ELO

by E. A. Cross

  Chapter 12

  Bree's sleep that night was uneasy. Even after a hearty dinner of sliced meat and sun-fruits, she found herself sleepless. She felt something coming. She had to get up to look into the woods. She worried wondering if Faelorn's was fighting witches and bereaved. The first experience had been so surreal; she had been so excited about meeting an elf it hadn't really registered just how dangerous the forest was. The idea that slavers and their machines had entered the forest kept Bree awake. Bree shivered, remembering the red glowing eyes of a slaver machine. She pushed the thoughts away; she was safer here than at home, she reminded herself. After seeing the terrible little goblin and thinking of his awful words, Bree's insomnia became worse. What if the slavers found her? What if they were heading straight for the King's spring, and they came and killed everyone? Red-eyed, she stared at the forest until Elo came and laid down next to her in her deer form. She said, "I can't sleep either, dearie."

  With Elo's warm presence, Bree finally closed her eyes. Bree's body relaxed, and she drifted off. Her dreams where strange; people ran into the woods. They turned into deer; when she looked to see what was chasing the people into the forest, she could see that it was wolves with human faces. Witches sat up high in the trees watching the chaos below. Their eyes were blank and cruel, filled with darkness. They were made from shadows; the sorcerers were hungry for souls and damnation. Bree wasn't sure how she knew these things. She simply knew. A rotten, blackened miasma hung in the air. Behind her, a wolf with a human face rose from the dirt. The wolf's face melted into her brother's face. Bree broke out in a sweat. Staring, she watched in horror as the beasts face changed from her brother to her mother then to her father. The wolf's throat split open, and it spoke in the voices of her family.

  "You were such a useless girl."

  "you need to stop listening to grandmother's stories."

  "why can't you just clean and cook?"

  "Are you even a girl?"

  Bree felt panic all over her body. She sprinted through the woods.

  The wolf ran beside her. It said in her brother's concerned voice, "Bree, you just need to stop acting like a man. Stop trying to be one, stop hunting like one. Just get married, settle down. You'll feel better if you do..." Bree fled gasping for breath, desperate to escape. Another wolf came out of a tree. The second creature had her mother's face. Bree had never been close to her; she had been a miserable gossip. She had been the reason her grandmother had moved out to the woods away from everyone.

  Her mother hissed, "If you don't settle down, I'll find you a husband. You need to be humbled. All these stupid dreams of being a huntsman. You're a woman, your father be dammed for teaching you to read." Nightmare after nightmare, the wolves came from the wood. The wolves were men that jeered at her lusting for her flesh. The wolves were women that mocked her giving her the same glances. It was as if a thousand eyes watched her. She could see the other white deer fleeing. She looked down; she was no longer human but a white deer; her hands were hooves, and she ran full of fear. She ran to the spring, and inside it, she saw a thousand stories, a thousand pains. Suddenly hands shot up from the dirt, and the ground cracked open. A creature with a thousand eyes and rows of teeth opened its mouth and said. "Tell me, Bree, why do you run?"

  Bree woke up with a gasp. Elo startled, and Bree scrambled up, looking around searching for wolves, slavers, monsters, anything that she had dreamt of. Elo shifted back to her human form.

  She said, "It alright, it alright... did you have a nightmare?" When Bree realized where she was and that it had only been a dream, she laid back down. Tears filled her eyes, she could see that the herd was nearby. Some deer watched her; others ignored her and slept. Elo, concerned, sat next to her. "I could sing you a song if it helps." Bree nodded, her throat burning in pain.

  Elo's song was in a language that Bree had never heard. It was soft and gentle like the ocean, like moonlight, like the fireflies buzzing lazily by the spring. Bree found herself drifting off once more.

  Dreaming this time…

  Elo was by spring, and Bree saw her crying, crying and crying. Her hands covered her face. "Why...why did you not come with me. After all, we went through; why did you leave me?" Elo's tears fell into the spring; Bree looked around, all the other deer were gone. She was alone with Elo. She reached out to touch her friend's shoulder. Elo looked up; her eyes were orange and red, her face rotting.

  She hissed, "You'll leave me just like she did..."

  Bree sat up, looking around. The moon was shining, the deer sleeping. Bakura was keeping watch sitting by all the deer, her golden coat shining brightly in the moonlight. Bakura asked," do you have any fears or worries, child?" Bree said with her thoughts.

  "My nightmares are getting worse. When I got here, they weren't so bad. I couldn't really remember them, but these last two. They were horrible." Bakura gestured with her, nuzzle, " Tell me about them, child."

  Bree stayed up that night, telling Bakura about her dreams. Though Bakura was not in her human form, her face seemed troubled. She said, "I will have to think about this child. If you have any more nightmares, please feel free to tell me."

  Bree rubbed her eyes, she thought, "You don't think they were just nightmares?"

  Bakura looked towards the spring. "Perhaps, in this realm sometimes dreams have a deeper meaning. They can manifest into reality. In this realm, belief is power; some say that it can even create magic." These words sat with Bree, she laid back down, closing her eyes. She apologized, "I'm sorry to keep you up, Bakura." Bakura reached down and nuzzled her gently, surprising Bree. "This can be your home, child, I am always here to watch over those who wander from the forest." Bree was comforted by her words. She went back to sleep, this time sleeping well until the dawn broke over the horizon.

  Bree helped make breakfast, and she cleaned up around her camp. Joltrun returned early in the morning and was asleep well into noon. At noon Bree was scrubbing a cauldron in a bucket when Joltrun woke with a groan. He put a kettle over the hot coals of the fire pit. Elo greeted him cheerfully, adding wood to the woodpile. Bree waved shyly as she returned to her work. An hour later, when the old man was finally wide awake, he called to her. Bree had finished setting up camp. He sat her down and began teaching her to sign. They practiced for hours. When her schooling was complete, he let her go, he gave her a basket and a fresh scroll.

  Gruffily Joltrun said, "take this scroll, go into the woods, and find me these plants. This is the best time of the day for the good fae. Goblins and other dark fae won't come so close to the King's spring. Now stay at the edge of the wood, I have many eyes there, you should be safe."

  He rummaged through his bags. "When I found out you were a hunter, I went to a village and purchased this bow and had these arrows crafted. They should suit you. If you find any game in the forest, be sure to bring it back. Be wary of any animals that are not of a natural color; if they are strangely colored, they are likely fae of some kind. Elo will accompany you, and if you spot any fae. I want you to observe them, describe them in your journal, and then when you come back to me, I expect you to sign to me what you saw." He stretched and leaned on his cane, glaring at her crankily. "What are you waiting for get moving! Your my new pupil, aren't you!"

  Bree scrambled up, hauling her pack excitedly, and mouthed "thank you" happily. As a child, she had to beg to be taught, her father had been hesitant to teach her, and her sister's to read. Joltrun did not hold back his opinions, but he did teach her without hesitation. He also would compliment her when she did excellent work. Bree was half skipping, Elo had to sprint after her transforming into deer.

  "Hey, wait for me." She called. Bree signed at Elo, "I love the fae, I hope to see some while we're out." Elo only half understanding, sighed "Oh, I wish I could learn as fast as you… let's see..." She looked at her hooves. "Oh, you cant sign with hooves." She transformed again, annoyed she practiced her hand movements, Bree giggled and signed an example."I love the fae… I hope to s
ee some." Elo snorted, "the fae aren't that big a deal. Magical yes, dangerous quite. Once you get used to them, it's almost like any other animal or person." Bree pushed ahead, signing, "Well, your used to it. Where I'm from, things are boring," Elo grumbled, "slow down, I can't follow everything your saying with your hands." Bree repeated herself slower. Elo retorted.

  "Well, we could be from the same world or even the same time. Most people are, but these woods open up to places that even Faelorn can't go. The elder realm of the elves for one. Faelorn once told me that some realms disappeared from this forest. There are holes of darkness. One step, you vanish into eternity. Honestly, your world doesn't sound that different from mine. Maybe we're from the same world?"

  Bree tested the bow in her hands; it was tauter than she was used to. The wood was expertly bent, and it was crafted sturdily. Elo glanced at her, she said, "are you really going to hunt?" Bree nodded and signed, "yes." Elo was squeamish "it's one thing to kill a fish. I never minded plucking dead chickens but killing em' I just didn't have the heart to. Funny living on a farm, you have to do what you have to, but hunting..." She giggled nervously. "Well, I'm a deer now; you won't hurt me, right?"

  Bree made a face and signed, "No, only small game. Birds, squirrels, and pheasants." She thought to leave deer out of it unless she was starving. Bree followed the path letting her senses guide her; the birds chirped in the air; it was a hot day but not so bad that she wasn't comfortable. She spotted blood on a leaf. She showed Elo and then put a finger to her lips. Elo padded, transforming nervously, and kept lookout. She followed a deer trail seeing more blood until finally, after a few minutes traveling through lush fauna, they found its source. It was a great, snoring beast. All along him lay strange leaf-like creatures. They were not like the woodling fairies or the light fairies. They were more like insects but with little wooden faces and small limbs. Their beady black eyes glanced out from under a thick bush of leaves over their carved faces.

  The massive creature had green moss-like hair; it's sharp horns, like a mighty elk, where covered in blood. The creature moved, and Bree was startled to see that it had man like hands wrapped in scales. Elo, seeing the beast cried out, "Faelorn!" Faelorn startled from sleep, he sat up. He had the face of a lion this time, his eyes were golden. Bree defensively gripped her bow, Faelorn stood up stretching. He said nothing looking at both of them for a long moment. Bree saw the blood ran down his horns and that his mouth was rimmed with blood. The little bush creatures made hollow clicking sounds. Cael climbed out from the lion-like mane. Seeing Bree, he leaped into her arms and began chatting excitedly. Bree, longing to understand him, held him and let him ride on her shoulders. Elo said, "what happened?" She hid her nervousness looking at Faelorn. Faelorn paced around them. His eyes were slits, Elo looked bewildered. "Faelorn's this isn't funny." Bree stared at Faelorn, looking him in the eyes. She signed, "it's okay what happened…" He let out a half-hearted roar, and Bree was confident that he recognized her. She stepped closer, holding her hands out. He stared, padding closer, saliva dripped from his mouth. Blood ran down his face. Hiding her fear, she signed, "Faelorn, Faelorn, it's me; it's okay." Cael scolded Faelorn on her shoulder, Faelorn growled. Bree fought her instinct to flee; she slid her bow over her shoulder and walked right up to him. Elo called nervously, "Bree, I think something is wrong with him." Bree did not care; Faelorn was scared and hurt. She walked up to the enormous lion-like creature. She put her arms around his neck and held him. Suddenly a sob burst from the beast, Faelorn transformed with a shudder. He seemed unaware of himself; Bree cradled him quietly. He was shaking with pain. Elo shifted back to her human form and ran to his side. Faelorn was in shock, "Elo, I did it again. I had to kill. Joltrun is going to be mad at me."

  Elo, despite her efforts, could not get out of Faelorn what had happened. Instead, she gave up and began gathering berries nearby using Bree's bag to carry the food. Bree sat beside Faelorn under a great tree. She wrote notes on the strange little creatures that had been surrounding Faelorn. They were weird and made hollow noises. They stood around, and a few had wandered off. She even poked one gently with a stick, curious to see if it would react. It stared at her and tilted its head, making a hollow noise as if asking a question. She let the creature be and finished sketching out a drawing of one. Faelorn stared at her pictures; it was her first entry in the book that Joltrun gave to her. It was only strictly for notes on the fae. Putting down her delicate charcoal pencil, she stretched. Then setting her journal down, she turned and calmly signed, "now, can you tell me what happened?" Faelorn blinked then said quietly, " I fought off poachers, there was many of them. They were trying to capture the bush-fae." He gestured to the little creatures, one of which hopped into his outstretched hand. Faelorn's face was troubled. "Before winter, I had only heard of fae poachers from Joltrun stories. I'm used to witches, elves, goblins, and trolls." Bree asked nervously, "what about slavers?" Faelorn looked away, "I-I never encountered slavers in my forest. I-I-I found them outside of it. Just barely passing through, Joltrun was angry with me for killing them. I shouldn't have, but when I saw what they were doing..." He shook with rage and cried, hiding his face in his hands. Bree's gaze was stern; he looked her in the eye. He continued, "I only attack slavers if their at my boundary; it's only happened twice. I wouldn't have met you if I hadn't. I've been in trouble with the King and Joltrun ever since." Bree calmed her pounding heart, even mentioning the slavers made her sick.

  Faelorn was no longer covered in blood; it had faded away when he had shifted back to a man's form. He leaned against the tree, and Bree was aware that their shoulder's were touching. She turned red but ignored her shyness. She patted Faelorn's head, wondering why he still had a pair of antlers. "I have to find their camp. I chased them out of the forest, but they might have captured something or someone else." Bree tucked her book under her arm and signed, "Hurry, let's find it." Faelorn took a deep breath, and Elo stopped gathering lunch. She handed Bree her bag and transformed. Bree placed her book into the sling, careful not to smash Elo's berries. Cael stayed on Bree's shoulder, still shaken from what he had witnessed. Faelorn tried to transform, but Elo stopped him scolding. She said, "Oh no, you don't, you can ride on my back, Faelorn. I can carry Bree too. I'm the King's Deer, so I'm strong. You need to recover." Faelorn glowered embarrassed, "Elo. I'm okay; I don't need it." Elo snapped, "You were in such shock that you couldn't recognize us. You will accept this ride." Bree slid onto Elo's back, then Faelorn, embarrassed, sat behind Bree. Elo grunted as she stood, she trotted. "Now Faelorn, just tell me. Which way those dreadful poachers came from." Faelorn pointed to the west. "Follow the trail, you'll see lots of blood mostly from the slavers. Elo trotted through the forest, and Faelorn grabbed on to Bree's waist when Elo hopped over the roots of a tree. Bree tried not to focus on him being so close to her. Bree especially tried to forget that she could feel his inner thigh against her outer thigh.

  Bree spotted a trail of blood and pointed. Elo stopped, and they saw the bodies of four men. They here heavily tattooed, pale and blond. They were armed with guns and daggers, all of which piled neatly. Their bodies were torn with marks from Faelorn's antlers, and their clothes were shredded and soaking wet. Faelorn leaned in. "I did warn them, but they tried to shoot me. I had no choice." Bree signed, "I understand; it's not your fault." She clenched her teeth, angry, what fool would come to the forest, just to poached magical creatures? Not only was it dangerous, but to shoot at Faelorn. Bree was beside herself with anger. Faelorn, to her surprise, slid his arms under hers and gently said, "thank you for finding me." Elo walked up the trail asking, "Faelorn, how are humans getting into this forest?Bree was the first, at least I thought so. I assumed she was special..."

  Faelorn hissed, "Bree isn't like them. She did die, but she came back, her spirit was not yet ready. These men...they use black magic. Dark stuff, Joltrun said that he had to fight many poachers off in his day, but one day they stopped coming. He assumed they left and that word of
mouth spread." Elo stiffened, her long white ears flicked back and forth. She said, "I smell smoke, campfire smoke, let's travel this way." She turned right and padded through the trees gently, sure enough, they found a camp. A poorly set up fire-pit greeted their eyes. Faelorn dismounted and helped Bree down; she poked around the filthy tents. Elo groaned, "by the King, It smells terrible here."

  Faelorn kicked down a crude post. There was a strange burlap sac doll nailed to a crucifix. Faelorn used his vines to tear the doll to pieces. When the sharp points of his vines stabbed the figure to Bree's shock, it let out a shriek, and black energy shot from its mouth. She covered her ears, Bree kicked it aside. Faelorn said, "it is a witches doll; the men were all wearing one around their necks. It seems to have been what was preventing me from sensing them entering the forest." Elo asked, "if you deal with witches, shouldn't you be used to this?" Faelorn shook his head, "No, this magic is different. Any witches that lives in this realm is strictly not human. They are touched by the bereaved unable to return to their original world." Faelorn grew self-conscious of Bree's intense stare, "I think this is dark magic, from another realm. It feels different, it's harder to detect, and it uses objects. This realm reveals the truth to those who dwell here, this deception can only come from the outside. Tharin has taught me much about outside magic."

  Bree searched the camp, there were a few pots and pans, but she decided to leave everything. Faelorn took down the tent, destroying the fire pit. Bree wrung her hands, steeling herself. She touched her bow and arrow and began examining the camp. She began following a trail of footprints. Faelorn followed her. He asked, "where are you going?" Bree signed, pointing," there are tracks." She closed her eyes; it had been so long since she felt in her element. For some reason, with the bow on her back, she felt connected with her old life. Bree would hunt in her grandmother's forest alone. She felt connected to the land, the trees, and the air. Focusing, she quickly followed the trail up and out. Elo and Faelorn followed behind, glancing at each other surprised by Bree's behavior. She found that the tracks had changed, the poacher had met up with someone, or something. They were pushing...a cart. Suddenly she felt alarmed. She quickly pulled out her bow and loaded an arrow. She continued following the trail. Faelorn crouched, staring at the tracks he had never seen tracks that looked like that. Bree was running, her senses on fire. She hadn't felt this way since before her enslavement, Bree felt like she could run up trees like an elf and be as nimble as a deer. Elo, taken aback galloped after her. She called, "Bree, Bree, what are you doing?"