Dawning of a Seer

The White Wolf

"That would be me," stated Luna revealing herself from the shadows behind Nepeta. Only the Seer did not seem surprised to see Luna standing there, unarmed but with an expression that showed only determination when faced with Nepeta's daggers as she turned in surprise.

"How did you come to be here? You're Blossom's charge aren't you?"

"Blossom is my keeper, yes and the Seer is Marrok's only hope" Luna replied bluntly. "No harm will come to you, but you must let us see him."

Baine looked in alarm at the Seer whose face lit with a broad grin as if he had planned this all along and so forced himself to say nothing despite his concern for Luna.

"This place will not heal him Nepeta," commented the Seer. "Luna is right, I'm his only hope."

Nepeta kept her eyes firmly focused on Luna but listened intently to what the words of the Seer. She struggled to decide. Should she step aside and let them see the wolf she was put here to guard or should she stand her ground? Luna was indeed unarmed unlike the tall, muscular man that stood behind her next to the old man with a magical staff of some kind, but Luna seemed more dangerous. There was something in her eyes.

No-one spoke and the silence grew around them like a choking smoke until Nepeta, without warning, fell to the floor dropping her daggers onto the marble floor with a noise that echoed into the depths of the throne room. Baine quickly swooped down and scooped her up into his arms checking her pulse to make sure she was still alive.

"Sit her down onto one of the thrones. We don't have much more time to waste before the others return," commanded the Seer.

"Where are we?" asked Luna as she and the Seer followed Baine with Nepeta slumped across his arms.

"The Elder Tree," answered the Seer as if he was telling her something she should already know.

"Is this girl going to be alright?" asked Baine with concern as he placed her gingerly into one of the smaller thrones. He rested her head against the solid silver that coiled around the arms and up each side in a knot that had no beginning or end.

"She will be fine," dismissed the Seer. "As I said, we don't have time to waste if we are to wake Marrok. I just made her feel a little sleepy that's all."

"But she'll think it was us now that caste some sort of spell on him, and so will Winter," panic now began to set in Luna's mind. She had felt the pull of both the Seer and Baine the moment she had drifted off to sleep, sensing somehow they were in danger. It had seemed the best course of action to play along when she found herself here, but now she was not so sure. "You entered her mind, her senses. That's forbidden," Luna scolded.

"I've done so with you and you have yet to complain," retorted the Seer.

"That's different," replied Luna exasperated.

"Stop it, both of you," Baine's bold, loud voice stunned them into silence and both of them looked to him. "Nothing can change whats been done. I don't agree with it, but the Seer is right. We have little time to waste and arguing will get us nowhere."

The Seer smiled knowingly and walked over to Nepeta resting the back of his weathered hand against her forehead. "She is fine. I could not risk any harm to you Luna and I wish her no ill. She will wake shortly and suffer not for it." He stepped back, looking at Nepeta's still form as if she were a statue to be admired before turning around and tapping his staff on the floor, it's orb brightening to a stark blue light. "Before we proceed, I need to ascertain what has happened in that antechamber."

Luna and Baine followed the Seer back into the small chamber without question, the light from his staff illuminating the small room more brightly than before. The walls were a dark blue like a twilight sky but one of the walls seemed blackened as if stained with a watery black ink. Molten silver dots depicted stars on the other walls but on this one they looked like the melted and dripping wax of a candle. It was as if the blackness on the wall was trying to suck in the cosmos that had once been so carefully plotted by the precious metal.