Claxton

Chapter Seven: Merlin's Cave

        The two fairies were quiet during the journey to Merlin's Cave. When they finally reached it in the middle of the forest, Tracey hovered and placed his hands on his hips. "Here we are, prissy Miss Makenna."

"Prissy?" asked Makenna. "Nobody calls me prissy, Ninja Boy!"

"Well, you are," Tracey seriously said.

"Shut up!" Makenna shouted at him. "Do you want me to break your stupid wings because I will! Put up your dukes."

The statement about his "stupid" wings made Tracey mad. Nobody talked bad about his wings! Turning to Makenna, he stooped and landed, putting down his foot. "Take that back, Makenna! Nobody talks bad about my wings! Nobody! How would you feel if I took your most prized procession away? Take that back!"

"Why should I, Ninja Boy?" asked Makenna.

"Ninja Boy, Ninja Boy!" Tracey shouted. "That's all I ever hear from you!"

"Well, what else am I supposed to call you?" Makenna asked although she knew his name was Tracey.

"Tracey!" retorted the young apprentice. "My name is Tracey! T-r-a-c-e-y! Tracey!"

"Tracey?" Makenna asked with a mean chuckle. "That's a girl's name. What are you, androgynous?"

"No, I'm not!" Tracey argued. "Tracey is a unisex name, Makenna. Look it up!" Suddenly, he gasped. He just realized that Makenna had pulled him into a fight. She was toying with him. Tracey hated fights.

Immediately, he returned to his calm self and faced the mouth of the cave again. "Come on, Makenna. Let's go inside."

Makenna fell to the ground. "Ugh!" She was ready to put up her fists and beat him until she heard those ridiculous fairy wings cracking, and he just had to ruin the moment. Makenna hated him, but at the same time, she had this warm, fuzzy feeling for him. She wondered if he felt the same. Getting up, she groaned and lowered her head. She hated internal conflicts.

Crossing her arms, she followed seventeen-year-old Tracey into Merlin's Cave, and immediately, she shivered. It was freezing. It had to be like thirty degrees. There was ice on the cave's wall, but a line of torches lighted the corridor.

Tracey flew forward. "Follow me." He didn't seem bothered by the cold despite the sleeves of his ninja-style, tunic-like shirt being short. Tracey soon stopped and turned to Makenna. "Are you cold?" he asked when he saw her shivering.

"Shush!" Makenna told him. "I-I may be, bu-but I-I don't ne-need you bu-butting in!"

"Makenna," spoke Tracey, "I can help you."

"I don't need your help, Ninja Boy!" Makenna said. She marched by him, and boom! Once again, her wings threw her into the sky. Makenna yelled as she blew all over the place. "Ninja Boy, help!"

Below, agitated Tracey crossed his arms. "Not until you call me Tracey, Makenna."

"Fine!" yelled Makenna with closed eyes. "Tracey! Tracey, please! Please! I'm begging you!"

Tracey cracked a small smile. Makenna said, "Please." That was good enough for him. Nodding, he said, "All right then," and put down his foot. "Wings!" he called to Makenna's wings. "Stop!"

Suddenly, Makenna's wings stopped throwing her.

Makenna gasped.

Tracey lifted his hand and gestured at the wings. "Bring her here."