8

I took my time answering, trying not to pause too often and appear confident in my response. I briefly explained to them that living amongst the various beings was not always smooth, but that you learn to navigate through it. I told them that I’d gained some sense of safety in the forest, something I would have never expected to say upon arrival. I continued the conversation, reminding them that I wasn’t familiar with this area, and half-jokingly asked if there was anything I would need to be wary of here. They spoke of wolves up in the mountains, potential, mischievous fae that dwelled amongst them, and odd folk who mostly kept to themselves unless bothered. They casually brought up a dragon, who was believed to be fearsome but had never left his den. Some were sure he must be dead. These things they accepted. What these people found difficult to accept was the existence of witches, or one in particular.

6

I could have been able to let my guard down here. I received casual, friendly greetings from shop owners, children and townspeople. The town is rather small and everyone is familiar with each other. It was clear that I was a stranger, but I was not treated like one. Feeling comfortable, I tried to gather some information about this world without indicating that I wasn’t naturally a part of it. I stepped into a bakery, a friendly looking woman behind the counter. I briefly browsed the aisles of goods, reminding me that I haven’t had a good meal in what feels to be far too long. I felt rude to approach the woman knowing I wouldn’t be able to purchase anything. I hoped she would understand. I asked her about the town, specific places to visit and where to find more information. I have found it to be difficult to ask “How do I get out of this world?”, without saying it directly. She was extremely helpful and kind, and even went so far as to offer me a small loaf of bread for free. I quickly wrote down a list of the places she talked about, ready to go find them.