The Forest Has Ears... Part 4

The line of fire seemed to have a mind of it's own. It burned everything in it's path including trees. They were turned to instant ashes at just it's touch. Karen stared as it snaked it's way through the Cedars as if it were searching for something... anything to consume and feed it's hunger. Jennifer stopped clawing at her eyes. She too watched the flames following the trail left behind by Alesha. Ellie held tight to her wand but she could feel herself weakening with each passing moment.
"Karen... come hold the wand with me. Hurry before I pass out and we lose Alesha."
Karen moved without question to her sisters side. She reached out and wrapped her hand around Ellie's hand. Wiping blood from her face and eyes, Jennifer knelt beside the two sisters. As her hand touched theirs, they saw her eyes widen. Her face became flush and she had to steady herself with her other hand to keep from falling backwards.
"Never have I felt such power in my life! You two together could stand against nearly any witch I have ever known. The energy is causing my head to flush. I don't know how long i can hold on to your hands."
Gently, Ellie pushed Jennifer's hand away. She smiled a weak smile at her.
"Just to know you are willing to stand with us is more than enough. We thank you for this. We are forever in your debt. Just sit and be watchful for us, please."
The flames grew in strength with Karen's added energy. They seemed to almost stand up as they traveled the distance through the forest. Nothing but ash and dirt were left in it's wake. Suddenly there was a huge flash of light. A scream followed the flash. A scream that sounded almost inhuman. There was no doubt who the scream belonged too. Karen's Book of Shadow suddenly re-appeared on the shelf again. The flames died as both ladies let the wand drop to the floor. Karen helped Ellie from the floor and took her to a chair.
"O.k. Ellie, it is time to talk. I have been with you for my entire life. Never once have I seen you display the powers I just saw. Why have you never used the energy before?"
"You mean why did I not use it to save mom and dad or Derek and the kids?"
"I never said that, Ellie."
"You didn't need to Karen. I could feel it. I have answers for you, if you want to listen."
"Ellie, it isn't anything you have to tell me. I am so sorry I put off that feeling to you."
"If you would like, I can step out for a while so you two can talk."
"No Jennifer, you can stay. You are as close to family as anyone will ever be. You should hear this too."
"I agree with Ellie, Jenn."
"I was born with the same energy as you were, Sis. Mom decided it was best to play it down, for my own safety. I was not as ummmm, energetic or passionate about the energy as you were. It was easier to keep my energy under wraps. She also felt that it might come in handy some day if the rest of the covens did not know I had such energy. I would be no threat to them that way. I had no aversions to not revealing the secret. When mom and dad were first attacked, you were too young to remember. Mom wanted to shield you from the dark side of Magick for fear it might influence you. That would have only made it easier for Melody's family to pull you over."
"What, I was a bad child? Mom didn't trust in my instincts?"
"Actually Sis, it wasn't a thing of being bad. It was the fact that you hungered so much for knowledge. Any knowledge. That was mom's concern. She trusted you or she would not have taught you so aggressively. When mom and dad were killed, I tried to save them. You better believe I did all that was within my powers to save them. Anastasia was just too powerful. Dad had such limited powers and mom could not hold her off alone. She sent me to the Forest here to protect me and watch over you. I never saw them again. When you and Anastasia fought, I hid in the trees. As she neared the cliff's edge, I gave her a little extra nudge to send her over."
"Then it was You that killed her, not Me!"
"Yes, Sis, it was me."
"Why did you let me take blame for it!? I don't understand this!"
"It wasn't about "taking blame'. It was about making your powers seem even greater until you Did reach that energy. And it worked. You are truly the strongest witch to come forth in over 200 years. Do you see now? Things happened the way they did for a reason."
"Yes, I see that now. I am sorry you have carried this for so long. I will not ever doubt anything nor short you of anything that you were or are now. I love you Ellie and I am grateful to you for all you have done. I am sure you have saved my uppity butt more times than you will ever admit to me. Thank you for that, too."
"Now you know, so there is no need to question. Together we can take Melody. But not with her full coven behind her. Her energy transferred to all of her followers would kill us. We need a plan."
Suddenly, the front door flew open. A hot wind, tainted with the smell of burnt flesh rushed the 3 ladies senses. A body crashed into the back of the cabin. What was left of Alesha lay at their feet. And then the breeze began to whistle through the trees. A voice followed the sound. It was a voice they all knew too well.
"What a beautiful little tale you tell, Ellie. So touching and sweet. It's nice to know who was really responsible for my dear mothers death. I will bare that in mind when I kill you three. Will it be a comfort to you, knowing that your baby sister will die fast and you will take the blunt of injury for her Again, Ellie?"
"Melody, how could you get in here? How did you find us? We stopped Alesha from reaching you!"
"Stupid witch! Do you think the Forest goes on forever? Did you think that there was no end to these stupid trees your mother created? The real world is right on the other side. Too bad you didn't reach Alesha before the flames burst a whole in the trees. You ummmm, left the front door open to your little world. And as we all know, the Forest Has Ears. It hears everything. All I had to do was ask."
"We will destroy you, Melody! I swear to the Goddess watching, we will Kill you!"
"Well then you better get ready for a battle, Witches. I am on my way to you now. Then we will see who kills who! Feel me, little witches? I am Pissed!"
The door suddenly burst into flames as laughter filled the cabin. A large hand, fingers out-stretched and reaching touched each of their faces. The smell of hair being seared filled the air. All three ladies pulled away from the fingers as their faces felt the scorching heat from them. They stood together, hands inter-woven together as one. The hand disappeared and the flames died away. The three stood staring at one another.
"What are we going to do, Karen? I am scared."
"We are going to fight her, Jennifer. But first, we need to see if we can patch the hole in the trees we made. It may be our only protection. After that, we finish this!"
"Or we die trying, Sis."