Lupin pushed the front door open, the house was empty... "Tortuga!" He called to the tortoise, who was a short walk behind him,
"Taryn, she- she's gone," he continued,
"Oh no, I can' be dealin' with this 'swell, let me see," Tortuga walked over the thresh-hold, and glanced at the arm chair... empty. "Well she can' have gone far, maybe she's in the bathroom," He wondered over and knocked on the door, "Aunty, you in there? Taryn?" He then pushed on the door gently and it swung open. Nothing. "I shouldn' have left those three alone, what a fool!" He muttered to himself, "What have I done! My stupid tortoise brain,"
Meanwhile, Lupin had wondered over to the kitchen worktop, next to it was the trolley it had four cups placed upon it, still steaming.
"Tortuga!" He called, Tortuga came rushing over, "It's still hot," the tortoise gasped, "She can't have been gone long," Relief edging into his voice,
"Let's check outside,"
Lupin trailed behind Tortuga as they walked around the side of the house, where they finally spotted Taryn. She was stood at the edge of the woods next to a sloe bush, she was waving at...well... what appeared to be nothing.
"Look, there she is, safe as soun'," Tortuga smiled,
Lupin glanced side-ways, in confusion. As the old tortoise slowly stopped waving, then plucked a berry from the bush beside her. Tortuga began to walk in her direction.
"Aunty," He called, as he approached her, "What are you doing out here?" She picked another few sloes and popped one into her mouth, "I was looking for you," She said, her eyes wide, they wondered over in Lupin's direction, "Berry?" She offered, Lupin shook his head, Taryn then looked back at Tortuga and put one into his hand, "It's good for your health," She said as she patted his hand shut. She then turned around and headed in the direction of the front door, humming to herself.
"See, she was fine left on her own," Lupin said, as they both began to follow Taryn back inside. All Tortuga did was sigh and shake his head.
YOU ARE READING
The Whispering Woods
FantasyAn ongoing fantasy novel about a young teen (Lupin Orchidal) who growing up feeling as though he never fit in with the crowd, bullied and picked on for his differences, discovers his magical abilities and his extraordinary family tree. Follow his jo...
