The Whispering Woods

Lupin

Lupin is sitting there on the floor, stunned. The carriage is now well away, he can hear the trotting of the horses' hooves getting quieter and quieter. His first thought is that he should go after her, save her somehow, but what could he do? He'd only go and get himself captured as well and what good would that do? What would happen if he followed the carriage? What would happen...what could happen... But his thoughts abruptly got cut off as, all of a sudden... the building, to the side of him, doors swung open... Tortuga burst out followed by a tall and gangly creature, of whom Lupin didn't know.

"What happened?!" Tortuga panicked, he turned to Lupin, who was holding his tucked up legs and rocking.

"Lupin! Yer safe, thank god!" He continued, "Where...where's Maple?" He worried, Lupin just continued to rock, lips quivering,

"Please, please tell us," He calmed his tone for a second,

"Maple...The...the woman took her," Lupin mumbled, Tortuga stood log-still, truth sinking in,

"The woman, did...did she have red hair?" He prompted,

"Well...yes, I think," Lupin shuddered,

"And her eye colour? Did you see her eyes?"

"Green?..."

"Oh no...no...no," Tortuga rubbed a hand over his bald and pasty head, he sighed,

"And, where's Taryn," He continued, "Did she come here with you?"

"N...no she...she's at home,"

"Thank god," He whispered, clutching at his chest, he then held his hands out to Lupin,

"'ere best get ye up,"

Lupin took hold of the tortoise's hands and was pulled back onto his feet. Stumbling slightly as he got his balance again. Feeling slightly dizzy with adrenaline.

"Come on, let's walk," He grumbled, and directed for his friend to follow with a nod of his head. He hurried behind them on his long, insect legs. They began to wonder away from the cafe, seemingly heading back the way Lupin and Maple had come earlier. Probably, Lupin expected, heading back to Tortuga's house.

"Now," Tortuga began,

"Why, may I ask, weren't you at home with Aunt Taryn?" He turned to look at Lupin.

"Why were you out, and of all places, you were here?"

Lupin broke eye contact with him to stare at his utterly ragged shoes.

"We...we may have tried to follow you and..." He broke off,

"W...why would you follow me, Lupin?!"

"I...I don't know..." He mumbled, then stood straighter, "Can't I just be curious?" He crossed his arms and stared into Tortuga's mystic eyes, with a pleading and questioning look. But still Tortuga frowned. All of the light-heartedness wiped out of him.

"Look, Lupin, I know yer a curious kid, but that doesn' mean ye should go wondering around where ye like, it's dangerous out here," He patted Lupin's head, making his hair stick out even more.

"I agree with Tortuga, my boy," Tortuga's friend piped up, he was hunched over and looking down at Lupin. "And I'm sorry about your Sister," He said looking sullen, then re-adjusted his shirt collar (of which he seemed swamped in) and tightened his striped tie. "But life still goes on," He sighed, stretching out the entirety of his back, which made him appear double his current height. Patted Lupin on the shoulder, glanced at Tortuga and nodded, then took off in large strides, heading away from them. Each one of his strides must have been at least five of Lupin's as he had reached the outskirts of the village in a matter of seconds.

Tortuga and Lupin walked in silence all the way back out of the village and into the woods, Until Lupin broke it with a question...

"W...what are we gonna do about Maple, Tortuga?" He looked up at Tortuga with a sunken, sad-looking face,

"We'll decide that once we get back an' are safely inside me house," He mumbled, sighing yet again.

They soon wandered up the, wild-flower surrounded, pathway leading up to Tortuga's home.