Chapter 2
752words
The soft glow from the crystal ball illuminated her face, the dancing avatars and text messages like some bizarre yet undeniably real dream.
She—a witch whose magic had all but dried up—had somehow awakened to a peculiar talent: the ability to access a magical chatroom exclusively used by supernatural creatures.
The next morning, Lilith ventured into the forest with a gathering basket slung over her shoulder. Sunlight dappled through the canopy, spotting the mossy forest floor with patches of gold. She needed to collect moonlight grass and dawn mushrooms for her soon-to-open shop.
Around a bend in the path, a tall man paced anxiously in circles. He wore a heavy leather hunting coat and clutched a rope in his hand. At the other end lay a small, dusty gray wolf pup, sprawled listlessly on the ground with only its ears occasionally twitching.
"Hello there," the hunter said, relief washing over his face at the sight of Lilith. "Could you point me toward the village? I seem to have lost my way…"
Before he could finish, a "ding" sounded in Lilith's mind as a new message appeared.
[Avatar: A teary-eyed wolf cub] Rufus: This lady smells amazing! I want her to pet me!
Lilith's gaze dropped to the wolf pup. So this was Rufus, the one who'd asked about meaty bones. Suppressing a smile, she told the hunter: "No need to worry, the village is just beyond that hill. Your wolf pup is adorable, by the way."
Another flood of messages bombarded her mind.
[Avatar: A teary-eyed wolf cub] Rufus: My name is RUFUS! Not "wolf pup"! I'm not some random stray without a name!!
[Avatar: An angry orange flame] Pip: @Rufus, grow a spine, will you? Always turning to mush around humans?
[Avatar: A solemn pine tree] Eldrin: Youth these days.
Seeing Rufus's frustrated expression, Lilith deliberately crouched down and extended her hand toward him. "Who's a good boy?"
Rufus froze for a moment, then resignedly nuzzled her palm with his fluffy head.
She smells sweet, like fresh strawberries.
…
To make the most of her unique talent, Lilith decided to open a forest shop selling magical snacks, potions, and sundries. "Spend 500 gold coins and receive a free magical creature consultation," her sign would read.
A few days later, at the village edge, a crooked wooden sign appeared outside a vine-covered cottage: "The Woodland Emporium."
As Lilith arranged oddly-colored potion bottles and a plate of cookies that resembled stone moss on her counter, her first customer arrived.
It was the hunter from before, looking utterly dejected as he dragged Rufus behind him.
"Ma'am, about that consultation service… can you help with him?" He jerked his thumb toward Rufus. "The little devil keeps trying to run away."
Lilith nodded solemnly. "Let me have a word with him."
Her mental connection immediately flooded with messages.
[Avatar: A teary-eyed wolf cub] Rufus: Awoooo! I'm sick of being cooped up! I need my freedom!
Lilith cleared her throat and addressed Eric: "He says he has a plan for self-sufficiency."
Eric's eyebrows shot up. "What kind of plan?"
"Well," Lilith reported with perfect seriousness, "he intends to feast on those red berries by the river, catch fish from the stream beneath the old oak, and perhaps snack on the village chief's prized rabbit for dinner."
Eric's face drained of color. "Those berries are deadly poisonous! And that rabbit is the chief's beloved pet!"
He grabbed Rufus by the scruff, but the wolf pup wasn't having it. He twisted around and sank his teeth into Eric's leather glove. In seconds, man and wolf were rolling across the shop floor in a chaotic tangle.
Magical creatures passing by gathered at the shop entrance, peering curiously through the windows at the commotion.
Unfazed, Lilith picked up her crystal ball. The sphere glowed softly as it captured the chaotic scene.
A moment later, the image appeared in the chat group.
[Avatar: An angry orange flame] Pip: Fight! Taking bets now! I've got a chunk of cheese on the human!
[Avatar: A white horse with wings] Tilly: How barbaric… though I must admit, watching that human trip over his own boots is rather amusing.
[Avatar: A teary-eyed wolf cub] Rufus: I'm winning! Got him good! Awoooo!
Lilith watched the dust cloud rising in her shop and the lively commentary in the crystal ball, a smile playing on her lips. And just like that, she was officially in business.
