The trees won't tell.

Rachel woke up, she looked through the dense trees.

She could still smell the smoke. Her lips were dry and cracked. Her hair full of thorns, her cloak torn. She has been running for days. In the distance she heard the dogs barking.... They were coming. The witch hunters. Tears filled her eyes, her lips trembled. Rachel struggled to her feet and continued running... Her legs were tired, her muscles cramped.

But she had to keep going. They were getting closer.... She fell flat on her face, tripping over the roots of a tree.

She desperately started crawling towards a the opening of a cave. What seemed like a cave. She forced her body through the opening and started falling. Rachel cried out and hit the ground with a thump. The footsteps of the hunters passed the opening. She kept quiet... But couldn't help sobbing. But they passed. She sighed with relief, and crawled up against the cave wall. Fear was all she knew for months. Death was all she had seen. Rachel was so hungry, her stomach growled. She crawled towards a small pond of sparkling water. Rachel cupped her hand in it and drank. She sobbed aloud and cried..for Christi and Carmen. Who dangled from their necks... Choking and begging. She became silent, putting her head down. She slowly fell asleep... When she heard a noise. She jumped up! Rachel saw a fig rolling towards her. She was startled. The fig stopped by her hand. She picked it up, and frowned. Another fig came from the shadows.

She ate the fig so fast she coughed.

"Who's there?" She called in fear.

Nothing but a rustling answered.

"Th.. thank you..." She spoke again.

She ate the second fig.

From the shadows a woman emerged.

She looked at Rachel falling asleep. She softly returned to the darkness.

The moon sat high a few hours later and the woman were outside watching the witch hunters. The woman smurked and then suddenly she rose her head and howled aloud.

The hunters heard and looked around hastily. From the dark in the forest many wolves appeared. Their neon eyes were seen around the hunters.

"Wolves.... Wolves!" They yelled.

The dogs growled. They were surrounded.

"There are so many of them! Impossible!" Jackson called.

Jackson lead the hunters. He hated anything witch related. The hunters started running away with their dogs.

The wolves returned to the darkness, not chasing after them. Jackson stopped and turned back.

"Witchcraft!" He called in breath of sound.

The woman returned to the cave and left Rachel three fresh figs.

Rachel woke up... She could see the woman in the shadows.

"Who are you?" She whispered.

The woman smiled. She had brown skin like the bark of a tree, and neon eyes like the wolves.

" My name is Artemis."

Rachel smiled too.

"Thank you for feeding me ... Why are you helping me?"

Artemis nodded in acceptance.

"Everything in the forest belongs to me. That includes you."

Rachel was confused.

"I can't run anymore" Rachel cried.

"Rest child." Artemis replied and left.

"Will you help me to get away... From the hunters?" Rachel called.

No reply.

At night fall Rachel received four figs. She ate them with gratitude.

At dawn Rachel woke up. She saw light orbs flying around her. She was amazed. Artemis came out of the water.

"Fairies..." Artemis said calmly. "They bite, you know."

Rachel recoiled but still laughed.

Rachel also saw little dwarfs in the corner.

"Those are the brownies. The forest gnomes. All of them are my children. We will take you home. You have to be brave."

Rachel was scared but hopefull.

"We leave at dusk."

Artemis went back into the shadows.

Tbe brownies came closer and inspected Rachel. They gave her five figs. One started combing her hair, the other washed her face. Another scrubbed her feet. She was overwhelmed.

The sun went down and they lead Rachel out at the back of the cave.

"Go now. Be brave."

Rachel cried softly, walking in the forest alone.

She heard the hunters. They were close. They saw her and started chasing her. She screamed and ran. Artemis was there and she whispered to the trees. The trees became alive, they waved their branches left to right and a heavy wind came up. Two other threes hit the hunters with tremendous force. The brownies helped Rachel up, and put her against the tree. Artemis called...

"Aqua bees".

A huge swarm of blue bees came from the trees. They glowed metallic blue.

They covered every inch of Rachel. They buzzed over her.

The hunters couldn't see her. They only saw bees and ran away.

The bees took off again. Rachel got up in shock. The forest was quiet. The wolves devoured the dogs and the bees stung the hunters. In the distance she saw the border wire to Atlantis. She got up and saw no one anymore. She ran to the wire and climbed over, while crying with relief.

"Thank you Artemis!" She cried aloud.

No reply. Rachel found Atlantis, she was safe.

Rachel never saw Artemis or the forest creatures again. But she hugged a tree everyday and told her grandchildren many years after about Artemis and her magic forest.

Rachel's husband Christopher promised to take her back one day.

She praised Artemis every full moon.

Another girl from the woods, Alaya also found Atlantis with it's magic waters, and spoke of what she saw in the forest.

Many girls went searching for Atlantis. No one else ever found it. Only specific women did. Jackson heard the rumors but he searched and searched his whole life up until his death.

No one on Atlantis knew what the explanation was, they were just too relieved to be rescued.

Rachel, the accused witch, died at a very old age.

Her children buried her in the forest.

The day of her burial the fairies flew and the brownies mourned. The trees waved softly and the wind blew with sadness. The wolves howled as far as the ear could hear.

Rachel woke up in the cave, feeling light and healthy. Artemis waited for her.

"Artemis..... You are here."

"Yes child."

"Was i really a witch?"

"Yes. A magical creature. Not evil or deserving of death. Like Aliyah, and Christi and Carmen."

"My sisters are here?"

"Oh yes dear child. You will join them soon."

Around her head many fairies flew. One kissed her forehead.

At once light surrounded her, and Rachel grew smaller. She looked at herself, turning into a fairy.

But she took full form. Rachel was a free fairy. Flying with her sisters.

Assisting other girls to Atlantis during the witch trials.