When Chat walked through the cliff wall Flip’s bottom beak quite literally hit the ground. Julio laughed uproariously. Bam hid behind a rock. And Twirl ran forward to where Chat had been standing before he walked through the wall. She dared not get any closer though. Twirl wasn’t about to press her luck.
And then just like that, Chat walked back through the cliff face and said, “Well? Come on.” And disappeared again.
Twirl took a deep breath and prepared herself to receive a bruise on her forehead and then took a step forward. And just like that the weirdest thing happened. Moments before there was a cliff in her way, and then there wasn’t. She was standing inside a cave opening that was ornately and beautifully carved. There were columns carved from the rock. Ornate writing was carved out of the stone floor. Soft lighting came from torches on the walls and candles lined the floors.
Moments later Bam, Julio and Flip all stumbled through the cliff face as well. Julio burst out into a bray of laughter that seemed extremely inappropriate in such a quiet place. Julio flinched at the sound of his echoing laughter and then blushed. Twirl began moving forward in order to catch up with Chat. Once she pulled up next to Nigel, she asked “Chat? How did you do that? The cliff wall? Just so you know - you just walked through a cliff wall. And now we are in some sort of a mausoleum.”
Chat turned around and gave Twirl her full attention for the first time since they entered the cliff. “Twirl, you are crazy. What exactly are you talking about. I came up near you and saw the cave entry. And then I walked in. What did you see?”
At this Twirl grabbed Chat's two hands in hers and began dragging him back outside. Once they were back outside the cliff wall Twirl said “There. That. You don’t see that - the cliff wall, hard and impregnable standing there?”
Chat was shocked when he answered her “No. I see nothing... I see the cave opening, the pillars, the torches flickering further down the corridor. Are you sure you aren’t the one that’s crazy? A cliff wall? Seriously?” And with that he shook his head and proceeded to walk straight through the cliff wall again without giving it another thought.
Twirl closed her eyes and rush to follow after him. Whatever is going on she decided she was definitely going to stay close to Chat from here on out.
As they team regrouped they began walking quietly further down the cave entrance until they came to a spot where the corridor began to become dramatically wider and deeper. It was while they were standing there staring at the cathedral like proportions of the cave that they noticed movement coming their direction from the center of the walkway further down.
It was three monk like shapes with hoods over their heads. They walked without sound and without looking up. Once they were within about 10 feet of the Chat they all stopped and slid back their hoods in one fluid motion. They were the most beautiful creatures Chat had ever laid his eyes on. These were obviously they mystical snow leopards standing before him.
Without looking at anyone in particular they began to talk in unison “Welcome to the Snow Cliffs. We mean no offense, but only the one is allowed to enter. Entrance by all others is strictly off limits.” At this they bowed their heads all at once.
“The one what?” asked Chat rather cluelessly. Once he received no answer he looked over at Twirl and gave a questioning shoulder shrug. She put her hands up in the air as if to say ‘don’t look at me - I don’t know anything.’ Trying again, Chat said, “I’m sorry but who is allowed to stay? I don’t fully understand.”
The lead snow leopard then said “You are more than welcome to stay. But your friends must wait outside of the cliff walls.”
Chat was surprised to hear this, “So there is a cliff wall there then? Twirl, I guess you aren’t the crazy one then! Looks like I’m the crazy one. Wow.” Twirl began to shepherd Bam, Flip and Julio back the way they came. When Chat piped back up again, “Oh, I am really sorry to do this, but can Twirl stay instead? This trip wasn’t my idea. I don’t even know what I would do inside once I was in. Can you let Twirl take my place?”
YOU ARE READING
Paladin's Pendant
AdventurePaladin's Pendant is the story of an island of animals at war for time immemorial. Everyone has forgotten why the war began or for what purpose they were sending their young sons to the slaughter. Enter Chat, a raccoon sent to the front who is cau...
