The Land Never Lost

Chapter 23

The next few months were non stop excursions into the human world. Peter and Trinkett were making great progress in their hunts. One by one, the lost boys joined the hunt as soon as they finished training. Hawk was first to join. Followed by Fin and Scales. Third to finish their training was Fox. The lost boys had stopped by the room of rumination to check Bear's progress before they went to hunt glooms. Inside, the fallen were watching Leif and Bear fighting. It was a rare sight to see the giant fairy engage in combat. His attacks made the ground shake and with every swing of his wooden club, a sharp wind followed.

It was all Bear could do to keep his head on his shoulders. He blocked the club with a bear paw and swung his other at Leif. The paw harmlessly hit Leif's breastplate and the fairy grabbed Bear's arm. With a grunt, Leif flipped Bear over his shoulder and slammed him into the ground. The nemerald form was knocked off of the boy and he lay on his back coughing.

Leif picked the boy up and placed a hand on his back. He healed Bear and said, "You weren't attacking again." Bear said softly, "I tried to hit you."

"If you were trying, you would've caved my armor in. That wasn't you trying." Leif said.

The boys walked over to Bear. Fin and Scales were reenacting the fight showing Bear what he should have done. "You gotta strike like this!" Fin threw a punch that sent Scales flying backwards. "Ah!" Fin went running after his twin, "Sorry! Sorry!". Keith chuckled and turned to Bear, "You got this Bear. Don't give up. Until your training is complete we can handle the hunt. Blink and Brutus had rushed to the twins and they all started rough housing.

Ramona was using her ability to track the movements of glooms in the human world. Trinkett and Belias were standing around the shield watching the living map move in real time. "Their activity has picked up in response to our own efforts. We need Bear to be finished with training so the boys can make a bigger statement." Trinkett knit her eyebrows as she watched the map, "As soon as we decide to hand over the duty of fighting glooms, they start behaving weirdly. I just don't like it."

"Hey guys!" Peter said. Hawk nodded to everyone and stood beside Ramona. "What exactly is the unusual activity?" Hawk asked. Peter remembered what Trinkett had said the night they met, "Glooms grouping up. Tink said they usually didn't move in anything larger than pairs. Lately we have been having to hunt five at a time."

Belias pulled his hoodie over his head and walked away from the map. Hawk whispered to Ramona, "He still doesn't trust me huh?"

"He doesn't trust easily. He will come around."

Belias walked over to Fox, "Let me have a word." When they were out of earshot Belias removed his black bomber jacket and handed it to Fox. Shocked, the boy stared at Belias, unable to move. "Go on. Take it. I don't wear all black as a fashion statement."

"I thought it was because you were dark and brooding." Keith said.

The corner of Belias' mouth turned up slightly. "Hmm. It's a reminder of our responsibilities to our respective teams. We move in the dark. If there is information to be found, we are the first to know." Fox put the black jacket on, the rose attached to the lapel seemed to burn bright red with renewed intensity. "Don't mess up." The two shook hands and Belias left the room of rumination.

"Guys, come check this out!" Peter shouted with excitement. Everyone moved to the map, which now showed a huge cluster of glooms. "That's a lot of hunting." Brutus said. "Easily a dozen just waiting to get beat up." Blink had a wild smile on his face. Trinkett turned to Peter, "Go get 'em." Peter asked, "You aren't coming with this time?" Trinkett hugged him. "You have to lead at some point. This is what you guys have been training for. You, Hawk, Fox, and the twins should be able to handle that many."