In the far off place of Wayna, the cruel King Beelza ordered a rule across the land. The rule stated that each family was only allowed one child. When this rule was broken, the mother would be sentenced to eternal banishment. The father would be taken to work for the King. 

In the kingdom of Wayna there was a young girl named Macawi. She was sixteen years old. Her hair was dark burgundy and her eyes were as green as fresh grass. 

Macawi had to travel far from the land of Wayna to find a flower that would save her sister. Acting as if she was going for a stroll, she left wearing a disguise. She wore a short, tan, hooded dress and scarf to keep others from recognizing her. 

A witch, who lived on a tall mountain overlooking Wayna, had given Macawi directions. Macawi had to travel around the mountains and river that surrounded the kingdom in order to reach the Forest Flo. It was in the Forest Flo that she would find the flower that would save her sister.

Macawi walked with persistence, praying to God with every step. She had packed a dagger for the journey, having the idea that she would face evil beasts. Macawi lived off of hope and faith alone. But once she was lost in Forest Flo, she began to live off fear of going insane. With every step her mind asked to turn back.  

Macawi had been alone on this journey for two days when a woman appeared from the darkness of the trees. Darkness followed the woman. It seemed to hold on underneath her hood, and it hid all but her green eyes in shadow. A scarf covered everything below her eyes.  

“Put your fire out,” the woman said in an urgent tone. “Aren’t you afraid of the beasts you may attract?” 

 “The only thing I am afraid of is what’s already been done,” Macawi replied.  

The woman put Macawi's fire out with a thick cloth, which she had taken off her shoulders. Macawi, weary and lost, asked, “Say, do you know where I can find the flower that melts ice?” 

The woman looked at her with a puzzled expression. “A flower that melts ice?” 

“Yes. It should be somewhere in this forest. I’ve been searching for two days already. I only have one day left,” Macawi said. 

The woman looked around. “This forest holds many treasures. But you must know all things come with a price.”  The woman sat across from Macawi and looked at her with a puzzled expression. Macawi felt her own eyes nervously drifting to the ashes of the old fire in front of her. “Is your price worth paying?” she asked the old woman. 

Macawi continued: “My sister was frozen by a witch. We live in a land a day’s journey away, called Wayna. In Wayna there is a rule that each family may have only one child. When my mother had me and my sister, she loved us too much to choose one over the other. So she made a deal with a witch. 

"The deal was, the witch would cast a spell where nobody could realize or process the fact that Mother had two children. Mother just had to pay a price by my sixteenth birthday. I don’t know what the price was, but my mother didn’t pay it. 

"The witch removed the spell and my sister and I were found out. King Beelze banished my mother, stole my father away, and gave my sister to the witch. The witch froze my sister in ice. She keeps her in a cave at the bottom of her mountain. She’s been there for about a month.” 

 “I’m so sorry,” the woman said, her eyes full of dismay. 

“I visit my sister every day,” Macawi said, smiling, “and two days ago as I sat with her and prayed, the witch appeared. I was afraid she would freeze me in ice, too. But instead she told me about a flower that grows somewhere in Forest Flo. She said if I could crush and sprinkle that flower over the ice around my sister, the ice will melt. And if I don’t find the flower in three days, she’s going to take away my sister forever.”  

 “You must love your sister very much,” the woman said. 

 “I do. My sister—Kimela is her name—she never loses hope. So I can’t, either.” Macawi thought for a moment. “So now that I’ve explained my story, it’s your turn to explain yours. Why are you here?” 

The woman started to speak, but something in the bush shivered. Then another bush shook and it sounded as if branches were breaking. Macawi and the woman stood abruptly and looked all around them. A slow grumble rolled in, and there was a loud licking sound. 

 “Run.” 

"Run!" the woman said, nudging Macawi, who hesitated. Looking into Macawi’s eyes now, burning with urgency, the woman repeated, “Run!” 

As soon as the two women broke into a sprint, a scaly, scorpion-tailed, saber-toothed creature started chasing them. It was almost fifteen feet long and gaining on them. 

“What is it?” Macawi asked, watching the ground ahead of her with scared eyes. 

“A Dingonek,” the woman replied. “Why it’s here, though, I don’t know! You didn’t pass any water, did you?” 

 “Just a river, way far back!” Macawi said. She and the woman made a sharp right turn and ran faster. They kept twisting and turning, trying to confuse the Dingonek. Eventually, they hid behind a wide tree. 

 “I don’t think this came from the river. I would have noticed,” Macawi said. 

 “Okay…this might be the witch,” the woman said, catching her breath. 

“We must be getting close, then,” Macawi said, a heroic smile on her face. Her smile faded with her next thought. “We’ll never make it with this Dingonek thing following us.” 

“What happened to praying and being full of hope?” 

Macawi was taken aback. “I’m entering my third day. This is all I have left. Give me a break.” 

The ground behind them thumped. The Dingonek was approaching, its scorpion tail wagging. Macawi locked eyes with the woman. They held their breath. But something sparkled in the distance and took their eyes from each other. 

 “Look!” Macawi exclaimed, pointing. “It’s the flower! It has to be!” 

Her excitement caught the Dingonek’s attention. It roared, pulling the wide tree down with its claws. The women jumped away from the tree and stared at the large, spiky beast in front of them. One glimpse sent the two running towards the sparkling light. The beast chased them again, wagging its tail at them and knocking down trees. 

 “You shouldn’t be doing this,” the woman said through her panting. “You’re too young and this journey is too dangerous. What if it’s not the flower?” 

 “I have to hope and pray it is!” Macawi yelled, smiling with adrenaline. 

 “This is all too dangerous. I mean—I mean, what would your family say?” 

Macawi looked up and asked, “What?”  

The woman regretted her question right away. The hurt she saw in Macawi’s eyes only added to her regret. 

Macawi, having taken her eyes away from the path, tripped over a log on the ground. The Dingonek took its opportunity, throwing his tail in the air and into the space where she fell. Luckily, Macawi rolled out of the way and found her feet again before it could reach her. She looked at the woman, and then the light ahead, and chose the light.  

The old woman, clearly upset, called, “Macawi!” and ran after her. The two reached the light and stopped. It looked like a star floating on earth, only a few feet away. Macawi reached for it, but the woman took hold of her arm. “Are you sure?” she asked, though she looked like she wanted to say more. 

After a pause, Macawi said, “I have to be.” 

 “Then I am, too,” the woman replied with a small, broken smile. The two women took hold of the star.