Lila hurried after Bumble, who darted through the air in elaborate loops and spirals, her excitement palpable. The forest spirit always enjoyed the arrival of customers, partly because she liked meeting new people, but mostly because she relished her self-appointed role as The Moonlit Leaf's early warning system. Bumble zipped toward the front of the cottage where a patch of luminescent bell flowers grew in a perfect half-circle around the entrance path, their petals shifting from deep blue to bright purple as dawn strengthened into morning.
"Slow down," Lila called, adjusting her basket of freshly harvested moonshade. "They can't have reached the door yet."
Bumble paid no attention, diving straight into the cluster of luminescent flowers. These weren't ordinary plants, even by a witch's garden standards. The bell flowers had been a gift from Lila's grandmother, brought back from some mysterious expedition into the Ancient Forest decades ago. They responded to magical energy, glowing brighter in the presence of those with magical ability and changing colors based on the visitor's intentions.
As Bumble bounced from bloom to bloom, the flowers pulsed with light, responding to her touch. The spirit's small paws batted playfully at the drooping bells, causing them to ring with a sound too delicate for most human ears to detect, but which Lila could just barely perceive, a crystalline chiming that carried information.
"How many?" Lila asked, reading Bumble's movements among the flowers.
Bumble hovered above two blooms, then zipped to a third before returning to the first two, her wings creating a blur of motion.
"Two people, approaching from the town," Lila translated, familiar with their private communication system. "And the third signal, they're in need of something specific, not just browsing?"
The forest spirit buzzed an affirmation, then dove into the center of the largest flower. Its petals flared with bright purple light, indicating benevolent intentions from the approaching customers. Had there been any hint of ill will or deception, the blooms would have shifted toward red, a warning system that had protected The Moonlit Leaf and its keepers for generations.
Lila set her basket down on the small bench beside the cottage door and quickly checked her appearance. Her fingers combed through windswept hair, tucking stray strands behind her ears, and brushed a smudge of dirt from her apron. First impressions mattered in her line of work, people trusted remedies more when they came from someone who looked like they had their own life in order.
"Do I have time to wash my hands?" she asked.
Bumble emerged from the flower, shaking pollen from her striped fur, and shook her head. The spirit then performed an elaborate spin in the air before positioning herself just above Lila's right shoulder, her preferred perch for evaluating newcomers.
"Fine, but next time give me more warning," Lila said with a fond sigh, reaching up to scratch Bumble lightly between her furry ears.
The luminescent flowers suddenly brightened all at once, their glow intensifying as they detected approaching magical energy. Bumble chittered excitedly, bouncing from Lila's shoulder to zip in figure-eights around the blooms. The flowers responded to her movement, their petals opening wider as if in greeting. It wasn't just Bumble's forest spirit nature that created this reaction, over the years, she had developed a special relationship with these particular plants.
Lila watched with amusement as Bumble conducted what looked like an elaborate dance with the flowers, each movement causing them to pulse with light in different patterns. This wasn't merely play; the spirit was communicating with them, gathering more detailed information about the approaching visitors than even Lila could sense.
"Show-off," she murmured affectionately.
The forest spirit paused mid-twirl to give Lila what could only be described as a smug look before diving back into her flower-dance with renewed enthusiasm. The luminescent blooms seemed equally delighted, their stems swaying slightly despite the absence of wind, following Bumble's movements like an audience entranced by a performer.
A moment later, Lila heard footsteps on the path that led from town to her cottage. She peered around the corner and spotted two figures making their way toward The Moonlit Leaf. One she recognized immediately, Mr. Thorne, the town's potion master, his tall frame and distinctive silver-streaked beard unmistakable even at a distance. The other was a younger man she didn't immediately recognize, perhaps an apprentice or customer of Thorne's own shop.
"Mr. Thorne this early?" Lila whispered to Bumble, who had returned to her shoulder. "Must be something important."
The forest spirit made a sound between a purr and a buzz that Lila interpreted as agreement. Bumble had always liked the potion master, he was one of the few customers who brought special treats for her, usually small vials of flower nectar he collected on his expeditions into the Ancient Forest.
Lila quickly retrieved her basket from the bench, extracting the freshly harvested moonshade and placing it carefully on the small shelf beside the door where it could dry properly without losing its magical properties. The timing of Mr. Thorne's visit was fortunate, moonshade was a key ingredient in many of his more complex potions, and she knew he would be pleased to find some freshly harvested.
She stepped through the cottage door, moving swiftly to the large apothecary table to prepare for her customers. The table's driftwood surface seemed to anticipate her needs, its drawers shifting slightly to present the items she might require, weighing scales, wrapping paper, and the special silk pouches used for delicate herbs.
Bumble flitted ahead of her, performing a quick circuit of the shop's interior. The spirit checked each corner as if ensuring everything was in its proper place, her self-appointed duties apparently extending to quality control of the shop's appearance. Satisfied with her inspection, she returned to hover near the ceiling beams, positioning herself above where customers would stand, the perfect vantage point for observation.
Lila took a deep breath, centering herself as she heard the visitors reach the garden gate. The luminescent flowers would be putting on quite a show for them now, a small but effective bit of magic that set The Moonlit Leaf apart from ordinary herb shops. She straightened her apron, tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear, and put on what her mother had always called "the herbalist's smile", warm, knowledgeable, and just mysterious enough to inspire confidence.
"Ready?" she asked Bumble, who responded with an enthusiastic bob in the air.
The shop bell jingled as the door began to open, and Lila stepped forward to greet her first customers of the day, curious about what had brought the town's most skilled potion master to her door at such an early hour.