The Hunt for Freedom

Chapter Thirty Eight

    Dakari opened his eyes and saw Lainey's concerned face. "Sorry, I didn't mean to zone out on you. Werecats can send mental messages to each other even when we're not in feline form. I was letting my sister know everything you have told me so far."

"Will they come for us?" Lainey asked as they began to make their way down the passageway. It was so much easier with Dakari's light. What had taken her half an hour now only took a few minutes.

"They can't pinpoint where we are by the descriptions just yet. They are on alert, awaiting any more news from us."

"What other things can werecats do?" She asked, hesitating only a fraction of a second.

He caught the brief hesitation. "You don't have to worry. We don't hunt people, and I would never hurt you. Just like humans, we are all different. Some are better at physical abilities, like hunting. I am better at the magic aspect." With that he flipped over his hand and held out an apple. He winked as she took it, glad to see the fear erased from her eyes.

"Do you think you could conjure up a glass of water?" She smiled weakly up at him.

He conjured a silver cup and handed it to her. She took it, but looked at him quizzically. It was empty. Maybe he wasn't all that good at the magic stuff after all. He merely laughed at her confusion. He took the cup, bent down and filled it.

As she started to protest that they couldn't drink saltwater, he drained the cup. He reached down, filled it, and handed it back to her. "Trust me?"

She took the cup and sniffed. It didn't smell like ocean water. Testing a small sip, she felt the crisp cool water, fresh from heaven slide down her throat. She drained the cup and filled it again. She didn't know how he did it, but she could get used to it.

As they neared the tide pools Lainey caught sight of the red glow again. She thought she had imagined it the last time she was down here, and yet there it was again. Climbing over a small rock she stepped knee high in a puddle. A fish wiggled out from under her foot and she nearly screamed. Mostly black with a few white spots, it seemed to slide across the rock instead of swim.

Amused, Dakari made his way over to watch the non-swimming fish. "It's a clingfish," he said. "I remember these on a field trip from school."

As Dak made his way to her the walls began to glow red. As he turned to get a better look, the red light on the walls danced and shimmered. Realizing his light was reflecting off something, Dak began to look for the source. Raising his light illuminated the ceiling of the cavern, and Dakari stood in awe at the hundreds of stalactites pointing down at them. They had grown over rose red crystals and the effect when you added firelight was mesmerizing.

"This has been down here all these years and we might be the first to discover it's beauty." Lainey said.

"It's beauty might just be what we need to get rescued. Red quartz crystals are rare, and hold powerful magic. Come on, let's try to get some."

They found an outcropping near the eastern wall and were able to dislodge a few large crystals. There was a small ledge here, and they sat for a moment, marveling at its beauty. He took a small piece in his hand, murmured a few words and opened his hand to her. A delicate necklace made of leather lay on his hand. He had conjured it into a tiny braid woven with the red crystals.

"Wear this amulet always. It will offer you protection from evil and guide you to the pure." With that he slipped it over her head, and she noticed a much plainer one over his.