A/N: don't forget, black lives matter! go to blacklivesmatter.carrd.co for more information and things you can do to contribute to the movement. 

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After the girls had agreed to stay the night, the witches Heejin and Hyunjin led them up into one of the treehouses with beds all laid out and ready for them. Despite their anxiety and hesitance, it was quite the relief to be able to sleep on real beds for the first time in more than a week. As soon as their heads laid down on the soft pillows beneath the warm blankets they were fast asleep. 

The trio woke up late in the morning feeling more well rested than they had since the journey began. Yawning, they look around at where they were before turning to each other in a panic. 

"Are you guys still sure we should stay here?" Chaewon whispered. 

"I really don't know..." Olivia sighed. 

"Come on. I'm scared too but I think they might really help us!" Yerim spoke. Just then the girls noticed a tray in front of them. On it was what looked like cups of coffee as well as fresh bread, butter, and fruit. They weren't sure how long it had been there, but everything was still just as hot as it would have been if it was freshly made. The girls eyed the food and drink suspiciously but their stomachs growled; the food looked better than anything they'd eaten recently, they were starving, and it smelled delicious. 

As if they knew exactly when the girls finished eating, as soon as they were done Heejin and Hyunjin climbed up into the treehouse where the trio slept. Chaewon bristled but Yerim smiled and Olivia gave the girls a begrudging nod. Hyunjin's yellow tabby cat sniffed the leftover food and Heejin's rabbit dug herself deeper into her arms. 

"Hello ladies, how did you sleep?" 

"So good!" Yerim cried. "And this food was delicious." 

Heejin and Hyunjin let out their tinkly little laughs. "I'm glad you thought so." 

"May I ask you something?" Olivia suddenly spoke up, her voice low. 

"Yes?" Hyunjin answered. 

"Why are you helping us? Really." 

The girls hummed, shared a look, and turned back to the trio. "We don't want you to die. And if we hadn't saved you last night, you might have," Hyunjin said. 

"Other than that. Why are you letting us stay even now?" 

"We...well our whole coven actually...like we said, we've been following your journey. I think this adventure of yours will have much more far reaching consequences than you might imagine. Consequences that may benefit the entire kingdom, including us," Heejin started. 

"So we want to help," Hyunjin finished. "Which is why we are inviting you to stay with us for more than just a night." 

"Today you all may rest, but starting tomorrow, we will teach you some of our ways, so that you can not only survive this journey, but thrive on your way." 

Olivia thought for a moment before nodding. "I accept that. We'll stay." 

Yerim cheered and Chaewon looked, frightened, at Olivia. 

Hyunjin smiled. "Good choice." 

~~~~~~~~~~

Their first day in the coven the witches all let them relax, introducing them to the rest of their group as well as the animals who followed them around, which they called familiars. The trio quickly realized how important these animals were as the witches treated their familiars just like they treated each other. 

By the time night fell the three girls realized that the witches were safe and kind, far more than the world outside. Chaewon still jumped any time something out of the ordinary happened, but even her vast education on witches supposedly acted could not compete with actually seeing how they function in the real world. 

The next day the witches woke up the trio bright and early, giving them another delicious breakfast before leading them down the circle of trees to the center of the lands they called home. 

"Today we want to teach you how to do healing," Heejin said. 

"We can start by fixing the bruise on your knee," Hyunjin continued, gesturing to Chaewon. "It doesn't hurt as much now, but our lands protect whoever is in it from the sort of thing. I think if it isn't fixed you will feel far worse, plus the cold will only be more painful. So we will tend to it now." 

"How can you heal a bruise? A scratch or a wound I understand, but a bruise?" Olivia asked. "When I was one of the knights of the Kingdom of Eden, we just had to wait for bruises to go away if they appeared." 

Heejin chuckled. "We have our ways." 

The girls watched with wide eyes as Heejin and Hyunjin poured water into the cauldron and slowly, it began to boil. 

"Take a close look at these," Hyunjin said, holding out four sets of herbs in her palm. The girls stared. "These are pretty much all purpose healing herbs. Even just inhaling their scent will usually make you feel better, but they are effective for aches, pains, scratches, and bruises." She then tossed them in the boiling water. 

"Now let it boil together for about ten minutes," Heejin spoke and both the witches came closer to take a good look at Chaewon's knee. They shared a nod and after a little while, Hyunjin put took the cauldron off of the flame and they let it cool. 

As soon as the water was quiet and the steam rose more calmy Heejin and Hyunjin shut their eyes, pouring the warm liquid over Chaewon's knee and humming. Like magic, the bruise began to disappear until it appeared as though it had never been there. 

The three girls gasped seeing her clear skin. 

"What did you do?" Chaewon asked. 

"The herbs, and some concentrated thought. You wanna know how to do it for yourselves?" 

~~~~~~~~~~

The trio spent the next few days learning the healing techniques of Heejin and Hyunjin. They progressed from the healing of simple injuries like Chaewon's bruise, to learning how to fix deeper wounds and aches. 

Now, with Heejin and Hyunjin feeling like they mastered the healing, the next morning they led the girls further away from their camp, still in witch territory but far from the center of their village. 

"Today you should learn how to get food." 

"I know some stuff, actually! Not enough to survive, really, but a little bit..." Yerim trailed off. 

Heejin and Hyunjin smiled at her. "We've noticed, and you are better at gathering than you think. But we can help expand your knowledge," Heejin answered. 

Heejin and Hyunjin began to show them which plants were tasty and filling, which were common and good to eat, which were edible in a pinch, and which were posinous. Some Yerim already knew but many she didn't, and now Chaewon and Olivia were learning too. 

"Do you guys know how to hunt?" Chaewon asked. 

Both Heejin and Hyunjin gasped, the most negative reaction to anything they had said or done so far in the coven. 

"We would never hunt," Hyunjin said fiercely. Heejin gently touched her arm and turned to the girls. 

"We don't eat animals. They're our friends more than anything. And trust us. If you are kind and treat animals well, then they can and will assist you in times of need." 

The trio shared a look before nodding. "Okay, we won't hunt anymore." 

So the girls spent the next few days learning from Heejin and Hyunjin everything about the plant, vegetable, and fruit life in the area, as well as how to properly gather animal products like eggs and milk without harming the animal. 

To be honest, Yerim spent much of those days learning while Chaewon and Olivia frolicked amongst themselves. Truly it was the first time in both of their lives that they had ever been so free. So free of responsibilities, of pressure, of running from the world and from themselves. Really, it was truly wonderful, and Olivia was amazed that she could fall even harder. 

One evening just before nightfall when Heejin, Hyunjin, and Yerim had disappeared far deeper into the forest Olivia and Chaewon were laying on their backs in the grass, staring up at the darkening sky. 

"I wish we never had to leave," Chaewon spoke with a sigh. 

"I know," Olivia answered. 

"But I have to go at some point," Chaewon spoke. 

Olivia sighed back. She didn't answer the princess. She knew in her heart that if she was alone, she would never leave. But the truth was, she would follow Chaewon wherever she went.