Basil and Birdie took in the cabin as they walked up. Before they got through the door Birdie posed a question to Larue, who walked in front of them.

“When you say Fae, do you mean like fairy?”

“I hate that word, but yes, Fae like fairy,” Larue said over her shoulder as she opened the door. She placed her bow and arrows by the door and hung her mask on a peg which stuck of a wall. “Technically, I am a halfling. Only my father was Fae.”

Larue flipped light switches all through the front of the cabin as Basil and Birdie walked in, gradually illuminating a cozy living room and kitchen. All of the furniture was made of dark wood but had blankets and cushions to soften the seats. There was a wood burning fireplace that Larue got to work lighting. Everything in the house was dark in color. There were, however, splashes of dark green and golden yellow in the blankets, rugs, and curtains. The little cabin would have been just like any other if not for the trinkets that lined the walls and graced the floors. There were bones everywhere. In the corner of the living room, next to the fireplace, was the posed skeleton of a bear. A taxidermized squirrel sat on the mantel. All along the walls were dark wood shadow boxes with bird skeletons inside. At least, some of them looked like bird skeletons. Others shadow boxes had what looked to be tiny human skeletons with bird wings. Even the chandelier over the family room was made of antlers like the one’s on Larue’s mask. The twins put their things down next to Larue’s and walked further inside. What he saw caused Basil to feel a bit ill again, but Birdie looked around with curiosity.

They both came to stand by Larue’s work bench, which sat in the space between the kitchen and the living room. There were stacks of journals and a set of carpenter’s tools. Additionally, the entire bench was covered in a fine white powder. Birdie ran her index finger along the bench lightly picking up some of the powder. It was gritty and bleach white, but the closer she looked the more the powder seemed to have a silvery shimmer. She wondered where it came from but didn’t have to work to hard to figure it out. Basil gestured for her to look into the various containers that lined the bench. All of them contained teeth. Canines, molars, incisors, and some types she couldn’t identify. She quickly wiped her finger on her jeans in revulsion. The containers were carefully labeled. Human, bear, coyote, pixie, pugwudgie, werewolf, and so on. Birdie suspected that Larue was doing something to the teeth to create the white powder all over the bench. She definitely did not want to know what it was for.

Larue finished the fire and found the twins snooping through the things on her work bench. Both of them looked a bit sick again, so she pulled them away from the bench and into the kitchen. She grabbed them both glasses of water that they both gulped down. She leaned against the kitchen counter. Birdie stared down at her glass. Basil looked at Larue. She couldn’t tell what his expression meant.

“Are you a tooth fairy,” Birdie asked pointing to the work bench, “If you are, that is really messed up.”

Larue let out a low hiss, her ears flattening closer to her head in a gesture of annoyance and anger. She glared at Birdie. “Never call me that.”

The tone of Larue’s voice was enough to make Birdie lean back. She held her hands up to show Larue that she meant no harm.

“Okay, I’m sorry,” she said. “Why do you do it though.”

“There is magic in the bones. Pure, raw magic,” Larue replied, indulging Birdie. “I know you must think its cruel but consider the fact that I have only taken the teeth. If I was truly cruel, I would just kill them and take all of their bones.”

Birdie had to admit that that was true. Larue could just kill whoever or whatever she need bones from. Basil couldn’t help but chime in. He signed something to Birdie that made her laugh, but he didn’t think the words.

“Do you leave money behind?” Birdie relayed.

Larue hissed again before pointing at Basil. “Watch it.”

Despite her annoyance, Larue was smirking. Basil grinned back, and Birdie laughed again. Larue had to admit that he had a nice smile. His teeth were perfect.

“Are you hungry,” she asked, already knowing the answer. When they both nodded, she turned around and started to pull chips, pretzels, bread, and plates from the cabinets. Then she went to her old-style fridge and grabbed sandwich ingredients. She placed them on the kitchen counter and looked up to find the twins staring at her with raised eyebrows.

“What?” she inquired.

“It’s nothing,” Birdie replied. “We just both kind of thought you’d give us some old-timely stew that you cooked over the fire or something.”

Larue threw up her hands with a laugh. “If you must know, I bought this stuff at the supermarket about a half hour outside of Yosemite.”

“How do you blend in with people looking like that,” Basil asked by way of Birdie. Larue didn't exactly look human with her eyes, ears, and teeth.

Larue answered as all three began making their sandwiches. “Glamour. I use just enough magic to trick people into thinking I’m human. To them I just look like a brown hippy girl with white dreads and gold piercings.”

“Cool,” Basil thought to her.

The trio finished their food in a comfortable silence. By then it was pretty late at night, so the twins cleaned up the dishes and Larue grabbed blankets and pillows from the hall closet. She placed them on the sofa for Basil and the large lounge chair for Birdie. Larue then showed them where the bathroom was. They said their goodnights to one another and Larue started to leave to the bedroom. Before she could go, Basil grabbed her lightly by the shoulder. His hand was so large that her it engulfed part of her arm too. He handed her a letter.

“My mom wanted me to give this to you,” he told her. “She said it was important.”

Larue eyed the letter as she walked back to her room. She didn’t want to read it right away, as she afraid of what she’d find, so she placed it on her dresser and got dressed for bed. She piled her dreads on told of her head and went to the bathroom to take care of her teeth and face. When there was nothing left for her to do, she picked up the letter and sat on her bed. She took a deep breath and opened it.

Larue –

I am sorry to send my children to you like this. I am sorry that we have not spoken in many years. Most importantly, I am sorry for what I am about to ask you to do.

I need you to help my children. They need protection from the creatures you and I both know exist. I need you to take them to your father. Yes – I know. You have not seen him since your falling out and you swore never to speak to him again. I know what I am asking you to do goes against everything that you have lived by for the past hundred years. But, there is a reason why I need you to do this (aside from my children).

I know that you have realized that magic is dying. I also know that that is why you have taken to old magic to maintain your strength. There may be a solution. A way to bring magic back I mean. Wakinyan called to me, requesting that my brothers and I come to him so that we may summon Wankan Tanka. However, the four cannot come together because we have been banished to the north, south, east, and west. All four of us cannot physically be in the same place at the same time. I know of another way though. The children of Thunderbirds can serve as our proxies. They can go through Heaven’s Gate. You can go through Heaven’s Gate. I do not have time to explain what that is, but your father can. He can also give you the tools that you need. This is in your best interest Larue. If magic is returned to its former glory, you will no longer need old magic. The reason for your banishment will be moot. I need you to lead my children, protect them, and teach them. Please. You are the only one who can do this.

I trust you to do the right thing,

Mapiya

Larue put the letter on her nights stand and turned off the lights. She settled between the sheets and lay down. Tears that burned like acid fell from her eyes. She didn’t want to see her father again, but she need it. Magic that is. The longer she practiced the old ways the more addicted she would become. It might even kill her.