It was uncommon for Aunt Harmon to send any mail. It was even more uncommon for that mail to be sent to Cypress. They had never been exactly close. Perhaps the death of a family member always had a strange effect on people, even a great witch like her Aunt Harmon. Fingers unfolded the parchment paper, to read the very elegent script on the sheet.
"Dear Cypress,
I understand that you are opening a shoppe in memory of Blaise. I am grateful for such a thing. Here is a spell you should use while writing a want ad for witches to hire to help you run the shoppe. It is simple, you should be able to use it.
I am sending a present as well. Please put out a tall perch with some rats in a small cage. She will know how to get them out. I understand you miss your pets, I'm sure you will love her when she arrives. She has no name as of yet, you will find a perfect one. I am sure things will work out well.
Take care neicee.
It was signed Aunt Harmon."
Cypress ran her fingers the words of the spell. She read it silently to herself and something within Cypress opened up. It was like a door slowly being cracked open as she looked down at the words. They shimmered and another spell was hidden underneath. A spell within a spell? Her Aunt had a reason for this, she was sure. Even so, it was such a rare thing for her aunt to do something like this. Cypress was not one to kick a gift horse in the mouth. She would take in all the help she could.
Folding the parchment paper back in the envelope. She would head out to the pet store and purchase what her Aunt had requested. She wondered however what would arrive, and how? Magick, in all forms was such a strange thing, even for one like Cypress who half grew up around it. The short summer's she had spent at the Harmon house hold were always filled with wonder.
It was an hour later that the perch was set close to the door of the shoppe. There was a small cage of white feeder mice. She never had a problem with feeder mice, since she had to often give them to Jasper when he had been alive. It really never dawned on Cypress how much she did miss her companions.
It had been only two days since her letter from her aunt. Whatever the present she was sending had not come yet. Cypress was starting to worry about whatever was coming. Was a truck supposed to bring it? Was it being magickally transported and Cypress had done something wrong? She was unsure what it was or when it would arrive. The mice in the small cage were fed, the dead one removed. It seemed that a cat had seen the cage of mice and had swiped at one of them. It was missing part of it's face and most of it's abdomen. The other feeder mice had nibbled on their dead comrade before Cypress removed it.
The day went on as normal. Cypress was focused on getting the shop set up. She was making calls through out the town. She remembered some of the people that used to work at the shop in Salem. One of them being the red-head rat. Picking up the phone she would deal Milo's number. after a few rings, Cypress left a message for the Rat-King. Looking down at her aunt's letter, to the spell. Picking up a quill tipped pen Cypress wrote down the spell. Her voice reciting the words as she wrote them down. They were written on a flyer for a band called 'The Killjoys' so any non-magick user would see the flyer and be slightly compelled to see this band, however a magick user would see the flyer's true meaning and seek the shop out.
It was hours later when there came a tapping at the window. Cypress hadn't yet posted the flyers, so she didn't know who it could be tapping at the glass. A glass that was covered in black painted newspaper. Cleaning her hands on the black apron she was wearing. Ballerina heels headed towards the door of her shop. She peered out and in a matter of seconds the sounds of wings rushed by her. Looking to the cage of mice, they were all gone. She turned back to the shop, upon a high rafter sat a Jubula Lettii, translated it would be a Maned Owl. It stared down at Cypress. Her expression was blank. The owl hooted at her. She raised a brow slowly. A little while later her phone rang. Moving to it, she would answer.
"Cypress, did she get there yet?"
"If you sent me an owl, then yes, she just arrived."
"Good, good. I hope you enjoy her companionship, niece."
The line went dead after that. Cypress slipped the phone into the pocket of her apron. She extended a hand out for the owl. "Aunt Harmon sent you?" The owl hooted down at Cypress. "I'm Cypress Harmon... it's okay. You can come down." The female bird did not move for a few minutes. Cypress did not move either from her position with her arm stretched out waiting for the owl. The flap of wings and the owl flew down to Cypress' hand. It gripped the tiny fingers with sharp claws. The pain was quick, she would have to buy a hand glove for her. Now, the task of naming such a creature.
