Mint and Zoey

Chapter 1


     In which Mint discovers a cookie jar

     Zoey

     A brown wolf slunk through the shadows of the dark forest, a small child on his back.
"How much longer, Zoey?" The small child whimpered, clinging to the wolf's mattered fur.
"Not much, hold tight Mint." Zoey cooed calmly, trying to hide his cold dread, as not to frighten the small one. Inside he was panicked. They both had not eaten all day. Last they had had decent food was two days ago. A small squirrel that they shared between themselves. Not even enough to fill the stomach. He was weak with hunger, but he feared most for Mint. She was even weaker than he was. They had been searching for a town that should have been nearby. Maybe I'm just walking in circles, he had thought more than once. But he pushed on, dragging one paw after the other.
"Mint, you're getting a little heavy." He finally voiced the complaint he had been wanting to say for hours.
"Hrm, sorry." The little girl muttered and transformed slowly and weakly into a small mint colored cat. She nuzzled further into the wolf's winter coat, closed her tired eyes, and fell asleep to the boy's weak and ragged breaths. Night was falling, and soon it would be to dark to continue. They might die of hunger and thirst.
With a heavy heart, he trudged onward. The sun had begun to set behind the hill when he collapsed, exhausted and defeated. Mint tumbled to the ground.
"Zoey!" She yelped in surprise and stumbled to her feet. He didn't answer. The boy had given up. There was nothing for them here.
"Zoey!" Mint shouted louder, nudging him fiercely. Finally she turned into a human, rolled him over onto his back and shouted to his face. "Zoey!"
He looked at her desperate face. Tears ran down her cheeks and her eyes pleaded. They were filled with sadness, but also hope. She had not given up yet. There was still life in there. A small glimmer of warmth, waiting to spark.
Zoey slowly pushed to his paws. Even if he didn't live, she would, he would see to that. He nudged her and she obeyed, transforming back into a cat. Picking her up by the scruff, he began to run. He ran until the sun had disappeared behind the snow covered mountaintops and darkness settled over the forest. He ran until he spotted a light off in the distance. A soft glow in the dark of night. Hope for one that had none.
Finally he stopped and transformed into a human form. He felt like falling right there, but not here, not now when he was so close. Mint turned back into a child and he held her there, in his arms. Gathering courage, he stumbled up the steps of an old mansion. He lifted his hand and knocked, it's low, hollow sound echoing through the place. Then, silence. After a little while he could hear soft foot steps. They came to the door and a latch slid. The door opened and a small face peeked out. It was pale and fragile, with wide, bright eyes, one a rusty color, one a vibrant blue. Long black hair framed the girl's face.
"Hello?" She said in a quiet voice. Then noticing the small whimpering girl, she opened the door wide and hurried them in closing it after them.
The strange girl hurried to help them. "Are you both all right?"
Zoey's throat was dry. "Just hungry and thirsty." He croaked.
The girl nodded brusquely, leading them into a kitchen. "Take a seat." She waved towards a table and chairs, then began to hurry about, preparing something for the two to eat.
The room was dimly lit. A candle chandelier hung from every ceiling and more candles were mounted on every wall, casting eerie shadows. Through the opposite door firelight flickered faintly. Faded blue wallpaper was beginning to peel from the walls and the table and chairs looked faded and worn.
"Come on." Zoey murmured in Mint's ear, placing her on one of the chairs, then hesitantly pulling up his own next to her, glancing around warily. Mint fiddled with her fingers, head rested on the table that was as high as her shoulders. The odd girl was bustling around. Her dark hair fell to below her waist. It was thin, silky, and so light it seemed to float. She turned to Zoey and Mint and place two steaming bowls of soup in front of them.
Mint smiled and began to slurp up the soup gratefully. Zoey hesitated, eyeing the girl. She seemed to be studying them. He took a spoonful and shoved it in his mouth. It was warm and tasty. It trickled down his throat and warmed his tired body.
"How did you get out here? Where are your parents?" The girl asked.
"Oh, we've been traveling for a long time. Our parents were killed." Mint said. Zoey winced and gave her a warning glance. She just shrugged and mouthed, She asked!
Crystal's face darkened for just an instant. "Oh, I'm sorry. Where are you going?"
Zoey answered quickly before Mint could. "To the town here."
The girls eyes lit up in confusion. "Town? There 's no town here."
Zoey frowned.
"What are your names?" The girl asked again.
"I'm Mint and that's Zoey." Mint answered before Zoey could again, so he left the rest of the answering to her. At least they were on a safe topic now. "What's your name?"
"Crystal."
Mint grinned. "That's a pretty name."
She smiled grimly.
"Crystal?" A raspy voice broke the quiet. A cool shiver ran down Zoey's spine and Mint jumped and her eyes grew wide. "Who are you talking to?"
"Just some people that came to the door, Madona."
"Crystal..." Madona began.
"Madona..." Crystal stood and turned to Mint and Zoey. "Come. I will show you the lady of the house." Zoey pushed his empty bowl aside, Mint slipped off the edge of her chair, and they followed Crystal into an adjoining room.
A grand fireplace was on one wall and a huge couch sat in front of it, facing the leaping flames. Large paintings covered the walls all the way up to the high ceiling. The whole room made you feel small and helpless. Zoey felt Mint's hand slip into his and he squeezed it. Crystal walked around the chair and turned to someone that sat in it, talking to her in hushed tones for a little while. Zoey and Mint followed slowly and timidly. In the couch sat a small figure. It was an old woman, with frizzy gray hair and wrinkled skin. Her eyes were thin slits and small glasses balanced on end of her nose. Mint and Zoey stood beside Crystal and stared at the old woman. The huge couch made her look like a little midget and she sunk deep into the plush seat. She studied them, staring arrows through them. Finally she smiled spoke, her voice old and gravely, but gentle and kind.
"Welcome children." She greeted them warmly. "My name is Madona.  You are Mint and Zoey?"
The two nodded.
The old woman smiled again. "You two are welcome to spend the night here. Crystal, show them to some rooms. They must be tired."
Crystal nodded and walked down a hall, motioning for Zoey and Mint to follow. She lead them down the dark hallway to a room. It was large, spacious, and homey. With a large queen sized bed. "There's a bathroom too the right. Mint, your bedroom is just next door," Crystal open another door to a similar room, "and mine is next to yours." she pointed to another.
"But I want to sleep with Zoey." Mint grabbed a fist full of Zoey's dirty T-shirt and nuzzled closer to him. Crystal shrugged and closed the door to Mint's room. "Sure. What ever you like." She disappeared down the hall again to help Madona.
Zoey closed the door as Mint pounced onto the fluffy bed. She dug under the covers and Zoey gently jumped onto her, tickling her through the covers and growling playfully. Mint dissolved into fit of giggly shrieks. Finally Zoey slipped under the covers next to Mint and they snuggled up to each other. For a while all you could hear was the chirping of crickets and Crystal and Madona in the other room.
"Good night Fuzzy Tail." Mint whispered.
"Good night, Minty Ears." Zoey whispered back.


     Mint

     Mint woke up to the sun streaming through the window. She slipped off the edge of the bed and tiptoed to the door. It creaked as she slowly opened it. She looked back and Zoey, hoping she hadn't woke him. He stirred, but didn't wake. Relieved, Mint hurried out and down the hall. She passed through the sitting room and moved on to the kitchen. Looking around, she spotted a jar on the top of the cupboards. As she turned into a mint colored cat, her hearing, sight and smell sharpened. She tasted the air. The smell of cookies was still fresh in the air. Grinning, she hopped from the ground to the counter. Jumping nimbly over the sink, she clambered up a stack of washed plates and onto the top of the fridge. "Sooo close!" Mint thought. She jumped onto the top of the cupboards and crawled towards the container. The smell of cookies was so strong it tickled her nose. She tried to open the lid with her paws, but she couldn't grab hold of it. She tried to bite it open with no avail. Just then she picked up the sound of a door creaking. "Not now! When I'm sooo close!" Frustrated, she grabbed hold of it and pried. The jar tipped sideways just as she got it open. It fell off the edge, cookies tumbling out with Mint falling right behind it. The jar landed with a crash and broke into a million tiny glass pieces. Mint landed on her feet with cookies all around her. Footsteps pounded and She quickly turned back into a girl. Crystal came to the doorway and her eyes opened wide and her mouth fell  open. Zoey was right behind her and when he saw Mint sitting on the ground with the broken cookie jar and a cookie in her mouth, he closed his eyes and shook his head. "Oh...Mint..." His voice shook with anger and frustration. But Crystal began to laugh. "What happened, Mint?"
"I was hungry." Mint stuck out her bottom lip.
Crystal laughed so hard that she had to hold onto the door frame for support. Tears streamed down her cheeks.
"I'm sorry." Mint said to Crystal, staring at Zoey. "He is gonna be sooo mad. " She thought.
"Mint, I can't believe you..." Zoey began.
"Oh, it's fine. I'll clean it up." Crystal helped Mint up and began to pick up the broken glass. "Help yourself to one of the cookies if you like."
"I'm not hungry." Zoey mumbled, grabbing Mint, he dragged her out of the room, muttering a 'sorry' to Crystal before disappearing into the hall.
Once in their room, Zoey seated Mint on the edge of the bed and stared at her, forehead creased in frown.
Mint stared defiantly back at him, arms crossed and still holding her cookie.
Finally Zoey spoke. "What were you doing?"
"Getting cookies. I was hungry." Mint pouted.
"Where were they?" Zoey asked, leaning on a desk and crossing his arms.
"On top of the cupboard."
"And you just got a chair and pulled it off?"
Mint snorted. "No, I turned into a kitty."
Zoey rubbed his face, obviously trying to control his anger. When he spoke, it was in a whisper. "How many times... have I told you to be careful about using your powers when humans are around?"
Mint thought about it. "Lots."
Zoey nodded.
"But I was careful!" Mint insisted. "Crystal never saw me."
"But she will wonder how you got all the way up there without a stool." Zoey put his face in his hands. "And someday someone will find out if you're not careful enough."
"Why do we have to we have to keep our powers a secret?" Mint asked.
Zoey sighed. "Because then we will end up like our parents. Dead." Fresh memories flashed before his eyes. It was his parents' deaths. He had tried to forget about them so many times, but that one night always came back to haunt him.
Mint's eyes grew wide. She had heard of the deaths of Zoey's parents, and witnessed the deaths of her own. They still frightened her, and sometimes she would wake up screaming for her mother.
Zoey was fighting back tears. They dribbled down his cheeks and fell off his chin onto the floor.
"Zoey, please don't cry." Mint felt tears wet her eyes and her bottom lip began to quiver.
Zoey came over to the bed and sat beside Mint. She slipped into his arms and they held onto each other, sharing each others pain.


     Zoey

     Mint disappeared into the hall and Zoey stayed behind, wandering aimlessly around the room, trying to get his tears to clear.
He looked in the mirror and scowled at his dirt covered face and greasy hair. He would have to take a shower before anything else.
He found that the on-suite was well kept. As he turned on the water, he tried to remember the last time he had a warm shower. Somehow it escaped him.

     After he finished his shower, he went to find Mint. He found her sitting on the floor in front of the huge arm chair, chatting pleasantly with Madona. As he past the kitchen, he peered in to see that the glass shards had been cleaned up, and the cookies were now stored, reachable, in a new jar on the counter.
"Zoey sometimes buys me some candy as a treat when we pass through towns." Mint was saying.
"Well, I've got a jar of candy in the kitchen." Madona offered. "Just don't go climbing on the counters, we don't want you getting hurt." She chuckled.
Zoey grimaced, but came up behind Mint and smiled at the little old lady.
"Good morning." Madona smiled cheerfully.
Zoey nodded. "Thank you for letting us stay."
"You're welcome to stay as long as you like. We don't get many visitors here."
Zoey grinned politely. "I had a map that said that there was a town around here."
The wrinkles in Madona's brow deepened in a frown. "You used the word 'was' correctly. There was a town only a short walk from here, but all that's left of it are empty foundations."
"What happened?"
Madona settled her small, bent frame deeper into her huge plush chair. "Oh, people decided it was too far away from the rest of civilization and soon moved away. Soon, the only person left was me."
"What about your husband?" Mint blurted.
"Shtt!" Zoey warned her.
Madona smiled sadly. "He died years before in a mining accident."
"How did you make it, here all alone?" Zoey asked.
"My daughter arranged for a truck to come once a month with supplies, and a butler and maid to assist me."
"What happened to them?" Mint asked, certainly curious.
Madona chortled. "They got old, like me! Except they left as soon as Crystal showed up a few years ago." She smiled sadly. "I'll leave her to tell you about that though."
Crystal walked in.
Madona lifted he hands and brought them down on her knees, leaning forward. "You two could use some new clothes. I tell you what: Crystal will take you too the attic and you can look for some clothes. I'm sure I have something useful us there. You can keep just about anything else interesting you find up there."
Crystal walked towards the kitchen without a word and Mint galloped after her. Zoey started to follow.
"Zoey..." Madona peered around the crimson back of the arm chair.
"Yes?" Zoey asked, stopping mid-stride.
Madona paused, as if considering something, then said, "Stay as long as you can."
"We will."


Chapter 2


     In which the real adventure begins

     Zoey

     Zoey stepped off the ladder and into the attic. Boxes were stacked high beside trunks, old wardrobes, and clothing racks. The large room was dimly lit. Shadows crouched in dark corners and hid in the cracks of the floorboards. Mint hurried to a clothes rack and produced a fuzzy pink boa, wrapping it around her neck and tossing her hair. Zoey chortled.
The attic door slammed closed and he spun around. Crystal leaned against the wall, examining her nails. "I'm curious... What are two were-creatures like you doing way out here?"
"W-what?"
"Come on. I'm not stupid. You can tell me."
"How do I know I can?"
Crystal's eyes narrowed for a moment, then she smiled slyly."Because I'm one of you." Black cat ears unfolded from her head and bat-like wings sprouted from her back.
"No you're not." Mint blurted. "You're a hybrid."
"Shush." Zoey put a hand over Mint's mouth.
Crystal's tail flicked and she let out something like a low hiss. "So what?
Mint shrugged meekly.
Zoey plopped down in an old couch, sending dust flying. He coughed. "My parents adopted Mint as baby. Her parents had died - murdered." Jaw clenched, he ran his fingers through his mussed hair. "Then just a few months ago my parents were killed"
Crystal flinched and pain flashed in her eyes. "I appeared, like you, at Madonas doorstep and she took me in."
"Oh." Mint said. "Does Madona know too?"
"Yes. She knows about you two too." Crystal blinked rapidly. "Let's just find some clothes, okay?"

     Mint came down from the attic wearing an old fashioned dress, and Zoey carried a few pairs of jeans and overalls, some shirts, and more clothes for Mint.
Mint twirled gleefully down the hallway. "You have such neat stuff up there!" She said to Madona.
Madona took her hand and twirled her again. "And I'm sure you look pretty in all of it." She chuckled, then turned to Zoey. "What are you going to do for the rest of the day?"
Zoey paused. "Is there any work we can do?"
Madona laughed. "You don't need to do any work. You're guests in this house."
"Well, there's nothing else to do but sit around, and I like to work."
Mint jumped up and down. "I like to too!"
Madona patted her on the head. "Well then, I have lots for you to do."
Zoey and Mint worked all day, and in the evening played cards with Crystal and Madona, laughing, telling jokes, and snacking on Crystals amazing sweets.
"Come sit in my lap." Madona beckoned to Mint. She groaned and chuckled as Mint sat down. "It might help if you were a little smaller."
Mint purred and turned into a cat, curling up in Madona's lap comfortably.
The old woman winked at Zoey and he smiled.


      *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

     I would like to say that the story ends here, that the four lived happy lives together in the mansion, but alas, this chapter is titled "where the real adventure starts," and there is no real adventure in card games, jokes, and cookies. And it is my duty to tell the actual events in the life of  the two orphans, Mint and Zoey.
     Mint and Zoey stayed for another happy month of evenings curled up together around the fire place. Crystal never asked about their past again, and they didn't push to learn about hers. All went well until one fateful day.

     *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*


     Mint

Running through the hallways of the remote forest manor, shaggy hair and frilly skirts flying, Mint burst into Zoey's bedroom.
"Look what I made!" She screamed, sending Zoey toppling out of his bed in fright. "It's a kitty." She announced, thrusting a carved apple into his face.
"Don't DO that." Zoey exclaimed, clutching his chest.
"Sorry," Mint said hurriedly, examining her apple. "Crystal helped me make him. Do you think I should name him? I want to, but then I'm afraid I'll like him too much to eat him. I'm gonna ask Madona."
Spinning on her bare heel, she dashed out of the room.
"You do that!" She heard Zoey call after her.
About to burst in Madona's room, Mint stopped abruptly and though better of it, remembering the look on Zoey's face when she crashed into his room and startled him awake.
She gently pushed over the old woman's door.
"Madona?" Mint tiptoed to her bedside. "Are you awake?"
The little girl placed a hand on the woman's shoulder.
With a gasp, she jumped back as if stung. A bitter cold surrounded her. She had seen this before, and she knew it all to well. The whole scene was a horrible deja-vu.
She wanted to scream, but at first, no sound came.
"Zoey!"
Her memories had come back to haunt her.

     *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

After comforting the traumatized Mint, Zoey and Crystal buried the loving woman next to her husband.
Since they had no gravestone, they carved a note into some wood and placed it over the grave.
It read:

Madona
Loving Wife, kind friend, forever remembered.

A couple of days later, a crude but beautiful carving appeared on the headstone. I suspect Crystal had something to do with it, but when Zoey asked Mint what she thought, the little girl hadn't said a word about it.

     *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*


Zoey

"What now?" Mint's question had been whispered so quietly that Zoey had hardly caught it.
Placing his bowl of steaming soup on the kitchen table, he sat down on one of the four mismatched wooden chairs. "I don't know." With I sigh, he ran his finger's through his rust-colored hair.
It had been almost a week since Madona had died. The three had gone through the motions, and Zoey knew Mint had tried to hide her crying at night. Crystal had been unusually solemn and quite, and none of them ever felt like doing much of anything.
"We can't stay here forever." Mint's bright eyes met his. Once again she had stated the very thought he had been so hesitant to say.
"Why not?" Crystal sat across from Zoey, her two toned eyes met his. "We have food, we have shelter,"
"But the chickens and cow will die, and crops may fail," Mint pointed out miserably. "This house is very old and already falling apart. Someone's got to have known there was an old lady living out here, and if they come looking, they'll find us and a dead woman." Dropping her idle spoon, she rested her chin on balled fists. "And besides, we still have something to finish."
Zoey caught her meaningful look. 'She's way beyond her years,' he thought, stirring is soup, deep in thought. 'and she's right. We can't stay here forever. Mint and I, we have business to finish.' Finally he pushed back his chair and stood.
"Mint and I want to find the person that killed our parents'. We will leave as soon as we're ready." Pausing at the door, Zoey said over his shoulder: "Where ever you decide to go, Crystal, is up to you."
The girl was silent at first, then: "You haven't touched your soup."
"I'm not hungry."


Mint

"There." Putting on the last touches, Mint stepped back to admire her work. "You look absolutely stunning, Thorvald dear." She patted the small, raggedy plush horse on the head. The old brown thing wore a pastel pink doll dress.
"Isn't "Thorvald dear" a boy?" Tossing a shirt on to the pile of things he would pack, Zoey emerged from the closet, a quizzical look on his face.
Mint smiled wide. "Yes, but he was misbehaving earlier this morning and I thought this would be the best way to punish him."
Zoey laughed and ruffled her blue-green hair. "That is certainly the worst punishment I could imagine."
"Well, killing him would be much too--"
Crystal walked into the room and plopped a bag onto Zoey's bed. Her jaw was set; hand on hip.
"What's this?" The other two asked, Mint jumping up to see what was inside the bag.
"My things." The girl explained with finality. "I'm coming with you."
Mint looked to Zoey, wondering what the older boy would think. His face was unreadable.
"Okay. When can you be ready?" He asked evenly.
"Whenever you are." Crystal looked at Zoey, daring him to refuse her.
Mint glanced back and forth between the two. When neither said anything, she smiled. "Yay."

Zoey

"Are you sure you have everything?" Zoey asked Mint for the third time.
"Yup!" His adopted sister skipped in circles around him.
"You've got your clothes, blanket, water, snacks, your books, notepad, did you remember your special hair bow?"
Zoey went through the list and Mint replied to each one with a chipper "Check!"
Crystal came out of the house and walked towards them through the drifts of dead leaves. "Did you remember Thorvald?" She asked holding out the plush toy.
"Thorvy-bear!" Mint gasped.
The poor pony still wore the frilly pink dress.
Tucking the animal into her rucksack, Mint strung the pack over her shoulders and smiled at Zoey. "Now I'm ready. Were should we start?"
"Follow the lake." Crystal suggested.
"Why do you say that?" Zoey asked and immediately thought he may have sounded a little suspicious.
Crystal looked offended and he mentally winced. "Because it's the best place to situate anything. Plus, we'll have remotely clean drinking water.
"Sounds good to me." Mint offered.
Zoey only nodded and brushed past her. "Put on your jacket, Mint. Winter's on it's was and we can't afford for you to get sick."
Mint frowned and looked hurt, and Zoey immediately wished he could take it back. "Sorry." He muttered. "Want a horsey ride?"
Mint's face broke into a wide grin. "That's okay and yes please!"
Swinging the girl onto his shoulders they set off. Through the forest stained with fall colors they treked.
Their adventure had begun.