In which Robin De Noir mistakes Olive Heliotrope for the Moon Princess, and the two star-crossed enemies must work together to break a curse.
❝ Oh, I can't
Stop you putting roots in my dreamland
My house of stone, your ivy...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
FRIGHTENED TO DRAW the men back with cries for help, Olive frantically spun, silently. She studied the view of the forest from every direction, hoping something would catch her eye – something familiar.
Nothing.
She turned to the beast that'd saved her, hoping he could bring her home. "Wrolf," she said. "Where's home?"
The dog panted, and rubbed his muzzle against her, sweetly.
"Home? How do we get home, back to Moonacre?"
The dog simply sat down in the grass, and sniffed at the rabbit in Olive's arms, trying to catch its scent. She figured Wrolf knew the way, and would show her eventually, but was eager to escape the forest, in case the men came back. Additionally, she feared Sir Benjamin's wrath that seemed likely to scathe her if she and Maria didn't return before dark.
Olive's heart sank with the weight of hopelessness.
Then she heard a familiar voice.
"Olive??! Olive, where are you??"
Wrolf's ears perked.
"Maria??" Olive called back. She began to walk in the direction that Wrolf had looked, holding the rabbit close. Wrolf padded along beside her.
Then, through the trees, the girls caught sight of one another.
"Olive!!" Maria cried, hurrying towards her friend. "What happened – what took you so long?!"
"I got lost.." Olive started, unsure if she should tell Maria about her encounter with the bandits.
Maria nearly wrapped Olive in a wide embrace, but she paused as soon as she saw Wrolf.
"H-hello, Wrolf."
Olive smiled thankfully at the dog.
"He found me," she said.
"Oh." Maria's eyes then settled on the fluffy bundle of fur in Olive's arms. "What's that?"
"A rabbit," Olive said.
"Oh, it's absolutely precious," Maria beamed, her big blue eyes widening with curiosity and adoration. "May I hold it?"
"When we get back to Moonacre," Olive said, sternly. She glanced behind her into the darkening forest. "We're not safe here."
Maria's eyes widened once more. Understanding the need for urgency, the younger girl quickly turned on her heels, and began to walk. "The horses are this way," she said.
Soon enough, they reached the edge of the forest. Periwinkle and Orion waited for them, patiently, enjoying the opportunity to graze.
The sky was turning purple-pink as the girls and their furry companions began the ride back to Moonacre. Olive had figured out a way to wrap the rabbit up in her skirts as she held onto the reigns, and this time, Wrolf led the way. Both girls marveled at the size of the beast, who still managed to seem so large, even beside the horses.
