Beware, Beware, the Enchanted Pond

Janai brandished her scissors with a steady hand, their silver blades gleaming in the noontime sun. Holding the hollythorn blossom steady, she clipped it midway down its fleshy stem and let it fall into her palm. Hooking her scissors onto her belt, she pulled a small, lidded phial free and unscrewed its cap, dropping the delicate blossom into it before sealing it up once more.

Blowing out a breath, Janai stood from her crouch and stretched, her shoulder clicking and her calves protesting the motion. Securing the phial to her belt, she grabbed her staff and turned from the hollythorn bush, walking the few steps back to the forest trail she'd been following.

It was warm this time of day, despite it being mid-autumn. The sun beat down on Janai's skin and through the thin layers of loose cotton fabric wrapped around her. She knew it wouldn't be long before she started to sweat--there were a few more ingredients she needed to collect for Mathilde that were harder to get to. One of them, the thistledown, only grew in one spot on the side of a steep hill. The tree roots formed a sort of ladder, but it was always a strenuous trek.

But she wasn't just out here for her mentor. No. Mathilde had been an excellent teacher and friend thus far, but now it was time for Janai to start considering her own future as a blooming hedge witch. Healing seemed the natural route for someone like Janai, but she wondered if she could do better. She wondered if, instead of just saving the lives of sick people, she could improve the lives of everyone.

So, she was also out in these woods to gather her own ingredients. She'd spent the last few months studying under Mathilde and had learned a great deal, but she was still filling out her personal compendium of earthly ingredients. Mathilde had let Janai study her compendium, but never for long periods of time. The witch believed it was a rite of passage that Janai explore things for herself.

And she had been.

Continuing along the trail, Janai stopped to gather some milkweed. Milkweed was useful for a variety of things and grew in small but plentiful batches throughout the woods. This particular patch was thicker than any Janai had seen before, and she plucked out her journal to map it down. She was in new territory here, just on the edge of what Mathilde called the safe zone of the forest.

Outside of the safe zone, only slightly less than a kilometre away now, were the rolling buckthorn meadows--a stinking, poisonous place--and the enchanted pond. Janai had tried asking Mathilde what was so special about the pond before, only to be met with a steady look and a warning that she'd rather not find out for herself. Of course, that only made her more curious, but Janai knew better than to question the validity or severity of Mathilde's statements.

Janai shook her head. One day she'd discover the pond's mysteries for herself, but that wouldn't be today.

Up ahead, a cluster of bright orange and red mushrooms caught Janai's attention and she perked up, heading slowly toward it. Janai had discovered several new species of plants she'd never seen before just this past week. These mushrooms marked the seventh discovery in as many days.

"Now, what do you do?" she murmured, leaning closer. The mushrooms were small, with conical, spotted caps and thin, long stems. She tried to remember what she'd learned about funguses so far. Generally, the brighter the colour, the more potent of an effect they had when mixed into a salve or pressed into oils. But a brighter colour also meant they were more likely to be dangerous.

Holding her breath, Janai reached for a small phial at her hip and pulled it free, uncapping it. There was just enough space for one mushroom if she was careful with it. She'd have to make sure not to let it touch her skin. Flexing her gloved hand, she reached forward.

There was a rustling in the trees beside her, but she paid no attention to it, fully engrossed in trying to carefully pry one colourful mushroom from the cluster. Had she been paying more attention to her surroundings, however, she would have seen the small chipmunk racing across the forest floor, its cheeks stretched with its breakfast. She would have seen it turn toward her, where its nest sat atop the first branch of the tree in front of her. She would have known to get out of the way.

Just as Janai plucked the mushroom free, the chipmunk came bounding across, hopping up onto the cluster of mushrooms in the process before scurrying up the tree and out of sight.

That little hop sent a cloud of spores up into the air and Janai's eyes widened. She scrambled back, but it was too late. She sneezed, then sneezed again, then reached up to rub her face clean. Tearing into her dress pocket, she pulled out a cloth napkin and wiped the rest of the dust from her face.

Oh, dear.

This wasn't good.

"Shit," she hissed. She hoped those mushrooms weren't poisonous. Or paralyzing.

She stood still and waited. If it was anything dangerous, it was likely to start taking effect fairly soon. But after a few minutes, nothing had happened. Janai felt fine. Still, she thought it'd be a good idea to head back to Mathilde's hut, just in case. Mathilde would know what they were dealing with.

Janai stuffed the mushroom she was still holding into the phial and shoved it in her pocket. At least she still had the sample.

Turning, she grabbed her staff and headed back the way she'd come. The thistledown would have to wait until later in the day or possibly tomorrow. She just hoped Mathilde didn't have any urgent need for it.

Janai walked for a while, until the sun had started to hide behind the trees and a cool shade settled over her. She sighed happily and rolled her shoulders. The shade felt good.

Actually, it felt really good.

Rolling her head back, she spread her arms wide and turned in a slow circle. The midday air caressed her exposed skin and made the thin fabric of her dress slide against her flesh. She shivered from it. Had it always felt that way?

Her eyes had slipped shut, so she opened them, frowning when she saw a large, oval-shaped rock in the road in front of her. Hadn't she passed that already?

Janai shook her head. She must have gone the wrong way. How silly of her.

Pivoting, she headed toward where the forest started to thin. There, that felt right. Things looked unfamiliar to her, but she was certain she was headed the right way. Or, at least, that this way would take her out of the forest.

Running her tongue over her lips, she swallowed thickly. She was so thirsty. How long had it been since she'd had a sip from her canteen? Pulling it free of her belt, she uncorked it and tipped it up to her face. But she tipped it too far back, and the contents came spilling down her chin and neck, wetting her dress.

"Oops," she muttered, then giggled. She was going to have to dry that when she got back. She was such a klutz--what a horrible quality for a hedge witch to have!

She went to cap the canteen but it slipped from her hands to the forest floor, prompting another giggle from Janai. She stooped to get it, and when she did, she saw something glimmering in the distance. Cocking her head, she peered through the gaps in the trees and gasped.

Only twenty meters away from her, situated in the middle of a clearing, was the most beautiful pond she'd ever seen. Floating on its surface was an impossibly large, impossibly pink flower with dozens of large, delicate petals. From it, vines stretched across a portion of the pond in a beautiful pattern.

"Well," she said to herself. "I need to refill my canteen anyway."

Surely, a little detour home wouldn't be a problem. It was still early in the day, anyway.

Janai frowned. Actually, why was she going home again? She couldn't seem to remember. She made to stand, the fabric of her dress rubbing against the dampened skin of her chest in a way that made her shiver.

In the back of her mind, she knew it wasn't supposed to feel that way, but she couldn't bring herself to consider why. Instead, she just walked over to the pond, weaving through the trees to get there.

When she got there, she stopped. The water was so inviting. Biting her lip, Janai considered her options. There was no one around. She'd been sweating earlier and now her clothes were damp. She still needed to refill her canteen, too.

Surely...

Surely just a little dip wouldn't hurt, would it? And she could even collect a sample from the flower while she was in there.

See? Perfectly logical.

"It'll just be for a few minutes," she said to herself, throwing down her walking staff and shedding her clothes. Her dress peeled slowly from her body and landed on the floor in a heap. The ground was dry, so she wasn't all that worried about it getting dirty.

Her boots were next, and then she was barefoot, clad only in her underwear. She didn't want to walk home with wet underwear, so she pulled that down her legs and stepped out of it. Bare now, the breeze caressed her, making her skin pebble. It felt unnaturally good, and Janai tried not to pay too much attention to what it was doing to the more sensitive parts of her body.

Walking forward, she stepped into the pond, breathing a sigh of relief when the water was cool. It had been hotter than usual today, and the coolness of the pond was incredibly refreshing. She reached up, tying her hair into a bun on the top of her head before wading deeper into the pond until the water came up to her breasts. She tsked then, frowning and looking back at her belongings. She should have brought soap in here with her. It would have been nice to wash off while her clothes dried.

Well, she'd manage fine enough. The water was so nice that she didn't feel like going back for it. Instead, she just closed her eyes and tipped her face back to the sun.

Why haven't I found this place before, she thought. It was the perfect place to take a break during her explorations.

Moving her arms, she cupped her hands and brought some water up to her chest, letting it run down her front as she rubbed away some of the grime from the day. She'd had such a good day collecting already. Mathilde was going to be so proud of her when she returned with everything.

Oh! She'd forgotten to bring a phial in with her.

Well, it was no matter. She'd simply pluck a petal from the flower and carry it out with her.

Turning, she started toward it, wading slowly closer to the enormous plant. As she got closer, a thick fragrance penetrated the air around her. Sweet and floral, Janai inhaled deeply of it. She almost felt bad that she was going to pluck a petal from the beautiful plant, but it was in the name of her craft.

Standing in front of it now, she reached out with one bare hand and pinched one of the outer petals between her fingertips. As soon as she did, the entire plant shuddered and Janai pulled her hand back, trying to jump away from it. But it was hard to move quickly in the water, and a moment later she felt something slide along the flesh of her calf underwater.

Janai's breath started to quicken in anticipation, but then the thing touching her leg fell away and the flower stopped shuddering. She held her breath for a minute, not daring to move a muscle, but when nothing else happened, she relaxed and wandered closer to the flower once more.

Gingerly, she brought a hand closer to its petals. Watching closely, she ran her fingertip along its velvety flesh.

The plant shuddered again, only this time it wasn't just the flower. The vines floating on the water rippled, writhing slightly at her touch. Below the surface of the pond, something slithered against her leg again, higher this time. This time, Janai was the one to shiver.

Again, she waited, and again, the plant ceased its movements.

Janai wanted to run to her pack and dig out her notebook. Imagine the implications! She'd stumbled upon some sort of magical creature the likes of which she'd never heard of before.

But...she just couldn't seem to leave. She felt strange, every nerve on her body alive and waiting for something. The thing that had brushed up against her under the water had only excited her, and she wondered if it'd show itself above the surface if she touched the plant again.

So, she did. She stroked her fingers along the ridge of one petal, only this time she didn't pull her hand away. The flower rippled and shuddered, its vines writhing more noticeably. The thing underwater was back, teasing the flesh of the back of her thigh before wrapping entirely around it. Her eyes widened, but when she turned her head to look, something snapped around her wrist, tightening and locking her in place.

Whipping her head up, Janai gasped and tried to step back when she saw the vine that was now wrapped firmly around her wrist, preventing her from moving or touching the flower again.

"Oh," was all she managed to get out. And then her eyes widened. As if through a thick fog, she remembered something. Something important.

The enchanted pond.

"Oh, I really fucked that one up, didn't I?" she muttered to herself.

More vines started to rise from the pond, hovering in front of her menacingly. At least, she thought they were hovering menacingly. It was pretty hard to assign personalities to enchanted plants.

Janai tried to jerk her hand back once more, digging her free foot into the muddy pond floor. But the plant didn't slacken its hold and Janai slipped, starting to careen backwards. Squeezing her eyes shut, she took a breath and readied to fall beneath the surface, her leg pinwheeling to try and regain her balance.

Just before she went under, something stopped her. A vine wrapped around her waist and then her other arm, wrapping around like a thread on a spool and pulling her upright. Before she could regain her breath, two more vines underwater wrapped around her legs and together, they all lifted her until only her legs were in the water, the tops of her thighs exposed to the cool autumn air.

Janai struggled against the vines, gritting her teeth.

"What do you want?" she asked the flower. "I didn't know this was your pond. I was just trying to get home."

It was the spores, she realised. They'd made her come here. Made her seek out the comfort of the water. Made her react in ways she shouldn't have to the breeze and the texture of her clothing.

And now, to her embarrassment, she was reacting a similar way to the feel of the plant's vines slithering higher up her thigh. The plant couldn't have known what it was doing, but the end of one vine--which was a lot like a tentacle, if she thought too hard about it--was slowly inching its way up her inner thigh, closer and closer to an aching heat that had started to make itself known on the walk over here.

If she weren't affected by the spores, she'd probably be a lot more worried about this plant monster right now. But instead, she felt a unique mix of fear and arousal, and it was all she could do not to wiggle her hips. That would be pathetic, and her cheeks heated at the thought of it.

"I'll leave," she tried again. "I'll just go home. I really didn't know you were alive. Well, alive like this," she finished.

The plant said nothing, of course. But its petals rippled the way they had when she'd touched them, and a single vine came towards her through the air. The end of it touched her shoulder and she shivered. It was cool and wet to the touch, and it slithered around her back to the front of her chest and down between the valley of her breasts. She shivered again, and it stopped.

Before she could wonder what it was doing, the blunted end of the vine swept back up, passing over one breast as it did. Janai shuddered and let out an involuntary whimper as it passed over her nipple. She was overly sensitive from the spores of the mushroom, which she realised now would probably be incredibly useful as an aphrodisiac in some of her recipes.

The plant stopped. It was the strangest thing, but Janai almost felt like it was watching her, studying her. It was almost like it understood what she had felt just then. That would have been terrible, if true.

She decided she'd try pleading with it one more time.

"Just let me go," she said. "Please. I won't come back here again, I promise. I can't be late getting home."

Half of the petals on the plant rippled, and Janai thought it might've been the plant version of tilting your head in consideration.

But if the plant had been considering anything, it was clear in the next moment that a decision had been made.

The vines holding her arms pulled closer together, binding them tightly above her head. Under the surface, the vines holding her calves pulled apart, spreading her legs wide. Janai's face heated, and then she watched as one smooth, blunted vine slithered underwater. The next second, she felt it brush up against her sex. She wasn't sure if she wanted to jump out of her skin or lean into the sensation.

Her flesh pebbled, the hair on the back of her neck standing on end--she was so sensitive that even the most sensitive part of her was throbbing. She tried to clench her legs together but was helpless under the strong grip of the flower's vines.

"Don't even think about it," she said, but her voice was unconvincing even to her ears.

She may as well just admit it to herself--she wanted this. She wanted to know what it was going to do to her next. And, more than anything at the moment, she wanted it to fill the aching space within her.

"Fine," she ground out. "Just do it already."

The plant rippled again, and in the next second, it was spinning her around so that she was facing the shore again. Two more vines came to wrap around the uppermost parts of her thighs and pulled back, lifting her ass up out of the water and into the air, toward the flower. Like this, she was horribly exposed, and the cool air kissed the bare flesh between her legs. Even that felt good.

Maybe the spores weren't such a bad thing, she thought to herself, then shook her head. No, this was a one-time thing. She was heading straight home after this and never wandering to this part of the woods again. She had to stay strong in her resolve about that.

The same vine rubbed up against her again, teasing and parting the folds of her sex, sliding through her slickness and making her shiver and moan under her breath. With every pass, it slid against her clit, winding a coil low in her belly in a torturous fashion. She could come from this, she realised. It wouldn't even take much.

But after a few minutes, the plant hadn't tried to do anything else. It just kept sliding back and forth against her sex. And while Janai was getting closer to the edge, she still needed more.

"What are you waiting for?" she said, breathless. "You obviously know what you're doing. You're an enchanted plant monster, for goodness' sake. Get on with it already."

She couldn't see if the flower was shuddering in acknowledgement, but the vine paused a moment before resuming its action.

Janai groaned and hung her head.

That was it. She was going to come riding this plant's tentacle and not even get everything she needed out of it.

But just as she thought that, the vines around her upper thighs tightened and the tentacle-like vine against her sex retreated. Then, without warning, she was pulled back, the vine sinking into her welcoming heat in one fluid motion.

Janai moaned, her head falling forward as the vine started to move. Every nerve on her body was firing, sending shockwaves down to her core with every thrust. She didn't care anymore if what she was doing was horrible, she felt too good to be concerned.

Wait.

A thought crossed her mind.

Did Mathilde know this was what the enchanted pond did?

...had Mathilde done the same thing?

Before she could dwell on it, another vine snaked around to her front, heading for her breasts where it passed over them in continuous motions. Janai panted.