The Moon Calls

30

"Before we go on, I want to write a letter to my father." Rapunzel told them. "Let him know how far we've come. Cass, can I borrow Owl?"

"Of course." Cass smiled and looked at Owl.

"If needed, I also have a hawk we can use to send messages. In case we have to send a message to two different locations at once." Donella said casually.

"A hawk?" Varian asked excitedly.

Donella held out a hand and whistled. A hawk came down from the sky and landed on her gauntlet. Everyone but Hugo let out sounds of awe. Owl looked at the hawk curiously and Pascal hid in Rapunzel's hair while Ruddiger clung to Varian's neck.

"Does your hawk have a name?" Rapunzel asked eagerly.

"...Hawk." Donella shifted her hand and the hawk took off into the air again. "Your pets needn't worry, she only hunts the wild."

"You and Cassandra need to name your pets." Eugene remarked with a grin.

"They are not pets, they are partners." Donella corrected him.

"It's her pet." Hugo said, shrugging. Donella shot him an annoyed look and he grinned.

"Varian, your mother had one, too. He's currently being cared for at my home after your father sent him to contact me." Donella informed him.

"Oh hey, you're here! Great!" Adira said, strolling over to them.

"Adira!" Lance said with stars in his eyes. "You're back!"

"Of course. You'll never get through this forest without me." She said smugly.

"And why not?" Cassandra raised an eyebrow.

"Because it's ever-changing and I know the way through." Adira tilted her head to the side slightly. "Because I'm awesome."

"Well, then let's go, already!" Rapunzel said eagerly, tying her letter to Owl's leg. "To my father in Corona, okay?" She stroked his feathers fondly.

"Mmm, not yet." Adira looked at the sky. "It's late, we should make camp and go when you're better-rested and there's light in the sky."

"She's got a point." Cassandra said before launching Owl off her glove to send off the letter. "We'll make camp here."

"Good idea!" Rapunzel smiled. "Cass, Eugene, can you guys go get firewood?"

"On it!" Eugene said as he walked off with Cassandra.

"I'll start getting ingredients out so we can have some stew!" Rapunzel went to their food trunk.

"Oh, I'll help!" Lance went over to Rapunzel.

Varian shifted a bit, now alone with Donella and Adira. Both people he had had so many questions for but wasn't sure how to ask them. Where would he even start? He decided to distract himself by joining Hugo over by the firepit he was setting up.

"How you holding up, Stripes?" Hugo asked.

"Huh?" Varian blinked.

"We've been going a while. Homesick yet?" He asked, setting the stones around the firepit carefully, then building a platform to cook their stew on over the fire.

Varian sighed. "A little. I miss the sounds of the castle staff." He admitted, helping him.

"Firewood!" Eugene said, walking over and kneeling to set it in. "Cass should be back soon with her own."

"Awesome, let's get this fire roaring!" Hugo grinned and they moved out of the way a bit so Eugene could put the stray pieces of wood he found into the pit they made. Then they finished building the platform before Varian started the fire with flint and tinder.