with an assortment of food,
none of which Carole recognized.
"Ah... There's no bat's wings or newt eyeballs in this stuff, is there?"
Mariat giggled again. "Be all ye multitaskers so funny? Bats wings and such be
ingredients for brew, not for food."
"Oh, I'm so glad. What do you recommend?"
The witchling pointed out her favorite dishes. Carole, sampling them, discovered that
the food was delicious. She was famished and filled her plate. Mariat did likewise, saying that
being a good hostess also meant she got to eat before the older witches, instead of after, which
was her usual witchling place.
They took their food to a bench near the brew pot. Between mouthfuls Carole continued
to ask questions.
"This here feast be to celebrate the end of the snows. 'Til now there still be killing frosts
covering the ground, but they be gone now 'til after harvest."
"So is this the longest day of the year?"
"No, that be the Birthing Solstice; still a few moons off yet." Mariat's eyes sparkled.
"That be a most powerful night fer spell making and witch lore. The most powerful night of all
fer live spelling."
"Live spelling?"
"Healing spells. Helping spells. The Death Solstice be its opposite, in the season of the
snows, when it be mostly cold and dark. That be the time fer death spelling. Nasty business that.
Still, gots to know it all if ye want to be a Westhiller." Mariat sighed, "To bad this here feast be
stuck way up here in the north in such a stuffy hall. Times past it be out-of-doors with great
bonfires, warming spring breezes and merry music from nearby villages and such."
"Because of the werewolves?"
"Yup. They be such a problem that even here we Westhillers mostly stay indoors at
night, even fer the Moon Feast. Such an embarrassment that be too!"
"Do the werewolves bother the ghosts and spirits, too?"
"Oh, no. The spirit folk be not hindered by fleshy types. In fact Herling thinks 'tis other
way arount. Spirit folk in uproar over shifting dimensions and be taking out their frustrations on
others, such as they can. Werewolves be not very bright and easy to bother, so they be bullied
most often. Then they gets all riled up and looks arount fer someone to bite. It makes fer
intolerable time, so the Westhill Coven comes here to northern country fer some peace and
quiet."
"Hmm, nice vacation resort, with killer forests and man-eating fog. So there aren't any
werewolves around?"
"Be but a few, though so far none is able to get into the hall."
"Is that why the windows are so high up?"
"That be so, high and smallish. Though if pesky enough, a wolf still be able to break
through."
"Does all that cat pee on the doorway have something to do with the werewolves
too?"
"True enough." Mariat smiled, seeming impressed with Carole's quick perception of the
workings of witch society. "Cat pee makes wolf forget about the windows and try to get at cats
through the front door. That be why such thickness to the door. Wolf attacks until it gets
tuckered out and goes home to bed."
"But the door wasn't locked. What if a werewolf pulls down the latch during an
attack?"
"Wolves always howl into the night. That gives us witches plenty of time to prepare,"
Mariat said.
"What else do you do, to prepare, I mean?"
"We spread wolfbane about. Plant gardens of the stuff on the hills which surround the
coven. That be one of my witchling duties, to tend wolfbane gardens. It smells real bad to
werewolves. Smells real bad to witches too," Mariat added as an afterthought. "'Specially when
we needs to bathe in the stuff. And sometimes, if a wolf not be put off by our witch
defensiveness, we prepare a spell to fry the critter before it gets to us, but that be only as a final
resort. Wolves not really be bad or mischievous creatures, and they usually give us no never
minds at all. Just these days they be riled to distraction by the Conundrum.
"Everybody be riled by the Conundrum, though if truth be told, Carole, I don't
remember a time that be other
none of which Carole recognized.
"Ah... There's no bat's wings or newt eyeballs in this stuff, is there?"
Mariat giggled again. "Be all ye multitaskers so funny? Bats wings and such be
ingredients for brew, not for food."
"Oh, I'm so glad. What do you recommend?"
The witchling pointed out her favorite dishes. Carole, sampling them, discovered that
the food was delicious. She was famished and filled her plate. Mariat did likewise, saying that
being a good hostess also meant she got to eat before the older witches, instead of after, which
was her usual witchling place.
They took their food to a bench near the brew pot. Between mouthfuls Carole continued
to ask questions.
"This here feast be to celebrate the end of the snows. 'Til now there still be killing frosts
covering the ground, but they be gone now 'til after harvest."
"So is this the longest day of the year?"
"No, that be the Birthing Solstice; still a few moons off yet." Mariat's eyes sparkled.
"That be a most powerful night fer spell making and witch lore. The most powerful night of all
fer live spelling."
"Live spelling?"
"Healing spells. Helping spells. The Death Solstice be its opposite, in the season of the
snows, when it be mostly cold and dark. That be the time fer death spelling. Nasty business that.
Still, gots to know it all if ye want to be a Westhiller." Mariat sighed, "To bad this here feast be
stuck way up here in the north in such a stuffy hall. Times past it be out-of-doors with great
bonfires, warming spring breezes and merry music from nearby villages and such."
"Because of the werewolves?"
"Yup. They be such a problem that even here we Westhillers mostly stay indoors at
night, even fer the Moon Feast. Such an embarrassment that be too!"
"Do the werewolves bother the ghosts and spirits, too?"
"Oh, no. The spirit folk be not hindered by fleshy types. In fact Herling thinks 'tis other
way arount. Spirit folk in uproar over shifting dimensions and be taking out their frustrations on
others, such as they can. Werewolves be not very bright and easy to bother, so they be bullied
most often. Then they gets all riled up and looks arount fer someone to bite. It makes fer
intolerable time, so the Westhill Coven comes here to northern country fer some peace and
quiet."
"Hmm, nice vacation resort, with killer forests and man-eating fog. So there aren't any
werewolves around?"
"Be but a few, though so far none is able to get into the hall."
"Is that why the windows are so high up?"
"That be so, high and smallish. Though if pesky enough, a wolf still be able to break
through."
"Does all that cat pee on the doorway have something to do with the werewolves
too?"
"True enough." Mariat smiled, seeming impressed with Carole's quick perception of the
workings of witch society. "Cat pee makes wolf forget about the windows and try to get at cats
through the front door. That be why such thickness to the door. Wolf attacks until it gets
tuckered out and goes home to bed."
"But the door wasn't locked. What if a werewolf pulls down the latch during an
attack?"
"Wolves always howl into the night. That gives us witches plenty of time to prepare,"
Mariat said.
"What else do you do, to prepare, I mean?"
"We spread wolfbane about. Plant gardens of the stuff on the hills which surround the
coven. That be one of my witchling duties, to tend wolfbane gardens. It smells real bad to
werewolves. Smells real bad to witches too," Mariat added as an afterthought. "'Specially when
we needs to bathe in the stuff. And sometimes, if a wolf not be put off by our witch
defensiveness, we prepare a spell to fry the critter before it gets to us, but that be only as a final
resort. Wolves not really be bad or mischievous creatures, and they usually give us no never
minds at all. Just these days they be riled to distraction by the Conundrum.
"Everybody be riled by the Conundrum, though if truth be told, Carole, I don't
remember a time that be other
Similar Books
