The Lost Knight (Volume III) The Lost World

Chapter 8: Killer Trees

Dathid and Jonah talking in whispers wakes me up early the next morning. Lenox is still sleeping, so I try to wiggle out from under his wing without disturbing him. But as soon as he feels me stir, he swings his head around to smell my hair.

"Good morning, buddy. Did you sleep well?" I ask while scratching his face.

He purrs and moves his head around so I can reach the places that itch the most. I rub the sleep from my eyes and remember how much I hate camping.

Dathid offers me cold tea and is kind enough not to speak to me until my fuzziness wears off. Everyone stirs awake soon after.

"It shouldn't be so bad today," Jonah says, trying to soothe my boredom.

"Yeah, but after the flying comes the walking," I groan. I'm not in the mood to be comforted.

My dread was unwarranted. The flight is a lot more interesting today. We fly low and a few times even touch the trees. We weave in and out of mountains and scare a lot of the wildlife. Lenox and I even dive-bomb a few unsuspecting creatures. It's mean but fun. I'm glad he never actually tries to catch one because that would make me feel terrible.

We land close to the top of a gently sloping mountain. When I remove my supplies from Lenox, I can tell he's not happy about this part of the journey. "I'll be gone for a few days. While I'm not here, you're in charge. You keep everyone safe. Okay?"

He half-heartedly sniffs my hair and sighs. Then thumps me in the face with his nose. I stagger backward clutching my sore face. When the pain eases, I take a few deep breaths to cool my anger. "I really wish you'd stop doing that. I'll let it go this time, but we need to talk about the face bashing." I give him some pets and a big hug. I kiss his head and whisper, "I'll be back soon. Be a good boy."

He groans and lets out a deep sigh as I join the group and begin the long trek up the mountainside.

"So a few things you should know," Jonah says. "These are wild trees, so be careful."

I look up. They look like normal trees, singing a low tune that sounds almost like humming, but the sound stops when we get too close to one. "How do I be careful with a tree?"

"Try not to break any branches. If you move a limb, be gentle with it. Treat them the same as you would a wild animal."

I giggle when I think of the trees scurrying off like scared deer.

"It's not a laughing matter. Trees can be dangerous when they're threatened."

"What's it going to do? What do I have to be afraid of? These don't seem like magical trees. They're just boring old trees, standing around, doing what trees do."

He sighs deeply. "Agatha, on Earth, did you ever meet a wild tree?"

"We have trees in the city. I've never been to the woods or anything, but I've been to the park."

"Those are domesticated trees, born and bred in captivity. They depend on people for food, water, and grooming. I'm talking about trees that grow without the help of humans."

"How can you tell the difference? Are wild trees more dangerous than domesticated trees? How can a tree be dangerous?"

"Well, depending on your point of view, trees either have a very good attitude or a very bad one. They have an excellent sense of humor and find most things entertaining. But most non-flora beings don't think their antics are funny. If you would've had more interaction with trees, you'd realize that many of their actions are rather menacing."

"You mean Earth trees? Earth trees are menacing?" I ask. "No one on Earth thinks trees are dangerous. How can a tree have actions, and how can those actions be considered threatening?"