Ashlynn's Misfortune

Chapter Three

Ashlynn awoke sometime later. She knew not how long she'd been out, but the black bag that was over her head seemed to have disappeared and her donkey form was laying on a bed of white goose feathers.

"Goodmorning, little pretty," the balding man says, leering over her. "Don't worry, we're going to take good care of you."

"Hurry up, Joey, we need to be in the mountains by afternoon. We don't have much time," Bern says.

Ashlynn was forced to her feet and loaded with things that weighed a ton on her back, at least she had an ordinary donkey companion.

Little did Ashlynn know that Raven had been following her kidnappers since she saw them pass by her window. She couldn't help but be curious. And, she was even more surprised when they'd used a secret entrance to pass through the briars. An entrance that supposedly was only to be accessed by the school faculty.

Cedar told her that Ashlynn is a donkey, and Cedar's cursed to always tell the truth. Why everyone else wasn't believing her was beyond Raven. She believed Cedar, though.

Prodding up a hill, head hung in despair, a flash of unusual purple light suddenly catches Ashlynn's attention.

"Was that Raven?" Ashlynn wonders.

Another flash of purple and the snap of a twig.

"What was that?" Joey says, whipping his head around.

Raven jumps in front of them, her deep purple cloak billowing in the slight wind, her eyes narrowed menacingly. The ordinary donkey rears on his hind legs and Bern and Joey freeze in surprise.

"You shall not go any farther," Raven says, eyes aflame, hands raised, ready to use a spell.

Joey and Bern take a few steps back and then turn around and run like chickens with their heads cut off, stumbling on the uneven downhill terrain.

Ashlynn brays happily as Raven cuts the things off her back with a spell; a heavyweight finally lifted.

"Thank you," Ashlynn says, but it comes out as a hee-haw.

"You're welcome, Ash," Raven says, "don't be so surprised," she adds, noticing donkey Ashlynn's surprised face. "You've taught me a few things." She winks.

"Oh, and I just happened to have half a gingerbread house in my room. I brought it for you, just in case," Raven says, pulling out a crumbling gingerbread house from a bag slung over her shoulder.

Amongst the items strewn along the ground, a book with a crimson-red cover catches Raven's eye.

"Look at this," Raven says.

Ashlynn looks up from devouring the gingerbread house, crumbs on her mouth.

Raven opens the book and out falls a map.

"What's a map doing in a potions and spells book?" Raven says, fanning out the paper.

"Wait, look Ash! It says 'the places where one can find the things needed for an animal-human transformation.' For instance, you," Raven reads.

"It has various places marked with red circles. The Village of Bookend, the Forbidden Forest, and the Green Hills. It also has a yellow flower drawn next to the Forbidden Forest, a blue seashell drawn next to the Village of Bookend, and a seven-leaf flower next to the Green Hills."

Ashlynn gleefully dances, hee-hawing happily. She nuzzles Raven, knocking her over.

"I bet you're excited. Don't worry, Ash, we'll get you back to a human soon," Raven laughs, "we have a long journey ahead of us, best we get started now."

Ashlynn nods profusely.

And so, Raven and donkey Ashlynn set off on their journey. But will Ashlynn be back to normal in time for Faire Day?