It's a kind of magic!

Part one

Thunder crashed through the sky as rain stormed through the trees soaking everything in its sight.

"Well done Nikki," she moaned to herself, "You picked a great night to make your big stand." Nikki turned up the collar of her coat, wishing she had thought to grab an umbrella at least. The hairs on the back of her neck began to prickle and she pulled her coat closer to her sure that she was being followed. She hadn't meant to come to the woods but in her anger had taken the wrong path. The rain pelting on the leaves above her head drowned out all other sound. Nikki still strained her ears to listen for the sound of footsteps. She didn't notice the tree root in front of her and would have sprawled full length in the mud if someone hadn't sprang forward and caught her arm. Nikki stiffened instinctively trying to pull away. The stranger made a soothing noise and allowed Nikki to draw her arm gently out of the grasp. Studying the figure Nikki realised that the stranger who'd grabbed her was actually female and quite small. She relaxed.

"We shouldn't really be outside in this." Remarked the girl.

"I agree." Said Nikki wishing her coat had a hood.

"My house isn't far from here," said the girl, "We can dry off there." The pair hurried through the storm, Nikki flicking her wet hair out of her eyes. She noted that her companion seemed to be only damp strange in the torrential downpour that surrounded them. A light appeared gleaming through the trees and Nikki realised what house they were heading to. Childhood stories flooded through her mind, her grandmother's serious face warning about the other folk in the wood. Witches, elves and werewolves all struggled for supremacy as Nikki's greatest fear at the moment. Before she could find it in herself to turn and run back she was being hustled through the back door and into a chair near a roaring fire. She turned to see her companion clearly for the first time.

 

Part two