They're determined to keep walking, never stopping despite the ache growing in their knee and hips. Periodically there would be a glint of light in the corner of their eye or the soft footfalls of a woodland creature escaping their sight, but June refuses to get distracted. They don't know what this witch's residence would look like, only that they'd know it when they see it.
Exhausted, and - alright, perhaps nearly - lost, June spots a large smooth-ish rock and sits down for a brief rest. After the pain dissipated from that run-in with that root, their bark has started to itch like crazy. Rolling up their jeans, they take a close look at their left calf. They slowly, carefully, scratch at the gnarled mess of pine bark growing there, but it was only a few seconds until that made it hurt hot enough to recoil their hand. The itchiness persisted.
"Oooooh. That's plainly awful."
The voice comes from behind June. It's deep and feminine, yet in some intangible way a little wild. It startles them, causing their leg to slip off the rock onto the ground. Another bolt of pain races through their leg. June spins around ready for a confrontation...and sees no one. Not even a hint of movement behind a tree. Skeptical, they turn their gaze back in front of them, only to be met with two bright eyes staring into their own: one cyan, the other yellow.
June startles, nearly falling off the rock. They yelp and raise one arm in reflex as the other catches their backwards fall. But the person leaning over them doesn't move. Above the heterochromic eyes, messy lilac hair spills out from under the brim of a wrinkled pointy hat barely. The figure only stares with no response to June's outcry. It's obvious to June now - this is definitely the witch of the Gravewoods.
"You're definitely the witch of the Gravewoods!" June exclaims, out of both surprise and relief at finally having found them. The witch doesn't smile or nod but instead crouches down and starts to lift the pant of June's left leg once again. June winces, sucking in sharply with their teeth.
"What are you doing? Stop that!" June scolds, raising their cane threateningly.
The witch stands back up, brushes some dirt off their dark robe, and bows their head. June notices a light purple badge sewn into the crown of the hat: a lotus flower. They set their cane back down to the solid earth.
"Penance," the witch says coolly. "I do not often meet one with such impressive ailment. You are a child of the earth, correct?"
June furrows their brow. "A child of the earth?"
"Ah, an earth elemental."
"Oh...yeah. 'Penance?'"
"Ah, 'sorry'."
"Right. Uh.. 'impressive'?"
"Ah, 'cool'."
June shakes their head. "No, ugh, I know what it means. But I thought you just said it was awful." June looks around, the ominous scenery giving them another chill up their back. "That...was you, right?"
"Yes. Awful. I'm full of awe. Now let's not squander any more time dear girl, succeed me to my home." Lotus whirls around, beckoning to June with the back of their hand. A purple ponytail explodes from the back of their head, ragged and uncut.
"Okay, fine. But I'm not a girl, you know," grumbles June, turning a slight shade of red as they put their weight on their right leg to stand up.
"So it is apparent. Penance. Neither am I," the witch spoke without turning around, "Nor am I a boy, nor anything between."
June follows the witch now, walking slowly in a seemingly random direction. "So what are you?"
At this the witch turned around. "I am Lotus. Witch of the Gravewood. And, if you kindly, a xyr."
June tilts their head. The pronoun is new to them, but their mind runs through the appropriate syntax based on their studies. Xyr, xe, xem?
"Or 'they', like yourself, if you must. I have no concern."