Erybelle: Carry on to collect the catmint.
From Create Your Own Story
You decide you're just being a scaredy cat like always. Maple would never turn around, even if she were scared. She's always been there for you whenever you need her, now it's your turn to do something for her. You still can't shrug off that something is off today, though.
You hurry past the buildings that all seem to be closed up. It's Sunday so nearly everyone's made their way down to the Church for the priests sermon already, but you expected at least a few stragglers to still be hanging about in the streets...
A bird screeches as you near the church, the tips of it's spires just barely visible over the fog, making it more seem more frightening than comforting. You glance overhead and freeze in place.
In the drooping tree sits a red-tailed hawk, eyeing you curiously as it opens it's beak again to call to you. A bad omen. The birds are often seen at funerals, mourning the death of children, or perhaps mocking them. You want to tell it to go away but your voice refuses to come out for some reason. No, no, no! You can't let Maple down, she's waiting on you to come back!
You repeat her name to yourself like a mantra as you turn around and bend down to the moist earth, just underneath the stained glass window. You pluck off several flower heads and begin piling them into your basket when you begin to overhear words from inside.
"...temptation into sin..." "...burn them with fire..." "...wives of the devil..."
Harsh words and even harsher voices boom from behind the sacred walls of what was suppose to be a sanctuary. Your fingers suddenly feel cold and clammy as you stare down at the half filled basket and decide that'll be good enough. You used to love going to church, getting to sing hymns and learn from the teachers. Sometimes even Maple came with you. But since the kind-hearted old priest had to go back to Rome last year things were much different... The new Priest scared you. His eyes were a piercing blue, an icy blue, they told you things you didn't like to think.
"...the stake is their salvation..." "...only way..." "...we must purify them..." "...simply not enough..."
Something about the way the voice shouts the words so fervently, the way the crowd reacts with cries and cheers, seems so wrong. You can't decide why but you need to leave. Now.
How will you get back to Maple?
