"Wha...what are you doing!?" Aaron said, squirming and flapping in vain to break Mike's grasp.
"I am so glad that you have returned! And with a friend!" She let go of Aaron's waist, but quickly grapped one of her wings. "And such pretty feathers and powerful wings..! Oh!" She quickly moved behind Aaron and ran her hand through Aaron's hair. "And your hair! It is so very beautiful! Oh, I can not wait to brush and braid it for you one day..! And-" she went on. Aaron looked positively mortified.
Though introductions seem almost pointless by this point, you decide it'd be best to be proper about it.. "Uhhh. Yeah. Mike, this is Aaron. Aaron, Mike."
"Oh, it is such a pleasure to meet you, Aaron! Oh yes, we'll all be the very best of friends!" She hugged Aaron from behind now. "...oh! How rude of me, you must be hungry. Let me get some food for you!" She let go and walked over to a tree, reaching her hand inside of the trunk and melding with it as she fumbled around looking for something inside.
Thankful for her freedom, Aaron quickly hopped over beside you, slightly hiding behind. "...You think SHE would have ideas?" She rubbed her waist and winced a little. Perhaps Mike had held her too hard or she was having a stomache ache...?
"Well, as surprising as it may be, she does know this place better than we do.."
Mike perked up a little, apparently finding what she had been rummaging for in her tree-storage, and skipped back in success to the two of you, handing each a large juicy fruit.
"Is it alright to eat this?" Aaron quietly asks you.
You nod, and Aaron begins digging. Apparently she had been a lot more hungry than she let on. Michael smiled happily as she watched. You keep look down at your own fruit, then back up at the tree where Mike had just passed right into to pull out the fruit, starting to formulate a plan...
"Mike," you asked, "can you pass through dead wood too?"
"That is right!," she nods, and presses against a fallen tree nearby, and, just the same as the trees, her arm starts to meld with it like it was liquid, and after a moment, exits and reforms on the far side of the log, several feet away from her body. "Heheh, see?" She beamed and giggled. A bit of colour seemed to return to the log, as if it had been reinvigorated somewhat. But what mattered is that she was able to pass through it...
You nod solemnly. "Good. Do you think you could do that to a wall made of wood as well? Pass from one side through to the other?"
Mike contemplated for a moment. Before deciding, "I can not see why not. I should be able to without trouble..."
"Alright. Then here's the plan... We need to get those potions that're inside the witch's cabin. But anything that tries to go in the doors or windows, inanimate or otherwise, gets turned into a toad. We've all been able to escape without being turned into a toad though, so that means there's two possibilities... Either, A... The spell is only 'one way,' preventing people from entering the house...."
"Eep, it is a one way froggy door..!" Mike exclaimed. Aaron gulped down the last piece of her fruit then shot her a look and opened her mouth to let out a sarcastic quip, but closed it after a moment and looked away, apparently decided against it.
"Basically, yes. Or B, the spell only activates while the witch is away or asleep. Meaning the only time we could get in is when the witch is wide awake and would surely notice someone walking through her door, or prying open her windows."
"So," Aaron sighed, obviously frustrated, "It's hopeless, then. Is that your plan?"
"No. We're going to get those potions. We don't know for sure whether the toad spell kicks in while the witch is away or asleep, or whether it just affects the windows and doors or if it's the whole house. Which means the only sure way to be safe is that Mike will have to go through the wooden walls of the cabin, while the witch is awake."
Mike swallowed nervously.
You continue. "Mike, you can do it however you think is best.. pass your whole body through so you get inside, or just pass your hand inside of the cabin to the potion shelf, if you think that'd be stealthier. Then take the potions and drop them out the window. I broke the kitchen window just earlier, and the witch still hasn't repaired it yet. I'll be waiting from the cover of the woods to sprint over and grab them. I'll also be able to smell if the witch is asleep, or if she leaves. Or if she should catch on to what we're doing, I'll be the decoy... I'm the fastest anyways, and it's my plan, I should be the one to face the witch if it fails." You quietly close your eyes, somewhat surprised at how noble you sound, but also quite terrified at the thought of that outcome. "Meanwhile," you go on once ready, "Aaron, you're going to be our lookout from the air. If you see the witch, or -anything-, that could jeporadize the plan, signal or call out. In the worst case scenario, once I've decoyed the witch, call out to Mike to tell her to do her wood-ghosting thing to get to the roof, and you lift her out. Best case scenario, we all get out of there and have a box full of potions that will hopefully change us back to our original form. Everyone got it and is okay with this plan?"
Aaron was the first to chime in. "It sounds like our best bet."
You nod at her, then look to Mike for her answer.
The dryad was looking down, shuffling her feet nervously and wiggling her toes a little bit in the grass. "...I..." she spoke, "...I d-do not want to take the potions...."
"But we need you!"
"N-no, I mean... I will help you guys steal the potions for you to take, but I do not want to drink any myself! I like being a dryad, I do not wish to go back to my old body. I can understand that you two want to change back but.. I never 'lost' myself like you seem to think.. I am me, I have always been me. I just grew to know and accept this body more..." Mike said as she looked at you both pleadingly.
Aaron stomped the ground hard with one of her talons and started advancing towards her. "Come on! That's just the magic talking! You can't honestly beli-"
You place your arm between them to stop Aaron's advancements and cut her in mid sentence. "No, this is Mike's choice... if we forced it on her, we'd be no different than the witch."
Aaron looked at you, then to Mike, then back at you. She shifted uncomfortably, but let off the tension in her talons. "Mmf.. Fine..." She was apparently still insecure about anything that made it sound like she was going to be stuck like this.
In a way, you can't help but wonder if the reason you're more accepting of Mike is because the magic has a firmer grasp on you, or if you just really believe the magic doesn't change one's individual choices and personality. But this isn't the time to think about it. "We just need your help to steal the potions. You don't have to drink the potions if you don't want to, Mike. We'll let you stay as a dryad."
"Oh, thank you! Friends!" Mike smiled from ear to pointy ear, embracing both you and Aaron in yet another uncomfortably tight (and naked...) hug.
"Alright," you squirm so the hug is broken, and return to your serious demeanor. "Is everyone ready?"
"Yes, I believe I am!"
"Yeah, as ready as I'll ever be."
The three of you stand in a circle and exchange looks of confidence in one another. Between you, first a black wing drifts into the middle. Then a brown hand rooted with moss is placed on top. And finally, your black, padded feline paw is added to the stack.