by Natalie Erin
“I know,” Kennu muttered under his breath. “It sucks. She goes berserk every time It’s mentioned. And some people want to talk about it.”
“Do you want to talk about it?” Lyrica asked.
Kennu picked up some snow and rolled it into a ball before he answered.
“Yeah, I guess, but if I do it’ll hurt Al’s feelings. And I’m not sure who to go to. The wolves would listen, but I don’t want to make them remember again. Mom always cries, and the rest of the forest animals are too busy to listen to me. Casiff would be all awkward, Vixen would just make me feel odd. I won’t go to Ionan…he never quite got over Vera.”
“What about your Dad?” Lyrica asked.
He looked skeptically at her. “If you haven’t noticed me and Dad aren’t exactly the best of pals lately.”
“You’ve always got me to talk to. I wasn’t around then,” Lyrica put in, nudging him with her arm.
He smiled. “Of course I do. But why would I do that…when you’ve got snow in your face!”
He splattered the snowball on top of her head, and they both burst out laughing. Lyrica tackled him, and the two went rolling into the snow. The wolves saw the ruckus and joined in, romping around and pawing snow in each other’s muzzles, while Midnightstar watched from afar.
Allie rolled a giant snowball in her talons and dropped it on all of them while she was flying from a short height above. The two fairies threw snowballs at her in the air, but she dodged each one. The snowball fight continued, until they were all dripping in wet snow and droplets of slush.
After a few minutes, Kennu had lost his breath. Jade pushed her brother and sisters back, yelling, “Guys, give him some space!”
“I’m alright,” Kennu breathed, putting a hand on his chest.
Shadowin looked skyward, his glance narrowing. “Sorry guys. If we don’t hurry, we’ll get in trouble for missing the hunt.”
“Then hunt. We gotta go home anyway,” Kennu said.
As the wolves left, Lyrica shook her head. “I had better head home too. Snow Drop flew me here and she won’t wait long, poor thing. She’s been dying to stretch her wings. No one ever rides her.”
When they had reached the hut, they told Lyrica good-bye as she took off on Snow Drop. Kia took one look at Kennu’s wet clothes and Allie’s dripping fur and instantly lost it.
“You two! Get some nice warm clothes on, Kennu, and make sure you dry your fur too, Allie! We don’t want you getting a cold!” Kia shrieked.
“Aw Mom, we’ll be alright…achoo!”
Kennu sneezed loudly. Allie added, “Yes, Kia, we’ll be...” This was cut off by a bout of coughing.
“Oh great,” Keota said, coming into the room with Ionan the rabbit. “Sounds like somebody’s had a cold for a few days and they were out romping in the snow. And we all know if one gets it…”
“The other will as well.” Ionan finished for him, looking at Allie. “Up to bed, both of you. No more running around for a few days.”
Sure enough, the next morning they both had a horrid cold. So instead of exploring, the two stayed inside and watched the snow melt, side by side under the covers near the window.
“And that’s why I’ve got to go, Mama. I’ve got to find my father so I know what I am, who I am.” Mirabelle finished her speech, looking up at her mother anxiously.
The dragoness snorted. Sunset was all the colors of the setting sun, orange with pink, purple and red scales mixed in. Her four horns were shaken of dust as she said, “I suppose if it’s that important, then I cannot stop you. Eleven years is old enough to leave the nest.”
“You mean it?” Mirabelle flew upwards, looking her mother in the eye.
Sunset flicked her tail. “I mean what I say, otherwise I wouldn’t say it. We are dragons, not some little spindly tailed geckos. If this quest is what you need to find yourself, Mirabelle, we must begin at once.”
“We?” Xiuh asked cautiously.
“You didn’t think she was going alone, did you?” Sunset asked, laughing. “We’ll see her to the forest and stay with her awhile. I say, her father is going to receive quite a shock when he finds out she’s there.”
“You know him?” Mirabelle asked, stunned.
She smiled, her fangs glinting in the cave. “Yes. But I won’t be the one to tell you who he is, for that is his choice. Hurry along now, little ones. If we are to get a head start on this journey, we must take flight now.”
They left the cave, soaring into the desert sky. Mirabelle’s heart sang with excitement. She saw the line of green that marked the desert’s end and she did a backflip in mid-air, knowing her father was somewhere beyond it.
Kennu woke up in a cold sweat, lunging upright. Beside him, Allie was shaking and growling. She bared her lynx teeth and Kennu shook her roughly, shouting in her ear. “Allie! Allie wake up! We were having nightmares!”
Her brown eyes opened and she shook her head, face alight with terror. Allie jumped into his lap and shivered, burying her face in his shirt.
“I’m sorry,” he said. “I forgot because I sleep and dream, you dream too. Bad thing about having a fairy for an Accompany, I guess.”
Allie gulped and set her head over his shoulder. “What a terrible dream. He grabbed you and threw you against a wall. I can’t believe I still remember that.”
“It’s okay. It’s over now.” He didn’t bother to say it was just a dream, because it wasn’t. It had happened, and even though it was in the past, it was still real.
The scared Allie was there for a few more minutes before the formidable Allie appeared once more, though her voice wavered while she snarled. “Go back to sleep Kennu. All this talking of It has given us this dream.”
Kennu nodded. “I’m sure it doesn’t mean anything.” Kennu got up from bed and asked, “You want to come get a cup of water with me?”
She nodded and transformed into a doe, following him to the kitchen. He didn’t need help down the stairs this time.
“We thought you were in bed,” Keota said, looking at his son. Kia was soundly sleeping on Keota’s lap in a chair, while Ionan perched as a cat on a bookshelf.
Kennu drank deeply before answering, noticing the knowing glance Ionan had given him as they had come down the stairs. “Bad dreams.”
Keota nodded. Just when they were about to head back to bed, the door burst wide open. The Accompany and Changer turned around to see three people, Lyrica among them. The other two were her parents, both fairies. One was a blonde haired, blue-eyed male, and the other was a female with red streaks in her wild black hair.
Kia woke up, startled from her husband’s lap. Noticing their shocked appearance, she asked, “Casiff, Vixen, what’s the matter?”
Casiff took a deep breath before answering. “They’re back. Wyntier and Nineva. And this time, they’ve brought friends.”
Chapter Four
Reappearance of Demons
Kia bawled, clutching Kennu to her protectively despite the boy’s weak struggles to pull away. Senseless, Keota sat in his chair numbly, and Ionan took the lead. “Who are his friends?” Ionan asked, stepping towards Vixen.
“A couple of Ortusans,” Casiff answered. “A male and a female.”
“Vixen thinks things will get very difficult here soon. We must do something,” Vixen said, slamming her fist into her hand.
“This is ridiculous. Wyntier and Nineva are dead!” Keota rose from his chair sharply to oppose the two fairies. “Wyntier shot his face off with that...thing, and Nineva was mauled by Lottie, then both of them went tumbling off the cliff. We saw it happen. There’s no way either of them could’ve survived!”
“We caught sight of them entering the forest, and have been tracking them ever since. I swear, Keota, they made it out somehow,” Casiff said.
“I’m not doing anything! If they’re truly back, we’re going to stay here and hide!” Kia said. “I won’t make my baby face that monster again!”
“What are you talking about, Kia
? We have to do something!” Keota argued. “If we just sit here he’ll destroy us! We have to find him.”
“No! I refuse to go anywhere near Wyntier unless I have to!” Kia shouted. “That’s the end of it!”
“Kia is being unreasonable,” Vixen snarled. “Kia must do something, not be a sitting duck.”
“I don’t care.” Kia was firm with her decision. “My son and I are staying here. If all of you want to try to hunt him down and get yourselves killed, fine, but I won’t do this again.” Kennu gasped as Kia squished him against her chest.
Vixen glared at the queen of the Lands with a look that said she was disgusted to be in the same room with her. “I do not know this Kia. The old Kia would fight, be ready to fight. She would go to battle eagerly, not cower in her home as a rabbit cowers in its hole.”
After a while, the others in the room realized there was no way to persuade Kia, and gave up trying. Allie gave a low whine and Ionan came and sat beside the young Changer, to comfort her.
Vixen turned slowly. “Vixen and Casiff must go, to prepare for when Wyntier shows himself. When the queen stops being a coward, she must come too.”
When Vixen and her family left, it was like she took all the courage in the room as well. Unable to stand the tension, Kennu writhed out of Kia’s grasp, grabbed Allie in his arms and clambered upstairs to his room. For once, Allie had nothing to say.
The next day Kennu and Allie sat on the cold, wet ground in the middle of the Verinian, not caring about the muddy puddles accumulating around them. Both of them were thinking about what had happened the night before.
“Did you hear the way Mom and Dad were yelling after everyone left?” Kennu asked in a whisper.
“Yeah. It was really loud,” the griffin said softly.
“Do you think they’ll have another fight like that?” he asked. “I mean, they’ve fought before, but never like that.”
“I hope not. It was horrible.” Allie looked up, her head cocked as she peered in the distance. “Who is that?”
Kennu got off the ground in amazement and his griffin followed as a blue-haired fairy walked out of the woods, his hands behind his back. “Von? Aravon?” he asked, steeping forward. “Is it really you?”
“Yes. After all this time, I came home.” Aravon stopped before his cousin, rocking back and forth on his feet. “I realized I needed my family more than they needed me.” He smiled when he said this, as if his words were some cruel joke.
“Hello Von,” Allie said, somewhat snippily. Though she’d only met him once as a toddler, Allie had never been a big fan of Kennu’s older cousin. “Nice of you to come around after ten years.”
Kennu put his arm around Allie’s shoulder to tell her to be quiet, and said, “Where’ve you been all this time? You don’t look any different.”
“Here and there. I guess I just age well.” Aravon shrugged. “Last time I saw you, you were only about this high.” Von held a hand at his knee and laughed.
“Yeah. I’m a lot bigger now.” Kennu tried to smile, though it was hard. Aravon felt more like a stranger than a cousin. “Do your parents know you’re back?”
“Em-hm.” Aravon nodded, looking in another direction.
Allie peered closer and asked, “What’s that on your mouth?”
“Probably some food. I just ate.” Aravon rubbed his lips with the back of his hand and said, “Come on, I’ll take you back to your house.”
“You’re not going to see my parents?” Kennu asked, confused.
Aravon shook his head. “I don’t want everyone to know I’m back yet. I’m just not ready. You know?”
Allie clacked her beak loudly but Kennu nodded. “Yeah. Sure.”
Aravon smiled. “Thanks for understanding. You coming, Kennu?”
“Yeah. Just going to be a little slow.” A hint of pain was hidden in his voice. Allie rushed forward to catch Kennu as he tripped, pulling him upright.
“It’s that disease you have, isn’t it?” Aravon asked offhandedly. “That’s what’s making you so weak.”
“Yeah, it is. I hate it.” Kennu grumbled, leaning on Allie.
“Want help, or does Allie have it?” Aravon offered.
“I’m okay.” Allie’s voice was stubborn, but underneath her resistance was a tone of exhaustion. It was obvious she needed a break.
“You can help if you want,” Kennu offered, subbing in for his Changer.
Aravon wrapped his long arm around Kennu’s shoulders, but his touch was given reluctantly, as if it bothered him to be near someone who was so sick. Allie noticed, and her feathered ears flattened against the back of her head as she prowled cautiously behind Aravon.
A little while into their walk, Kennu kicked something. “What’s that?” Allie asked. She bent down and nudged the object, which appeared to be a small piece of clustered metal. It certainly didn’t belong in the forest.
“I don’t know.” Aravon peered closer. “Looks kind of odd if you ask me.”
Kennu pulled away from his cousin and picked up the foreign object from the grass. As soon as it was within his grip, he gasped and dropped it as if burned.
“What is it, Kennu?” Allie asked him.
“Look at it, Allie.” Kennu pointed to where the metal object lay in the grass, shaking. “Just look at it.”
Allie stared at the object for a second or two before flapping her wings, giving a cursed scream. “No! It can’t be! It just can’t be! Maybe it belongs to someone else?”
“Does anyone else in the world have access to a human gun?” Kennu asked his Changer. “It’s his! I know it is.”
Neither Changer nor Accompany had noticed that Aravon had backed away into the darkness of the woods. Without warning, Kennu’s eyes rolled into the back of his head and he collapsed, writhing on the forest floor with uncontrolled movements that were wild and jittered, limbs flopping as his body jerked up and down. Drool began leaking out of his mouth and he gasped, taking short breaths as the seizure surged across his body.
“Kennu!” Allie rushed to her Accompany’s side and turned him on his side, a routine she had become accustomed to. With nothing else to do, Allie sat on her haunches and waited for the spasms to stop, struggling to control her emotions. No matter how many seizures Kennu had, it never became any easier for her to watch.
After a few long minutes, Kennu’s seizure finally came to an end. Rolling onto his stomach and spitting the excess saliva out of his mouth, he said, “Great. I probably scared Von off. I’m such a freak.”
“Forget Von. You’re not a freak.” Allie put her head to his, to comfort him. As she did so, a rustle in the trees caused her to jerk her head upright.
Kennu sat up shakily. In front of him was a red-haired fairy, with a black, collared dress that covered the mottled flesh on her neck. She laughed at the teenagers as dark magic swirled around her hands. Nineva. They knew who wouldn’t be far behind. Allie and Kennu quivered as their worst nightmare walked towards them, cold and triumphant as he’d ever been.
He was strong and tall, with a handsome face. Wyntier was just as cruel-looking as Kennu remembered, except this time he had a long scar across his cheek that he’d received when he’d shot himself in the face by accident. The scar only made him more attractive, more deadly. A brown boa constrictor was wrapped around his shoulders, and the snake hissed as Wyntier approached. They were facing him again, and just like when he had kidnapped them, they were alone.
Wyntier smiled. “My my, look what has come across our path. You’re just as weak and puny as I remember, Kennu. Going to be sixteen soon, aren’t you? Such an important age. I’m surprised you’ve lived long enough to see it. I thought you’d be long dead by now.”
Allie screeched a loud, threatening cry. Wyntier’s eyes flickered towards her and he exclaimed, “Ah! The young prophetess. You’re more powerful than ever. Are you sure you want to stay on the losing side?”
“I’ll tear you apart,” Allie snapped, digging her talons into the di
rt.
The boa constrictor brought his head up and hissed at her, “Is that a threat?”
The constrictor slithered off his Accompany and changed, transforming into a brown wyvern whose poisonous tail twitched in anticipation behind him, ready to strike. Lukas.
Nineva loomed closer. “Seems the Changeress wants to protect her dear friend.” She drifted a long, manicured nail across her own skin lightly, just underneath her neck.
Allie let out a long string of curses. Wyntier beamed and asked her, “Now Allakenzie, what would your mother say?”
Allie lost it. She pounced towards Wyntier, leaving Kennu unprotected. Lukas was on her in an instant. They fought viciously, Lukas trying to catch her with his stinger while Allie lashed out at his neck with her beak. He pinned her several times, his iron jaws nearly missing her spine each time. She dug her talons into his scales, trying to rip the tender flesh hidden underneath. While doing so, she screamed as loud as she could, “IONAN!”
While they swirled in the dust Kennu heaved, unable to get up, or even crawl away. Wyntier looked down at him with disgust. “Just as weak as ever.”
He walked over to the boy, stepping on his leg and digging his heel in. Kennu yelped in pain, trapped in Wyntier’s eyes. Wyntier’s intense gaze held him still while Allie screamed in the background, just as captive as he’d ever been.
The trees in front of him broke in half, toppling over and landing on Nineva. The forest was torn in two as Ionan stampeded into the path, roaring his rage. The dragon grabbed Lukas with his fangs, slamming the creature against a fallen trunk. Lukas snarled a warning, but Ionan swung his tail sharply, knocking the wyvern out. Ionan whirled and lunged straight for Wyntier, his mouth going to crunch him in his jaws.