Ingredient Collection

"Two portions?" asked Lily.

"Half a jar," said Gwen.

Gwen then rolled the parchment and handed it to Lily.

"Here you go," said Gwen. "Now you know where to find each ingredient."

"Aren't you coming along," asked Lily.

"Me?" laughed Gwen. "I'll just slow you down. These legs aren't what they used to be."

"I've never been inside the woods," said Lily. "Plus, there could be danger."

"You'll be fine," replied Gwen. "You can use your beast abilities to keep you safe."

"I don't even know where to start searching for each ingredient," said Lily.

"Stop worrying, I'll teach you a spell so you can cast a protective shield," said Gwen.

Gwen disappeared to the living room and came back with a book titled "Emergency Spells for Beginners."

After multiple attempts, Gwen had managed to teach Lily how to cast the protective shield spell. Gwen handed the book to Lily.

"You can use the other spells if you need to from the book," said Gwen.

"Thanks," replied Lily.

"One more thing," said Gwen.

Gwen made a loud whistle, and within a few minutes, a broomstick arrived.

"Lily, meet Perch. Perch, this is Lily. Perch, you will take Lily into the woods to each of the locations of the ingredients that I have written down on a parchment of paper," said Gwen.

Perch approached Lily and pushed her onto its back. The broom hovered above the ground, with Lily clinging on for dear life.

"Perch won't drop you. Just sit properly, as if you're sitting in a chair. Tell him the location and the ingredient, and he'll take you there," said Gwen. "Before I forget, I'll give you the five jars."

Gwen handed Lily the five jars, which she carefully placed in her crossbody bag.

"Got everything?" asked Gwen.

"Yeah," replied Lily as she put on her trench coat.

"Don't forget, rage and fear will make you turn into a beast faster. Anyway, good luck," said Gwen. "Onward, Perch."

Gwen ran ahead and opened the front door for Perch and Lily.

Lily was now out in the cold night air, soaring high above towards the woods. She was holding onto Perch tightly by the handle.

Lily pulled out the parchment of paper and read the first ingredient, "Moonlit Rose found within a small glade nestled in the heart of the woods."

Perch flew above the canopy of the trees until a small moonlit glade was seen below. Slowly, Perch lowered towards the glade until it landed at the place. Lily placed her feet on the ground among the grass and was glad to be on the ground. She dismounted Perch and held him in her hand. Perch objected to being held, trying to pull away from Lily's grasp. She released Perch and began walking in search of the Moonlit Rose, with Perch hovering beside her.

After a short walk, they arrived at the centre of the glade. There in front of them was the Moonlit Rose, its petals shimmering in the light of the full moon. Lily pulled out the glass jar labeled 'Moonlit Rose' from her bag and opened it. Gently, she plucked a petal from the Moonlit Rose and placed it in the jar. Sealing the jar with the lid, she placed it back in her bag.

Lily mounted Perch, feeling a bit more confident this time, and read the next ingredient, "Lunar Herb, wild herbs found flourishing near a tranquil stream deep within the woods."

Perch lifted from the ground and flew between the trees. As they flew deeper into the woods, the trees became denser, blocking out the moonlight. Onward they flew in the darkness. Lily glanced around every time she heard a sound. Who knew what lurked in the depths of the dark woods. As she looked around, she realised that she was able to see clearly in the darkness, almost like a cat at night.

Up ahead, a winding stream glistened under the moonlight, which filtered through the thick foliage. The stream was tranquil.

Perch lowered near the stream, allowing Lily to dismount. Lily got onto her hands and knees and began to search for the Lunar Herb. She soon discovered a patch flourishing under the full moon's glow near the stream's bank. Plucking one Lunar Herb, she placed it in the jar labeled 'Lunar Herb'.

Lily sat beside the stream and looked at her reflection in the water. She had already sprouted a pair of wolf-like ears atop her head. She was slowly turning into a beast. She needed to race against time to collect all five ingredients for the potion. Additionally, she needed to keep her rage and fear in check; otherwise, she might end up transforming into a beast before dawn.

"It would be easy if I woke up smiling and only saw the silver lining, but silver is something I'm avoiding. Now, I see the monster I'm becoming. I feel like an outcast on an island of obscurity. My heart is beating wild," thought Lily aloud.

As Lily continued to look at her reflection, something glistening within the stream bed caught her eye. She reached into the stream and pulled out a gemstone. It was the Celestial Gemstone, a gem that reveals its radiance only during the full moon's night within the woods. Lily placed the gem in its jar and got up.

As she got up, she heard a rustling noise among the trees. Glancing in the direction of the noise, she thought she saw something. She couldn't believe her eyes. There seemed to be something close behind. Lily was losing her mind. She thought about running and hiding.

Two more ingredients, and she would be flying out of this mysterious wood, back to the safety of Grimmore Cottage. Lily turned to her right side to find Perch hovering beside her.

Mounting the broom, she read the next ingredient, "Spectral Moss found at the trunk of an ancient oak tree. The moss exudes an ethereal glow in the heart of the woods."

Up went the broom and off they flew again between the trees. Lily wasn't able to tell the difference between an oak, a beech, or any tree at all. She was just clueless. All her hope rested on the broom to take her to the right tree.

Perch zigzagged among the trees, taking turns here and there. Lily had to duck a few times in order not to be hit by a branch. It was getting tiring riding on Perch for such a long period of time. She wondered how witches and wizards were accustomed to riding their broom for an extended period of time.

Perch began slowing down and halted in front of an old tree. The trunk of the tree was thick, and the tree was tall. The bottom part of the trunk radiated an ethereal glow. Lily gestured to Perch to lower to the ground. Dismounting the broom, Lily went up to the trunk and inspected it. The glow coming from the trunk was, in fact, glowing moss, the Spectral Moss. Lily took out the jar labeled 'Spectral Moss' and filled half the jar with the moss. She placed the jar back in the bag.

Lily took out the parchment of paper and read the last ingredient, "three barn owl feathers collected from a wise old barn owl residing in the hollow of the ancient oak tree." As Lily finished reading, a creature swooped down towards her. Lily crouched down, covering her head with her hands. Slowly, Lily got up and glanced upwards. A barn owl was perched on the lowest branch of the oak tree. Lily mounted Perch, and they both rose to the level of the owl. The owl, seeing them, flew to the next branch. It was now a game of cat and mouse. The owl would not let Lily come near it.

Perch flew Lily back to the ground and left her there. Lily glanced up to see the broom chasing the poor old barn owl. Perch had tired the poor owl and now it was sitting on a branch, unable to move. Perch came back to Lily and took her to the exhausted owl. Gently, Lily plucked three feathers from the owl and came back to the ground. Lily placed the feathers quickly into its jar before any wind could carry them away.

Lily did a small victory dance. She had managed to collect all five potion ingredients without befalling any danger. Lily suddenly turned her head towards a rustling sound that was approaching her. 'Bam' something had run into her. Lily was knocked to the ground. Getting up, she was still dazed. Regaining full consciousness, she saw what had run into her. A man and a woman carrying a child, who looked around six years old, had run into her. They were both trembling, unable to move at her sight. Lily knew they were afraid of her.

"Call me monster, call me beast, call me creature of the night, monsters aren't so scary in the light," said Lily.

"I don't think it's going to hurt us," said the man.

"It, has a name," said Lily, frustrated.

"We didn't mean to offend you," said the man nervously.

"I'm Lily, and I'm not really a beast. I've been cursed after I drank something," responded Lily. "Where are you going in a hurry?"

"There is a werewolf after us," said the man. "It already attacked my daughter."