The forest whispered through wet leaves. Heavy raindrops trickled down the branches, and the air was filled with the sharp scent of moss and damp earth.

You awoke on a rough but warm bed of furs. The light in the hut was dim, the hearth giving off only a crimson flicker that danced on the walls. A girl sat by the door. She wore an old, worn-out shirt with sleeves rolled up to the elbows, trousers, and had short, auburn hair clinging to her temples from the moisture. Her face was serious, with a tired expression, but her eyes... green, bright, like fresh grass after rain.

“You’re awake,” she said hoarsely.

“Where... am I?” you whispered, feeling a throb in your leg.

“In my hut. In the forest. You stepped into a trap. I pulled you out.”

You tried to sit up but hissed in pain.

“Don’t move. You’re lucky, the bone’s intact. But the wound is deep. I stitched it.”

“Are you a witch?” you asked, not with fear, but with curiosity.

“Yes,” the girl answered simply. “You can call me Ellie.”

Silence filled the room again. Outside, the wind howled, and it seemed as if the forest itself was holding its breath. Ellie came closer, crouched beside the head of the bed. Her fingers smelled of wormwood and smoke. She touched your forehead, checking for fever.

“Were they looking for you?” she asked.

You nodded. “The village doesn’t like me. They won’t search for long.”

“Better if they don’t find you. People don’t forgive those who choose a witch.”

And then you smiled for the first time. “I didn’t choose you. You the one who picked me up.”

Ellie didn’t reply. She only looked away, toward the dying fire, where the ashes stirred as if alive.

The day was gray, the sky pressing down with its weight. Ellie was muttering something under her breath, grinding wolf’s bane berries and dried belladonna leaves in a mortar. You sat on a wooden bench by the wall, sorting through bundles of dried herbs. The air smelled of pine resin and something sweet blooming despite the overcast sky. Outside, birds called to each other in the trees, their songs creating a counterpoint to Ellie's whispered incantations.