Chapter 12. The strange girl.

When the soft light of the fire illuminated the female silhouette, Katerina clearly saw who she was going to talk to. In front of her was a young black-haired girl with emerald-colored eyes, about 16 years old. Her hair was neatly tucked behind her back, and two pigtails braided from her forehead to the back of her head prevented her from blocking her view. Her face was decorated with intricate patterns, reminiscent of the lines and markings that can be seen on the skins of wild animals. These patterns were made in shades of green, brown and black, creating a masking effect, and effectively accentuated the sharp features of her face, making her look more piercing and mysterious.

The girl was dressed in a tunic made of coarse fabric, her image was complemented by a skirt made of lynx wool. On her feet, she wore simple and comfortable leather sandals that allowed her to move freely and silently through the forest area. She had a neat wooden bow on her back, no frills.

"What a beautiful night, isn't it?" a female figure spoke up, sitting down on the opposite side of the campfire, not too far away, but not too close either.

"It's true, it's a truly wonderful night. What could be better than watching the stars with your family, fu-fu-fu?" replied Katerina. Her words were said in a very gentle and friendly tone, but carried a subtle hint for the other person.

"Oh, really, I hope I didn't disturb you. Rest assured, Big sister, I just wanted to stop and rest for a bit. You don't mind, do you?" the girl replied with a faint smile, as if to say that there was no need to worry about her.

"Of course not. I've always wanted to see the constellation Ursa major (the Roman Empire called the priestesses of Artemis)."

"Ahahaha, big sis is quite perceptive. I'll drink to that," the girl said, taking out a small wineskin from her bosom and taking a sip: "Uhh, great wine, great wine, do you want to moisten your throat? You look very worried," she suggested and tossed the wineskin to the interlocutor.

The silver-haired beauty did not refuse. She uncorked the lid and inhaled the intoxicating aroma, checking the wine for poison. After making sure that everything was in order, Katerina took several large sips. The red liquid rolled down her beautiful chin and landed on her voluminous breasts, creating a very seductive sight.

"Fufufu... Good wine, sister, where did you get it?"

"You know, the Boundless Forest Province is not only known for its wild forests. Our culture is famous for frenetic dancing, exciting music and, of course, great booze. The Muses live here, in the company of beautiful dryads. Dionysus often visits in search of the best ingredients for his famous wine. Civilization is overrated. Proximity to nature in its original state makes people more open and cheerful. Don't you think so?"

"You don't sound like a 16-year-old girl at all. By the way, what should I call you?"

"Big sis, shouldn't you introduce yourself first?"

"Really, how rude of me. Forget it, forget it. Let's leave it at that. Riddles also have a certain charm, fu-fu-fu," Katerina shamelessly retorted, clearly not wanting to answer her own question.

Ahahah, it's okay, I see. Floating namelessly around the world, taking the whole world for a game, I won't ask someone else's name! Wandering around the world, should the first people you meet become acquaintances?" – the young girl agreed and quoted the famous lines of the aria.

"It's true, the name is just a title that others call us. Let's do without them today, fufufu. But, little sister, since we're gathered here, can you tell me where you're going and what fates brought you to this wilderness?"

"Ehhh, it's a very long story. My stupid older brother knocked up some village girl and immediately ran away from responsibility. It was a pity that he had ruined her life. The villagers now find it easy to climb and avoid it like the plague. Funny, isn't it? Although the girl has never slept with anyone, now she is forced to take care of the child alone. After hearing her story, I felt very sorry for her. And here I am, walking through a dark forest, all alone, to take care of my wayward brother's family, which he abandoned to the mercy of fate. Do you think this is a worthy goal, little sister?"

"History is as old as the world. But I feel sad every time I hear it. Everyone knows that it's very easy for naive village girls to fall in love with an urban playboy. The silly girl probably considered him the love of her life. Although in reality she was just a toy. It's nice to hear that you've decided to take care of a naive little fool," Katerina replied, in a slightly softer tone, when she noticed the sincere concern behind the young priestess' joking words.

"Ahahahah, you're right, Sister. Ahahahah, you're right."

"Aaaaaaa, don't, please don't kill me!" A small boy suddenly screamed, interrupting the ladies' conversation.

Katerina looked at Gray and realized that her son was still having nightmares about that day. She could feel the child's body trembling with tension. Biting her lip, she hugged him to her and began stroking his head to calm him down somehow. All this time, the priestess watched the boy with interest and a little sympathy, but did not move or say anything. She was very tactful.

When the boy's breathing became more regular under his mother's gentle caresses, the conversation resumed.

"I see that your children are worried about something. But I won't mind my own business if it's an unpleasant topic for you."

"It's okay, he's been through a lot. Don't worry, I'm sure everything will work out over time," although Katerina spoke calmly, she could not hide the concern in her tone from the attentive gaze of the priestess.

"You have beautiful children, little sister. I hope my nephew will be just as charming. Although I don't plan to protect him that much. Ahahaha," the girl joked, pointing to her mother's very protective posture.

"Fufufu, this is impossible, my son is the most beautiful man in the world. So don't be too disappointed," the silver–haired beauty replied, ignoring the teasing of her companion.

"Ahahah. Well, it's hard to argue with that. The sun is about to rise. I'm sorry, it's time for me to leave. In honor of our meeting, let me give the kids an arrow each. Who knows, one day these arrows might save their lives."

Katerina did not refuse, although she was slightly perplexed. It should be understood that the arrows of the bears (priestesses of Artemis) were very special. Such willingness to part with them was very strange for any priestess. Especially considering that they had just met and talked about nothing. Such generosity was very confusing.

"Don't think too much, big sister, as you can see, I have a lot of arrows. That's all I can give you. Don't be polite. May the blessing of Artemis, the best and greatest hunter, come with the four of you." The girl said, taking out two arrows from her quiver that hung on her belt and turning around to leave. Before leaving, she did not forget to reveal the little secret of the murderer hiding in the shadows.

"Thank you, little sister. Catch it, it's my gift in return." Katerina threw a strange silver ball after the young girl.

After the silhouette of the strange priestess slowly disappeared into the shadows of the trees, Cassia, as if pushed by an invisible force, jumped out of her hiding place. Her face, which was usually calm and collected, was now slightly furrowed. Although the priestess behaved extremely politely and generously, the mother and the maid, watching her retreating figure, felt the tension gradually leave their bodies. They knew that the priestess posed no threat, but they couldn't shake the feeling that there was more to this visit than just small talk in the middle of the forest.

"When and how did she discover me?" The maid asked after a rather long moment of silence.

"From the very beginning, dear, from the very beginning. This girl may look young, but she should never be underestimated. The priestesses of Artemis are not scum like the priests of the Church of Light. And this girl is probably special even among them. I wouldn't be surprised if she initially knew who we were and came just to have fun." Katerina explained, still looking at where the bear had disappeared: "Although she's unlikely to tell anyone about us, it's time for us to move anyway. Did you get everything I asked for?"

"Yes, mistress, everyone is here." Cassia replied, handing a small bag of nuts to Korita, which resembled chestnuts.

"Take care of your disguise while I prepare the hair dye. Let the children get some more sleep. We have a long way to go, and there won't be many such opportunities to rest."

After giving instructions to her companion, Katerina took out a small pot from the air. The pot was made of silver, and its surface was decorated with intricate patterns. Katerina cast the spell "Aquamentia", and the pot was instantly filled with clear water. She put it on the embers of the campfire, and the water began to heat up.

It's time to remember Grandma Cornelia's alchemy lessons. Katerina squeezed the fruits that Cassia had recently picked in her hand and began to grind them into powder. The process required physical strength, but who is Katerina? Despite her refined and gentle appearance, she had reached a level of strength equal to the celestials. She worked quickly and with concentration until she got the right amount of powder with the perfect consistency.

Then she poured the resulting mixture into heated water. Katerina added freshly squeezed juice of herbs with unique properties, where did she get them from is a question. The juice was added gradually so as not to upset the balance of the ingredients.

The liquid began to boil and foam, the fruits of the bark boiled quickly. The result is a rich-colored mass that resembles cream in consistency. To make sure that all the ingredients were evenly distributed, Katerina thoroughly mixed the solution. Then she added some olive oil to the paint, which she had collected shortly before the meeting. Even in the current situation, when she had to make do with improvised means, a caring mother did not want to spoil her daughter's beautiful hair.

After finishing her work, Katerina set the pot aside. After thinking about how to present the need for secrecy to the children for the last time, she approached their sleeping figures. The twins were sleeping peacefully, huddled together. The mother gently called them by name and began stroking their hair and shoulders. The children winced, but did not wake up.

"Fu-fu-fu, my dears, it's time to get up. Remember, yesterday we agreed to play a very fun game. I've prepared everything. You won't leave Mommy to play alone, will you?" whispered Katerina, continuing her gentle touches.