Moon Flowers (Book 1 of the Flower Trilogy) #Wattys2016 #Featured

CHAPTER EIGHT - PHI (Edited)

PHI'S POV

The night before, the king had said he was going to find the goguelins. I wanted to join him. At the first light of day, I hid in the fog covering the alley and I waited there until I saw King Siegfried, along with goblins and dwarfs, crossing the fog at the end of the alley towards the outside world.

I tiptoed behind without them knowing. They were particularly hard to follow when they all climbed into three carriages pulled by four mice each. I flapped my wings, desperate to keep up with them.

I had never flown this far before. My first time out of the alley. My dream of finally stretching my wings came true. But only by directly disobeying the king. That's why I had to stay out of their sight. The thrill made my heart race like never before.

If nothing happens to me, no one needs to find out. Right?

I had never seen so far out in the village, these angles. Multiple roads, thatched roof houses. Even if up in the air, I could smell the dirt and filth of the humans. Like the stench of the animal carcasses a man was trying to sell on the market place. The horror of humans. Still, I was flying, so what did I care? The world was big and there was so much to discover!

Siegfried and his troop fled unseen through the narrow streets. I knew they were heading towards the port, towards the sea, where they were most likely to find the goguelins. In a human ship. I followed close with anticipation. It would be my first time seeing the sea.

They king had taken dwarfs and goblins with him to find the creatures. That was because dwarfs and goblins were the closest relatives of the rarely seen goguelins, and that increased their chances of spotting one.

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At last, I saw the shimmering waters of the sea before me. I heard the sound of its waves dying on the beach. I smelled the salt in the marine air. Glorious. I folded my wings and sighed, taking in the new sights and scents. I noticed the little troop had disappeared in an alley very similar to our own. I then spotted them getting out of their carriages. The king and his entourage were about to tell the mice to wait for them when a black tailless cat jumped in their way.

The cat bared his fangs and hissed. For a moment, I feared the feline would eat them alive.

This was no normal cat. It was a black fairy cat, a merciless beast that lurked where death did. They would wait by their deceased victims until their souls left their bodies, and then seize them to lead them to hell. In short, they were the black cats evil witches keep as their pets.

I watched Siegfried, his troop, and the mice retreat before the abominable creature. Then, a gray cat with an ear half torn appeared. The gray cat growled at the fairy cat as if he thought the latter was intruding in his territory. Meowing and hissing ensued as the two leapt on each other.

Ryn, a young dwarf—and my sword master—reflexively turned to help the unfortunate gray cat, but the king stopped him.

"It's useless," I heard him say. "We are not powerful enough to regain our normal size and fight him off. We don't have enough magic."

What? He was the king of the fairies! He has vowed to protect all innocent creatures.

I needed to do something, and I no longer cared if the king saw me. Nothing would die on my watch. I dove down as fast as I could and kicked the evil fairy cat on its nose.

"No!" I heard the king scream.

His shout made me lose focus and I did not see the cat swat at me as if I were a fly. I plummeted to the ground. The fairy cat loomed over me. I could feel his breath in my hair.