooting owl.

"Well that was... unexpected." She shook her head and proceeded picking up the basket's spilled contents and heaved a sigh of relief. "Good thing my jar didn't break. I hope I'll never have to see him again. Now what was that last thing he said?"