"So the she-wolf became a werewolf... and a witch?"
"Not exactly. She became something a little bit different. She wasn't a witch, but she had strong powers to protect herself and her descendants. She only practiced the whitest, purest magic. She taught that magic to her daughters, and their daughters, so they could all protect their families from witches' Dark Magic."
"So... what happened to the curse?"
Her mother sighs, and her expression got a little darker. To my surprise, she lifts her eyes, staring directly at me.
"That curse is still there. It comes back to poison the minds of witches betrayed by their werewolf lovers, and poison their children. It is a very Dark Magic that is very, very old..."
"Can we break it?" I hear myself say at the same time as Clarissa.
"Of course, my love. When a stronger witch appears and breaks the curse, it will be over."
Clarissa suddenly jumps down from her mother's lap.
"Then, I want to be very strong, Mommy, so I can help all the nice werewolves!"
"You like werewolves?" chuckles our mother.
"Um... I think so. I like the nice she-wolf, Mommy, she was so nice to the witch! I want to be strong like her, and only do the white magic like her!"
"You're right, my baby. She was very strong. She was the strongest of all. Do you know? That she-wolf and the witch's friendship is still considered sacred to us and to the werewolves. That is why the witches always try to protect werewolves, if they can. We are friends."
"I will be friends with all the werewolves!" nods Clarissa, her eyes sparkling. "I love the she-wolf, Mommy. She is the best!"
"Yes, my baby. She was so beautiful, strong, and loved that all werewolves still remember her name. They forgot the witch who gave her that name, but they never forgot the she-wolf's name. They have kept it sacred, it is a name given only to the most beautiful and strongest of them. They become loved by the Alpha wolf, and they are the mother of their pack. And when us witches meet a werewolf with that name, we know she is our friend..."
"Really? Mommy, Mommy, what was the name of the witch and the she-wolf, then? What was it?!"
Her mother smiles.
"You will remember it, Clarissa. ...Her name was Luna."
Her name was Luna...? It suddenly comes back to me. The Witches’ Ancestral Tree! One of the oldest witches had a name like that. Is that... the witch from the story, the one who began the curse? I have a million questions flooding through my mind, but more importantly... I have this answer. Moon Goddess, this explains so much.
I look at Clarissa's mother, gently caressing her daughter's hair. It looks like she forgot about me now. This story... she told Clarissa on purpose, didn't she? Some witches can foresee the future, like Sylviana. I haven't been able to use that ability other than in action, as a self-defense reflex, but... at least I can see the past when it matters. I should try to work on that too. It is the only thing little Mara couldn't help me with, I guess.
"Mommy, have you seen werewolves before?"
Clarissa keeps chatting with her mother but they are simply just talking to each other, I guess there's... nothing left for me to learn here.
How do I get out of this? The butterfly is still with Clarissa's mother, fooling around in her hair and I suddenly understand it’s no stranger to her. I thought this was Sylviana's, but... what if this was her magic creature instead? She was an Earth Witch just like Sylviana was, it wouldn't be strange if they have the same pet...
"...Are you envious?"
I turn around.
Standing there in the darkness is a young woman. She's... beautiful, but also scary. She has bright green eyes, and crimson red hair floating around her face. Her dress too, looks like it has black embroideries at first, but... eventually, I realize it's not fabric at all, but sheer darkness, floating around and covering her arms and body.
Even without her appearance, I can tell. There's something evil about her, something that puts me on edge. Spark circles his body around me too and starts growling again. She smiles at me, but there isn't an ounce of happiness in that smile. It's just straight creepy.
"Who are you?" I ask, spreading my fingers as if to start a fire.
"Don't you envy me too?" she smirks.
It suddenly hits me. Red hair, green eyes, looking about in her thirties, and a witch too... Sylviana?
No, this can't be right? Sylviana wasn't a Dark Witch and she's dead. She's been dead for a long time. Why would she appear now? I mean, she obviously put that spell in her tree, but...
