Silent City

18. The Happy Couple

 Hornet breathed in the sensation of the stag galloping in the darkness. She felt the cool air rush past her ears and ruffle her hair with every step. It reminded her slightly of the motorcycle she used on the surface, but it was so much more lively. She liked the darkness now, and the silence that was only broken by the bated breathing and the falling footsteps of the old Stag.

It didn't feel too long before they reached the Greenpath stag station. Ghost and Hornet hopped off and thanked the Stag as they trampled off back down the tunnel for the Hollow Knight. Hornet looked back around the stag station, and then to Ghost, who had walked over to the bench and took out their map. Hornet walked over and sat down next to them, looking over the section of Greenpath. There was nothing labeled on the map about Nailmaster Sheo's residence, but she did recall that Sly said he had set up his hut at the end of a spiked tunnel. There was one right below the Stag station which led to a small area with a bench pin, and she figured that was their destination.

The Stag returned a few minutes later with the Hollow Knight on their back. They looked immensely tired from carrying them on their back. The knight slipped off the saddle and landed roughly on the floor next to Hornet. She had walked over next to the stag and made eye contact with him.

"They were very heavy for my old bones..." he says. "I don't think I'd be able to take them any farther distances."

"Don't worry, I won't make you." Hornet smiled. "See you later."

"Good luck, princess." The stag bowed his head to her as she motioned for the two vessels to follow her.

Hornet led them down this grassy shaft to the tunnel filled with bramble underneath them. Her and Ghost were graceful in their descent, but Hollow was clunkier, slowly making their way down the shaft. They were really tall and lanky, and they had been agile in another time, but the Radiance had beaten down their mind so much that their once swift movement had been slowed immensely.

Ghost, however, was extremely agile. Almost as agile as Hornet. It was like they remembered the layout of this area, as a matter of fact. Hornet watched them with intrigue, as they dashed and slid and flipped their way down to the bottom.

They went to the left when they reached the bottom, towards the spiny tunnel. Hornet wondered how they would manage to get through the spike tunnel, especially Hollow, but there was a small passageway above the bramble that had been revealed. The three of them climbed up into it and walked for what felt like quite a while, until the passage was cut off and led downward to where the bramble tunnel ended. The tunnel led into a decently sized area filled with bramble, where a hut stood on a grassy elevated overhang. She could see a bench up there looking down upon them next to the hut, the one that was marked on the map.

Hornet looked over to Ghost and grabbed their collar. She threw her needle up onto the overhang and anchored it there, and pulled the two of them up onto the grass above with her spider silk. Hollow was close enough to teleport to the overhang. Them and Ghost sat on the bench outside. Hornet turned towards the hut, and walked to the door, poising her hand above the door. She couldn't hear anything or anyone inside, but she knocked anyway, and waited.

She suddenly heard someone move inside, and the door creaked open. A large man stood in the doorway— he was as tall as the Hollow Knight, but he was much less lanky or thin. In fact, he looked rather built, but he was wearing an artist's smock, and his hands were delicately held in front of him, stained with paint. He wore a purple band around his head, which held in place his white horns. He had a nicely trimmed, Snow White beard and he appeared to be almost friendly, despite his height.

"Hello, little one." He said. Hornet would have taken offense to being called this, but his tone was so calm and soothing that she let it slide. "How did you get here? This place isn't easy to reach."