After her husband’s funeral, the stepmother left her mute stepdaughter to die in the forest swamp… But a year later, a surprise awaited everyone…

Kevin added food to Leshy’s bowl and nodded at Mary. «Let’s go; I’ll feed you with what God has sent us. The soup should still be warm.»

With a smile of relief, the girl followed him into the hut. After rummaging by the stove, Kevin took out a cast iron pot, poured the stew into two large bowls, added a spoon, and a couple of slices of bread. «Eat,» he pointed at Mary’s bowl.

«Don’t worry; it’s rabbit stew. We don’t eat little girls here; my stomach can’t handle it.» And he chuckled, seemingly pleased with his own joke.

Mary, hesitating, smiled as well and took the spoon. The stew turned out to be incredibly delicious, or she was just so hungry that she would have eaten an entire pot of it now. As she savored the food, she secretly examined Kevin’s face.

He’s not that old, she thought. Not a grandpa, more like a father’s age. Thoughts about her father brought tears to her eyes, and she choked up.

«Hey, none of that here.» The cabin’s owner raised his voice. «I can’t stand all that female fuss.»

Frightened by his displeasure, Mary stopped crying and continued eating in silence. Her tears had dried up on their own. What kind of monster would harm a child? Kevin reflected.

«And why didn’t your father intervene?» Mary raised her eyes to him, sighed, and shook her head, folding her hands over her chest. «What? Neither mom nor dad.» The forest ranger exclaimed.

«Oh, you poor thing. But don’t be afraid of me. I’ve got a daughter your age, if… Well, never mind.»

He waved his hand and concentrated on his meal. Mary finished everything to the last drop, wiped her plate with a crust of bread, and looked at Kevin, questioning what’s next. «What’s next?» He got her message right.

«You’ll take a bath now. The basin is outside; there’s hot water in the cauldron. I’ll get everything for you; just be careful.»

Mary rolled up the shirt sleeve to reveal a burned scar. «Who did this to you?» Kevin gasped. «Was it your stepmother?» Mary nodded.

Kevin’s face darkened. He mumbled something to himself, and Mary only caught one word: «sorted out.» «Go wash up.»

«Leshy will keep an eye on you,» the forest ranger ordered. Given a bucket of hot water, a towel, soap, and a pair of huge shorts with the elastic pulled tight by Kevin to make them stay on her waist, Mary headed for the wash. There she found a tub and a barrel of rainwater.

As she washed, she felt like she was cleansing not just the dirt, but also the fears and the tension of the past few years. Leshy’s head popped out from behind the house, and it seemed like the wolf was smiling. With a dignified air, he approached her and lay down, guarding her while she bathed.

Mary washed herself diligently, then dried off, got dressed, and sat down next to her guardian. She stroked his dry fur and muttered words of thanks, and she believed that at this moment, in Kevin’s cabin, she was safer than she had ever been in her childhood home. «How are you? Finished with your water procedures?» Kevin asked from around the corner.

Instead of Mary, it was Leshy who responded; lifting his head, he let out an affirmative roar. The forester, making sure that his uninvited guest was dressed and had even managed to retrieve her clothes from the wet pile, stretched them and hung them out to dry, grunted, and sat a little further away. «What should I do with you, huh?» He asked, not so much Mary as himself.

«Do you have any family?» The girl shook her head negatively. «That’s not good,» the man pondered. «In a good way, we should send you back to the city and file a lawsuit against your stepmother.»

Mary looked at him with frightened eyes. «I just don’t believe in our most just court in the world for some reason,» Kevin shrugged. «It could get worse.»

«Besides, while they figure it out, they’ll place you in a shelter; don’t go to the fortune teller. And it’s not pleasant there. And what’s left?» Mary anxiously awaited his decision.

«I can’t stay with you either,» Kevin continued. «It’s not right for a young lady to live with an old recluse. It’s not good, and I’m used to being alone.»

Mary’s lips trembled. She thought that Kevin was about to say that the shelter would be the best option for her. «But, but, we agreed not to make it damp.»

The forester frowned, and Leshy lifted his head with reproach. «It was said that they would come up with something.» He clearly didn’t know how to deal with a foundling.

Leshy settled on the grass, observed with obvious irony as his friend, sending Mary into the hut, paced in circles, grumbling to himself, muttering half aloud. «Is this like the saying ‘the woman without worries bought a pig’?» Kevin mused, addressing Leshy. «I can’t kick her out, know where to send her.»

«Where’s the police? And who even knows them? The law, what a joke. It’s not an option for the girl to stay here, and I’m not a babysitter. One thing remains.»

He brightened as he made a decision. «I’ll take you to Granny Karen. She’s a witch doctor.»

«Maybe she can help you get your voice back. And don’t look at me like that.» He shouted at Leshy, even though Leshy remained silent.

«I know her temperament isn’t the easiest, but at least she’s a woman. Well, at least formally.» Leshy lifted one ear and covered his nose with a paw.

It seemed like he was chuckling. «Alright, go ahead, laugh at me.» Kevin threatened him with his finger.

«By the way, this is your responsibility since you’re the one who brought the girl from the swamp.» Leshy looked at him with reproach, as if to say, «Why didn’t you leave the child there?» «Okay, stop giving me that look. So, it’s settled; we’re going to Karen’s.»

Mary sat on a bench, examining the interior of the hut. Although, what kind of interior was there? A stove, a bench, a table, a chest, a window without curtains. On the walls, various wreaths made of different herbs were hung, along with various tools needed for household chores; that’s it.

It’s clear that the owner lives alone. He’ll kick me out, for sure. Or give me back to my aunt, Mary sadly reflected.

These thoughts made her feel cold, and she wrapped herself tightly in her shirt. For some reason, she had completely stopped being afraid of this wild-looking man. She felt that people like him would never harm her.

That’s how her dad had been: strong, brave, and kind. Mary dropped her face onto her folded arms on the table and cried out loud. The girl didn’t hear when Kevin entered the room and sat beside her, gently stroking her back with his broad hand.

«Don’t cry, little one. Life is such that tears won’t help. I’ve been thinking,» he continued.

Mary hushed, listening to his voice. «Do you like fairy tales?» The forester asked, and she thought she could hear a smile in his voice. Mary raised her head and nodded.

«Then you must know about Baba Yaga, right?» Mary’s eyes widened even more, but she nodded again. «I have a friend who lives nearby, in a village not far from here. Although, she’s the only one left from that village’s residents.»

«Her name is Granny Karen. Not because of her age, even though she’s old, but out of respect. She’s a powerful witch doctor.»…