Learning to Care

Chapter 7

Vendel had been with Blinky for half an hour now, and Toby was freaking out. It was his fault that Blinky was a baby, and he would never stop blaming himself if the kind blue troll died because of him. Claire and Jim were doing their best to convince Toby that it wasn't his fault, but he could see their own worry in their eyes. Vendel had taken one look at little Blinky and taken him into a separate room to help him, not even bothering to ask questions. Now the wise old troll poked his head out of the doorway and ushered the anxious friends into the room.

Blinky was sitting up on the bed when they came in, swinging his legs and gnawing on some type of rock. He waved at his friends gleefully, and they rushed to hug him, Aargh's strong arms surrounding the whole group. Vendel sat on a stool across from the group and fixed them with his level stare. "You are all fools, but I sense that there will be no purpose in berating you." The humans and Aargh looked up in surprise to see Vendel snort and raise an eyebrow at them. He didn't look mad, just bemused. "You four, thinking you could manage a baby troll? I commend your efforts, but young trolls have very specific diets. He was very malnourished, but otherwise he is fine. I have to ask, what were you feeding him?" Claire told him and Vendel sighed. "Let's just be glad that you finally came to your senses and came to me. You're lucky that he didn't de-age to the stage where young trolls still need milk!" Vendel noticed that Blinky had finished his rock and gave him another, then said, "Have you figured out how to return Blinkous to his normal age?"

Toby explained about the reverse to the Gritnanka being in The Book of Bushala, and that Rot and Gut had said the book would probably be in Blinky's library. Vendel buried his face in his hands and groaned, "Claire, you at least should have realized that The Book of Bushala is a book of poetry. 'Bushala' means Rhyme." Claire looked surprised. "I thought it was just a title, I didn't think anything of it." Blinky reached his upper two arms up towards Vendel and giggled, so Vendel hoisted him up to his waist, where Blinky shoved one hand in his mouth. Vendel grinned, "He does like me a lot, doesn't he? I helped Dictatious raise him after the deaths of their parents. He paused briefly to pry Blinky's hand out of his mouth, then continued, "Anyways, I cannot help you return him to his proper age." Toby squawked in alarm, but before he could question Vendel, the wise troll held up a hand to silence him.

"This is because there is no way to cause a reverse of the Gritnanka's effects. As I recall, this artifact releases a spell which lasts about two weeks. Since it has been activated for five days, you only have nine more to go. I will help you deal with him until them. I will give you the right food, and he can stay with Aargh and I in troll market while you three are at school. Now we just have to wait."