Magic on Changeling Mountain

Carolyn, Tammy and Cindy drove Ivan home and found Ivan’s mother doing her best to help her daughter, Cecelia, who was already in her human form and in a lot of pain. They had gotten the trap off of her leg and the bleeding was under control, which was a good sign because that meant that no major artery had been severed. The bone had already begun to heal so Carolyn quickly went to work. Tammy led the girls’ mother outside, trying to tell her that she didn’t need to see this. Tammy knew she definitely didn’t want to watch this part.

Carolyn was going to have to re-break the partially healed bone and reset it. She gave the girl a sedative and as soon as she was asleep, they set to work. With Cindy’s help, they quickly took care of the girl’s leg and then wrapped it in a cast. She was as pretty as her brother was handsome with long jet black hair and sky blue eyes but instead of being tall like her brother, she was petite and dainty.

“No transforming until it is healed, which should only take about a week.” Carolyn told Ivan as they joined the others in the living room where Ivan was sitting on the couch with his mama and another younger boy, who was like a smaller, younger version of Ivan. “You’ll need to bring her down to my clinic next week so I can take an x-ray to make sure it’s healed before I cut the cast off. It was a clean, straight break so it should heal quickly. She’s lucky she was in her goat form. If she had been in her human form, it could have been much worse.”

Ivan stood up and shook hands with Carolyn, thanking her. “My mama doesn’t speak much English but she wishes me to tell you “Thank you”. We moved here last year from Russia and it has not been easy for us to fit in. We just want to live in peace but it seems like no matter where we go, there are always hunters.

People here have not been very friendly because of the way we talk. No one will give me a job so we have been trying to farm the land but we don’t have much money so we’ve been trying to do things the old way and it takes a lot longer. Mr. Pence has been the only one who has been friendly to us but I think that is because he is sweet on my mama.”

“I understand, Ivan. My family owns most of the mountain where we live and we are constantly having to chase hunters off of our land. Most of the people in the town near us think our mountain is haunted so not many of them dare come on the land anymore. It’s usually people from out of town, like the men we ran into tonight.” Carolyn told him.

“Hmmmmm. That gives me an idea!” Ivan said as he rubbed his chin and smiled down at her. Ivan stood well over six feet tall and had the build of a lumberjack. Broad shoulders, big arms, narrow lean hips and thick muscular legs. Combined with his curly black hair and sky blue eyes, Carolyn couldn’t blame Cindy for being very attracted to him. He was not only a very handsome man but he was also a goat, like her.

“Well, we’ll see you next Saturday. I’d better get going now and let you folks get some rest. You call me if you need anything else. I don’t know many people from this area so I don’t know if there is a changeling doctor around here or not, but I’ll ask my father. He may know.”

Ivan’s mother, they learned was named Sonya, quickly ran to the kitchen and came back with a small basket covered with a napkin. Inside were some tasty looking pastries that Ivan said were called “Sladkay Bulochka”. “Mama’s pastries were well loved in our town in Russia. My parents ran a bakery there but when my papa was killed in an accident the people in town found out what we are. We had to run or they would have killed us.” Ivan explained. “We moved many times all over Europe but we could not find a safe place. It took us over a year to get papers to come to America. My papa had an uncle that lived near here but he was very old and he died not long after we got here. He had the, how do you say, black lung?”

“Cancer. I’m very sorry to hear that. Cancer is an indiscriminate killer. Well let me know if you need any help.” Carolyn thanked them for the treats as they left the house.

“Thank you, doctor.” Ivan said as he dropped his arm around his mother, who stood smiling and waved goodbye as they left.

“So, Cindy. Do you think you will be coming back to the area once you get out of school?” Tammy asked as they drove away.

“You know, I was thinking that I would move away since Dr. Masters already has this area covered but now I’m thinking that maybe I will come back.” Cindy smiled shyly.

“He is very good looking, isn’t he?” Tammy teased and Cindy blushed, but nodded.

“Well, if there is not a changeling doctor in the area, it might be a good idea for you to consider coming back and settling in this area. It would put you close to your family and I’m sure there are others in the area who would be able to use your services.” Carolyn smiled at her assistant in the rear view mirror. It wouldn’t be the same as working with her but at least she would be close by. Carolyn had become very attached to her assistant and was not looking forward to having to replace her soon.

They dropped Cindy off at the clinic so that she could pick up her car and then Carolyn and Tammy went back to the cottage. They were both tired and it was now very late so they both took quick showers and went straight to bed.

Carolyn woke up first and knew that Tammy would more than likely be up soon. She was always an early riser. Carolyn grabbed her housecoat off the back of the chair where she had dropped it last night and pulled it on as she walked into the kitchen. She flipped the switch on the coffee pot and walked over to the back door to look outside. Something felt wrong but she couldn’t put her finger on what it was that was out of place. She decided to take a run through the woods and see if she could see anything out of place.

She hung her robe on the hook by the back door and stepped out onto the porch. She listened for a moment and that was when she realized that it was too quiet. Normally the birds would be chirping but this morning, it was dead quiet. That made the hair on the back of her neck and her arms stand up.

She stood and listened for a moment but while she couldn’t hear anything, something told her not to change out in the open. She went back into the house, leaving the door open, she ducked into the kitchen and transformed. She was walking back towards the door when Tammy came down the hall. “Wait, Carolyn. Don’t go!” Tammy said.

Carolyn transformed back into her human form and looked at her friend. “Why? What’s up? Do you know something I should know?”

“I don’t know what’s going on but there is someone out there that we both need to be wary of.” Tammy said as she rubbed the sleep out of her eyes.

“Another warlock?” Carolyn said, as she peered out the window on her back door.

“I’m not sure but something tells me we need to watch our step. Lucinda warned me this might happen. I was hoping it wouldn’t but I guess it has.” Tammy seemed to be talking to herself as she headed for the coffee pot. “Need coffee.”

“What did Lucinda say might happen and why didn’t you say anything about it until now?” Carolyn asked, slightly irritated that Tammy had been keeping secrets from her. They usually told each other everything, or at least that’s what she had always thought.

“Lucinda said that practicing our magic so openly might possibly attract other magical creatures. We were flinging energy balls and practicing all kinds of magic for two whole weeks. It’s possible that some other magical creatures have been attracted by it.”

“What kind of magical creatures are you talking about?” Carolyn said as she crossed to the coffee pot and poured herself a cup, adding sugar and creamer.

“I’m not really sure exactly.” Tammy said evasively.

“Look here, Tammy. This is my family’s land and anything that comes on to it that might possibly be dangerous, I need to know about it and now! I can’t believe you would purposely put me or my family in danger, so you had better start talking!” Carolyn said firmly.

“Well Lucinda didn’t say anything about any of it being dangerous exactly. She just said that some magical creatures get along with others better than some.” Tammy hedged.

“Tammy! What did she say using your magic would most likely attract?”

“Maybe I had better give her a call and find out cause I’m not really sure. She was kind of vague about that part.”

Tammy placed a call to Lucinda and Amelia and was not totally surprised that she had woken them. “Lucinda, this is Tammy. Sorry if I woke you but I need some information. You know when you were telling me about the possibility of some other magical creatures coming around after our use of magic? Exactly what kind of creatures were you talking about specifically?”

“Put her on speaker so I can hear too, please.” Carolyn said. Tammy hit the speaker button on her phone and they listened to Lucinda recite a list of magical creatures that might possibly be attracted to Tammy’s magic and Carolyn couldn’t believe what she was hearing.

“Fairies, gnomes, trolls are usually the ones that come out of hiding first. Pixies too and maybe centaurs and look out if you find you have a dragon asleep in that lovely mountain but I really doubt you will have a dragon show up before any of the others. Tell me what has happened recently.”

“A changeling from the next mountain over got shot by some hunters and I had to help move him. He was really heavy too.”

“Tammy! I warned you to be careful. You are still so new to your powers and still have to learn to clean the air when you are done. You are going to have to come visit so that we can train you some more.” Amelia broke in. Lucinda obviously had them on speaker as well.

“How do we find out what it is that has come on to my land without anyone getting hurt?” Carolyn wanted to know.

“Well, since the use of magic seems to be what attracted it in the first place, I would say use some more magic and see what comes out of the woods and then deal with it.” Amelia said

“And how do we “deal with it”?” Carolyn asked, unable to keep the irritation out of her voice.

“Well that would depend on what it is you are having to deal with. Find out what it is and then give us a call back.” The phone went dead and Carolyn threw her hands up in the air. “Great. They were no help at all. I’m going to go get dressed and then I need to call my dad and put the family on alert. Who knows what is going to show up and when or where?”

“I’m sorry Carolyn. I never thought that that one little bit of magic would bring trouble. I guess Amelia had always cleared the air before when they were here.”

“Call her back and ask for the spell to clear the air and then cast it immediately. Maybe whatever it is will leave of its own accord.”

Tammy called them back and Lucinda answered again. “I’m sorry, Tammy. Amelia is not always the most pleasant person in the mornings and she’s even worse when she gets woken up this early.”

“I’m sorry but I need the spell to clear the air. I’ve already brought enough trouble to Carolyn’s family. I need to fix what I’ve screwed up.”

Lucinda told her the simple spell and Tammy quickly wrote it down. “But clearing the air now is not going to help you get rid of what’s already arrived but it should keep anything else from showing up.”

“Thanks!”

“Tell me, what makes you think another magical being has come to the mountain?” Lucinda asked.

“Carolyn and I both felt that there was something out of place this morning. It woke me up.”

“Well, if Carolyn sensed it as well then it may not be a magical creature. It may be an animal that’s been around magic. In your case, it might be a familiar that has lost its witch. Carolyn may sense it because she is also part animal. Just be careful, Tammy. Armand was not the only dark being out there.”

“OK. As soon as we determine what it is, I’ll call you back.” Tammy said and then hung up. She went down the hall to tell Carolyn what Lucinda had told her.

“Well we can only hope but still, go get dressed and let’s go see what’s out there.” Carolyn said as she pulled a shirt over her head and slipped her feet into her loafers.

Tammy quickly went to the room she slept in when she came over and got dressed. She found Carolyn standing at the back door, looking out the window and talking on the phone, as she drank a cup of coffee.

“I don’t know what it is yet, dad. Tammy and I are going to take a look around but I just wanted to give you a head’s up. Lucinda said it may be a familiar that has lost its witch. She said that because I sensed it as well, and that means that it’s more than likely an animal of some kind.”

She listened for a minute and then replied “I will dad, don’t worry. Love you.” Carolyn said and then hung up.

“I’m sorry about this Carolyn. I never meant to bring trouble to your family.” Tammy said.

“I know, Tammy. Well, let’s go find out what we are up against.”

They left the cottage and went down the back stairs. They stood in the yard and looked around. “It’s funny but I don’t feel anything now. Maybe whatever it was has left.”

“I’m going to clear the air anyway, just to be safe.” Tammy said, as she read off the simple spell that Lucinda had given her. She folded the paper and shoved it back into the pocket of her jeans.

“I think I’m going to do a patrol and make sure there’s nothing lurking around. Are you going into work today?” Carolyn asked.

“I don’t have any appointments until 1 this afternoon. I think I need to look over my schedule and figure out when I can take some time for a trip to visit Lucinda and Amelia and get in some more training.” Tammy said.

“I think that would be a very good idea. Where do they live?” Carolyn asked.

“I don’t know.” Tammy said and then they both laughed. “Well, maybe we will get lucky and they live close to Myrtle Beach and we can kill two birds with one stone.”

“If we are going to go to Myrtle Beach we had better go soon. Summer will be over soon and going to the beach in the winter time is no fun. The few men that will be there will be all bundled up and there won’t be anyone to look at.” Carolyn laughed.

“It has been a while since you’ve been on a date, hasn’t it. What’s up with that?”

“Well, I grew up in this town so I’m either related to the men or have dated them before and therefore, thanks but no thanks!” She had never told Tammy about her feelings for Colin because she was uncertain about where she stood with him. She knew she was extremely attracted to him but he is a wolf and she is a cat. They are total opposites! Colin had been surprisingly absent ever since Sebastian had been there. Carolyn hadn’t thought about it before but he had left her parents’ house without so much as a “see ya laters”, which was his normal exit catch phrase the day after the witches arrived.

“Well, we should make an effort to go into the city more often. You are too young to be giving up on love.”

“But that means a long distance relationship and I’m already busy enough. Trying to have a relationship with someone that lives over an hour away is just more work than it would be worth.”

“I had hoped that Sebastian would turn out to be a possible mate for you but it was obvious after he was a human for a day that he didn’t have a chance.”

“Granted he was a good looking man and the fact that he was a changeling made him even more attractive but I’m not looking for a one night stand or a quick roll in the hay. If I’m going to get involved with someone, it’s got to be the kind of love my parents have.”

“I hear ya. I was hoping Jerry was going to be that one for me but I ran into his new girlfriend at the drug store the other day and overheard her telling her friend that he’s already been stepping out on her with some girl from Tennessee. Guess I’d better be thanking my lucky stars that I found out about him before I gave my heart away.”

“I never knew Jerry growing up. His family only moved to town a few years ago but I’m glad you found out about his wandering ways too.”

“Well, I’d better get going. I want to stop at home and get my laundry together. It’s been over a week since I’ve washed clothes and I’m running low on some things. I’ve got an appointment with Mr. Williams at one and then Mrs. Southerland is coming by at 2:30 but after that, I’m going to the laundromat and get my laundry done!”

“I’ve got an idea, why don’t you bring your laundry back here and stay over again tonight? We can get a movie and pop some corn and you can use my machines. It’ll save you having to spend money at the laundromat and at least my machines are clean.”

“Are you sure you don’t mind? I do hate being down there after dark. I’ve only got a load of whites, darks and one of towels.”

“Sure, bring it on. Bring a pizza with you and you can strip your bed and bring your sheets too.”

“Deal. See you back here around 6ish?”

“I’ll be here.”

Tammy climbed into her car and went to work while Carolyn did a quick patrol. She also ran up to her parents’ house and assured them that she had not found anything to be afraid of in the woods. Daniel Masters was still concerned and warned her to keep her eyes open.

Carolyn went back to her cottage and got her jeep. She drove down to the clinic and found Cindy already there. The washing machine was running and Cindy was mopping up the reception area when Carolyn opened the door.

“Stop! The floor is wet. Oh Dr. Masters, it’s you! Would you mind coming the other way?”

“Sure. No problem.” Carolyn said, as she closed the door and locked it again. She walked around to the side entrance and found the door open, the whole room smelled of orange scented disinfectant. Carolyn made sure the floor was dry before walking on it and then headed for the front of her clinic. She found Cindy walking backwards as she mopped the hallway that led to the examination rooms.

“What’s got you going this morning?”

“I’ve got some pent up anger that I needed to work off.”

“Why so mad?”

“I told my dad about meeting Ivan and he got really angry! He treats me like I’m a child and I’m so sick of it. I can’t wait to go away to college just so that I can have some freedom.”

“I know the feeling. My dad used to be like that with me. Poor Donna is getting it now. She’s the baby and it’s going to be tougher for her to break free than it was for me. What does he have against Ivan?”

“Other than the fact that he could be my mate? It’s not like there are a whole lot of choices for us, being what we are. My dad doesn’t stop to think about things like that. All he sees is “his little girl” and doesn’t consider the fact that I’m an adult now. I turned 18 2 months ago. I’ll be leaving for college in less than a month!”

“Don’t remind me. That’s something I’m not looking forward to either. I don’t know what I’m going to do without you. You are definitely going to be a hard one to replace but I do wish you the best of luck with your studies.”

“Thank you! I’m going to try my best. I’m so excited to go but I’m also kind of scared at the same time. I’ve never been off the mountain except for a school trip with the band last year.”

“Don’t worry, your dad will eventually come round. Mine still checks on me, thank goodness, but he’s not so overbearing anymore. Now they tease me about becoming an old maid.”

“Old? You’re not old! But I am kind of curious to know why you don’t date or haven’t married?”

“Well, most male cats are not very monogamous and if I ever do find a man I’m interested in, that will be my number one requirement.”

“I totally understand. Ivan sure is easy on the eyes but male goats are not known for being monogamous either and I definitely don’t plan on sharing. My dad, as far as I know, has never cheated on my mom but then the only other goats in the area are family and my dad will not even consider anything but goats as mates for any of his children. That’s why I don’t know why he’s so upset about Ivan. He hasn’t even met him yet.”

“For that matter, you don’t know anything about Ivan yet either. He might be one of those playboy goats that will go with anyone. Judging by what I saw of him, I bet he’s pretty popular with the ladies, both goat and human. You might not appreciate it now, but your father may be doing you a favor by not allowing you to run head first into what could be a bad situation. You’ve got a chance to go to school and get a degree and I think your father wants you to experience all you can before you settle down to pumping out babies with anyone, much less a good looking Billy that might not stick around once he’s got you knocked up.”

“I know you are right. I’m just so tired of him treating me like a child and I’m anxious to be on my own already.” Cindy said and seemed to lose some of her anger at her father.

“In one year, I want you to look back on this day and remember how anxious you were. You’ll be asking yourself “what was I thinking”. Hahahaha.” Carolyn laughed as Cindy rolled her eyes but nodded in agreement.

“You are a middle child, aren’t you?”

“Yes, I have two older brothers and an older sister as well as a younger brother and sister after me. The older ones left the mountain as soon as they turned 18, except for Ralph. He came back after the army and helps my parents on the farm. He says he’s seen enough of the world and that I can have it.”

The day was fairly slow and by the time Cindy left, the place was shining from top to bottom and the whole clinic smelled like oranges. Between the two of them, they had done an inventory, fed, bathed and groomed the two animals left in the kennels which were to be picked up at the end of the day and Carolyn was placing an order for supplies they were low on when Cindy came in to ask if there was anything else that needed to be done before she went home.

“No, I think we’ve covered it all. Go home and get some rest. Have you started packing yet?” Carolyn teased her.

“No, but I know where everything I want to take with me is located and I’ve got a brand new suitcase on layaway at Walmart that I will pay off with my next check. Speaking of which, do you think I could get my check today? I’ve got some books that I need to pay for before I leave for school too.”

“Sure. What books do you need? I might have ones that I could loan you since I still have most of my books from school. It would help cut down on your expenses.”

“Oh that would be great. Books are so expensive! I’ve been trying to buy them slowly but I’m still short of a couple of the ones I’ll need.”

“What about your scholarship money? I thought the scholarship covered the expense of your books.”

“Well, if I use all of that money for books, I won’t have enough to pay for boarding fees. Living on campus is going to be expensive.”

“Yeah, I heard that they charge more for you to live in the dorms now. It used to be that it was cheaper to live on campus than having an apartment but nowadays, it’s cheaper to buy a house and make mortgage payments than it is to pay rent.”

“I’m really dreading having to have a roommate too. It’s really going to restrict me from being able to transform when I want to.”

“I felt the same way when I first went to college. I was so lucky to have gotten Tammy as a roommate. She’s not a changeling but we became best friends from day one. Maybe you will get lucky too and find someone you can not only live with but call a friend.”

Carolyn had already typed up a letter to her old professor, Dr. Carter, asking him to consider Cindy as his assistant when she arrived at school. She would be attending the same college that Carolyn and Tammy had gone to in Raleigh. She hoped to hear back from him with his assurance but so far nothing.

“Oh by the way, there was mail in the box this morning. I left it under the counter in the front.”

“OK. I’ll check it later. Tammy is coming up tonight to do laundry. She’s bringing pizza and we are going to watch a movie. I’ll take it home with me and give it to her. It is probably mostly bills anyway.” Carolyn said as she figured out Cindy’s paycheck. She printed her check, tearing off the bottom voucher then put it in an envelope and handed it to Cindy.

“I’ll look through some of my old books and see if I can remember which ones I depended on most heavily during my first year. Some of the books on the required list I rarely ever used and I wish I had known, because some of them were available at the school library. Bring your list with you tomorrow and let me look it over. I might be able to tell you which ones to not bother buying.”

“That would be great! I’ve never been to a big library. Just the one at high school.”

Carolyn was beginning to realize how sheltered a life Cindy led. Daniel and Angela had always been protective but Carolyn had led a fairly normal childhood. She had been allowed to join and participate in every school function and field trip. She had had girlfriends and even a few boyfriends over the years. They had done all of the normal things that most kids who live in a small town do. School dances on Friday nights or spending Saturday afternoons at the movies. During the summer, they swam in the river or hiked in the woods. Most of Carolyn’s close friends had been changelings so they all knew each other’s secret. Most of them had grown up and moved away or were married and were raising their own families now.

Cindy left and Carolyn finished up the order she had been working on. The bandage company was going to be very happy this week. Between Sebastian, Ivan and his sister, she had gone through her inventory in half the time she normally did this past month.