Nentarli [COMPLETE]

~ Ten ~

The body was as small as a child's and one leg was dangling at an odd angle as it hung in their grasp. They reached us and Merkell circled them, inspecting the body. It appeared to be unconscious, its leg was definitely broken if compared to the other leg. I couldn't tell if it was male or female, its hair was a wild mess of white-ish silver, sticking out in every direction, with bits of mud and twigs in.

It was extremely thin and scraggly, as though it hadn't been fed or washed in a long time. Its skin was pale white like its bones were showing through its skin; what you could see of it under the dirt and scraps of dirty clothing. There was no denying that we had entered into a different world.

Merkell prodded the creature in the chest with his index finger and it squeaked like an oversized mouse, he audibly sighed.

"You can let her go." Merkell had deemed that it was female but how he could tell was beyond me.

Blaike and Kayle looked at each other, shrugged and then placed her on the floor. She squeaked again but made no other movement. Blaike, Kayle and Kaleb all had their weapons pointed towards her.

Merkell stood facing her, "We will not harm you, Trickster. Rise."

He spoke softly but there was that same power to his voice there had been the night before and we watched the small creature sit up slowly. She opened her eyes, they were watery grey and shockingly had no pupils, she gave me the chills but I couldn't seem to make myself look away.

"Can you fix your leg yourself?" Merkell asked when she tried to stand and collapsed back down.

"I cannot, I do not possess the strength," she replied. Her voice sounded like walking through dry leaves in autumn.

Merkell knelt down in front of her, "May I?"

He pointed to her broken leg, she nodded and we watched him wrap his hands around her leg like he had with Emy's ankle. The creature squeaked again but quieter this time, then her face broke into a smile and I could see little white, pointed teeth. Merkell let go a moment later and stood up.

"How is that?" His voice was calm and measured now.

The girl-creature scrambled up quickly and jumped high into the air, landing on both legs easily.

"As good as it was, I thank you," her voice rustled now.

She looked around at us all but lingered on Emy and I for a few seconds longer than the others.

"Will you tell me why you were watching and following us?" Merkell asked, bringing her disturbing eyes back to him.

"I think you already know," she glanced quickly to Emy and I, then back to him. "I sensed the Shift."

What did that mean? What was this creature? And why did it seem like everyone from this world knew more than we did? I watched the creature fidget under Merkell's gaze.

"I understand, you may go," he told her and my mouth fell open in shock.

Why would he just let her go like that? Wasn't she someone to worry about? She didn't need telling twice though, she ran to the nearest tree and climbed it like a cat, within seconds she was gone. My shock turned to awe watching her, what was she? Merkell watched her go then walked back to us, Blaike and Kayle followed, putting their weapons away, as did Kaleb.

"Okay, what was that?!" Emy asked and I couldn't tell if she was more surprised or confused.

Merkell seemed to expect yet more questions, "She was a creature of this world though not one many get to see, she was a Mistrik."