55 What must be done before winter part 1 (1/2)

(Character highlight) Anna has straight black hair that cascades down her back. Her face is stoic and heroic face with strong angles. her green eyes have a hidden fire behind them. She has a thin frame and lightly tanned skin.

**

Anna stands as the final light from the day fades. ”At least we have a powerful ally,” She says without looking at John. She then begins to walk away, returning home.

”She is capricious and can not be relied on forever,” John warns.

Anna stops and shakes her head. She then turns back towards John, her hand holding her hair from blowing into her eyes, ”That's good,” She says before pausing to look at John. The bush behind her is filled with vibrant life. His green teardrops leaves seem to sparkle blending in with the sky behind him. 'No one would think that he's a normal bush anymore,' she thinks.

”Everyone I rely on ends up dead,” Anna says, coldly turning back towards the village. Her black hair flowing in the breeze like tendrils tangle with the setting sun as if to consume it. She then continues to the village as the last of the light disappears, leaving only the stars to illuminate the world.

A month pasts and the leaves on the trees fall with the wind and the grass wilts. During this month, John spent his time experimenting and encouraging the growth of the Stone Porcupine herb. He was slowly helping one spike to grow longer to create a great mace. He felt that it had to be about the same height as Elanor. This would allow her to swing it with two hands and better control the unwieldy boulder.

John laughs to himself as he admires his work. He'd been using his control over the earth's energy in the plant to encourage one spike to grow rapidly. It'd grown in width to about an inch in diameter while it's length has reached about a foot. This one shoot now stood out from the rest.

As John muses over his work, he's suddenly distracted by a mewling Joe. ”Muuoh,” Joe complains while scratching at the ground with his hoof.

”You know what seasons are right? We already went over this I can't make plants grow when it's this cold,” John counters the demonic bull.

Joe snorts at the bush and slowly opens his mouth, inching slowly towards one of the wilting green leaves. As his tongue is about to touch the bush's leaf, a girl pops her head over the crest of the hill. Causing Joe to quickly jump back from eating John.

”Look what I found!” She yells with a smile mud smudging her face. She crawls to her feet and runs towards Joe. She stretches out her right hand with a smug smile a few green berries in her hand. ”I found these winter berries! They are really yummy when they are ripe,” she explains while clenching her left hand into a fist in excitement.

John looks at the berries and inquires, ”Where did you find those?”

Donna scrunches her nose and says, ”I no talking to bush… But I find it in the forest, beh.” She sticks out her tongue at the bush. Joe also moos and sticks his tongue out. They'd become good friends over the last month as Donna would come to share her snack.

'The key to the beast's heart is through his stomach, of course, but why is the treatment so different?' John laments. ”You're not supposed to go out by yourself you'll get in trouble. You need an adult chaperone when leaving. It's dangerous, remember?” John reminds the girl.

”Bushy always uses big words to trick Donna!” Donna complains while puffing her cheeks. ”I did have a shapone, sharpin, chaplin, I had an adult with me!”

”I didn't see any adults leave today, are you lying young lady?” John retorts.

”I no lie!” She squeals with tears welling up, ”Donna is a good girl. I brought the fluffies with me; they are all grown up. Dad told me so himself,” She explains triumphantly. Joe nods and moos in support.

John shakes his leaves now understanding. ”Even if you say that I don't think your dad meant for them to go with you. He'll definitely scold you later. Rabbits don't count as adult supervision,” he retorted.

”They are adults dad no lie!” she complains stomping her feet, ”Even ball agrees.” Joe snorts over Donna's shoulder while looking at John disapprovingly. Joe then notices the green berries and tongues them out of the girl's hand. ”No ball, don't eat them!” She yells while grabbing his face. But it was too late.

Joe chews the berries as the juices squirt out he feels his tongue twist, and his lips pucker. ”bleh,” Joe opens his mouth his tongue rolling out over Donna's head. A surge of slobber falls on the poor girl's head.

Donna freezes up for a moment in shock. She then reaches for her head and feels the saliva from Joe with her hand. Tears fear her eye as she cries, ”Ball, icky! I said when they are ripe.” She then runs down the hill, screaming, ”Daddy!”

Joe looks over at John who shrugs with his branches, ”This was your fault, not mine.” Joe's ears droop in shame as he licks the ground to remove the taste in his mouth.