Untitled Part 1

  *******************************************************************************************  Please, if you read this story, rate and review at the end. I'm very new to this and want all the comments I can get, from everyone. Those that think it's good and those that don't. Thank you in advance for your time and I hope you enjoy the read.
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Chapter 1: A Beautiful Day!

    It was a warm and sunny day in Quillville, a small village in Pontania. A perfect day for the re-enactment of the coming, which was scheduled to take place at the gathering hut in just hours.


    Aleerna, a very young and childishly beautiful girl of thirteen years old, with long blond hair, was walking toward the Gathering hut when she ran into Boyd. A young boy a few years older than she was, with thick sandy brown hair which shined in the sun, because of the golden highlights in his soft curls.

    "Hello" she said "Are you ready for the re-enactment. Have you memorized your part?"

    Boyd responded with a snicker "Of course, you need not worry about me. Bear is the one who's going to mess things up. He always does."


    As if summoned Bear appeared at the door of the Gathering hut. He is much taller than the other two and obviously not completely human. Although his face does resemble a human, his hands and feet are covered on the tops with fuzzy hair. His arms are much longer as well, making him appear more ape than man.

    "Where have you guy's been? I've been waiting here forever, I wanted to rehearse with you before everyone else shows up." He seems to be very  nervous... but that is typical because Bear is always worried and nervous about one thing or another.

    Aleerna and Boyd hurry to the doorway asking in unison "What's wrong? Have you forgotten your part?"

    Aleerna grabs Bears big hand and says "You knew it perfectly last night." Stroking the hair on the back of his hand in an attempt to calm him, it generally does, but today it doesn't work. He just seems to be getting more nervous by the minute.

    Bear shakes his head, indicating that's not the problem. " I'm terrified I'm going to drop the quill and ink pot and everyone is going to want me banished"

    Aleerna says "That's not going to happen. We've  practiced it over and over, you'll do great!"

    Boyd says "I'm not so sure he's wrong for worrying this time, those big hands and all, what if...

    Aleerna interrupts him with a wave of her hand, "would you stop picking on Bear, he will do just fine. If everyone would just forget that he looks so different he might just start fitting in. That's the whole reason he got this part, so he could remind us we were once the intruders in this land and were accepted even though  being different from those that were here before us"


    At that Aleerna turned and entered the Gathering hut, only to stop and  stare at the beautiful fountain in the center of the room. Although she'd seen it many times before, the beauty of the pinkish-peach bubbles cascading over the sides and into the trough below always takes her breath away.

    Bear ducks as he enters so not to hit his head on the arch of the doorway and almost knocks Aleerna off her feet. She catches herself on the table next to her, as Bear babbles apology's and hangs his head, as if in shame.

    Aleerna takes his hand and leading him to the stage saying" I'm fine no harm done, let's get practicing!"

    By this time Boyd has entered the room and looks at Aleerna, saying without words, but with a slight stare that this was just the beginning of a long night.

    The room has been decorated with beautiful flowers from the they come from the friendly group of Wood Elves whose gardens are on the other side of the hill to the west. The blossoms are very large and fragrant, giving the room an outdoors aroma, which will help set the mood for the re-enactment of the coming.

    Aleerna hands Bear one of the flowers " Here, this will be a good substitute for the quill and ink pot, so you can get used to holding it and not be afraid later."

    Boyd takes his place on stage behind the great wall that represents the other world they came from. Aleerna joins him there and they begin to rehearse.

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    Meanwhile, back at Aleerna's home, her adoptive mother Carra, a small woman of middle age with the first hints of gray sneaking into her shoulder length brunet hair, is preparing the pig in the large fireplace. The evil one to the north killed Aleerna's real parents when they first arrived in this land. Carra was Aleerna's mother's best friend and took Aleerna to raise as her own.

    It took four very strong males to lift the spit into the grooves cut into the brick side walls of the fireplace. These walls also serve as dividers for Aleerna's and Boyd's bedrooms. She had many visitors coming and going throughout the day, with food needing preparation for the evenings festivities.

    A knock at the door gets Carra to her feet, still basting the pig with her secret mixture. She hurries to open the door.

    "Good day to you Bleeta won't you come in, I'm just finishing up the pig and ready to start preparing the fresh vegetables and fruits for the re-enactment of the coming tonight. Would you like to help?"

    The tiny elf stood only two feet tall and was obviously trembling and replied "No...I mean yes...I mean ...Ohh, I mean I can't, I have to get back before my mom catch...I mean, before my mom gets worried." Looking over her shoulder out the door she continued, "Is Aleerna here?"

    "No, she's at the Gathering hut with Boyd and Bear practicing for tonight. Why don't you go watch them." Carra replied.

    "No I must get home, but would you tell her I came by and need to speak with her before the re-enactment tonight? It's very important." Bleeta said while constantly looking over her shoulder.

    Carra stretched her neck to peek around the little creature, but didn't see a thing. "I'll tell her if I see her, but that is unlikely. What is bothering you child?"

    "Noo..noo.. nothing," she stutters, as she backpedaled out the door.
Before Carra could say anything else Bleeta was gone, she wasn't even sure which way she went. Shaking her head Carra went back to work on the feast, wondering what could have her this upset on such a grand day.

    Bleeta sped past the lake, which with the sun shinning brightly off the crystal clear water was casting a rainbow affect from the colorful rocks on the bottom of the lake. She was running as fast as she could to get home before her mother found out she was gone, when she noticed a flock of birds headed south away from the mountains. This seemed peculiar but she didn't have time to wonder why. She continued down the path till she made it home. Luckily her mother was so busy Bleeta had not been missed.

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    The rehearsal was going great! Not one mistake and even Bear was feeling confident that everything would turn out wonderful. Many of the others had shown up to get things ready for the re-enactment of the coming. The Elders would not show up until the opening of the re-enactment started.


    Boyd was standing in the archway looking toward the sky. Aleerna went to see what he was starring at so intently. When he turned around she saw a look of concern on his face.

    "What's going on" Aleerna asked as she glanced at the sky and saw for herself." That's the biggest flock of birds I've ever seen, I wonder where their going?" Aleerna asked.

    Boyd replied "Looks as if their headed toward the swamp"

    Aleerna scrunched up her face and asked, "Why would they be going there?"

    Boyd being two years older than Aleerna remembered the stories told to him by his friends from the Eleven village; that the birds had done this before they arrived. He didn't want to alarm Aleerna, she was so looking forward to tonight He wasn't even sure there was anything to worry about.

    "Oh, there's probably a migration of insects, that they want to devour down by the swamp. A little feast of their own I guess." That seemed to alleviate Aleerna's concerns and they went back to where Bear was practicing bowing.

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    Meanwhile Bleeta was helping her mother with preparations for the feast, when her brothers came in, Tivel and Fluke, twin elves who were twice the size of Bleeta. They had been out collecting ingredients for some protective and healing spells that they had been working on since the first birds were spotted heading to the swamp.

    "I don't think this is going to help if the Beast shows up tonight, we should be working on something to destroy him!" Tivel said, while elbowing Fluke.

    "Yes mom, I agree, we should try to destroy it so it will no longer be a threat!" Tivel added.

    Their mother gave them both a stern look and said "I have told you many times before that it cannot be destroyed! All who have traveled to the mountain to kill the beast have never been heard from again! I will not let you get yourselves killed!"

    Tivel and Fluke glanced at each other out the corner of their eye, knowing that mother was right but also that they were not going to stand by and do nothing to prevent what was sure to happen when the beast made it's appearance.

    Bleeta was listening to the conversation but was pretending not to hear by keeping herself busy with preparations. She knew her brothers too well to believe they would be satisfied with just helping out with casting protective spells and the healing after the beast came. They were anxious to practice their magic and
thought not of death or even worse, being maimed like poor old Graymord, who had been the last to try and stop the Beast. She would have to keep a very close eye on them.

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Chapter 2: The Attack

    The gathering hut was all a glow with the attendance of the firefairies, who only appear at night. They look sort of like fireflies, but are distinguished by their iridescent wings. The firefairies line the vines that have been draped across the ceiling, between the enormous flowers brought from the firefairies home.

    The room was filling up quickly with visitors from all around. The Elders were just moving into position for their introduction. Sorgoff, carrying the ink pot and following him is DeWeldon, the next oldest elder, carrying the quill lying on a beautiful silken pillow. The other two elders follow them in carrying rolls of parchment.

    Food is abundant on all the tables at the back of the room, making all in attendance mouth's water in anticipation!

    Aleerna, Boyd and Bear  were listening to Bleeta, who was very upset. They were standing near the platform when they heard gasps of surprise from some of the guests and the light started to dim.

    Bear pointed toward the ceiling and at the same time Boyd was telling Aleerna  "Look at that!" pointing toward the doorway.

    Billowing through the door was a giant blue cloud of smoke! The fairies started dropping like flies, and the smaller creatures were swooning on their feet until they fell to the floor as well!

    Tivel and Fluke were standing near the fountain, seeing the first puffs of blue smoke entering the doorway, they dropped to their knees. Grasping each others hands and raising them toward the ceiling, they repeated the words they had been studying, concentrating with all their might to protect themselves from being overcome by the magic that created the spell which produced the blue smoke.

    Bear was trying to catch the fairies before they fell to the floor. As were many others, but soon even the adults could no longer stand and fell, it was as if their legs just wouldn't hold them any longer.

    As Bear set down the fairy he had just caught, he himself got dizzy. Trying not to fall on anyone he dropped off  into unconsciousness. The last thing he was aware of was Tivel and Fluke kneeling on the floor holding their arms in the air, each other's hands clasped together, chanting.

    The smoke soon cleared letting Tivel and Fluke see everyone laid out on the floor, in chairs and across the tables with the food scattered all over the floor. Their spell had worked, the smoke had no effect on them. They stared at each other not wanting to say what was in both their minds.

    As they started to get up, they heard a noise outside. Tivel motioned to Fluke to lay down and pretend that they had been effected by the smoke like everyone else. The two had just gotten back down when a flock of Vultures flew in and circled the room.

    The Vultures seemed to be looking for something but it wasn't food. One or another of them would swoop down, land on someone then fly back to the rest.

    One landed on Aleerna and started an awful screeching sound, causing the rest to answer in a horribly, deafening screech.

    Tivel and Fluke jumped up to scare them away from Aleerna but were attacked by the birds and had to take refuge under a table that had been knocked against a wall. 

    The Vultures lifted Aleerna off the floor with one of the homemade table covers and carried her out the doorway. Tivel and Fluke ran to the archway of the door to see where they were taking her. She was being flown up and away, in the direction of the mountains to the north. There was nothing either elf could do to stop what was happening.

      Fluke said "We should go see about the others."
and Tivel nodded in agreement. They entered the gathering hut with heads hung down, both wishing they could have done something.

    Inside the firefairies had started to awaken. Still dizzy, some were holding their heads as if it would fall off if they let go. A few were trying to tend to wings that had broken in their fall.

    The others in the room started to rouse, complaining of headaches and wondering what had happened. Even the Elders had no idea what was going on.

    Tivel and Fluke scanned the Gathering Hut until they located Bleeta. They rushed to her side to see if she was hurt.

    Boyd stirred and tried to sit up, but could not on his first attempt. When he did accomplish to sit up he looked around the room trying to figure out what was going on, then searching for but not locating Aleerna. Then he saw Bear holding his head and moaning. He went to his side.

    "Where's Aleerna? Do you see her? Boyd asked. Bear looked around but was having a hard time focusing on anything. Rubbing his eye's he said " I can't see much of anything at the moment. Where did all that smoke come from?"

    At that moment Bleeta touched Boyd on the shoulder and said, "Aleerna has been taken off by the vultures according to Fluke and Tivel. They managed to cast a protection spell just in time to not be affected by the smoke, their over there talking with the Elders." she pointed toward the platform where a large group of adults had gathered.

    Boyd managed to stand and unsteadily walked toward the group. As he got closer, Carra let out a scream and fainted. She would have hit the floor but Sorgoff, the oldest of the elders, was able to catch her before she did. With help from the others she was placed on one of the tables nearby.

    Boyd grabbed a hold of Tivel and swung him around so he could see his face "What's this about Vultures taking Aleerna?" he demanded. As quickly as he could Tivel told Boyd what had happened.

    "But why?" Boyd asked, not really expecting an answer.

    Fluke and Tivel looked at him with a lost expression on their faces and Tivel said "I don't know, but we're going to find out!"

    Bleeta had been listening to the story while attending to Carra, who was starting to come around. "Boyd, Tivel, Fluke could you come here and help me get Carra home?" she asked, while helping Carra to sit up. "This has all been such a shock to her, she'll need to rest awhile." Bleeta added trying to insinuate urgency in the sound of her voice.

    Carra stood up with the help of the boys and let them lead her out the door. Bear was finally on his feet and followed them. No one said anything on the way to the house. All were thinking about what they could do next.

    The Elders and some of the male adults had sat down at one of the tables and were discussing the situation, trying to figure out how they would be able to find Aleerna and if they could, how to rescue her. No one wanted to say out loud that she may not be alive.

    The females and the older children had started to clean up the mess that had been made and help the firefairies that had been injured when they fell. No one spoke about what had happened while they worked, but it was going through all their minds. Why, would anyone do this?

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    When Carra was at home Bleeta gave her some water that contained a sleeping potion. "Here" she said handing the cup to Carra, "This will help you rest." Carra drank the water and laid back on the bed.

    Bleeta then went back to the kitchen where the boys were talking softly.

    "We need to act quickly." Tivel said "There's no telling what is going to happen to her if we don't!"

    "You can't just go running after her, you don't even know for sure where they took her!" Bleeta said. "Besides you'll need supplies and spells. You should wait and see what the Elder's have decided."

    "The Elders!" Fluke replied "You know what they'll do, nothing as usual, and as for where they have taken her, there's no doubt, the mountains to the north. We need to move quickly, while we still have a chance to find her alive!"

    "Yes, that's right." Tivel agreed "But Bleeta is right as well, we will need supplies and a lot of magic to aid us if we plan on going to the mountains. I say we get the things together tonight and leave first thing in the morning."

    There was a soft knocking on the door they almost didn't hear it. Bear was the closest to the door so he answered it.

    "Hello, my name is Vi, We came to see if Carra was alright." It was one of the firefairies, there were four of them in the doorway.

    "Come on in." Bleeta said from the table in the kitchen" Carra is in bed resting, I gave her a sleeping potion, she should sleep through the night."

    "That's good, she'll need the rest. The Elders have decided it's too dangerous to send anyone after Aleerna and we thought it best she know right away." Vi said and the others firefairies quickly agreed.

    "Ha! I told you so." Fluke yelled.

    "Shhhhh" everyone told him, while scolding him whit their eye's. "We don't want Carra waking up to this news now!" Bleeta scolded in a whisper.

    "Well let's get busy making plans then, so we can leave at first light." said Fluke looking at everyone around the table.

    "What are you planning on doing?" asked Vi.

    "We're going to find Aleerna and rescue her." Fluke said, and the others nodded in agreement.

    "We want to help too" the firefairies said in unison.

    "But I thought you could only be out at night, we'll be leaving at dawn and traveling both during the day and night. How could you go? asked Boyd.

    "We'll have to rig up a traveling box that we can stay in during the day. That way you'll have light to travel by at night." she answered.

    "That's awfully kind of you to offer since you don't even know Aleerna that well. Is there some other reason you want to go? Bleeta asked with a wary look at the firefairies. "We don't even know all your names."

    The firefairies huddled together speaking in a language unknown to the others present. It seemed to Boyd they were arguing about how to answer Bleeta's question.

    When they came to an agreement Vi said "This is Dorge, Morba, and Zleep. We are Watchers for our people. Kind of like the people you have posted around your dwellings at night."

    "We have had many of our family and friends  disappear in the last several months." she continued, with nods of agreement from the other firefairies. We're hoping helping you to find Aleerna we might learn what has happened to them. This is the first time we've ever lost any of our kind and don't have any idea where to look for them or even how to start."

    "I'm very sorry to hear of your loss, but why would you want to risk yourselves to go somewhere so dangerous without any idea you will find them?" asked Boyd. "For all you know we might be the one's responsible for their disappearance."

    "Oh no, you couldn't do that, we've checked your aura's and you are all mostly good." said the yellow bodied firefairy named Zleep.

    "Mostly good?" Bear inquired "What does that mean?" They all looked at Zleep, wanting to know the answer to that question themselves.

    "It just means that everyone has a bit of a bad side, but that yours are not the controlling side." he answered. "This elf here," Vi said as she flew to Fluke, "has a very evil side."

    Fluke jumped up and down saying "Wait till I tell mom hears this, she's always said I was pure evil!" The other's shushed him again trying to stifle laughs at his comment.

    Zleep replied, "Well, your aura shows that you could have been evil, but you have been taught to use your abilities for good. You could be a very dangerous elf otherwise."

    Tivel wondered how his brother could be dangerous, after all, they had to work most of their magic together for any kind of powerful results. What had they seen in him? He was afraid to ask, afraid to know.

    "Well it sounds as though you know us better than we know you. I guess it would be beneficial to be able to know what kind of personality we are dealing with when we meet strangers. Bleeta said. Then looking around at the others she asked "What do you think guy's, do we take them along?"

    They all looked at each other and nodded in agreement. It couldn't hurt to have more eyes to watch out for trouble, not to mention continuous light. "Okay, it's decided then, you'll come along. Let's get started collecting supplies and making the traveling box." said Boyd. Looking toward Bleeta he said, "We'll need your speed to help gather things, I hope it won't wear you out."

    Bleeta looking slightly ruffled replied, "I can out pace any of you without even trying. Hmmmp, wear me out, I just hope you can keep up! What do you need?"

    "First we should get the traveling box made, I was thinking one of Sorgoff's bird cages might work, if we built solid sides with a removable top. We'll put in an emergency exit, that way they could get out if somehow we got separated." Boyd suggested. "You could take Aleerna's gardening cart to bring things back in."

    They again all sat at the table to come up with the list of supplies that would be needed.

    The firefairies decided they needed to go and get things as well. "We'll be back before dawn, don't leave without us." they said as they hurried on their way.

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Chapter 3: Preparations

    Everyone worked through the night, gathering supplies, planning which direction to take and building the traveling box.

    Bleeta streaked through the night collecting the things on the list  when she  happened upon the guards at the east side of the village. They seemed to be discussing what happened at the Gathering Hut. Bleeta inched her way closer, thinking, hopefully she might hear something that they might know about Aleerna.

      The first guard, she recognized as    (name)    was bigger than the other guard and also looked to be of a higher rank said "I'm glad the elders have decided it's too dangerous to go looking for her, I've heard too many stories that those mountains are cursed and anything getting near them are cursed as well!"

    The second guard, Bleeta didn't really know, responded, "My grandmother told me about my grandfather heading up there to find precious stones that he had heard was in the mountains. He was never heard from again and my grandmother say's he must be dead or he would have sent word, somehow, by now."

    Bleeta decided she should be on her way, so she could get some rest before dawn. She raced over to the elders hut to get the bird cage. As she entered the hut a light came on in the lamp, on the table. She hurried to extinguish it but not in time to keep from waking one of the elders. She grabbed the closest cage and was back out the door before anyone entered the room.

    By the time Bleeta returned to the hut, Boyd and Bear had collected the food, water and supplies that would be needed. Tivel and Fluke went back to their home to get scrolls and necessary ingredients to perform the spells that might very well be needed to save their lives.

    Boyd nodded to Bleeta and motioned for her to bring the cage to the table as she entered the hut, "This should work, did you have any trouble?" Boyd asked, noticing Bleeta looked a little winded.

    "Not really" she replied, "but I had a bit of a scare when the lamp came on in the elder's hut and woke them, but I made it out without being seen." She added sadly, "I don't like to steal things.

    "Boyd put his arm around Bleeta and in a calming voice and said "We will explain when we get back why we had to take these things, and if we must, we'll take our punishment then."

    Bear had been sitting on the floor by the door listening to the conversation, he mumbled to himself "If we get back."

    At that moment another soft knock on the door announced the return of Tivel and Fluke with their packs. "We couldn't find everything we thought we might need, but some of it should be easy enough to find along the way." Tivel commented.

    Bleeta responded, I sure hope so." as she headed in the direction of Aleerna's room to rest while the boy's worked on the traveling box. She was exhausted but would never let them know or they would try to stop her from going.

    "That's a good idea, you've done your part, now it's up to us." Boyd assured her.

    After the boy's finished the traveling box they too tried to get some rest before the sun awakens and their journey begins. Bear was already asleep, leaning against the wall by the door, his big hands were no use with such delicate work.

    As the sun was just peeking over the horizon Carra awakened, feeling groggy from the sleeping potion, she was unsure where she was at first. As her head started to clear, she realized it was her own room.

    "But how did I get here?" she said aloud. As the events replayed in her mind the sinking feeling of despair started to fill her heart. She arose from her bed and entered the kitchen wondering... what has happened in here. Pack's lined the table and amongst them was some kind of box sort of shaped like a bird house, except the sides were solid. Tools and scraps of wood and leather?

    She rounded the table studying the contraption on the table and almost tripped over Tivel and Fluke curled up in front of the fireplace. Trying not to fall over them, she stepped on Tivel's hand. At the same moment she heard the urgent tapping at the door.

    Tivel cried out and Fluke jumped up and frightened Carra even more. Bear was awakened but was very slow in moving. He looked around to see what al the noise was about, then the knocking came again.

    Bear managed to get up and open the door.

    As soon as the door was opened four firefairies flew in and landed on the table near the strange box. Boyd and Bleeta entered the room and at the same time saw the firefairies  trying to get into the box. Boyd rushed to the table and let them in.

    Bleeta was by Carra's side in an instant. Putting her arms around the woman's legs and yet again wishing she was bigger, like her brothers, so she could hug her neck instead.

    Carra looked around at the group and while picking Bleeta up asked, "What is going on here? What is all this stuff doing all over and why are the firefairies in the box?"

    Everyone looked to Boyd to answer her question but Bleeta was the one to  respond. "We're going to get Aleerna back!" she said in a determined tone. "The elders have decided it's too dangerous to go look for her so we're going to do it!"

    Carra's jaw dropped open, "What? But how... the elders can't... your just children!" she let herself fall into a chair at the table as Bleeta let go of her neck and slid to the floor.

    Boyd licked his lips and finally spoke up, with all his friends eyes upon him, and said "Someone must try to find her and we're it. Don't try to stop us because we've made up our minds and nothing is going to change them." He tried to sound as if he was fully in charge but knew if his mother forbid him to go, he would have to obey.

    Carra sat in the chair trying her best to think, trying to come up with something that could be done to keep the children home. However, in the end she knew they were right, someone must try to save Aleerna. She knew that once the elders had made up their minds, there was no changing it. They would have already spoken to the guards and no one would cross the elders.

    Finally she spoke "I don't like this one bit, but you are right, no one else will help. It will be dangerous, wait here." and she headed back to her room.

    Fluke said "Wow, I thought she'd try to stop us didn't you?" pointing at Boyd who was standing there with his mouth hanging open. All Boyd could do was nod in agreement.

    Carra returned from her room carrying a small box. She walked toward Bleeta and handed it to her, saying, "Use this only in the direst situation. If you get yourself into a situation that you just can't get out of. Hold each others hands and open the box. Make sure you don't open it until everyone is holding hands! Promise me this and I will not try and stop you.

    Bleeta taking the box from Carra said "I promise." Standing a little taller, taking pride in the fact that Carra trusted her above the boys with this special possession.
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Chapter 4: The Journey Begins

    Carra insisted they all eat breakfast before they leave. She asked the firefairies through the box, "Is there anything I can fix for you?"

    Vi replied, "We're fine but  we'll need some flower petals from home to place in this box before we leave. It's quite uncomfortable this way. We will also need a way to open the lid from in here but we can work on that later tonight."

    Bleeta jumped up "I'll go get the flower petals and be back in a jiffy."
Before anyone could respond she was out the door.

    It was a cool morning and very few people were about. After she picked the flowers she headed back to the hut and was alarmed when she saw her mother headed in the direction of Aleerna's Hut as well. She closed her eyes to concentrate and mumbling to herself, she shot ahead of her to warn the others. Bleeta moved so fast as she passed her mother, that the only thing her mother felt or heard was a stirring of the wind and she did not see Bleeta at all.

    Bleeta didn't concern herself with knocking or interrupting the conversation that was going on, she just said, "We must leave now! Mother is on her way here and she doesn't look happy!" She then rushed to the traveling box and tossed in the flowers, hoping the firefairies would be able to arrange them as needed.

    Everyone jumped up and started gathering their packs. Leaving the plates, they all grabed the food that had been prepared for them. Tivel and Fluke had the traveling box between them, using the convenient straps they had attached to the sides for handles. Bear was trying to wiggle the large barrel of water onto his back as Boyd was gathering his own pack, the map and the rest of the supplies.

      Bleeta carefully tucked the box Carra had given her into her pack, she whipped on the pack as she headed for the door. Bleeta asked her brothers, "Did you leave a note for mom?" They both turned and said, "Of course we did."

    They each hugged Carra good-bye and promised to be careful. Boyd whispered in her ear "Don't worry mom, we'll bring Aleerna back."

    Slipping around the back of the hut they all managed to be out of sight as the elves mom reached the door.


    Rushing through the fields they saw many of the people getting started on their morning chores. They made it to the forest's edge, without anyone noticing them.

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    The angry female elf rapped very hard on the wooden door of the hut, yelling "Carra, Carra are you up? Carra!"

    Carra, standing on the other side of the door was trying to think of how she would explain to her friend where the children were at; and how she could have let  them go.

    Carra opened the door, "Hello Florett. Come in." she said as Florett pushed her way by Carra at the same time saying "Are the kids here? They didn't come home last night!" Of course both women know that Fluke and Tivel are not children and live on their own, but still consider them young and immature.

    Florett"s eyes darted all about the room, taking in the mess... in an otherwise very neat and clean house. She noticed all the dirty plates on the table amongst the left over pieces of wood scraps and strapping that Boyd had used to fix up the traveling box. Florett looked at Carra and with her first glance could tell Carra knew and was very upset.

    Carra closed the door and watched Florett look around the room. When she spoke her voice was full of sadness, "The children are not here now, but they did spend the night here. I was sleeping, Bleeta gave me a potion so I could rest. I didn't know they were here until this morning or I would have sent word to you."

    "So where are they now?" Florett asked with the sound of relief in her voice.

    "Why don't we sit down and I'll make us some tea." Carra said, hoping to delay the inevitable.

    Florett said, " How terrible I am busting in here all upset not even thinking of what your going through. How are you doing dear? Did the potion help you sleep? Oh my dear friend, let me do that. She moved to take the pot away from Carra.

    "No, no, thank you it helps to stay busy. Please sit and rest. It's quite a hike over here from your place." Carra replied as she place the pot over the fire to heat the water for tea. She busied herself preparing them some breakfast as she told Florett everything she knew, which really wasn't much.
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    At that same time the group of travelers who had been moving at a swift pace came to a small open area of about twenty yards across and five yards wide surrounded by very tall grass known as Whispering weed.

    Boyd in the lead motioned every one to stop and said " Let's stop here and catch our breath. No one we know is going to come this deep into the forest."

    Tivel and Fluke set the traveling box down carefully so it wouldn't tip over and slipped off their packs. The others also unburdened themselves of their loads.

    Breathing heavily, Bear sat down, with a thud on the thick grass.

    Bleeta on the other hand was busy checking out the perimeter of the open area, disappearing in and out of the forest edge, totally unseen in the tall grass.

    Boyd was busy looking at the parchment they had scratched their map out on. Having very little knowledge of anything past the edge of the forest it was practically useless, but he was determined to keep track of the way they journeyed They would need it to find the way back. He looked over at Bear and said "How are you doing, is that barrel going to be too much for you?"

    Bear looked at Boyd with a grin "It's a bit heavy right now but it will get lighter as we go. Boyd, ummm, do you think we're lost?" Bear asked.

    "What?" Fluke asked "Are you nuts? We just got started and you already think we're in trouble. What are you going to do when we really are in trouble?"  Bear hung his head and said nothing.
   
    "Leave him alone Fluke!" said Bleeta returning from the forest. "He's just nervous and I don't blame him. Anyone who isn't is a fool. It's totally different here than in the part of the woods you live in."

    Bleeta walked up to Fluke, holding in her hand a few leaves and berries asked him "Have you ever seen anything like these?" as she handed them to him. Tivel got up and moved closer to where they were standing to see what it was she had.

    "Sure have." Fluke replied "These are used in some of the rituals the elders perform. I've gathered these berries for them before." Sticking his nose up in the air and wiggling his head in a tic-toc motion so as to say he was smarter than she thought.

    "So what are they used for." she asked, placing her hands on her hips. Fluke replied "How should I know, I'm not an elder I...

    Tivel interrupted him saying "They use them when they want to see the visions, which guide their minds to other places."

    "Do you think they used them to decide whether or not to rescue Aleerna?" Bear asked. "Well." Tivel stumbled over the answer , "I don't know, they could have."

    Fluke requested of Bleeta, "Could you show me where you found these?"

    "Sure." she responded. The berries are over here." Bleeta then headed back to where she had found them. Fluke got up and anxiously followed her into the woods.

    Tivel put his ear to the traveling box, but could not hear anything inside. He didn't want to disturb the firefairies, he just wanted to be sure that they were alright.

    Boyd was watching for Bleeta and Fluke to return from the woods. He was not happy having them out of sight. Boyd was aware that they were much older than he was, but, he still felt responsible for their safety. Somehow it seemed, he had become the leader of this venture.

    Fluke was busy collecting the berries. He was so happy that Bleeta had found them because they are not very abundant near their home and just maybe they would come in handy.

    Bleeta continued to check out the woods, she felt much safer with Fluke nearby. While checking out an unusual looking tree she heard Boyd holler for them, so she started back to collect Fluke so they could go back to the others.

    On the way back to the group, Bleeta collected quite a bit of the tall grass Whispering weed. She stuffed it into a large sack they had brought with them from home.
The thought of home brought a twinge in her heart and a tear to her eye.

    When the pair returned to the opening, Boyd was helping Bear with the water barrel and Tivel was waiting with Fluke's pack, near the traveling box. It was afternoon and the sun was high in the sky. It was a perfect day for a hike. Birds singing, insects buzzing about, everyone would have been enjoying it, had the reason not been so dire.

    Fluke put the berries in a sack, in his pack, put it on and together with Tivel picked up the traveling box. The small group of rescuers headed off again, back into the unknown forest.

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(continued in Untitled part 2)