I look into the mirror, studying the illusion in front of me. At first glance, I look like a normal magifolk: black hair, thin nose, thick lips and a thin somewhat tall figure complemented with my olive toned skin. It's my eyes that set me apart. The two Saffron gems that glitter mark me as a witch and witches are rare. I gently lift two fingers to my forehead and visualize two orbs with a color that's anything but saffron. Some magifolks disliked witches and I wasn't in the mood to deal with them and their prejudice. 

      I took a moment to decide what color.  Maybe blue like the water dwellers, green like the elves, mud brown like the trolls; perhaps the bright pastel colors like the fairies or magenta for imps.  I settle on green and changed my ears into pointier, elven ones. I was way too tired to do a complete appearance alter to turn into a troll or mermaid, imps were too small for my liking and I didn't  feel like disguising into a fairy after my annoying encounter with one yesterday. 

    The edge of my lips pulled up into a smile as I remembered what had gone down yesterday. One of the arrogant fairies, Turquoise, thought it was a good idea to backtalk several magifolks. She listed several people and started talking about their flaws. Loudly. She never saw the spell hitting her when she got to me. Itstantly, the color change spell caused her face to turn green like a troll causing some of the imps to snicker. Although she was a fairy and her face wasn't naturally green, she wasn't that far from being a troll.  Madge, the shop owner, hearing ehr scream of rage had come out from the back and apologized. She chastised me, saying "We can't have you scaring away customers, Jess. Rude or not.  It's bad for business and we still need to pay our dues"  but from the looks on everyfolk's faces, I had done them a favor. My smile faded away, though, when I thought about the unpaid dues. 

    Every two moon cycles, we were required to pay our dues which was just a fancy word for outrageous taxes.   We were already a month behind and our province's governor was notorious for making sure everything was in order. If we failed to pay all our dues this moon cycle, it wouldn't be long before he came knocking on our door. I gritted my teeth. I would finish gathering all the ingredients early and find some semi-rare herbs that would sell for a good price. Maybe ask a fairy(not Turquoise) or an elf where to find one. We were on good terms with them(except for Turquoise). Surely they would lend a hand.  I couldn't lose my own home. Madge couldn't lose her home and everything she worked for. Not after everything she'd done. 

      I grabbed my satchel and pulled out the piece of parchment Madge had tuckered in the satchel this morning. In spidery handwriting, a list of herbs greets me. I chewed my lip as I thought of what route I should take. None of my ingredients were found deep inside the forest but I still needed to take a few shortcuts if I wanted to finish early. My hands shuffle for the doorknob, my senses wanting to taste the forest with it's greenery, mysteriousness and pine scent. I take one moment to drink it all in, like I always do in the mornings. The soul of the forest pulsates, a soft breeze blows, beseeching me to enter. I obey. 

      Closing the door behind me I take off into my second home. Me being a witch, was already granted with exceptional speed but I willed my magic to make me faster, to let it's essence flow into my veins and make this forest nothing more than a blur. While fairies were riders of the wind, I cut through the wind, my dark hair whispering and trailing me like a shadow.