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DISCLAIMER: Prue, Piper and Phoebe Halliwell, Morris and all other characters who have appeared in the series "Charmed" together with the names, titles and backstory are the sole copyright property of Aaron Spelling, E. Duke Vincent, and the Warner Brothers Television Network. No copyright infringement was intended in the writing of this fan fiction. All other characters, the story idea and the story itself are the sole property of the author.
Jacara, once finished with the fake ad that she just completed, held it up for the man sitting next to her to see. He snatched the golden colored paper from his hand and looked at the paper. She waited silently for his approval.
"Nice. But how do you know they will pick it up?" He asked skeptically. His dark thin eyebrows curved upward in questioning. Jacara held onto the round crystal tied to her necklace that she was wearing. She extended her leg out and sat back.
"With magic of course, Lynx. With Magic. Once the youngest one sees the flyer, I will be watching her and with my power to read minds I can implant the urge to go on this... uh... vacation," she said. "Once she'll want to go, I'm sure she can convince the others. Its very easy to convince that one."
"This better not fail, Jacara," Lynx said. He put his gloved hand to his face, and his finger traced the deep pink scar that ran from under his eye to his chin. "It may not be Penny Halliwell who will pay, but we got someone better," Lynx said, more to himself than to Jacara.
"We got someone way better," Jacara sang happily. She retrieved the flyer from his hand, and placed it on top of her folder. "Once we have the Halliwell sisters out of the way, will you finally be at piece?"
"Hmmm?" Lynx looked over to her, his scared face hidden in the shadows. "For the time being, Jacara. Only for the time being."
Jacara grinned.
* * * On a bright sunny Saturday morning, the Halliwell kitchen was buzzing with excitement as Piper was baking for a church fundraiser. Piper wiped her hands full of flour onto her apron. "A teaspoon of vanilla Phebes." She called, reading from the book to the bowl with the ingredients. "Phoebe?" Piper asked after a while.
"I'm looking. I'm looking." Phoebe said. Prue walked into the kitchen, placing her bag on the table and started to pour herself a cup of coffee.
"Mmmm whatcha making?" she asked leaning over reading the recipe book. "Oatmeal cookies. My fav." Prue looked at her watch. "Shoot. I'm going to be late," she said, dumping her freshly poured coffee into the sink. "I have to meet Claire this morning about some new auction piece. I'll be back later this afternoon," she grabbed her coat and almost ran out of the kitchen.
"Phoebe?" Piper asked turning around. Phoebe slammed the cabinet door shut.
"Nada," she said and Piper sighed. "These have to be done by tonight, Phoebe. What do you mean we don't have any vanilla? What kind of chef doesn't have vanilla in her own cupboard?" Piper asked, looking for herself.
"Your kind," Phoebe said, she brought the newspaper out and started to read the front page. Finally Piper turned around. "Well, I'll just have to go pick some up," she declared. She folded her arms under her chest, waiting for Phoebe to volunteer for her, but she was still reading the paper. "I mean, I don't have THAT much to do... just bake a hundred and fifty cookies and all..."
Phoebe got the hint and looked up. "Would you like me to go for you?" She asked.
"Would you?" Piper handed her some fresh bills. "Just get the smallest they have. And hurry, I'd like to bake them sometime today preferably," she said sarcastically.
* * * Just across the street from the convince store, Phoebe parked the car and turned, seeing an odd looking store. She never noticed it before, it was very small and unnoticeable unless someone was actually looking for it. "Pans Garden. Wiccan and Occult Shop," it read. Very interested, Phoebe slammed her door and decided to go there first.
When she stepped into the store, she was hit with the smells of jasmine and sage. Candles were burning from some shelves, but the store was empty with no customers in sight. A very attractive girl in her mid thirties stood at the counter. She had her arms folded, almost expecting Phoebe to come. She smiled when Phoebe looked at her.
"Can I help you with something?" The saleslady had a thick accent, which Phoebe deciphered to be English. Phoebe looked around the room at the shelves and shelves of occult supplies.
"No. I'm just looking. I never noticed this place before. Is it new?" she asked.
"As new as any store could be," the lady responded. Phoebe smiled awkwardly at the strange answer but then lifted up a beautiful pentagram necklace. "It's nice, no?" the lady asked. She startled Phoebe, coming up from behind her.
"Yeah... very nice," Phoebe said.
"It would look so beautiful on you too. Try it on," the lady, who Phoebe had read the name tag to be 'Jacara' untied the clasp and put the necklace on Phoebe herself. Phoebe felt odd at how forward the lady was to her. "Just as I thought. That necklace was made for you," she tilted her head, and Phoebe played with it.
"I don't know," she said. "Wouldn't it attract attention?" she asked. The lady shrugged, and spun on her heel going back to her counter, ready to ring up the sale. "Your not ashamed of being a witch are you?" She asked questionably. Phoebe shook her head. "Besides. You don't have to wear it all the time. Possibly just for rituals and sabbats."
"Sabbats?" Phoebe asked.
"You don't know what a Sabbat is?" Jacara raised her head and laughed. She suddenly stopped. "Its the first thing a real witch learns," she said.
"Well..." Phoebe traced back to what little she read about wicca. "Its like holidays?" She said, happy that she remembered that.
"Right. Sabbats that represent the cycle of birth, death and rebirth. The wheel of the year." Jacara rang up the necklace while talking to Phoebe. "We celebrate eight of these holidays, infact.... oh never mind." She rested her hands on the counter. "That will be $20.85 please."
"What?" Phoebe asked.
"Well, I am holding a workshop for witches this upcoming Sabbat. Its Litha, or commonly known as Midsummer. It's a very special gathering. I am only going to select twelve other witches."
Phoebe bit her lip, as Jacara pulled out a crisp golden page from behind the counter. "Its going to be held at a lake. It should be... interesting for new witches to come and learn. I do take it you are still learning... no?" she asked.
"I'd like to come..." Phoebe said, feeling true at heart. "I'll ask my sisters." She took the change from her money and the sheet of paper as Jacara's eyes shot up with interest.
"Sisters..." she said. "Interesting. Well, the slots are filling up fast. So make sure to sign in soon." For the first time Jacara smiled, and even then Phoebe found it false.
"Well, thank you," Phoebe said, nodding. She backed out of the door and then went to get the vanilla for Piper.
* * * "I don't know..." Piper said when Phoebe handed her the flyer for the wiccan sabbat. "We don't really celebrate these holidays."
"Exactly. And we should!" Phoebe said, she handed Piper the vanilla and threw away the bag. "Think about how exciting this gathering could be. And we all need a few days off, right?"
Piper forgot about the flyer and went to attended to her cookies. "We'll see what Prue has to say." Just on target, Prue burst through the door.
"Well," she exclaimed happily. "Buckland sold a nine thousand dollar vase just today, and we are already planning another auction." Piper and Phoebe smiled happily for her. Prue sat down, looking at the flyer. "What's this?"
"Oh. I went to this occult shop today and found this flyer. Read it. Doesn't it look interesting?" Phoebe asked as Prue scanned the paper.
"I guess. You want to go?" she asked.
"I think we should all go."
"No. Phoebs. June 22 is on a Tuesday. We can't go camping mid week."
"Take it as a religious holiday!" Phoebe suggested. "Besides, you know how we are always to busy to enjoy vacations and holidays."
"You mean to busy fighting off demons and warlocks?" Prue joked.
"That and to busy with our love lives. With this vacation we can finally enjoy a weekend to ourselves. No work, No worries. No Men."
"That's what worries me." Piper said, plopping in a sheet of cookies. Prue smiled at her and then Piper came to join the conversation. "Let me see that again..." She read the paper over again. "Phoebe's not all that wrong, Prue. I kinda agree with her."
"Ok, say that we do go," Prue said standing up, almost liking the idea herself. "Who's going to fight off the warlocks and save the innocent?" She asked.
A hiss came from the ground, and Kit jumped up to the counter, as if replying she would. The sisters laughed as Kit snuggled up next to Piper. "There's your answer," she said.
* * * The Halliwell jeep pulled up to the Eagle Lake entrance way. It looked to be a good 100 acres of trees and land. The grass all around them was a lush green, and already some people have started to come for the days' events.
When Prue parked the car, the noticed Jacara coming out of the log cabin, waving at them. She wore light blue jeans and white top. Two other girls about her age were with her.
"Phoebe Halliwell," Jacara said. "I'm glad you could make it. These must be your sisters." She said nodding towards Piper and Prue. "Gather your stuff. Come along with me." Jacara explained to them about sleeping arrangements and class activities for the next three days. "There's four to a cabin, so I had to put you with Waneta Williams. I think you'll like her. Come along." The cabin that they were staying in was a good ten minutes away from the main log cabin. Most of the cabins were spread apart through the woods. "Make your self at home." Jacara said pointing to the small cabin. "The meeting circle will begin in 30 minutes." She saluted them with her hand and started back to the way they came from.
The girls stepped into the room, almost scaring the girl on the bed. She wore head phones and was softly drumming on her lap. She jumped up and tore off her head phones with the girls entered. She smiled broadly at the girls.
"You must be the Halliwells," she said. The girl had a dark complexion, her eyes sparkled when she smiled showing a row of perfect white teeth. She had very short brown hair, and wore jeans and a plaid shirt. "I'll be your room mate, Waneta." She said changing her foot from side to side. "I took the liberty of taking this bed, since you are sisters and will probably want the ones over there."
"Thank you." Phoebe said, resting her bags on the small bed. "Have you been here long?"
"Hmm? Oh no. I just got here about ten minutes ago. My grandmother dropped me off. She's a witch too, but would rather not associate with circles like theses. My mother always said that a witch does not always have to prove herself one. And worshiping comes from the heart." She tapped her chest indicating where her heart was. Then laughed nervously. "I'm here because I don't know any other witches. I thought I could make some friends, learn new things. It sounded real interesting."
"Yes... it did." Prue said, smiling kindly.
"This is my first workshop? What about you? Before I go any further I have to tell you I talk non stop. So if you find that I'm talking to much, just tell me to shut up. After a while it will only come natural to me." Waneta finally sat back down again, moving her disc man and magazines away. "This place kinda reminds me of summer camp when I was high school," she said.
"That's for sure." Piper started to unpack her shirts and hung them in the tiny closet. "But I like it," she added quickly.
"We should get back to the gathering hall," Waneta said. "I don't know how strict Jacara is about tardiness. But something tells me I don't want to find out. That women is still a mystery to me, when I first arrived I caught her yelling at the phone. I was the first one here, so she wasn't expecting me. When she saw me, her mood suddenly changed."
"Weird." Phoebe thought. All four of them decided to go the gathering hall, and found themselves mingling with the other eight witches who decided to go to the camp. All were in the same position. Most of them were new here, and none had ever been to one of these events. Finally Jacara stepped out, she looked angry and bothered, but her face softened some when she saw the group.
She directed everyone to sit in a circle to talk about themselves. Most of the people where just natural witches and claimed to no given power that Phoebe, Piper or Prue had. When it was Waneta's turn to talk about herself, she smiled happily.
"My name Is Waneta, I'm 22 years old. I've been Wiccan all my life. I adopted my power from my mother and-"
As soon as she said that, the bored Jacara looked up. "Powers?" she asked.
"Yes, I have the ability to communicate with animals."
"Oh," Jacara sank to her chair. "Can't we all communicate with animals? Aren't we all here because we love the nature?" she rolled her eyes, which Waneta couldn't see and pointed to Phoebe. "And you, I remember you from the shop. Tell us a little about yourself."
"My name Is Phoebe Halliwell, these are my sisters, Prue and Piper, we all live together at my Grandmothers house, and um... we have been wiccan for almost a year now," she said.
"Is that all?" Jacara asked, raising her eyebrows.
"That's about all," Phoebe said.
"No hidden powers?" she asked dryly, some of the other witches giggled, and Waneta turned red, when Prue went to describe herself, Waneta leaned over to Phoebe.
"Mother said I shouldn't tell anyone. Now everyone thinks I'm crazy. You don't think that about me do you..." she whispered. Phoebe shook her head and gave her a reassuring smile.
"Not at all," she said. "In fact- "
"Ok," Jacara slapped her hand together and jumped up. "As you all know, tomorrow is Midsummer, so we should prepare ourselves for the festival tomorrow." She gazed at everyone. "Lets just meet back here in an hour or so to decide what we are doing." She waved her hand at the group, who all looked at each other and shrugged.
The other eight women who all seemed to form a group of four, felt comfortable with those they would be camping with and they sectioned off leaving Prue, Piper, Phoebe and Waneta standing alone.
"Should we go looking around?" Waneta asked.
"Yeah. Just let me use the bathroom, and I'll meet you guys outside," Prue said, she looked around the small building that didn't have to many doors to begin with. Waneta saw her searching and pointed to the end of the room. "I think there's a small rest room over there," she said.
"Thanks." Prue started walking towards it, while the others went outside. She was just about to step in, when she noticed Jacara's office door was slightly ajar, she was on the phone and her voice was loud. She probably had thought everyone had left.
"Well, hurry up," she said, sounding very annoyed. "I can't pretend I know what I am doing any longer." At those words Prue walked towards her office and peered inside. Her back was to Prue. "I'm telling you Linx, you have got to hurry. You want them dead by tomorrow, don't you?" Prue held her breath. "Well, just do it before I have to do the ceremony. I don't want them to know I'm a fraud," she snapped.
I knew it! Prue thought to herself. Jacara sighed. "Goody," she said changing the tone of her voice. "By midnight tomorrow they will be putty in my hands." She roared at her own joke. "I can't wait to see you," she said and then slammed down the phone. Prue ducked against the wall and slowly inched her way from the door, Jacara was humming and then suddenly stopped when she heard someone move.
"Who's there?" She called out. Prue bit her lip. Jacara came out of her office, finding Prue up against the wall only inches away from the door. Her eyebrows lifted suspiciously, and her face flushed with anger. "What are you doing still here?" she asked, trying to keep her cool.
"Uh... bathroom?" Prue asked. Jacara lifted a long, sharp fingernail towards Prue's left. She nodded toward the bathroom which was right in front of her nose. "Shouldn't you and your group be doing whatever your supposed to be doing?" she asked.
Prue, feeling like she was back in high school with the principle catching her out of class, nodded. She was saved by Phoebe who walked back in. "You coming Prue?" she called out.
"Uh... be right there."
* * * "She didn't have to laugh," Piper said to Waneta outside the main building, they were talking about what happened at the meeting circle. "And uh... we have special powers to, we just didn't want to tell anyone."
"I can see why," she said dryly. "You want to see what I can do?" she asked. Phoebe brightened as Waneta looked around. "Uh... ok... see over there? That sparrow on the branch. I will connect minds with it, and I can lure it over to me." She sat frozen on the ground and starred at the bird. At first nothing happened, but then the sparrow looked over to her, tilted it's head and slowly made its way to the end of the branch. Quickly it flew onto Waneta's outstretched finger.
"Wow," Phoebe said, she laughed. "That's so cool. Your like snow white!". Waneta looked at her and smiled. "I think my mother knew she was passing this power down to me. My name, Waneta means shapeshifter, which is almost something I am. I can do this to any animal, bend minds with it."
The door slammed behind them, causing the bird to jump and fly away. Prue came running down the hill form the main building.
"Houston, we have a problem," she said, looking more to Phoebe and Piper.
"Noooo," Phoebe said moaning. "Ok, please tell me were out of toilet paper. I don't want to be fighting demons on our day off."
"Demons?" Waneta asked.
"I wish it was as simple as no toilet paper, Phebes. But it's worse. Jacara isn't a witch. in fact she doesn't know anything about witchcraft or Midsummer. I don't know what she is, but she's evil."
"No, Prue. Your wrong." Phoebe said. "I was at her store, she owns an occult shop! And what is she doing teaching us twelve witches how to be more spiritual?"
"That's a good question. But spirituality is something she graduated with honors with." She looked back at the cabin. "I over heard her telephone conversation to someone. Someone is on his way to kill us."
"Kill us..." Piper said. "But why?"
"Who knows?" Prue said. "I haven't figured that one out yet."
"Twelve witches all in one place." Waneta said, nodding. She got up and started walking over to a tree. "Someone wants to kill a whole coven of witches for no reason. Who is sick enough to..."
"Its not a who. Its a thing." Phoebe said to Waneta, she looked at Prue. "It's got to be a warlock Prue, and Jacara might be one too." The three sisters got up and walked over to where Waneta was. She stared out into the open.
"Waneta, we have to go and find something out on this Jacara person, were really sorry for ditching you, but we have to find out what's going on," Prue said. "Its kinda our destiny to help the innocent."
Waneta turned around. "I want to help," she said sternly.
"You can't. You don't know what your getting into," Prue warned her.
"We do this for a living. It isn't fun, and it isn't easy," Piper said.
"I can help," Waneta said assuredly. After no one said anything, Waneta sighed. "It's my life on the line too. Look, I have a power that may be helpful."
"If you want to turn into a bird yeah," Phoebe said. Waneta shot her a cold glare, and Phoebe cringed. "Sorry," she mumbled. Waneta shrugged, suggesting that she didn't care about Phoebe's remark. "Am I in?" she asked.
"Sure. We need all the help we can get." Prue grabbed Waneta and Piper's hand and they marched back to the cabin. "I know I packed my cell phone with me," Prue said rummaging through her bag. "We have to call Morris and he can give us a background check on Jacara. We also need the Book of Shadows." Prue was already starting to dial Morris's personal line.
"Prue, the Book of Shadows. That's at home." Phoebe said.
"What do you suppose we do?" she asked her sisters. "Hi, is this Morris?"
Waneta got off the bed. "Book of Shadows. Do you carry one with you every where you go?" she asked.
"We usually don't go far from it. But it has everything we need in it," Phoebe explained.
"Morris. Hi." Prue went to the corner to explain her situation, while Waneta, Piper and Phoebe sat around Waneta's bed.
"Your going to have to compromise." Waneta said.
"Compromise?" Piper asked.
"Your going to have to make up your own spell. You need it by tomorrow don't you?" she asked.
"We've never done that before... we can't!" Piper exclaimed.
"Phoebe," Prue called, she covered the phone with her hand. "What's the name of the shop Jacara works at?"
"Ummm... Pan's Garden I think. On 22nd and Main." Phoebe recalled. She went back to Waneta. Waneta shrugged at them both. "There's always a first time for everything. Isn't there?"
"We don't even know what we are dealing with," Piper said.
"Um... Phoebe, are you sure?" Prue asked.
"Yeah. It's right across the street from the convenience store. I was there," Phoebe said, annoyed her sister didn't believe her. Finally Prue got off the phone.
"Are you sure?" she asked. She shut the mouth piece off, and looked at them. "Guys. There is no Pans Garden on 22nd and Main. There never was. And even more strange, Jacara Widdleton supposedly died 1916. In England."
"What...? I was there! I can show you the shop!" Phoebe cried out.
"Waneta, were you there?" Piper asked, hoping Waneta could back up Phoebe.
"No. I got the flyer in the mail," she said.
"This is so weird," Phoebe bit her lip. "I wish I brought my laptop with me to search the death of this Jacara Widdleton 'person'."
"Wait. I saw another witch bring one!" Waneta jumped off her bed. "She's in cabin 4. I was with her when she arrived. I'm sure she'll let us borrow it."
* * * "Only 20 minutes online." Nessa Take said. "It's going to cost me and arm and a leg to go online out here."
"We'll pay you back." Prue said standing behind Phoebe. Nessa shook out her auburn hair.
"No need, just try to keep it to 20 minutes," she said. "I'll be out with the rest of the gang. See you guys later." She shut the cabin door behind her, and left the four of them to do their research.
Phoebe quickly started to type onto the computer. Piper and Waneta were searching through some wiccan books for any help on a spell that might help them in this situation.
"Got it." Phoebe wrote down Jacara's name. "Jacara Widdleton. Born 1880. Died 1916, was to be married to Lynx Niggel, a soldier for the royal army. Late December evening Lynx was found dead. The next morning the parents of Jacara Widdleton, Matthew and Irene, found Jacara to be missing. After 30 days she was declared dead."
"What?" Prue asked. "That's all they have?"
"Yes. The rest is to blurred to read. That's all I could make out. What does this mean, is she a ghost... or a really good looking hundred and 19 year old lady?" Phoebe asked.
"I really hope she just drank from the fountain of youth," Piper called from the corner, after hearing the story. "And its no use, we can't make up a spell if we don't know what we are looking for."
Phoebe slammed the laptop shut. "We have to get back to the cabin, or else people will wonder where we are. Lets just keep our eyes open to Jacara. Find anything odd or weird."
"Phoebe, the whole situation is odd," Piper said. When they got out of the cabin, they hadn't realized how late it was getting. Already they saw a fire going from the main entrance.
"Glad you could make it," Jacara said dryly when they approached. "Did you forget the time?" She asked throwing each girl a black robe. "Right now we are going to do a cleansing ritual, practice for tomorrow. I hope you brought your powers," she said laughing.
"Lucky I bring mine with my every where I go," Piper mumbled to Phoebe. The girls took their place around a circle, and Jacara bent down to light a candle in each corner. "Nessa," she said. "Why don't you start off?" she asked. Nessa stepped forward, blushing.
"Me?" She asked.
Jacara rolled her eyes. "No, the Nessa behind you," she said.
"But I'm afraid I don't know what I'm doing... this is my first-"
"Just call the corners," Jacara said. She sounded like she wanted to get this ritual over with. Nessa looked like she was going to burst into tears. Everyone was waiting around the circle for her to start.
"I've never done this before," she said. "I actually can't remember what I read..."
"What you read? What you read?" Jacara snapped. "Just go with your gut feeling. It doesn't have to be something that you read."
The girls participated in the simple cleansing ritual, even though Jacara herself knew nothing she was talking about, she did pretty well at faking it. Finally she took out the cakes and wine and the social gathering began.
"Did you find out what you were looking for?" Nessa asked, coming up to Phoebe. Phoebe noticed Jacara staring at her.
"Oh yes," she said playfully punching her. "I'm such a moron to leave my lap top at home. I should have known I'd have a sudden urge to look up Leonardo Di'caprio pages."
"Lenoardo Di'Caprio?" Nessa and Piper asked in unison.
"Its all I could think of." Phoebe said under her breath. Nessa shook her head, but believed Phoebe and walked away. Piper looked at Phoebe oddly.
"What?" Phoebe asked.
"I'm just wondering why Leonardo Di'Caprio was at the tip of your tongue." Piper wondered. Phoebe ran her hands through her hair. "Can we go now?" She asked Prue and Waneta. They looked back at Jacara, who stood by the wall, gazing at the fire watching everyone talk.
"Why does she remind me of a watch guard instead of a spiritual leader?" Piper asked.
"Shhhh. This way," Prue guided them safely out of the camp fire and out of Jacara's view. "When I went to use the bathroom again, I stopped into her office. I found something out." Still looking back in case anyone was following them Prue whispered. "OK, Morris told me that Jacara Widdleton died in 1916. well so did Lynx... I think she's working with him, she not only has is picture in her desk, but she was some messages from him."
"Or she may be still obsessed with her dead boyfriend," Piper said. "I can tell you what that feels like."
"We have to find out where this Lynx is," Prue said. "I'm almost certain that is who she was on the phone with. The man she hired to do her dirty work."
"This doesn't fall into place, Prue," Phoebe said. "Two dead ghosts wanting to kill twelve witches. Why?"
"Not twelve witches silly," a new voice said from behind them. They all turned around to see Jacara standing there. "Just three we had in mind," she grinned. "I'm surprised you found out about us. Very good. Very good indeed. Its such a shame that Lynx isn't here yet. Now I don't know what to do with you," she said pouting. "Oh I know!" She snapped her fingers, and instantly they were in another cabin. A cabin that hadn't been used in years. All four of them were tied up to a post that barley supported the cabin as it was.
Jacara knelt down beside them. "Its such a shame your cabin decided to leave during the night. You found out that this Midsummer crap wasn't your cup of tea. So the four of you left. oh well, there's still nine of us left to enjoy the festivals."
Prue wanted to shout at her but found her mouth was gagged. The four of them had their backs to each other, and Jacara was facing Prue. "I think you look most like your mother," she said nodding. "Your a lot smarter than that, granted. But that doesn't mean you won't die." She stood up, and started to walk out the door. "Oh," she said looking back. "Lynx will love this. He actually wanted a chase, but why waste his time when he can get all four of you at once? Don't bother screaming. I transported you out in the middle of nowhere. This cabin used to be the old Lake camp, before all the deaths. Then the moved it to where it is now. Where all the new deaths will be," she laughed and then slammed the door shut.
Prue instantly tried to use her powers to move something to cut the rope, but she found that with her hands bound the way they were, her power was not directed out to them. The circulation cut her wrists. Whenever she moved her head to see one of her sisters, she was forced to look back straight ahead because of the pain.
It wasn't until the next morning that she realized what trouble they were in, and her tears spilled down her cheek.
* * * Late in the afternoon, Phoebe lifted her head. The sun was going down so it wasn't hurting her eyes anymore, she looked around the room. Not only did it smell moldy and horrid. The condition was worse. Jacara had been right when she said they were out in the middle of nowhere. The cabin looked like it was going to fall to pieces any time now.
Phoebe closed her eyes, but then opened them quickly when she heard the squeaking of something. She turned her head slightly, and saw, standing in the corner of the room was a raccoon. He stared at Phoebe, all Phoebe could do was stare back at it.
A few seconds later, the idea hit her. Waneta! All she had to do was show Waneta that there was a raccoon in the cabin, and maybe she could channel energy to it to free them. She started to talk through her gag, making moaning sounds, and nudged her body to the left, where Waneta was tied down next to her.
Waneta looked at her confused, as Phoebe directed her head towards the coon. Waneta shook her head in confusion and Phoebe made exaggerated turns of her head. Why couldn't she telepathically tell her to transform into the raccoon. Finally Waneta got the picture and nodded. She starred directly at the coon, who was about to go away. He spun his head towards Waneta and then slowly made its way to the group. Piper moaned when she raccoon tore into the rope around her side. But after a while, it had nibbled and clawed its way through the rope, loosening it so everyone could go free.
At last the ropes were gone from everyone, and Phoebe hugged Waneta. "You did it!" she cried happily.
"Yeah, well there's no time for hugs." Waneta said. "We have some ghost ass to kick." Everyone laughed and walked out of the cabin.
"Its getting dark. Soon Jacara will bring Lynx here."
"And soon she'll find out that we aren't here," Piper said.
"Wait," Phoebe said, grabbing onto Prue's arm so she couldn't walk further. "Piper, you gave me an idea. Jacara is expecting us here. So lets be here."
"Phoebe, we have to get back to the main cabin," Piper said.
"Noooo. I think she's right," Waneta said. "We can't kill them if we're running away from them."
"Oh," Prue said. "Great idea. Lets let someone stand behind the door, and the rest of us lets get tied back up."
"Who's going to stand behind the door?" Waneta asked, scared.
Everyone looked to Phoebe. Phoebe looked at all the eyes that were on her. "What? Why me?" She asked. Prue picked up a huge tree branch nearby. "Because your Phoebe the Lynx slayer." she said. "Hurry, its getting dark fast."
* * * Phoebe's heart was pounding when she heard the movement from the trees. The three girls were 'tied' back up to the post, with Phoebe supposedly at the back. It would take more than a second glance to figure out that there were only three girls. By that time they would be knocked out cold.
"You didn't' fail me this time," Lynx said.
"I know I didn't. They are all in there. And an extra. She got in the way, but the more the merrier, right?" she asked. Jacara still talked in a firm controlling voice, but she still had some admiration for Lynx.
The door burst open, almost catching Phoebe by surprise even though she knew they were coming. She held the huge board in her hands and whacked the first person who came in. A surprised Jacara screamed and then fell forward dropping to the floor. Then the new stranger came in, but this time ready for who ever hurt Jacara. He reached out and grabbed Phoebe strongly by the shoulders, in shock she dropped the board. His grip was so strong as he pulled her to his chest. He had dark black eyes with the same dark hair, he would have been strikingly handsome if it weren't for that pink scare that ran from his eye to his chin. Phoebe stood there paralyzed as his strong arms almost strangled her to death.
"Phoebe," Prue cried out and the three of them jumped up. With her hands, Prue channeled her energy to throw Lynx to the floor, but his strong powers against hers only let Phoebe go as he backed away. He looked like he was in shock as well.
Phoebe, finally free went to kick him to the ground, but only found out that kicking a wall would be easier to knock down, the man was huge and strong even for Phoebe's martial arts and Prue's power.
"Great," Piper said. She threw her hands into the air and froze everyone around her. "What do we do now?" She asked.
"I say RUN". Phoebe yelled panicking. No one was ready to face his strength. Prue grabbed onto Piper and Waneta and the four of them ran out of the cabin. Everywhere around them were tall trees. There wasn't even a path to show how Jacara or Lynx got here.
"Oh no..." Phoebe said looking around the area.
"What ever we do, DON'T split up," Prue called, everyone ran the direction she was heading, as she brushed away branches and twigs for those behind her.
"What do you want me to do?" Piper yelled from behind. "Freeze them every time they come near us?"
"That's the plan." Phoebe called back.
"What's another plan?" Waneta asked.
"That's actually my only plan." Phoebe turned around to see if Lynx and Jacara were after them, when she lost her footing on an upturned root. She fell face down into the ground, and Waneta fell after her.
"Are you ok?" Waneta asked.
"There's no time," Prue called back. She stopped once realizing why everyone had stopped. "Phoebe are you ok? Can you get up?"
"My ankle Prue. I think I twisted it," Phoebe said groaning. "You guys go ahead." She said.
"No. We can't leave you here," Prue shouted. "Besides, I didn't want to say this, but we're lost. I have no idea where the cabins are."
"Happy Midsummer," Piper mumbled. Her and Waneta both picked up Phoebe by one arm, and lifted her up. "Prue we can't go to far like this," Piper said.
"I know... I know.." Prue looked around, hoping to find shelter near. She sighed in defeat. All of a sudden from behind them they heard a growl. Everyone turned to see two shiny yellow eyes come out from the bushes. A black panther strode out to them. This panther was no ordinary panther, it was twice the size a normal one should be.
"Uh... Waneta..." Prue said panicking.
"I'm trying," Waneta cried out, she panicked and started to switch her feet rapidly. She stared at the panther, but it just kept on walking towards them. "I can't do it. I can't enter the panthers mind," she said. At that moment the panther leaped into the air, hovering over Phoebe and Piper, his huge fangs glistening in the moon light. Phoebe screamed and Piper panicked, freezing the panther in mid air.
"Uh...run?" Phoebe asked.
"No. We can't keep running from him," Prue said. "We need the Book of Shadows."
"No, you don't," Waneta said.
"Waneta, you don't understand - "
"Shhh," Waneta cut her off in mid sentence. "My mother always said that magic comes within you, not from what you read from a book. Look where we are. We are in the middle of nature. We can use nature on our side. Look," Waneta touched a tree. "Magic comes from here. And here". She picked up a leaf. "We don't have much time."
Prue looked around, and finally took a deep breath.
Supreme Goddess, ruler of light,
Lord of all
Hear my prayer,
Help me now to dispel this thing of unholiness
This creature of darkness,
Who dooms itself to shame and unhappiness.
Save him if it is thy will to do so.
Send him to the light.Nothing happened, and Prue was going to point that out. But she kept on chanting. Then Piper joined in, slowly at first. That got Phoebe also reciting it. And finally, smiling, Waneta joined in as well.
The freezing wore off, and panther was about to be dropped onto Phoebe when the charm suddenly worked and right above Phoebe the panther combusted into millions of colors. Pinks, yellow, greens flew everywhere. Not one ash touched the ground.
"Oh my god," Phoebe slumped to the ground.
"Jacara," Prue said. The knew they weren't that far from the cabin that Jacara left them in and started walking back to it, Phoebe using Waneta's shoulder as support. All that remained in the doorway was a rotting skeleton, in the same position Jacara was in when Phoebe hit her unconscious.
"Looks like the fountain of youth didn't pay off," Piper said dryly, they all sighed and turned around.
"Look," Waneta said. From the tip of the sky, the moonlight shone down into the forest. It led a path all the way back to the main cabin.
* * * "Ok," Piper said throwing her last bag into the jeep. "As much fun as that was, I get to plan the next Midsummer gathering."
Prue smiled, and shut the back door. She turned around to see Waneta come up to them.
"Hi," she said.
"Waneta," Prue hugged her. "I just wanted to tell you how I appreciated your guidance and support."
"I didn't do anything," Waneta said modestly.
"You taught us how to compromise," Prue reminded her. "You taught us how to look beyond the book of shadows and reach the magic within ourselves."
Phoebe came up. "See... and you said you wouldn't learn anything on this trip after you found out a few demons wanted to kill us," she said playfully.
"I just wanted to say good-bye. That's my grandmother picking me up," she said pointing to the lady sitting in the car.
"Oh. Where's your mother? I'd like to meet her," Prue said.
Waneta looked down. "My mother... my mother isn't alive," she confessed.
"Oh.." Prue folded her arms, the whole time Waneta talked about her mother as if she was still alive. "Well, she sounded like a wonderful women. I would have loved to meet her."
"You know," Phoebe said. "Waneta is a lot like us." Waneta smiled and returned the hug from everyone. "Write me, ok," she said. She turned around to go to her grandmothers car and then looked back at them.
"No matter how these last three days have turned out. I had a great time," Waneta said.
"Yeah," Prue agreed. "So did we."
* * * Dear Waneta:
Hi! Its me Phoebe. The events at the Lake must have confused you, so I wrote to clear things up. When we got home, we looked into our family history. It looks like Lynx was a shapeshifter and didn't die from the royal army. He came and took Jacara into the night world, making her a demon ghost. Someone who stays young forever but has magical powers. They met my mother before we were born and attacked her because she was a witch. She was the one who scared his face from his eyes to chin.
I went back to Pan's garden. Except there was no Pans Garden. With magic, Jacara had made me think there was a shop there, when, in fact its nothing but a run down building that hasn't been used for years.
It looks like Lynx's attacking us was revenge for what my mother did when she was young, and it seems you were caught up in the middle of it. We also found the spell written in the Book of Shadows Grams wrote in case Lynx would come after her family. It was so odd, Prue swears she never saw the incantation before, but it was the exact same thing she said while in the woods.
Its weird that it turned out that way. Write back soon,
Phoebe, Piper and Prue, your friends from Camp.
