Cloud is questing! Episode 1/25

It is so early in the morning that there are still stars in the sky and mist is clinging to the trees and grass. If one looks carefully they can see the sun’s rays peeking above the horizon. Someone is awake and has been for many hours.

Celeste a little mouse witch has been busy packing the belongings she will take with her on a journey to find a new village, that does not yet have a mouse witch. All new mouse witches have to undertake this task. Being a mouse witch brings the understanding that their powers are to be used to help others.

Celeste had said her goodbyes to her mother and great-grandmother the night before and as she now stands outside with her kart loaded, Celeste’s grandmother gives some last words of advice and the wish that Celeste finds a lovely village to become a resident of.

“Halloween is soon here and you want to be established in a new village before that night arrives. My best wishes and love go with you. Call upon us if you need any help.”

Cloud is questing! Episode 2/25

Celeste has so many things to think about as she walks along the path, of course, she is very excited to be setting out on a new phase of her life and she has been well-trained by her Grandmother and Great-Grandmother, Aurora, who is a famous mouse witch in her own right.

Celeste does not travel alone, she has with her a precious broom, a gift from her Great-Grandmother. This broom, Belinda Broomfield, is so old that no one is sure when Belinda first came into being. Aurora told Celeste that Belinda had been gifted to her by her Great-Grandmother. So this broom is very old indeed.

Belinda and Celeste chat about many things, as they walk along, but especially about Halloween and how important it is for Celeste to find a village before then. Halloween was known as a time of great joy and celebration but it also brought with it some pranks, mostly done by ghosts, but other creatures liked to cause a bit of mischief too.

Cloud is questing! Episode 3/25

Celeste and Belinda were nearing the end of the forest. They had both enjoyed the walk. The forest was in full autumnal splendour and the rich aromas were starting to make Celeste wish for a break, some food and maybe a spot of tea. If they were lucky the next village would be their new home.

Before Celeste could voice any of this to Belinda a loud squawking and fluttering of wings appeared before them.

“Help me, you have to help me!”

A distraught crow had landed on the path.

Celeste was shocked but she kept calm as she said, “I can help you if you tell me what the problem is.”

“It’s my baby, it fell out of the tree and it is not ready to fly yet,” the flustered crow said. “Hurry, it is just over here.”

Celeste looked at Belinda, “If you would stay with the cart I will go and help this mother crow.”

Celeste followed the crow and came to where a nest was high up in a tree, but look as she might, Celeste did not see any sign of a baby crow on the ground. Celeste turned to ask the mother crow a question, but there was no sign of her either. Oh bother, I guess the pranks are starting early. Celeste shook her head and returned to the cart.

“Thanks, Belinda,” Celeste said, “Let’s be on our way.”

Cloud is questing! Episode 4/25

Celeste was lost in thought when she suddenly got a feeling—feelings are one of those magical gifts that mouse witches get— looking around she was greeted by the sight of charming houses, with trees in many fall colours in spacious yards, and even better, she did not detect the presence of another mouse witch. She was standing in front of a green and red house that did not look as if anyone lived in it. The house next door had a rake outside—someone had been gathering up leaves—and a pumpkin sat in an upstairs window.

Celeste opened the door, the first room was empty. This house had been waiting for her, she knew it.

“Belinda, wake up, I found our village and a house! What luck. I am going to start unpacking and then make some food. Come and see.”  

Cloud is questing! Episode 5/25

Celeste ran around inside the house putting lit candles in the windows and on finding there was wood next to the fireplace she also started a fire. Warmth and some light helped to create a more welcoming atmosphere.

What is taking Belinda so long, she is usually right by my side and I know she was as excited as I was to find a village. Celeste went outside and grabbed the broom handle sticking out of the cart.

“Come along, Belinda, time to help me set up the rest of our belongings and start cooking some food. I have dried mushrooms and I thought mushroom soup and homemade scones would be perfect.”

Cloud is questing! Episode 6/25

“BELINDA!” Celeste yelled. What she had grabbed was a broom, but it was not Belinda, it was an ordinary broom, a non-magical, non-precious broom.

“Belinda, where are you?”

Celeste frantically began to toss everything out of the cart. No Belinda.

“Oh no!” wailed Celeste as she began to sob.

Cloud is questing! Episode 7/25

A door opened and closed as the neighbour, Karl, a grey bunny rushed out to see what all the commotion was about.

“Are you alright, I heard your yelling from inside my house,” Karl pointed to the house next to Celeste’s.”

“Nnnno! I may never be alright again. Belinda has gone missing.”

“Who is Belinda and when did you last see her?”

Celeste gulped back more tears and tried to organize her thoughts. It would do no good to get into a panic.

“I should introduce myself, I am Celeste and I am the new mouse witch for this village, I have only arrived. Belinda is my friend, she is a special broom given to me by my Great-Grandmother and she is gone. I last saw her…I thought she was in the cart. I have been talking to her, and I never thought it odd when she did not answer, Belinda is quite capable of talking, but she does not always feel the need. I last saw her physically in a forest when we stopped to help a crow, which turned out to be a prank I guess.”

“Pleased to meet you, Celeste, I am Karl, your neighbour, and yes, we need a mouse witch, I am glad you are here, but this is a sad situation to start life in a new town. It sounds suspicious to me,” said Karl. “I think we should go and speak with Cloud, they are the librarian for this village and they know a lot of lore and it keeps tabs on all the rumours.

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Karl helps Celeste bring in the rest of her belongings.

“I am sorry you are starting life in this village with such unhappiness marring your arrival. It should be a happy time for you and the village. Cloud will be able to help us, I think. We won’t stop until we find your Belinda. If you are all set here, let’s head off to Cloud’s house.”

Cloud is questing! Episode 9/25

Cloud greets Celeste and Karl when they arrive at it door. One look at Celeste’s face and Cloud knows something bad has happened.

“Welcome. Come in, please sit down, I have made tea and baked cakes this morning. I am the village librarian and run the small library. Now, tell me why are you looking so sad and worried.”

Karl introduced Celeste and sat back sipping on his tea while Celeste gave Cloud the gist of what transpired that morning.

Cloud is questing! Episode 10/25

“Belinda, my broom, was given to me by Aurora, my Great-Grandmother. It is the broom who chooses who it wants to be with and though I have known Belinda my whole life it is such a special honour to be chosen. Belinda can talk and usually has good advice if asked. Belinda can fly, though I don’t care for heights and am always afraid I will fall off. She has some small powers of her own, she helps me heal the land, and make crops flourish. She is caring and funny. I miss her.

I had left Belinda with the cart and went with the crow, but no baby had fallen from a nest and the crow vanished. I thought maybe Halloween pranks had started early.

Cloud asked if Celeste had noticed anything strange; someone or something around that would cause her to feel uneasy

Celeste thought, casting her mind back to when they first met the crow.

“There was one moment when I thought I saw a flash of something in the trees but with all the excitement of the journey and then the crow acting so upset I forgot about it. This is all my fault.”

Cloud is questing! Episode 11/25

Karl and Cloud looked at each other.

“No, it is not your fault,” said Cloud. “I hate to tell you this when you have not settled yourself and you are so upset but far off to the east of here there is an old castle, a ruin really, and there lives a very cranky, very old Witch, not a mouse witch. I supposed she is a cat witch, but no one knows with any certainty. She is bad-tempered, greedy and loves to steal things she wants. She has minions working for her, mostly she gets disgruntled ghosts and some naughty crows to spy for her and sometimes they steal things. A magical broom would have caught her attention. She is quite powerful and it is said that no one, so far, has been able to stop her. It is rumoured that if you know her name and call it, she will be powerless, for a short time.

Cloud passed Celeste an old, worn book. “In these pages is one mention of how a name can be learned. It is the recipe for an old spell potion, but it requires many rare items. Be cautious, the recipe gives instructions on the use, it suggests putting the potion into food or drink but I doubt you will be taking tea with this witch. You have to get some on her so maybe throwing it at her would be enough.”

Cloud is questing! Episode 12/25

Karl and Celeste walked back to the street their houses were on and started to make plans. They had the list of items and though they made no sense, Celeste was determined to gather them all and make the potion that would enable her to ask the Witch about Belinda.

Green Pumpkin

Red Rose

X you can eat

Snowflake

Obsidian mushroom

Lightening bolt

Spider Bite Delight

Leaf from underwater Sea Tree

Staff of the forest, to stir it all up.

“Don’t worry said Karl. “We will find all these things with the help of the villagers and you will be reunited with Belinda.”

Cloud is questing! Episode 13/25

Green pumpkin.



The first item Celeste and Karl decide to try and find is the green pumpkin. Celeste is sure the time has passed for unripe pumpkins and is not holding out much hope that she will find one.

The Pumpkin farmer is pleased to meet Celeste and when he hears the request he smiles and says, “It just so happens I have one, far back in the pumpkin patch there is a pumpkin that refuses to ripen. You are welcome to take it with you.”

“Thank you very much,” said Celeste feeling happy that luck was with them this time.

Celeste cast a mild magic spell over the pumpkin patch to ensure all the pumpkins would be sound and delicious.

Cloud is questing! Episode 14/25

Red rose.



Karl tells Celeste that the village has a flower shop which would probably be the best place to find a red rose, though roses were not in season.

Upon entering the flower shop, Celeste was enchanted, she loved flowers and the smiling flower shop owner made her feel very welcome.

“A red rose. An unusual request at this time of year, but if you look up on that shelf you will see a single red rose in a glass bottle. I honestly cannot remember why I put a rose in a bottle but as you can see the rose is as fresh as the day it was picked. Please take it with you.”

Cloud is questing! Episode 15/25

X you can eat.



“What’s next on our list?” asked Karl.

“I am confused by this one, X you can eat. What could that mean?”

Karl looked up at the sky and thought. “Let’s go to the bakery, maybe the baker will have an idea”

Celeste introduced herself to the baker and complimented him on his wonderful display of baked treats. She explained what she was looking for and asked if the baker had any ideas.

“I do, look at this gingerbread cookie in the shape of an X.”

Karl piped up, “This might be it, it is an X and you can eat it. Let’s take it with us.”

Celeste thanked the baker and took a moment to cast a small spell so that all the baker’s sugar would stay dry and all his flour would stay fresh.”