Vaile

Aislinn X

     Aislinn knew full well what she expected to dream about that night. What she did dream was something else.

     The man was back, surrounded by an aura that made him glow like a star. "You are very near to what you seek."

      "And what am I seeking exactly?"

      "Do you not know? Rise."

      "I just fell asleep."

      "You must go to the Glen. Wake up, little Aislinn. Be brave enough to leave your cousin to her fate."

      "Don't you ever have anything supportive to say? How about telling me why I see so much when I'm dreaming, for starters."

      "Rise! You will know where to go."

      The stars were still out. In the dim light of the cave, Aislinn could see their supplies. Zel was the shape at the other wall of the cave, judging from his barely discernible movement. Charli's eyes glittered hatefully at her from further in.

      Beginning to wonder why she listened to a strange person in her dreams for advice, Aislinn forced herself to get up and prepare to go. She was unsure whether to leave Zel and Charli behind or not. Why hadn't the dream mentioned that? But she could make decisions of her own. She couldn't just spend life following others' instructions.

      "Zel!"

      The shape rolled over to face the wall.

      "Zel. Wake up."

      A faint, complaining moan.

      It was going to be a rough morning.

      "I don't know where you get your information, Ace, but I'm starting to think it isn't very reliable."

       It was their third hour heading south on foot. Contrary to Zel's complaints, Aislinn soon found that she knew exactly where to go. One day when she and Mavis were children they had played with her uncle's homing pigeons. Despite the girls' efforts to mail the birds to faraway locations, they had flown back to the coop, one after another. Aislinn felt like a homing pigeon--returning to a place she knew, though she'd never seen the way.

        "Stop."

        A woman wearing a long blue hood was standing in front of them. "You should be far from here. This road is not safe, and you are children."

        "We're a lot older than we look--not that it's any of your business," Zel snarled, some of the old danger falling into his voice. "Now move."

        The woman laughed. It was not an amused sound, nor was it cruel, but Aislinn got the distinct feeling that she wasn't intimidated. "Follow me, children."

        Charli went wild, hissing and bolting in the other direction. When Aislinn picked him up he clawed at her bare forearms, leaving bloody streaks.

        The woman turned and glided along the path. Pinning Charli's flailing paws beneath one sore arm, Aislinn followed.

        "Wait a minute. Hey, Ace, wait! Do you even know where you're going?"

        And strangely enough she did know, surely as anything. "It's your choice if you want to stay. I'm going home, Zel."