Sun and Stone

XIV.

Hope began to bloom in my chest at the thought of Grayson and Malavy returning, and I began to weave through the canopy toward the sound of crunching leaves and approaching voices. That hope died when I picked up the sound of more than two distinct voices. Hesitant to reveal myself to a third giant today, I landed on a narrow branch near the edge of the canopy, being sure to remain camouflaged by the fall foliage. Soon, three figures emerged into the clearing, none of them recognizable as my friends. Each stranger was riding a flame hued lizard the size of a horse, which set my heart racing. I would be little more than a fly to the steaming beasts, and that was no exaggeration. Despite the warm autumn afternoon, steam rose from the nostrils of each steed, creating a burning haze around the strangers.

The rider on the right wore a full knights armor including a helm, completely masking his face. The staff strapped to his back was lit like a torch on one end, but the flame left the wood of the staff unmarred. I would have assumed the lizard beast on the right was riderless if it were not for the slant of the afternoon sun creating shadows that helped define his vague outline. He was a translucent, made of golden light full of sparkling dust motes held in the general outline of a man. The middle rider emerged last from the forest, and the other riders gravitated toward this man as the obvious leader of their party. He was the most normal of the three, wearing plain hiking pants and t-shirt. The normal ended there, though, as he also sported a strange headpiece made of red and orange feathers. The feathers glinted and ignited in liquid color under the sunlight, giving the man the appearance that he had a flowing mane of contained fire.

My mind raced as I realized I was watching Fae creatures emerge from the forest. I flew forward to the very edge of the canopy and clumsily landed on a forked branch, curious to see what they would do. Were these the Fae from the Court of Light? Were they going to go into the tunnel to search for me, or be able to track me out here?

Fire Head smoothly dismounted and approached the cave while the other two remained on their lizard things, surveying the area. Mister Sunbeam spoke first, his whisper of a voice plucking at the air like a harp, notes ringing out long after he had finished speaking. The air reeks of Night Fae, more than just the witch who resides in this abominable hole.

Flame Head broke from his calm survey of the area in a burst of violence, kicking out at his lizard. The creature reared back a few steps but quickly calmed. Speaking in a deep and nasal voice, he nodded to the Token Dude in Armor. Search the area. They couldnt have gotten far with her. The Princess cannot reach the Grove, his majesty was insistent on that. We must save her. The riders spread out and began scouring the area, staying near the cave entrance and spiraling outward. My stomach plummeted while I tried to work out their intentions. They spoke of saving me, and they didnt want me to go to the Grove. This aligned with the dread I felt whenever Malavy mentioned leading us there. Malavy said it meant safety, and that Gray and I could stay together, but what if it was a trap? These Fae before me seemed to want to help me, and perhaps it wouldnt be the worst idea to get more information before going to find Gray. I felt so vulnerable right now, lost in a world I knew nothing about, and here were some answers, hoping to find and save me. I wouldnt have to reveal myself, I could observe from a distance, completely undetected. Noone expects a tiny insect of a person to be spying from the treetops.

I began to slowly work my way through the foliage surrounding the clearing, keeping myself hidden while I observed the Fae in their search. In my anxious glances over the strangers, I caught a flash of light from the tunnel exit. Fearing the reappearance of the thorned man, I quickly zeroed in on a pair of golden glowing eyes staring intently at me, somehow picking out my small form from the foliage and bright sunrays behind me. Fear ignited in my blood as I envisioned a ball of green flame barreling toward me from the darkness, the thorned man returned to finish what he started. But the familiar shape and color of those luminous eyes gave me pause. Squinting into the darkness, I couldn't make out the shape of the body, but I knew it was Malavy. I felt it in the annoyed bristle that raced the back of down my neck. They had come back for me, but where had they gone in the first place? Despite swearing to protect me, they had disappeared so suddenly, and now they were back just as suddenly. Frustration and yearning for some modicum of calm normalcy continued to build. Some guide they were turning out to be. Quieting my annoyance, I was happy to know I had a way back to Grayson, at the very least. I held my hand out with an exaggerated thumbs up and then pointed emphatically at the gathered new Fae between us, hoping that they would interpret this to mean Hey Malavy! Thanks for coming back for me. Totally interested in finding out how I ended up all alone after I figure out what these guys are up to.