Wild Child

By Sally Startup

Nesty the wild child has been brought up by the witch of the Hollow. She has been feared and bullied, but then she meets some new friends, including Indigo the traveller child and a wolf called Silken. With them, she risks adventure, danger and kindness. Suitable for readers aged 7 and up. A gentle children's story with some deep insights concerning magic, nature and tolerance.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Bees Nest Books
• Release date: Mar 20, 2013
• ISBN: 9781301930463

Sally Startup

Sally Startup lives in Hampshire, England. She writes books for children and young adults and has a PhD in writing for children from the University of Winchester, UK. She used to work as a medical herbalist and is interested in plants, nature and green issues.

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WILD CHILD

by Sally Startup

Bees’ Nest Books

This is a work of fiction. All characters and events in this story are fictitious, and any resemblance to real people or events is purely coincidental.

Published 2013 by Bees’ Nest Books

Copyright 2013 Sally Startup

All rights reserved

The right of Sally Startup to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted by her in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.

Smashwords edition, License Notes

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share the book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

Table of Contents

1 Two bunches of violets

2 Curses and cures

3 Friends and magic

4 Music and dancing

5 The wolf

6 Grover

7 Elsa’s cart

8 Wolf attack

9 Travellers, wolves and witches

10 Lin Brewer

11 Clem Hunter

12 Winter Hill

13 Harsh magic

14 The changeling

15 A broken promise

16 Weapons

17 Kindness

18 Nesty has to choose

19 Another dance

20 Moving on

WILD CHILD

1 Two bunches of violets

Nesty lived outside the village, with the Witch of the Hollow. The village children liked to throw stones at Nesty. They called her a wild child. She didn’t mind being called wild, but the stones hurt.

That day, the children found her as she picked violets in the wood. She knelt in the soft, damp earth at the edge of the path, gently lifting the young violet leaves to uncover the tiny purple flowers. The wood had been quiet and secret until there was a sound of thudding boot soles and the flapping of the girls’ thick winter skirts.

Nesty pretended not to notice until the village children had come very close. Then she straightened up, turning to look at them. That was when she saw there was a new girl with them.

The new girl’s skirt was made of thin, shiny green-blue cloth. Instead of a jacket, she wore a red scarf around her shoulders, pinned together with a metal brooch.

The village children yelled, as usual. Then they started throwing the stones they had brought in their pockets. Covering her head with her arms, Nesty prepared to run away into the trees.

Stop, you’re hurting her! shouted the new girl when she saw what was happening.

They did stop. So Nesty stayed after all, wondering what would happen next.

What’s a wild child? the new girl asked the others.

Wild child’s the child of a witch, Bran Farmer answered her.

And a wolf, added Amy Carpenter.

Don’t go near her, warned Mary Hunter. She’ll curse you!

Nesty decided to speak up for herself. It’s good to be wild, she said. I’m not ashamed. I’m not afraid, like all of you. Raaa! She ran at them with her arms outstretched, waving a bunch of violets in each hand.

The village children moved back to keep out of her way. But then they began to gather more stones – bigger ones this time – digging them out from the packed mud of the path with their fingernails. The new girl only looked surprised and stayed where she was.

Nesty watched her closely. The girl was tall and she smelled faintly of spices. Her long brown hair rippled over her shoulders and her dark eyes sparkled.

My name is Indigo, she said, smiling, not seeming to mind as Nesty continued to stare.

There was a blue ribbon tied around Indigo’s waist and a small leaf was caught in her hair. The metal brooch pinned to her scarf had a pattern on it like a tiny rose flower.

Come away Indigo! called Bran Farmer, from the trees behind her. Decent folk don’t talk to witches!

A stone thumped down into the earth by Nesty’s feet. Bran Farmer was the biggest of the village children. He could kill crows with a slingshot. Nesty tensed, ready to run.

If one of you throws another stone I’ll have you banned from the dancing! Indigo shouted at all the village children. If you don’t want to be nice then you can all just get lost.

To Nesty’s relief, they reacted to this by running off, yelling and jeering as they went. Indigo only pulled her scarf tighter around her shoulders. Nesty stayed close to her, watching the others go.

You’re one of the travellers, Nesty said aloud. They’ve come to the village. She had heard of the travellers even though she had never seen them before.

Yes, we got here a couple of days ago, Indigo replied. We’re camped at the water meadows. Today our camp’s full of villagers wanting to buy ribbons and pins and spices. That’s why I came up here with those village children. I thought it would be quieter than the camp, but they didn’t tell me they’d be hunting witches. Are you really a witch?

Nesty shrugged.

Are you a wild child? Indigo asked, next.

Yes I am, Nesty replied proudly, and I live with the Witch of the Hollow.

Is the Witch your mother?

She’s all the mother I’ve ever had.

But your father’s not a wolf.

They just say that because of the mark on my face, Nesty explained. They say it looks like a wolf. The Witch has a mirror in her cottage so I’ve seen myself, and it’s true. The Witch calls it a birthmark.

She leaned towards Indigo, who looked closely at the mark on Nesty’s forehead and nodded to show that she understood.

When Indigo smiled again, Nesty enjoyed it so much she almost forgot to smile back.

I should go home to the camp now, Indigo said. Can I come and visit you at the Hollow one day? Will the Witch mind?

Nesty was so happy she could hardly speak. She managed to whisper, No, she won’t mind.

Sometimes, villagers came to the Hollow to see the Witch if they were in trouble and needed help. But no one had ever wanted to visit Nesty before.

Nesty told Indigo how to find the Hollow, then watched her run back along the path towards the village. Afterwards, Nesty walked on through the wood, carrying the two bunches of violets. She wished she had thought to give one of them to Indigo.

Later on, at the cottage in the Hollow, Nesty helped the Witch chop carrots and onions to put in the pot for their evening meal. The Witch was not a very old woman, although her brown hair was just beginning to turn grey. She was kind, but stern. Nesty told her about Indigo.

A change for you, then, said the Witch.

The inside of the cottage was one room. There was a large fireplace and wooden furniture. A bed for the Witch, a bed for Nesty, a table, two chairs and the big herb cupboard. The firewood, food, pots, bowls and clothes were stored in large baskets stacked against one wall.

Two bunches of violets now rested in two tiny bowls of water on the table. One bunch was Nesty’s own and one was for Indigo, when she came to visit. Nesty’s secret wish was for Indigo to come the next morning.

While the pot was boiling on the fire, the Witch said, Clem Hunter’s sick.

Nesty became very still, looking down at the table in front of her. The Witch waited. The pot bubbled, the fire crackled, and the wind made the trees outdoors rattle their branches. The cottage smelled of smoke and drying herbs and vegetable stew.

Clem Hunter was one of the village children. He had not been with the others in the wood earlier on, and Nesty had been pleased. Several days ago, the Witch had sent Nesty into the village to buy a jar of honey. Clem had bumped into Nesty on purpose and called her cruel names. She had nearly dropped the honey jar in front of all the other village children. They had laughed and started picking up sharp stones. Nesty had been afraid, but also angry. She had pointed at Clem with a cursing finger and said words that she knew would scare him right back.

He called me a changeling, Nesty told the Witch, without looking up. I won’t have that. I’m a human being. I’m the same as them.

She felt the Witch’s hand gently touching the top of her head.

You cursed him, the Witch said, "and I won’t have that. First thing tomorrow, you’ll come with me to the village and heal poor Clem Hunter."

2 Curses and Cures

On the way to the village the next day, the Witch talked about curses. "When Bran Farmer throws a stone to hurt you, he knows he’s bigger and older than