The Earthwitch

[indiekid]

The Earthwitch

This is a story about a little girl named Mina, who lived with her brother Roy on a long and pebbly beach. To one side of the beach was the grey sea and to the other a great, crumbly cliff. Day after day Mina would walk along the beach to where the waves could almost cover it, then climb to the lower parts of the cliff. There a lot of small, thorny plants grew, and Mina liked to crouch down and explore the hidden places among them. Roy was a better climber than she, and would never let her get lost or stuck. At night he would take her hand and lead her to the upturned boat under which they slept; he always got in after she did. Mina lived happily with Roy, the beach, the sounds of the sea and Maxwell.

Maxwell would visit Mina and Roy every morning and cook fish for them on a fire. Sometimes a little sand would trickle from his fingers onto the fish. This would make him upset, but they would only laugh and pick the sand off with their fingers. Maxwell, unlike Mina and Roy, was made of stones and pebbles, and his face was a big plank of driftwood. He never said anything, but he was very kind. Roy, who had a good memory, said he was a bit like their father, which was why he ought to be called Maxwell.

One day the children sat down to wait for Maxwell as usual, but he did not come. A chilly mist blew in from the sea and they could hardly see anything. Mina's tummy rumbled. Roy grew worried, and said he should go out and look for Maxwell. At that moment, however, Maxwell arrived, walking slowly towards them and limping a little. In his hands he held – to Mina's disappointment – just one small fish, and it was still wriggling. He sat down heavily in his usual place and started to make a fire out of dry wood; Mina and Roy helped him. When the time came to light the fire Maxwell struggled: his hands were weak and he couldn't rub the sticks together fast enough. Eventually Roy took them from him and lit the fire, then placed a flat stone on it with the fish on top. He had to move his fingers quickly to avoid getting burned. Mina slid closer to Maxwell and put her hand on his knee.

"Maxwell," she said, "Are you alright?"

Maxwell didn't say anything, of course, but Mina knew he liked talking all the same. Mina didn't ask him anything else, and soon she could smell the fish cooking. All of a sudden Maxwell stood up so quickly he showered the children with sand.

"Maxwell," cried Roy, jumping to his feet, "What is it?"

Maxwell stood very still and looked inland. Mina stood up too, just behind him. She could not see the cliff and the stunted trees seemed to reach out of the mist towards them. There was a noise from the cliff life a rock falling. Something was coming towards them, and Maxwell seemed to be waiting for it. The trees trembled, then shook violently, and a dark shape burst out of them. The shape straightened up, the mist swirling angrily about it, and Mina saw that it was a woman. She had never seen a woman before, though Roy had told her about them. The woman was dressed all in black, and carried a staff and a big pack. Mina thought that she might be beautiful, though she was very pale. The woman looked at them for a moment, and did not smile.

"Greetings, children," she said, "I am the Earthwitch. What are your names?"

"I'm Roy," said Roy, carefully, "And this is my sister Mina. And this is Maxwell."

"Maxwell," the Earthwitch repeated, stepping down onto the beach, "I think that Maxwell is not very well today. Is that right, Roy?"

"That's right."

"Then perhaps I can help."

The Earthwitch walked towards them and, to Mina, seemed to grow taller with every step. The pebbles crunched under her feet. Finally she stood before Maxwell and reached out her hand. He looked down, then took it in his own. The Earthwitch led Maxwell away from the fire, then stopped and let go of his hand. He lay down with a gentle sliding noise.

"Say goodbye to Maxwell, children," said the Earthwitch, without looking at them.

"Goodbye," said Roy.

"Goodbye," said Mina.

"Sleep," said the Earthwitch, in a deep voice that made Mina's toes tingle.

There was silence for a moment. Mina and Roy could the stones of Maxwell's body, and his smiling face, but they could not see Maxwell. Mina smelled something nasty and looked towards the fire: Maxwell's last fish was still there, burnt black.

The Earthwitch stomped back to the fire and slung her pack from her shoulders. "You must be hungry," she said.

Without waiting for an answer she started rummaging in her pack and pulling things out. She picked up what looked to Mina like brown sand, then sprinkled water on it. She patted it into a cake and placed it on the stone on the fire. Then she made two more cakes and set them all cooking, with Maxwell's fish smoking on the pebbles to one side. Mina watched the Earthwitch working away at the fire; her tummy felt empty but she wasn't hungry any more. The Earthwitch scooped the three cakes onto another stone to cool down.

"Here, Mina," she said, handing her one, "And one for you, Roy."

The cake felt soft and hot in Mina's hands. She watched Roy take a big bite out of his and catch some crumbs in his hand, so she tried to do the same. She didn't like the cake and it made her mouth dry, but she didn't want to be rude.

"Try not to feel sad about Maxwell," said the Earthwitch, "He is happier now. You are lucky to have called him a friend. There are many people like Maxwell in the world, though they are very shy, and few people can see them. We call them Spirits: they are the guardians of the Earth, and the Earth itself. When they are sick, or angry, they wake up, and it is my job to help them sleep again."

"Will we ever see Maxwell again?" asked Roy.

"No. But don't worry: I will look after you." She paused for a moment, then went on quietly, "As the Earthwitch, my power flows from the Earth beneath my feet. I did not make Maxwell sleep – I merely reminded him that he could. Now, get your things. We have a long journey ahead of us."

Roy went to the boat, and while he was gone Mina played with the damp pebbles. The mist was swirling more thickly around her and the fire was dying; she could not hear the sea. Roy returned with his knife, which the Earthwitch placed carefully in her pack. Then she led the way off the beach and into the trees. She had to stoop very low to push past their branches. Mina followed the Earthwitch and Roy into the gloom, but she turned at the last moment to look back at the beach. As she watched, the mists parted to reveal a patch of grey water. On it was a boat, not unlike Mina and Roy's, and it was being paddled away by two people. They were little girls, each with hair as long and dark as Mina's own. As quickly as it had appeared, however, the boat was obscured, and Mina wondered if she had just imagined it.

*

The journey was as long and difficult as the Earthwitch had promised. After climbing up the broken cliff they entered a forest of huge trees. Mina was frightened of them at first, and of the shadows through which the Earthwitch seemed to glide. With every step she wondered when they would return to the beach and to Maxwell. If he was missing them as much as they missed him, surely he would wake up again? Mina felt confident that Maxwell was waiting for them, with fish ready to cook on the fire.

The Earthwitch was not as good at looking after Mina and Roy as Maxwell had been. When it rained at night, she stretched her spare cloak between tree branches to keep them dry. She lit campfires which stung Mina's eyes and made her cry. She remembered Maxwell putting seaweed on the top of their boat to keep out the water when it rained. They would be able to hear him at work in the darkness, and in the morning the seaweed would still be there. At least, Mina thought, she still had Roy at night, holding her in his arms. She was always tired: she had never walked so far before. Her feet hurt, and her fingernails smelt of the forest.

One morning Roy lost his temper. "How much further?" he asked.

"We will be there by nightfall," replied the Earthwitch.

Mina stopped and looked at the ground. She didn't want to walk until nightfall, but she didn't want to make the Earthwitch angry. She heard the Earthwitch coming back towards them.

"Roy," she said, "Can you carry my staff please?"

Mina did not look up, and suddenly felt the Earthwitch's strong hands under her arms. The Earthwitch lifted and cradled her with one arm under her legs and the other under her back. She was surprised, and longed to tell the Earthwitch that she didn't need to be carried, but somehow the words didn't come out. She was reminded once again of Maxwell, though when he had carried her he was gentle and kind – the Earthwitch was neither. She rocked back and forth as the Earthwitch set off again, and she could hear Roy running to keep up.

Mina blinked and it was nighttime. They were going uphill and the Earthwitch was breathing heavily. She didn't feel cold because the Earthwitch's arms and body were hot. All of a sudden, the Earthwitch stopped.

"There it is", she said, "The City."

"With lots of people?" asked Roy.

"Yes."

Suddenly Mina felt herself being lowered to the ground. Her feet were unsteady but after a moment she felt able to look at the City. She was struck first by the last orange light of the setting sun. Between her and the sun were pillars of smoke, and the smoke seemed to come from a forest in the valley below them. It was not like the forest Mina had come to know: the trees were huge and square, with no leaves. It all looked very dry and lifeless.

"They are lighting a lot of fires," said Roy.

"Those are factories," replied the Earthwitch, "Places where people make things – too many things. We will go there tomorrow, but tonight we will sleep here."

Mina did not need telling twice. As soon as she lay down she dreamt of Maxwell and the beach. In her dream, she and Roy pushed their boat out to sea, then paddled it away. Looking back, Mina could see Maxwell waving. She couldn't keep looking at him because the boat was rocking her about too much. Then it wasn't the boat rocking her, but the end of Roy's paddle, hitting her in the shoulder with every stroke. She tried to tell him to stop, but the dream was fading and her eyes were trying to open. The Earthwitch's voice drifted down to her.

"Mina," she said, "It's time to wake up."

Mina stretched and the Earthwitch stopped shaking her. It was so dark that she wasn't sure if she was really awake. Her arms felt heavy from holding the paddle for so long. She realised that she had only dreamt the paddle: her arms were just tired from the journey, the whole long journey which had brought them to this cold morning. Beside her she felt Roy standing up.

"Why do we have to get up so early?" he asked.

"You mustn't ask questions today, Roy," said the Earthwitch, firmly, "You must both be silent and stay close to me. We are going into the City. It is a dangerous place."

Without saying another word the Earthwitch led the way downhill. Roy took Mina's hand and they followed as fast as they could. They struggled to see where they were going, but as the trees thinned out they could see patches of lightening sky above them. Their path took them along the bank of a river. The river was not very nice: it was mostly mud, with a small trickle of water at its centre. Strange objects stuck out of the mud and a green slime covered everything. The smell was so bad that Mina had to hold her nose. The path continued along the river for some distance, eventually passing under some enormous shadows. Mina realised they were the shadows of the square trees she had seen the previous evening. They looked more like cliffs than trees, and she wondered if the "factories" the Earthwitch had spoken of were at the top.

"Are those..." began Roy.

"Hush!" snapped the Earthwitch, who had stopped and was looking at something in the mud.

Mina and Roy looked too. The mud was very dark here, and some animal was making a splashing noise out of sight. There were a lot of pieces of old wood in the river, and Mina recognised one as the prow of a boat. It was about the size of the rowing boat she thought she had seen at the beach. She looked up at the Earthwitch, to see if this was the object of her interest. The Earthwitch, however, was no longer looking at anything: her eyes were closed. After a moment she swept on, and Mina and Roy followed.

They were very close to the factories now, and Mina could hear strange animal noises coming from them. Then she heard words she recognised, and realised it wasn't animals but other people on the inside. She felt afraid: what if they were all like the Earthwitch? The Earthwitch was moving slowly now, and checking the way ahead. She paused where another path led away from the river and beckoned Mina and Roy onto it. It was very narrow, and the factories loomed high above their heads. Strange things, like branches, were stretched between them; there was not a plant in sight. The Earthwitch led them up the path then around a tight corner, and another. They had to walk in single file and Mina could see little more than Roy's back ahead of her; she was sure they would soon be lost.

The Earthwitch stopped abruptly at a small wooden recess in one of the factories: a door. It had an ugly piece of metal sticking out of it. She knelt down and put her ear to the ground; Mina, meanwhile, pressed herself against the factory wall and waited. At last the Earthwitch stood and let out something like a sigh.

"The Spirit is expecting us," she said.

The Earthwitch pointed the end of her staff at the doorhandle, and Mina noticed, for the first time, patterns carved into the dark wood. She could see lines and spirals, some tightly wound and some stretching the length of the staff. The more she looked the clearer they became; they were, in fact, beginning to glow. Their light turned the Earthwitch's staff red, and the doorhandle let out a sudden, loud click. The noise seemed to echo up and down the path and the Earthwitch was immediately alert. She looked left and right then pushed on the door which, to Mina's amazement, swung inwards. There was nothing but darkness on the other side.

"Inside," hissed the Earthwitch, "Quickly."

Mina didn't want to go inside but the Earthwitch was pushing her and Roy in with her whole body. A rush of cold air hit her and the door banged shut behind them. They were plunged into darkness, but their eyes soon adjusted to the red light of the Earthwitch's staff. It was strong enough to turn the smooth walls and floor the colour of blood. They were in a corridor which sloped steeply downwards. The Earthwitch took a few steps ahead.

"The City has forgotten this place," she whispered, "But the Earth has not. Come."

Mina was very aware of Roy beside her, and of the cold stone beneath her feet. The Earthwitch turned and saw that they hadn't moved.

"You are cold?" she said.

She placed her pack on the ground and rummaged inside it. As she moved, her shadow seemed to grow and shrink on the wall behind her. After a moment she pulled out the spare cloak with which she had kept the children dry in the forest. She reached over them and placed the cloak around their shoulders. Roy pulled it tight and pulled Mina close to himself in the process. The cloak was still slightly damp but Mina felt better, especially with Roy's arm around her.

"There," said the Earthwitch, smiling. She led the way down the slope and this time Mina and Roy followed. Mina thought they must look like a strange, four-legged animal.

As they descended into the cave the air grew colder, and the only sound was that of their footsteps. They rounded a corner and the Earthwitch, up ahead, gasped. Mina craned her neck to see what was happening. Two girls were fighting silently in the cave before them: they were almost see-through, and Mina wasn't sure if they were really there. They looked just like the girls in the boat at the beach. The younger girl was holding tightly to the other's arm, preventing her moving away. The struggle lasted just a few seconds, and ended with the older girl breaking free and running deeper into the cave. The younger girl held out her hand and made to follow; both faded from view.

"What was that?" asked Roy, even though he wasn't supposed to.

"Nothing," said the Earthwitch, "A message of sorts."

"I remember..." began Mina.

"Quiet!" shouted the Earthwitch, striding further into the cave, "Come and see the Spirit for yourselves."

Mina and Roy saw that the cave had widened into a huge cavern which stretched out into the darkness. They were on a ledge looking over it, and a little way ahead some steps were cut into the rock. They stood with the Earthwitch at the top of the steps. Mina was not sure if she wanted to meet the Spirit after all. Looking out, she saw big piles of metal strewn about: rusted, twisted metal of all shapes and sizes. The Earthwitch's light did not stretch far into the cavern but Mina was sure she could see smaller lights dancing amidst the metal.

Abruptly a hot wind began to blow from behind them, picking up a small piece of metal from a nearby pile. The metal began to tumble towards the centre of the cavern, and the sound of it scraping was echoed by others in the cavern. The wind picked up more and more pieces of metal; soon the whole expanse seemed to be moving and gathering in the centre. The wind grew so strong and the noise so loud that Mina buried her face in the cloak, and would have fallen but for Roy's arm. As suddenly as it had begun, the wind and noise stopped. Mina forced herself to open her eyes.

The cavern's metal had collected into a single, steep-sided pile. As Mina watched, two holes appeared near the top and seemed to glow with a red fire: eyes. With another screeching of metal a third, larger hole formed into a jagged mouth. The whole mass shuddered and resolved itself into a body and four clawed legs. It was no longer a pile but a creature, huge and terrifying. It stretched itself up to its full height, took a great  breath and roared. To Mina it was a roar of pain, imprisonment and metal pounded against metal. She wished it would stop, and wished herself away, but when the creature finished it merely stamped and roared again. Unsteadily, but with increasing speed, it heaved its writhing body into motion. It ran mindlessly and slammed into the rock wall with such force that small stones fell at Mina's feet. Mina heard the Earthwitch's voice, cold and hard, coming from behind her.

"The people of the City did this," she said, "They plunder the Earth thoughtlessly; they take everything. Now the Earth's pain has a form of its own: this, the Pain Spirit."

As she spoke, the Pain Spirit reared angrily and charged across the cavern. The ground shook again as it collided against the far wall, and it began a rhythmic pounding as though trying to break through.

"Can you make it sleep?" Roy asked.

"No," said the Earthwitch, "It wants something I cannot give, payment for the crimes committed against it: a life. I'm sorry, Roy, I know it's not right, but one of you must sacrifice yourself to the Pain Spirit. The other will stay with me, and I will teach you to be the next Earthwitch. Now, choose."

"We're not doing anything you say!" cried Roy, spinning Mina around to face the Earthwitch.

"Choose," said the Earthwitch, her grip tightening on her staff, "Please."

The Earthwitch was suddenly much taller than Mina remembered. Her staff glowed brightly and threw her shadow against the rock wall behind her. Another shadow was beside hers: it had a rectangular head and a long, thin neck.

"Maxwell!" She cried, and without thinking she and Roy flew towards him, cloak discarded.

Maxwell knelt down and spread his arms wide to meet them. Mina leapt up and hugged his stony body tightly. She felt his arm around her, and a piece of dry seaweed tickled her shoulders.

"Maxwell," said Roy beside her, "The Earthwitch... the Earthwitch..."

Roy couldn't finish because he was crying; Mina was crying too. She cried because she was happy: happy to be with Maxwell again and to be going back to the beach. Maxwell hugged them tightly, and didn't move until their tears had stopped. After a while Mina realised there was something wrong about the stillness and quiet. She remembered the Pain Spirit. She made to look over her shoulder, but Maxwell pulled her close and tapped his cheek with a long, pebbly finger. Mina knew what he wanted and stretched up to kiss him there; she tasted the salt of his face on her lips. Maxwell tapped his other cheek and Roy, too, kissed him. Then, letting go of the children, he stood up to his full height.

"Maxwell?" said the Earthwitch.

Maxwell did not look at the Earthwitch. He looked at the Pain Spirit, which was standing in the centre of the cavern, mouth and eyes agape, body heaving with every breath. Mina could see the deep red flames within it. Without warning Maxwell took a great step towards the Pain Spirit, then another, and was soon descending the steps towards the cavern floor.

"No, Maxwell!" cried Roy, starting after him.

"Don't!" cried Mina.

"Stay where you are!" shouted the Earthwitch, grabbing each of them by the shoulder.

"Let go of me!" said Roy, punching and kicking as hard as he could, "Let go!"

The Earthwitch, however, was too strong for Roy, and Mina was too transfixed to move. Maxwell was crossing the cavern quickly, and the Pain Spirit stood, tracking him with its head. Undaunted, Maxwell strode right to the Pain Spirit's feet and looked up at it. Mina was not sure if she was shouting or crying or both, but she hoped Maxwell would hear her. Somehow she knew he would not. The Pain Spirit reared up on its hind legs and opened its mouth impossibly wide. It brought its head crashing down upon Maxwell and its entire body seemed to follow in an avalanche of metal. At once Mina was hit by another burst of wind, blowing this time from the Pain Spirit itself. It flung her to the floor and it was all she could do to cover her ears and tuck her knees into her chest. The wind stopped.

Mina opened her eyes, inhaled a mouthful of dust and coughed for a few moments. The cavern was dark and quiet. From above her came the sound of loose stones falling, and the darkness was punctured here and there by shafts of daylight – the Pain Spirit had damaged the ceiling. Mina hoped that the Pain Spirit was just something she had imagined, or dreamt. Scanning the cavern, she caught sight of the Earthwitch walking in the centre of the cavern. Mina wondered how she had got there so quickly – she must have fought her way through that awful wind. Without knowing why, she started down the steps after the Earthwitch. She had to weave her way around the heaps of metal, which were much larger than she'd realised, but she no longer felt afraid. She ran, her breathing loud in her ears, and the Earthwitch soon saw her.

"You can go if you like," she said, before disappearing behind one of the piles.

"Mina!" called Roy from some way behind her, "She said we can go."

Mina ran on, convinced of something she could not put into words, and caught up with the Earthwitch.

"That was you we saw," she burst out, "And your sister. Maxwell showed us. Maxwell did it."

The Earthwitch stood for a moment, tapping at some metal with the end of her staff. "Her name was Nadia," she said, "She died here twelve years ago. I thought I knew why. Until today, I thought I knew why."

The Earthwitch sank to her knees and her pack hit the ground heavily. Dust motes, caught in a shaft of light, spiralled slowly around her head. She flung her staff away, and its clatter was joined by the sound of running feet.

"Come on!" said Roy, grabbing Mina's arm.

"No, Roy," she replied, pulling away. She walked towards the Earthwitch who, kneeling down, was hardly taller than she was. "She was very brave, your sister."

The Earthwitch looked at her for a moment, and smiled. "As brave as your Roy," she whispered.

"Is it asleep?" Roy demanded.

"Yes," said the Earthwitch, "Yes. But twelve years is too short a time. Something has gone wrong. I have to," she paused, "I have to do something."

"We'll help you," said Mina, enthusiastically, "Won't we Roy? We'll help you, and you can teach us both to be the Earthwitch. Two will be better than one!"

The Earthwitch was still hanging her head, and Mina wished she had the spare cloak to wrap around them both. "I would like that," she said, eventually.

"No," said Roy, "I don't."

"I can make it up to you, Roy," said the Earthwitch, straightening up, "I'm sorry I brought you here. I never wanted to. I'm sorry about this, and the Pain Spirit, and the awful, awful Earthwitch."

"What's your name anyway?" asked Roy, warily.

"Idil," said the Earthwitch, "My name is Idil, and my sister's name was Nadia. Roy, Mina, it's nice to meet you," she stood up, "I would like to train you both as Earthwitches, if you'll have me. But I think you should look after this."

She reached into her pack once again, and pulled out Roy's knife. She held it out to him and, after hesitating, he snatched it close to his chest. "What do you say, Roy?" she asked.

"Do you promise," he said, carefully, "That there won't be any more horrible spirits?"

"I promise. There's only this one, and when it wakes up again we'll be ready for it, won't we?"

"Yes!" cried Mina.

"Yes," said Roy, and the blade of his knife, caught in the light for a moment, flashed brilliantly.

[indiekid]

I should say I'm viewing this as a "living" document, so please point out any mistakes or typos you see

[Jubal]

Will have a more careful proofread for you sometime soon. Liking it on a first quick read though: it has a good childrens' story feel with some interesting environmental themes etc

[indiekid]

Thanks Jubal. I actually told a version of this at the Birmingham Storytelling group back in - I think - 2017. The biggest change since then has been making Mina the main narrator.

[indiekid]

Part 2

Mina walked along the riverbank, keeping her distance from Roy. She had not been to this part of the forest before, and she enjoyed the freedom of exploring and feeling alone with it. The river was deep and slow here; the ground rose steeply on both sides. In the spaces between the tress some clumps of small, blue flowers grew, their stems drooping with the weight of many heads. Mina liked these flowers: liked to bend down and prop them upright with her fingers. They inevitably drooped down again, bobbing apologetically. Idil had told her that the flowers liked sunlight, but today the distant sky was grey. The flowers, in fact, grew for only a few weeks each summer. They were lucky, Idil had said, that the forest's spirit had chosen this time to wake.

Walking was hard for Mina because she was still getting used to the shoes Idil had given her. She had to concentrate to avoid tripping over or squashing the flowers by accident. Her feet slid around with every step – Idil had told her the shoes were slightly too big so that, as her feet grew, they would become more comfortable. Mina didn't see any reason to wear the shoes but Idil got very cross when she didn't, so she knew she had to practise. Roy had been wearing shoes much longer than she and almost never took them off. Thinking this, she looked up to see where he had got to. Her eye was caught by some broken stems ahead: Roy had stepped in the middle of a patch of flowers without a care. Mina thought, once again, of telling him to look after the forest better: he was always breaking things, cutting them up and throwing them away. Even now he was standing at a tree with his back to her, running his fingers over the bark, no doubt thinking of what he could use it for. She hurried to catch up.

"There's a scratch here," said Roy, without looking at her, "And here."

Mina followed his fingers on the tree. A long groove ran vertically on the trunk and fresh brown splinters stood out against the grey bark. Similar scratches, less deep than the first, ran on either side. Mina could imagine making a similar pattern with her nails.

"Was it an animal?" she asked.

"I think so," Roy replied, "And it's recent. It must..."

Roy stopped, interrupted by a sound. Mina had heard it too: a footfall, followed by a quiet sliding on the hill beyond the trunk of the tree. It came again, and a third time, then stopped. Mina found her breath had caught in her throat. She was aware of something big just out of sight. Her eyes were fixed on Roy: he was crouching with one hand on the tree, his ear turned towards the noise. He kept very still, but motioned his free hand towards her. Understanding his meaning Mina knelt where the roots of the tree would keep her out of sight. Her shoe slid as she did so, scraping the forest floor audibly. She felt her cheeks flush and her heart start to hammer in her chest. Roy would be so frustrated with her! She strained her ears, hoping that the animal beyond the tree had not heard her. Kneeling she could only see Roy's back and the roots of the tree. She could hear nothing of the animal, and time seemed to stretch out until she felt they would never be able to leave their hiding place.

Eventually Roy leant forwards once again. With both hands on the tree's roots he stretched his head to look beyond the trunk. When he turned back to Mina, his eyes were wide.

"It's a bear," he mouthed.

Mina did not know much about bears, but she knew they were big. She wasn't sure why Roy looked so happy. He had turned back to look at the bear, and was rummaging with one hand in his pack. He drew out some of his dry fruit and, to Mina's horror, held it out near the base of the tree.

"Come on," he whispered, shaking his hand gently.

Mina's curiosity grew. Reluctant to stand up, she stretched until she could see around Roy and into the forest. The bear was very close – and much smaller than she had expected. It was, she realised, a cub: dark brown in colour and with long, strong forelegs. Its head was close to the ground and its beady black eyes and moist nose were fixed on Roy's outstretched hand.

"That's it," he said, encouragingly.

The bear approached slowly, sniffing as it came. Mina became aware of a movement to her left and turned, finding herself face to face with another bear. This one was smaller than the first and had fur which, to Mina, seemed too big for it: hair stuck out in all directions. This bear was standing on one of the roots of the tree, level with Mina's head. It was sniffing her curiously, black nose towards her towards her. She tried to move out of its way but it kept coming.

"Roy!" she squeaked.

"Well don't be scared," he said.

She managed to steal a glance at him. He was leaning against the tree, looking calm and relaxed, with the first bear grazing on the fruit he'd left on the ground. He held out his hand and gave her a few pieces of fruit.

"See if it's hungry," he said.

Mina held the fruit out towards the bear in the palm of her hand. It immediately stopped sniffing at her and looked hesitantly at the fruit. Mina brought her hand closer to it. The bear looked over at the other, saw it was still tucking in and, after one final sniff, thrust its head onto Mina's palm. In its eagerness it pushed the fruit right off.

"Oh you silly!" she giggled, picking the fruit up with her free hand.

The bear tried to reach the fruit again and succeeded; Mina could feel its warm tongue on her skin. It chewed contentedly for a while and, when it had finished, walked over to the larger cub. The latter looked pointedly at Roy, then the two bears walked away from the tree, back up the hill.

"Don't go," murmured Mina.

The bears stopped, side by side. As one they looked back over their shoulders at the children.

"I think," whispered Roy, "They want us to follow them."

Mina, delighted, had to resist the urge to laugh. She let Roy stand first and, when she saw that the bears did not take fright, followed suit. Again the bears turned and set off up the hill. Mina looked at Roy and, seeing her own excitement reflected in his face, followed. The younger cub glanced over its shoulder, as if to check they were following, but did not break its stride.

The climb was steep and, with the dead leaves and twigs underfoot, slippery. The bears set a brisk pace straight up the hill, making no effort to avoid the exposed branches which Mina and Roy, tall as they were, had to navigate. The canopy seemed to close overhead and a musty smell filled their nostrils. Branches tugged at Mina's clothes and hair and she was soon out of breath; she was determined, however, to keep pace without asking Roy for help.

It wasn't long before the slope levelled off and they reached a clearing. A big tree lay on its side, exposed to daylight. Its leaves had all come off and its branches – those that weren't squashed beneath it – were pointing all around, some into the forest and some up to the sky. The bears broke into a run and raced to the trunk, using their claws to scramble onto it in flurry of noise and splinters. Mina and Roy wasted no time in following them, but while Roy knew how to climb in his strong shoes, Mina struggled. By the time she hauled herself onto the trunk Roy and the bears were already making their way along it. To Mina It was clear the bears wanted to play and she was missing out. She reached out for the first vertical branch she could see and swung around it in pursuit. She could hear Roy laughing up ahead, but couldn't see what the bears were doing. She reached for more branches and closed the gap quickly but, at the last moment, caught her foot and fell. Instinctively she reached out, grabbing a branch with one hand and Roy's back with another. Roy, unprepared, fell too.

Mina landed with both knees on the rough bark of the tree. A moment later she heard a loud thump as Roy hit the forest floor. She took a moment to collect herself, and found that her hand was tingling where she had grabbed at Roy. Disorientated, she decided to get off the tree for a moment. She dug her fingers into the bark and slid herself down to ground level on her belly. When her feet touched the ground she looked down at her knees and found both were scratched, one with a little blood showing.

"Ow," she said, "Roy?"

There was no answer. She looked about her: the tree and its branches offered many good hiding places, as did the rest of the forest. She wasn't sure exactly where Roy had fallen.

"Roy?" she called again, "I'm sorry."

He couldn't be hurt, she reasoned, because he hadn't fallen far. He also shouldn't be angry with her: she had only fallen because of her shoes. He must have landed then hidden himself as part of the game. She had lost sight of the bears as well. She became aware of a cool wind on her back and its rustling in the branches above her head. Suppressing a shiver she resolved to look for Roy, and ducked down to check among the lower branches.

Mina emerged on the far side of the tree to find the ground sloping upwards into even thicker forest. She was about to call for Roy again when she saw the bears pawing at the ground near the trunk of the tree. There was something distinctive on the ground there: something of a colour that didn't belong in the forest. It was Roy's clothes, laid out perfectly where his legs, torso and arms should have been. There was, however, no Roy. Mina's alarm turned to annoyance: not only had Roy hidden from her, he was showing off by taking his clothes off too! He had even left his pack. She turned back to the forest, reasoning that he would at least be easier to spot if he was all naked. A few moments passed and, though she scanned the trees carefully, she could not see him.

Mina returned her attention to the bears. They had stopped pawing the ground and were looking intently at Roy's shirt. Their twitching noses almost met above a small mound beneath the fabric. The mound moved. Intrigued, Mina joined the bears, ignoring the pain in her knees and kneeling down beside them. The mound moved again and the three of them moved with it. Mina could see movements, like those of tiny legs, within the mound. The creature – for Mina was sure it was so – moved clumsily to one side of the shirt, then back to the other. The folds of the shirt stretched around it, restricting its motion. Finally it moved deliberately towards the neck end. Mina wanted to reach out and pull the shirt away but felt she, like the bears, should stay very still. The creature reached the collar of the shirt and paused, lifting it carefully. A tiny black nose appeared and the bears bent down to meet it, sniffing as they did so. The nose sniffed back and began to advance forwards. The rest of a furry brown head appeared, complete with beady black eyes. Mina felt her skin erupt in goosebumps as the creature continued to push its way out into the open.

"Roy," she squealed, when she had found her voice, "You're a bear!"

Roy was, indeed, a bear. He was a little smaller than the younger cub and his coat a shade darker, but he could have otherwise passed for another sibling. He stretched his paws one after the other, apparently afraid to step off his shirt. His nose and eyes twitched in every direction at once. The older bear cub brought its head close to Roy and made some quiet grunting noises. The younger, meanwhile, turned and took a few deliberate steps into the forest before looking back at Roy. Roy calmed himself down and Mina had the distinct impression he was preparing to follow the bears' example. After a few moments he plucked up the courage to step out onto the leaf litter. Mina watched as Roy got used to his new body, climbing some way uphill, then downhill, then in circles, getting faster as he did so. His nose sniffed everything. Eventually he caught some stronger scent and moved with renewed purpose – towards her, this time. He came right up to her feet, then brought his head upwards. She bent down to meet him, unable to contain her smile.

"You're a bear," she said again.

The older cub was suddenly crouching in front of Roy. Something passed between them that Mina couldn't understand, some combination of grunts and head movements. Roy stretched his new limbs and climbed up onto the cub. His legs were long enough to grip tightly onto its back, and it rose to walk again. Mina laughed and watched as the cub carried Roy in an arc around the tree; Roy seemed to enjoy this new perspective on the forest, and was moving his head to drink it all in. Mina felt something warm against her bare leg. The younger cub had come back to her, and was attempting to stand on its hind legs by supporting itself on the tree trunk.

"Do you want a ride as well?" she asked.

The cub stretched up to Mina's waist and leant its weight against her. She took this as an answer and got down on all fours.

"Come on then!" she said.

The cub grabbed at Mina's back and she yelped with pain as its claws sunk in. Before she knew it, however, the cub was safely on her. It had fitted itself on her snugly; it was surprisingly heavy and she could feel its heart beating rapidly. She looked around for Roy and the other bear, finding them at the edge of the clearing. She followed, gritting her teeth against the pain in her knees and back.

The four of them had a happy time exploring the forest at a trot. The older bear cub was very good at finding interesting things to look at: loose roots, new buds and moss-covered branches. Mina enjoyed racing with her new friends, though the slope was steep in places and traversing it on all fours was difficult. Their games, however, were over as quickly as they had begun. Running down a leaf-strewn bank together the four of them slipped and tumbled. In the confusion Mina became aware of something big sliding with them. The smaller bear cub left her back and she just caught sight of it darting away in the trees. The big object slid behind her: Roy had turned back into a boy. He let out a little cry of pain and Mina heard him brushing leaves to the floor.

"Roy," she said, unable to see him, "You're back?"

"Yes," he said.

"Why did the bears run away?" She asked.

"Maybe they'll come back."

Mina stood and realised she couldn't remember which direction the bears had gone. Roy was behaving strangely: poking his head from behind a tree to look at her.

"That was amazing," She said, walking towards him.

"Don't come over here!" he said abruptly.

"Why not?"

"I haven't got any clothes on."

Mina stopped in her tracks. She couldn't understand why Roy was so upset: she had seen him naked lots of times, especially when they lived at the beach. Thinking of the beach, however, made her think of Maxwell, which she didn't want to do. She was still curious about the bears.

"You didn't need clothes when you were a bear!" she said.

"No," he replied, "And I didn't miss them."

"Can you do it again?"

"I don't think I did it in the first place."

Roy looked at his arms, turning his hands over several times and flexing them. He frowned and shook his head.

"Your hands are very dirty," said Mina.

"So are yours," he shot back, "You're dirty all over. We should have a bath."

"In the river?" she asked, relieved to find she could still see it between the trees.

"Yes."

"Good idea!" she said, reaching down and pulling her frock over her head.

"What are you doing?" he asked.

"Taking my clothes off," she replied, "Because we're having a bath, aren't we?"

"Yes but you don't need to..." Roy paused and shook his head again, "Never mind. Race you to the river!"

Mina, however, was already running towards it, dressed as the Earth had intended.

*

Mina sat by the river, her legs stretched out in front of her and her toes lightly brushing a clump of flowers. The river was wide here and she could see the big stones resting on its bed. Roy was somewhere behind her, making little splashing noises in the water. They hadn't spoken for a while; they didn't need to. They knew this place: it was here that Idil had once forced them to help with her boring "meditations". On that occasion they had been eager to leave but now, as the warmth of the afternoon turned to evening, they were content to wait. Mina's skin felt cool after her bath, except where her sore knees throbbed a little. She was sure they would be fine in no time, but she still didn't feel like playing any more. In fact, with the murmuring of the water in her ears, she was beginning to think about lying down.

A movement from upstream caught her eye: Idil was coming towards them. She moved quickly through the forest, her dark form flowing from one shadow to the next. She picked the easiest path without needing to look where she was going; Mina noticed that she didn't tread on any flowers. Mina stood and waved, and Idil waved back.

"Hello Mina," she called, clearing the undergrowth and slinging her pack to the ground, "I'm glad I found you here. This is a special place, isn't it?".

"Yes!" Mina replied.

"And what have you two been doing today?"

"We had a bath," said Mina, proudly.

"What a good idea," Idil smiled, "And did you wash your clothes?"

"Oh."

Mina looked down at her frock and saw that, as well as being dirty, it was covered in tiny holes. They must have been made by the bear cub while it was clinging to her back: she had put the frock on back to front.

"Well, never mind," laughed Idil.

"And Roy turned into a bear!" said Mina, surprised that she had forgotten.

"Roy did what?" asked Idil, her smile frozen on her face.

"Roy turned into a bear! He did. We met two bears in the forest and they took us to a tree. Then Roy turned into a bear too and they taught him how to be a bear. He was a good bear."

Mina beamed, so excited about telling the story that she was quite out of breath. Idil, however, did not look happy.

"Is this true?" she asked Roy.

"Yes," said Roy, bashfully.

Idil walked to Roy and he avoided looking her in the eye.

"Give me your hand, please, Roy."

Roy reluctantly held it out; Idil took it in hers and closed her eyes. Mina moved to join them but Roy turned and glared at her.

"Go away!" he said.

Mina, stung, made a detour to the riverbank, hoping this would look like her intended destination after all. She listened carefully to Idil.

"I believe you did," Idil said, after a moment.

"Did the Spirit do it?" asked Roy.

Idil did not answer immediately. She let go of Roy's hand and looked out over the river.

"Spirits do not act, Roy," she began, "At least, not in ways we might recognise. I do not understand it: this spirit is content, close to slumbering. It remains so, despite your actions."

Silence stretched between them for a moment, and Mina could hear her heart beating in her ears. It was Idil who broke it, raising her voice a little more than was natural.

"Still, what a treat! What was it like being a bear?"

"It was, um, interesting," said Roy, smiling at last, "It was like I could see everything, even the ground underneath me. But I was smelling it, really, I had a very good nose, and legs," he flexed his hands, "And claws. I was strong".

"Great," said Idil, "Can you show me where this happened?"

"Yes!" cried Mina.

Without waiting for the others Mina strode towards the hill again; as the ground rose to meet her she felt a sudden urge to walk like a bear. She dropped to all fours and crawled across the leaf litter. If Roy had been strong, she reasoned, she could be strong too.

"This way!" she said.

"Mina!" called Idil, "What are you forgetting?"

Mina stopped, sat down, and looked back. Idil and Roy were slowly gathering their things; they hadn't even tried to follow her yet. She suddenly felt quite silly sitting on the ground, and became aware of her newly-dirtied hands and feet. Idil didn't expect her to have another bath, did she?

"Put your shoes on, silly," said Roy, throwing them to her.

Mina, frustrated, pulled at the shoes and tried to squeeze her foot into the too-hard heel of the first. As she did so Roy and Idil set off past her; she could see them smiling. She tied the laces as fast as she could then, as she stood, realised that one of them was loose. The others were already some way up the hill, their big strides taking them easily over the obstacles in the forest. Mina set off after them, but didn't catch up until they were all within sight of the fallen tree.

"Oh," said Idil sadly, "This tree has been cut".

Mina saw that Idil was right: the bottom of the tree trunk was the smooth orange-brown of freshly cut wood. Mina thought for a moment of people, but she was still much more interested in bears. So while Idil and Roy went to inspect the tree and its stump she set off underneath the branches again. It was by now very dark there, and her way was obstructed by leaves and hanging cobwebs. She remembered the adventure of the afternoon clearly, was sure she would find their tracks from earlier. She emerged from the darkness of the tree and found the place where Roy had fallen. Idil and Roy were stooping over the base of the tree, talking quietly.

"It was over here!" she called, triumphantly.

Idil and Roy looked up, and their faces were much angrier than Mina had expected. Roy had even turned a little bit white.

"Mina," said Idil, urgently, "Don't move."

"What?" she asked, "Why..."

Idil interrupted her by raising her hand sharply. Mina became aware of a shadow around her, darker even than the oncoming night. Some instinct told her to keep her eyes fixed on Idil. Idil, however, was not looking directly at her. Mina sensed the shadow moving and heard great, soft paws stepping on the forest floor. Something knotted in her stomach as a huge form moved past her. From the corner of her eye she saw two enormous legs, then a seemingly endless coat of fur and finally two more legs, broad and powerful, bringing up the rear. The bear approached Idil slowly and deliberately; it was almost as tall as she even on all fours. Idil stepped forward to meet the bear with her hand outstretched. The bear moved and Mina was convinced it was going to bite Idil, but instead it rested its jaw against her hand for a moment, then shook its head. Quiet noises came from its throat: a guttural pleading. It brushed its head against Idil for a second time. She knelt and brought both hands to its face.

"There, there," she whispered, looking the bear in the eye, "I'm sorry. Whatever it is, I'm sorry. The spirit is resting; I'm just Idil now."

The bear, as if upset by her words, groaned louder and rubbed its head more vigorously in her hands.

"She wants my help with something." Idil said, without looking away from the bear.

Mina felt something wet on the back of her hand and, looking down, found the little bear cub rubbing its snout against her. She knelt down and stroked its course fur and it responded as its mother had, rolling its head.

"Hello, you," Mina whispered, conscious of the weight of the conversation between Idil and the mother bear, "Where is your brother?"

She felt, however, that she knew the answer. Looking up, she saw the older bear cub some way up the slope at the edge of the deeper darkness of the trees; Roy was close behind. The smaller bear began to nudge her forward with its snout.

"Can we go where the bears are going?" asked Roy, "Please?"

"No," said Idil firmly, "I have told you about intervening. The spirit is resting and we will not risk..."

"But I don't want to intervene," interrupted Roy, "The bears have something to show us. And teach us."

Roy was edging closer to the trees and the bear had almost disappeared into them; Mina decided to set off after them.

"Roy, stay here please," said Idil.

"But we're supposed to listen to the Earth!" he replied, "Aren't we?"

The mother bear stepped away from Idil abruptly and walked up the hill. Idil sighed and rose to her feet.

"Alright," she said, "We will see what is bothering them, but we cannot help. Do you understand?"

"Yes," said Roy.

"Yes!" cried Mina, excited to be playing with the bears again.

They set off in a loose line up the slope, higher than Mina and Roy had ventured that afternoon. Mina stayed at the back and watched how her cub moved, making a note of how best to walk on four legs, yearning to try again. She caught the occasional glimpse of Roy and his bear up ahead, zigzagging to find the best route up the slope. This part of the forest was not as dark as she had expected and she soon realised why: the trees were thinning out. Ahead she could see the evening sky and Roy, Idil and the two bears had stopped by the last of the trees.

Mina started to wonder if Idil had been right, after all, about staying put. She could not remember exactly when they had arrived in the forest but she knew she did not want to leave. After a few moments she joined the others at the treeline and looked out. A wasteland stretched before them with hardly a tree in sight. It was littered with tree stumps and dry, white sticks – the remains of branches. The overcast sky seemed to stretch away from them in ever-gloomier layers of grey.

"So there it is," said Idil, "People have been taking the trees, taking the wood. It is useful to see, I suppose: we will not come this way tomorrow."

"Tomorrow?" asked Mina.

"We shall leave in the morning," said Idil, "Another spirit needs our attention."

Mina felt her jaw tighten, as though she wanted to say something, but couldn't. She looked down at her cub: it was stretched up on its hind legs with both front paws clutching a tree. It looked back at her.

"We could stay here," said Roy, "Find these people and make them stop. Make them see what they are doing."

"Then who would see to the spirits?" asked Idil.

A cry suddenly rent the air: a hoarse, desperate roar which was abruptly curtailed. At its sound the bears became agitated and began to pace the forest floor. The mother rose up to her full height and, towering over them, let out a stream of guttural noises. Idil and Mina turned to her in alarm, but Roy continued to look out over the wasteland. The younger bears moved to the forest edge but seemed reluctant to leave it.

"Over there," said Roy, pointing, "That was a bear."

Away to their left a curve in the treeline blocked their view. Above it a thin trail of smoke was visible, dark against the sky and spreading out gradually in the still air. The cry came from there again, though this time it was quieter. Another sound followed it, an unnatural mixture of voices: laughter.

"Roy," said Idil sternly, "Don't you dare."

At her words, however, Roy appeared to make up his mind. He hefted his pack higher on his shoulders and stepped out of the forest. He moved quickly in the direction of the smoke, unperturbed by the loose sticks which snapped under his feet. Idil muttered something under her breath, then took Mina's hand tightly.

"Don't let go of my hand," she said.

Mina could not resist being pulled out of the forest and matching Idil's quick pace. The cold of the evening hit her instantly and she looked back at the bears: they stood still, watching the three of them leave. The mother bear was still upright against the tree. Mina, however, had to focus on her steps on the loose wood; she was glad, then, of her shoes. Roy was some way ahead of them and she wished that he would turn around so they could go back to the forest.

"Why doesn't Roy have to hold your hand?" she asked.

"I will deal with Roy later," Idil replied, through gritted teeth.

They didn't speak again as they crossed the wasteland. The voices of the people ahead of them, and the occasional growling of the bear, grew louder. As they passed the surviving limb of forest they saw a hill with one great tree at its peak, left standing like a mockery of the forest which had once surrounded it. Its base was lit up by firelight and its top was lost in shadow. Below the tree were the silhouettes of people, laughing and shouting. As they walked closer Mina could make out the scene in more detail. The crowd had left a space directly under the tree and a big shape moved with in it. It was strong but furtive, clearly injured: the bear. It was huge, larger even than the mother bear; it's fur stood on end, accentuating the muscles that rippled on its back and legs. Patches of its fur were dark and matted and one eye was red and swollen shut. A chain was wound tightly around its neck and connected by a padlock to another chain on the tree. The chains shrieked every time the bear moved.

A man emerged from the crowd with a poker in his hand, its end glowing red. Several more pokers stood in the brazier at the edge of the crowd. Mina could see little of him but she knew, immediately, that she hated him. He arrogantly strode towards the top of the hill, delighting in the attention of the crowd. He held his poker out and crouched before the bear just out of its reach. The bear swiped at him with a claw but the chain pulled taught; the crowd screamed its appreciation. The bear opened its mouth and attempted to roar but its voice was gone; it backed towards the tree.

Idil was still pulling Mina towards a small figure on the edge of the crowd: Roy had stopped and his hands hung by his sides. Idil reached for him and he did not resist.

"What do you think you are doing, Roy?" she hissed, "Reckless, that's what you are, reckless. We are in danger here."

Mina could still see, between the legs of the crowd, the man lunging at the bear with his poker. Something swung at his belt: a big key, no doubt for the padlock. She became aware of more movement on the hill, however, and the cheering voices grew louder. They were surrounded.

"Hey," said a gruff voice behind them, "What are you doing? You can't bring children here."

"And why is that?" Idil retorted, spinning around, "Are you ashamed of what's happening here?"

Mina did not follow the rest of the conversation because Idil had inadvertently let go of her hand. Knowing that she had let go of Roy's hand as well, and sure that he had seen the key, she reached out for him. Roy, however, was already moving: ducking down quickly into the crowd. Mina set off after him and, small as she was and unhindered by a pack, found she could slip past the people ahead of her with ease. Afraid for Roy, and afraid of the telling-off Idil would give him, she sped up the hill. She knew, and shared, Roy's anger; catching up with him she reached for his arm. A burst of white hot pain erupted from it as she touched his skin; she pulled away and clutched her hand to her chest. If Roy had felt the pain he did not show it: he continued running but was suddenly on all fours. He tried to right himself and fell again, eyes fixed on the man and the bear. He crawled forwards as fast as he could but his legs were becoming constricted by his trousers. His skin swelled and a ripple of fur stretched his shirt. With a loud tearing noise his clothes fell from him and he turned his head to rip off his pack with his teeth. His long, sharp bear teeth.

There were, by now, a number of gasps and cries from the crowd. The man baiting the bear, however, was oblivious to them, and Roy charged straight at him. Too late he turned, his eyes widening, and Roy collided with him head and forelegs first. They fell together in a heap and Mina steeled herself to follow. She cried out, and Roy's head suddenly appeared above the thrashing limbs with the key dangling from his mouth. Mina grabbed it and ran towards the padlock connecting the two chains. As she dropped to her knees a voice rang out from behind her.

"Get that girl!" it cried.

In retort Roy roared and the larger bear roared with him; someone shouted and people hurried back down the hill. Mina thrust the key into the padlock, twisted it and felt something click. In the blur of noise and activity around her she heard one set of running feet and, looking up, saw Idil with staff in hand and cloak streaming out. Idil barely slowed as she hauled Mina painfully to her feet.

"Don't ever do that, Mina," she cried.

Idil pulled Mina into a run down the far side of the hill, putting the newly energised bear between them and the crowd. She called for Roy and he came loping after them. Shouts of anger and the scraping of metal filled Mina's ears but she couldn't see what was happening; she could only run on into the night. She was blinded by firelight and thrown off-balance by the uneven ground. Her shoes felt like dead weights and her feet slipped uselessly inside them.

"Faster, Mina," gasped Idil.

"I can't!" she cried, "Idil, I can't."

They had reached the bottom of the hill and Roy, uncoordinated, tumbled past them. He rolled on the ground and sticks flew around him, but he righted himself quickly and looked at them. Voices raised in anger reached Mina's ears.

"Roy, take your sister," said Idil.

Mina felt Idil's strong hands under her armpits and all of a sudden she was off the ground and on Roy's back. Her feet dangled on either side and she gripped instinctively to his fur. She looked up at Idil and saw her frightened face lit up by torchlight: they were being pursued.

"Get back to the river," Idil continued, "I will find you."

Roy did not hesitate and Mina was nearly thrown backwards as he set off. His previously smooth back became a writhing sea of muscles; Mina tried to flatten herself against it. She was rocked from side to side as Roy ran and she could not feel anything solid or safe on his body. His fur was thick and course and she dug her fingers into it, remembering the jabbing pains of the cub on her back from earlier in the day. Screwing her eyes shut she thought of nothing but holding on. Roy's thunderous steps continued and the shouts of the crowd began to fade behind her.

Eventually Roy's body settled into a rhythm and he held a straight course. Mina dared to open her eyes, but could see nothing. She realised she could grip with her knees and pull herself up on her elbows. She opened her mouth slightly and tasted the cold night air. The thrill of the chase hit her then, and she was glad of Roy's great strength, his confidence in the route he was following. She still shook with every step and her body ached; she knew, however, that the forest was up ahead.

*

After a while Roy's pace slowed to a walk. He had to pick his way past branches and foliage: they were safely back among trees. Roy's strength seemed to leave him and he slowed down. Mina noticed him putting his paws down with less certainty at each step: the journey was becoming difficult for him. He started to let out a little whining noise from between his teeth. Mina tried to think of a way to help him.

"You're a good bear," she said, her voice thin from lack of use, "A great bear."

Roy gave no sign that he had heard; his silence alarmed her.

"Roy?" she said.

She did not try to speak with him again. The silence and stillness of the forest surrounded them. As Mina's ears attuned to it she heard a distant motion and took encouragement from it: the river. Roy swayed slightly beneath her and, with a deep breath, Mina prepared to dismount. She felt around with one foot and gradually let herself down to the ground. Keeping her hand on Roy's coat she moved around to face him.

"What's the matter?" she asked and, when he didn't respond, "Follow me. We're nearly there."

Mina stretched her arms awkwardly: one to feel the way ahead and the other to hold gently to Roy. He followed her without complaint, but was panting now. Their progress through the undergrowth was very slow. As they walked, three sets of footsteps joined them: one large and two small. The sound of the bears guided them the last few steps to the riverbank. When they reached it Roy slumped to his side and did not move. The mother bear put her head close to him; Mina could hear her sniffing. She moved around him, nudging him and crooning. He grunted once in reply. Mina reached down and felt the snout of the younger cub stretching up to meet her hand. She stroked it.

"Thank you for coming," she said and then, feeling it somehow wasn't enough, added "I'm sorry."

She had a growing sense that they had not done what the mother bear had wanted of them. Mina sat down and the bears, one by one, sat down too.

Mina did not know for how long they waited. Roy's breathing was laboured and she wished she could do something to help him. She hugged her knees close to her chest and shivered a little. Eventually, however, she became aware of another presence in the forest. It was some way behind her and she stood to meet it.

"We're over here," she said to the darkness.

The night swelled as Idil approached and, when she spoke, it was as if the forest itself was speaking.

"Mina," she said angrily, "From where does the Earthwitch's power flow?"

"From the Earth beneath her feet," she replied, hanging her head.

"And she must never?"

"Take more than the Earth is willing to give. But I didn't mean to!"

Idil sank heavily to the ground at Roy's side. "That's not good enough," she said, "The bear was surrounded and wounded; there was no way we could help it. By releasing it you only put those people in danger. We must try not to get angry, I know I did, but this is what happens when the Earthwitch loses control."

The bears shuffled uneasily and Mina felt a knot tighten in her stomach. "When will Roy turn back?" she asked.

"I do not understand this, Mina," Idil replied, leaning close to Roy, "What the two of you have done. Roy wanted this badly. Perhaps too much."

"You can help him though," asked Mina, kneeling down, "Can't you?"

"I could," said Idil, after a pause, "But I would have to ask a lot of the spirit. I won't risk waking it. Roy will have to do this for himself."

"What if he can't?"

"Then he will stay here, in this forest, as a bear. It wouldn't be a bad life..."

"But I don't want him to be a bear!"

Even as Mina spoke she realised her mouth was open far too wide and her eyes were far too hot. She flung herself at Roy's leg, buried her head in his fur and cried as she had never cried before.

"Oh, Mina," said Idil, weakly.

Mina was dimly aware of Idil's hand on her back, but its touch was far too light to be of any use. She shook from crying; thoughts of all the things Roy had done for her, and was still to do, filled her mind. She tried to put them into words, but the words burst in her mouth and came out as sobs. As she gasped for air she heard the crackling of wood and smelt smoke: Idil was lighting a fire. Roy groaned again and shifted himself towards it.

"Come back to us, Roy," said Idil.

It was a long wait. Mina's sobs calmed down eventually, but she kept her eyes screwed shut. She wanted to keep crying, and was sure that Roy needed her to. Her tears dampened his fur and, though it was difficult, she tried not to wipe her nose on him. Roy began to grunt, and his voice took on a stronger, more controlled tone. He shook his legs one by one and Mina held onto hers tighter. Soon he was shuddering. The two bear cubs rose to their feet and began to pace around him. A rushing noise came over the leaf litter and Roy withdrew his leg sharply, leaving Mina alone in the cold air. She blinked her eyes open and was dazzled for a moment by the firelight. Roy lay where the bear had been, Roy the boy with mud on his arms and legs and his face gaunt. Mina wanted to give him a big hug but knew that, since he was naked, he wouldn't want her to. He raised himself up onto his elbows and knees.

"Here," said Idil, throwing her cloak over him.

Idil made to close the cloak at Roy's neck, but his hand darted out from within and held it in place. He rose to a kneeling position and held out his hand to the bear cubs, who had walked over to press themselves against him. He did not look at Idil and Mina.

"The Earth gave you a great gift today," said Idil carefully, "This was a poor way to repay it."

"I'm sorry Idil," he replied.

"It's alright."

"About my things I mean," he continued, "I left my clothes and my pack behind."

Mina started: there were lots of important things in Roy's pack. How would they carry on without them?

"We can get more," said Idil, "We're all here and that's what matters."

Mina, unable to contain herself any longer, gave Roy a big hug. He returned it, though his arms were still shut awkwardly in Idil's cloak. The mother bear called out into the night and the fire spat.

The bears did not leave them that night. Idil let the fire go out and they lay down to sleep in a huddle with the bears all around. Mina snuggled up against the warm fur of the great mother bear, the adventures of the evening far behind her. She kicked off her shoes and dug her toes into the warm earth. As she drifted off to sleep she wondered if leaving the forest to meet more spirits – and, hopefully, more bears – would be so bad after all.

[indiekid]

I'm not completely happy with this but I wanted to get it out there. It's taken far longer than I expected. I think the difficulty came from Mina and Roy now being old enough to make decisions and alter the events of the story. I cut out a lot but I'm worried it still feels rushed, especially when the characters leave the forest and meet the crowd of people. Would be interested to hear feedback.

[Jubal]

Have now had time to have a read!

Thoughts:

• I think you should maybe make clearer at the start of this section how old Roy and Mina now are, because I really wasn't sure how old I should imagine them.
• I kind of expected the shoes thing to be more important - is it just there as a vehicle for slowing Mina down in parts of the plot?
• Also the general theme around clothing and nudity didn't quite work for me, I wasn't sure whether that was supposed to be a feature of them ageing, or what. One of the odd things about the children as characters is that their childhood was literally being cared for by a sand spirit, so it's not clear why they would or would not have particular expectations regarding a) other humans or b) clothing.
• I liked the bears, the sense of weight you gave them in the descriptions worked really well.
• It's sort of unclear sometimes what the moral arc of the Earthwitch is about. Idil is in the classic parent and mentor role, but she's unusually morally ambiguous for that: against intervening in a case of animal torture, willing to sacrifice the children in part 1, etc, so she comes across as a "balance at all costs" figure and I'm not sure how we're meant to square that sometimes.
• "the chain pulled taught" should be "pulled taut"