Evermoore: Chapter Eleven

CHAPTER ELEVEN

         Lady Sun had just passed over the Mountain of Courage when Fayth crossed into the Weirwood. The cool late morning air with a crisp scent of pine and oak mingled with the lingering moisture of the morning dew.  A soft breeze swept through the branches, stirring the deep green leaves.  Here and there, the rays of Lady Sun poked through the thick canopy, giving the colors of the Weirwood a vibrancy Fayth had never seen in a forest before. 
         Ahead, they was only endless acres of the forest to be seen, except for the Tree of Hope, which loomed high above the canopy and could be seen from any direction.  It’s shadow stretched to the east, blanketing the far ends of the forest in deep shadow.
         Corindra led them through safe paths through the woods.  Past the thick oaks and tall pines, through the valleys and over the hills.  “Welcome to the Weirwood,” She had said once they passed the threshold.  “Home of my people.” 
         Fayth smiled as she heard gentle pride in the Unicorns voice.  She understood why, for this place was vast and beautiful.  Beside her, Sirius paused and closed his eyes.  Lifting his head skyward, he took a deep breath through his nose, and sighed pleasantly.
         “Such vibrancy,” he said airily.  “I feel as though I am a young cub again and sniffing the world for the first time.”
         Scratching him behind the ear, Fayth closed her eyes and opened her own senses.  The tiny pattering of the forest critters rang in her ears as they scattered through the branches and rustled the leaves.  The songs of the birds, bright and sweet, played listlessly above her.  There was the sweet smell of the maples, and the sharpness of the pines.  And the colors of the forest danced before her eyes.  The golden leaves of the oak, the red of the ash, and the greens of the maple. All seemed peaceful, all seemed bliss.
         Shay followed behind, and had been mostly silent since crossing into the wood.  Fayth would often catch him pausing at certain trees.  He would gently place his hand to the bark, and close his cat-like eyes.  A few moments later he would follow them once more. 
         She lingered back, letting Sirius and Corindra move ahead while she watched Shay repeat his ritual.  “Do you and that tree share something special?” she asked with a sly grin.
         Shay opened his cat-like eyes.  He gazed at her, blankly, until he slowly withdrew himself from the red cedar.
         “They remind me of my home,” he said softly as he came to her.  They began to follow Sirius and Corindra, side by side.
         “Your home?” Fayth asked curiously, remembering the story Shay had told her in the Andule Jungle.  The forest of his people had been destroyed by The Darkness, and he was the last Elfin in Evermoore.  “Is it like the Weirwood?”
         “In some ways,” Shay replied aloofly.  His eyes had drifted to the branching hanging high above them.  “Lady Sun would begin her journey over our forest,” he said.  “I used to climb the highest tree and wait to see her rays when they first appeared over the horizon.  Her appearance would bring the forest to life, much as she does here..”
         Her eyes followed his. “It sounds beautiful,” she said. 
         Shay nodded as he paused and placed his hand against a great oak.  His lips curved into a sly smile of his own.  Closing his eyes, he ran his hand against the bark.  “My people had a communion with the forest.  We lived in harmony with all living things, the trees and the beasts.  When I touch the bark, I can see myself swinging through the branches with my brothers and sisters,” he said.  “I can taste the sap from the maples, the berries from bushes, and the fish from the streams.  Though the forest of my people is destroyed, the Weirwood honors this communion, by sharing their memories with me.  Memories of a place no one will ever see again.  In a way, I feel as though my memories are the last remnant of my people.  For once I pass, the communion will cease, and there will be no one to remember the forest of my people.”
         His words pierced her heart.  He suddenly seemed alone.  The last of his people.  Fayth wondered, when his time came to pass, what would happen to the memory of his people.  Then, she thought of the humans of Evermoore.  Her own people.  Were her memories, which came to her in dreams,  the last remnant of the humans of Evermoore?  A memory had never seemed so powerful, or important to her before.
         “What of Earth?” Shay asked, interrupting her thoughts. 
         She turned away, and gazed out into the open forest, taking in its colors, hearing the songs of the birds.  “There are a lot of forest and jungles on Earth,” she said.  “But not many where I lived.” 
         “Tell me of them,” Shay said as they began to follow Corindra and Sirius again. 
         There was only one tree she thought of, and it made her smile.  “Ok, but this is kind of silly,” she said. 
         “Those are the most enjoyable,” he said, with a grin of his own.
         Fayth felt her cheeks grow red and she shook her head while holding back her laughter.  “Well, I used to love to climb trees,” she said.  “Especially at night.  One in particular.  Whenever there was a full moon, I used to sneak out of my room after everyone had fallen asleep.  I’d climb the branches and sit against the trunk, and just look at the moon and stars.  I liked it because…” her voice trailed for a moment, and she finished slowly, her smile fading.  “…no one could see me, from below, or above.” 
         Fayth found herself pausing before a thick maple.  The smell of the sap crept into her nose as she stared at the thick and knotted bark.  Shay paused beside her.  Seeing her long gaze, he placed his hand on the bark once more, and closed his eyes.
         “Here,” he whispered, holding out his hand.
         Fayth cocked her head, then, slowly, placed her hand in his.  He nodded, and looked to her other hand.  Her gaze turned to the bark once more, and she placed it against the bark.  Closing her eyes, she felt her senses come alive.  There was the sweet smell of the maple sap, the sound of the leaves rustling softly as the wind blew through the branches, and the feel of the bark, thick and rough.  It conjured memories of herself as a little girl.  Slowly pulling herself from branch to branch with thin arms, pushing herself higher with short legs.  She imagined herself sitting against the trunk, gazing into the star lit sky as the pale glow of a full moon cast its light on the sleeping world below.  A peaceful feeling swept over her as she felt safe from the world below.
         Slowly, she opened her eyes, her lips curving into a wide smile.
         “Amazing,” she said, slowly pulling her hand away. 
         Shay returned her smile.  “Did they show you?”
         “Yes,” Fayth whispered, smilingly brightly.
         They journeyed throughout the rest of the day and into the early evening.  When the air became cold and sounds of the night began their full chorus, they decided to rest for the night.  There were still four more days and  nights of travel before they reached the Tree of Hope, according to Corindra.  Yet with the threat of the dark ones gone, they each settled in for a good nights sleep. 
         Except for Fayth.  As the others nested and settled themselves in for the night, she stared at the flickering flames of the fire, her knees pulled closely to her chest.  Her eyes grew heavy as the songs of the night began to fade in her ears, and soon she was drifting to sleep.
         Yet when she closed her eyes, she found the pale face and hollow eyes of the dark one staring at her.
         With a gasp, she shook herself awake.  Her hands were cold and clammy as beads of sweat formed on her brow.  Her pulse was racing, and she took several deep breaths to calm herself. 
         No, It‘s gone now, she tried to convince herself.  There‘s nothing to be afraid of. 
         But as her eyes grew heavy again, and she drifted past the threshold of dreams, she saw the face of the dark one once more.  Snapping herself awake once more, she frantically searched the corners of her mind.  Is it still there, or is it just a nightmare?  There was no sign of it, yet she hadn’t been aware of his presence before.
         A chill came to the air, and the flames of the fire began to diminish, yet Fayth could not bring herself to sleep. On and on, throughout the night, she closed her eyes, and saw its face.  It wasn’t until the first light of Lady Sun crept into the forest that her fears faded. 
         The others had slept soundly, and after a short breakfast, they began their journey again.  Throughout the day, Fayth’s mind whirled from exhaustion and fatigue.  During the day, when the Weirwood was bright and cheerful, her fears faded.  Over and over, she told herself there was nothing to be afraid of.  The Dark one was gone, what she saw was merely a dream. 
         Yet as Lady Sun once again faded behind the horizon, and the others had drifted off to sleep, Fayth laid her back against a thick tree, clenching her knees tightly to her chest as her heart raced.  As the flames of the fire danced in her violet eyes, she felt her eyes grow heavy.  Yet  each time she drifted off to sleep, she saw its face.  She saw it in the moon, on the television, within the pages of her books, or on the faces of her foster parents. 
         There was no where to hide, and she shook herself awake whenever she saw its hollow eyes and pale skin staring at her.
         As they journeyed on the follow day, away from the darkness and in the light, she felt silly once again.  Still, exhaustion began to grip her tightly, as her legs felt heavy and her arms weak.  Each step was a struggle, and her thoughts were disheveled and wild. 
         They came to a hill.  The slope wasn’t very steep, but she still had to climb with her hands and legs.  Every few steps, she paused to catch her breath.  Her eyes were heavy, and struggled to remain open.  “My Lady,” Sirius said as he paused next to her.  “Are you alright?”
         “What?.. “ Fayth said, snapping her eyes open.  Her chest was heaving, and her arms shook.  “Yes, I’m fine Sirius,” Fayth said quickly.  She lifted her eyes, and felt the world spin.  The summit looked so far away, yet she pushed herself onwards.
         “Perhaps you need help,” Sirius said.  “I could call for Shay.”
         “No…don’t,” Fayth said.  “I just need… to take it slow.”
         The climb was long and hard.  Corindra and Shay had reached the summit long before Fayth and Sirius.  She longed to rest, or sleep.  Perhaps during the day, when her fears were subdued.  Yet the look from Corindra made her tongue hold still, and onward they traveled. 
          Fayth could hardly stand when they decided to stop.  Leaning herself against a wide tree, she closed her eyes, longing to slip away into sleep, forgetting all about the Dark one and her fears.  Soon there came the quick glimpses of dreams. 
         She was climbing the maple tree.  A little girl once more,  slowing grasping each branch before pulling herself upwards.  Soon, she found the familiar place where she would lean against the trunk, and gaze into the star filled sky.  Feeling relaxed, and at peace, knowing she was hidden from the world below, her eyes followed the pale light towards the full moon above.  Then her heart stopped.  There, within the pale surface of the moon were two hollow eyes, gazing at her blankly.
         Fear gripped her tightly, and her eyes flew open as she gasped for air.  Not knowing where she was, either in the waking world or the dream world, she opened her mouth to scream, before two strong hands gripped her wrists, and held her tightly.          
         “Fayth!” a voice said.  Her eyes blinked rapidly, and slowly the world came into focus.  Then, she saw someone kneeling before to her, staring at her with cat like eyes. 
         “Shay,” she said, feeling a wave of relief wash over her. 
         He loosened his grip, and placed a hand gently on her shoulder.  “Are you alright?” he asked, his voice soft and gentle, like the evening breeze.
         Calming herself, she took a deep breath and exhaled slowly, the breeze cooling the sweat on her skin.
         “Yes,” she said.  “I’m fine, it was just …” a chill passed through her as she pictured the face of the Dark one, staring at her coldly from the surface of the moon.  “It was nothing, never mind.“           
         Shay said nothing.  He only the cloak from his shoulders and held it towards her.
         “Here,” he said.  “The forest has a strange chill about it, perhaps this will keep you warm and help you sleep.”
         Fayth held out her hand and shook her head.  “No, its ok,” she said.  “You keep it.  You should be sleeping yourself…”
         “You have not slept in three days,” he said gently, but firmly.  “Since we entered the Weirwood, since that night we fought the Dark ones.”
         Her cheeks became flush and her chest felt constrict as frustration rose within her.
         “I’m fine,” she said, sharply.  “It’s nothing I can’t handle.”
         Shay raised an eyebrow.  “You hide it well.  But I see your weariness with each step you take.”  He paused and narrowed his eyes, peering at her curiously.  Fayth pressed her lips together, resisting the urge to shout at him.  “What burdens you?”
         “It’s nothing!” she snapped.  “It’s been a long journey, and I’m not used to sleeping outside and under trees…”
         “Fayth,” Shay said, louder, sharper, inching himself closer to her.  “What ails your sleep?”
         He took her by the wrists again, clutching them tightly, moving himself closer to her.
         “Just a silly dream,” she said, trying to shake herself free.
         “There is no such thing as a silly dream,” he replied softly. 
         His face stopped inches away from hers.  She could hear his breath, soft and shallow, as he his cat -like eyes stared hard into her violet eyes.  They stood still, their eyes locked within each others.  She felt as though he was staring past her, communing with her soul, as he did with the trees.  Then, her wrists became still and her throat thick, as moisture crept into her eyes.
         “It’s the dark one,” she said, her voice lower than a whisper.  She tore her eyes away form his and breathed slowly, blinking away the moisture.  “Every time I close my eyes I see it,” she continued.  “I don’t know if its real or just a dream.  They don’t feel safe anymore.” 
         As she spoke, she pictured its face once more.  She remembered the way it invaded her dreams, manipulating and altering them, turning them into nightmares.  Her exhaustion overwhelmed her, and she sniffed as a tear fell across her cheek.
         A soft finger lightly brushed her cheek and wiped away the tear. 
         “Fayth…” Shay said gently.  “It can no longer harm you.”
         She turned back to him, her eyes meeting his, holding her thoughts still.
         “How do you know?” she asked quickly.  “How do I know its not lurking in some far corner of my mind, waiting too lure me into its prison again?”
         Shay lifted his eyes towards the sky above.  He gazed into the darkened canopy as the breeze gently stirred the leaves.  He closed his eyes, breathing gently, and took her hands in his. 
         “They would know,” he said slowly.  Her eyes followed his.  As she looked into the canopy, the essence of the trees became present in her mind.  Realizing Shay had opened his commune with the trees to her, she stilled her mind, and listened closely.  A wave of reassurance passed through her, washing away her fears and instilling her with peace.
         “It’s essence was shattered by Lady Sun,” Shay said, keeping his eyes close.  His voice was slow and steady, like the current of a soft flowing river.  “It can not take shape, ever again.  And if it dared to cross into the Weirwood, the life of the forest would know, and they would repel it.  For the forest beams with life, and the Dark one would only bring death.”
         As he spoke, she felt the trees give her their promise.  The Dark one had not crossed into the Weirwood.  It had not lingered in her mind. 
         Shay opened his eyes, lowering them to meet Fayth’s.  The commune with the forest had ended, yet their hands stayed within each others.  As the presence of the trees faded, she felt her fears return.  Yet now she fought them, falling back on assurance of the trees. 
         “You should sleep,” Shay said.
         She nodded, but looked away quickly.  Despite the reassurance of the trees, she feared closing her eyes, and seeing the Dark one, even as a night mare.  Turning back to him, she opened her mouth, yet could not bring herself to speak.  He cocked his head, and she turned away again.  Gazing into the darkness of the forest, she felt the moisture returned, and tried to blink it away. 
         Looking back to him once more, her eyes became round.  Shay held himself still, then nodded slightly, before moving himself next to her.  He took his cloak and tried to place it around her, but she recoiled away, making him pause.  Their eyes met once more, and a lump formed in her throat.  His eyes softened, and he remained still, waiting.
         Swallowing, she leaned herself against him, placing her head on his shoulder as his cloak fell over her and his arm rested gently against her.  The cloak was warm against the chill of the night, and soon her eyes became heavy, and she felt herself drifting away.
         “Shay,” she whispered, her eyes unwilling to open again.
         “Yes Fayth,” he answered, whispering. 
         “What if it does come back?” she asked, her voice softer than a whisper.
         His hand gently caressed her back.  “Then I will wake you,” he said.  “And we will fight it together.”
         She drew herself closer to him as she drifted farther into sleep.  He held her, gently, and her fears faded completely, before  she fell into the world of her dreams, where there was no presence of the Dark one.

***

         Fayth took a deep breath of the cool morning air, and felt revitalized.  The trees of the forest, covered in a light layer of morning dew, sat still and calm, filling Fayth with a sense of joy.  Gently stirred by Shay, and quick to not be seen by Sirius or Corindra, they took their morning ration and set out into the forest once more. 
         “If fortune be on our side, we should reach the Tree of Hope before Lady Sun rises again,” Corindra said.  Her hooves stepped lightly on the soft earth as she took the lead once again.  “There, we shall see what my mother has to say of this Jorumangar,” she said, her voice returning to its usual stern tone.
         A sinking feeling crept over Fayth, hoping she had been right to seek the great dragon.  The companions had sacrificed so much for her, and she hoped it was not in vain.          
         Still, they pressed on, each eager to reach their destination.  Corindra drove them on, appearing to have no intention of stopping for either food or water. 
         However, Corindra stopped suddenly as they reached the edge of a valley.  Down a steep slope and into the valley, the leaves of the trees had begun to change color.  Shay picked up his pace, and the two old friends exchanged a concerned and puzzled look.  Kneeling, he picked a fallen leaf, holding it by the stem and turning it gently in his fingers.  Its green had faded, replaced by an orange hue.  He held it closer to Corindra, who peered at it with narrowed eyes.  Then, a sharp wind blew through the forest, and the orange leaf crumbled, its fragments floating into the valley below. 
         When Fayth reached the summit, she peered into the valley and smiled.  She saw the familiar browns, reds, orange and golden hues of the autumn season.  With each gust of wind, the leaves fell from their branches and drifted lazily to the ground below. 
         “I‘ve always loved autumn,” she said.  “It was always so pretty.”
         “Ah yes,” Sirius said, sitting next to her.  “The changing of the leaves, it was my favorite season on Earth.  I though it rather poetic, the old passing away in beautiful bliss, making room for the new life which will blossom in the spring. ”
         Corindra remained quiet, her head bowed low as Shay knelt next to her, examining the fallen leaves.
         “It is too soon,” he said somberly, rising to his feet. 
         Fayth‘s smile faded and she tilted her head.
         “What is?” she asked, carefully.
         “The changing of the seasons,” Shay replied.  He stared out into the valley, with Corindra next to him, her eyes narrowed and her horn glowing softly.”
         Sirius turned away from the valley, tilting his head and lifting his ear.
         “I think I remember something of the seasons of Evermore,” Sirius said.  He drew even with Shay, his expression matching his.  Sirius carefully pawed at the fallen leaves.  “They last several years if I am not mistaken,” he said as the leaves crumbled beneath his paw.
         Shay nodded, his cat-like eyes never faltering from the colored landscape below.
         “The cycle of life and death takes many years,” Corindra said.  “The autumn years are not set to begin for another life cycle or two.”
         “So what does this mean?” Fayth asked, a cold feeling gripping her heart. 
         “This is not Autumn,” Shay said.  He stepped onto the hill, making his way towards a large oak, whose leaves had all changed into a mix of gold and orange.  Gently, he placed his hands on the bark, and closed his eyes.  Corindra’s hooves stopped the earth uneasily while Sirius lifted his nose and began to sniff the air.
         Shay’s eyes opened a moment later.  He stepped away from the tree, warily.  His eyes drifted up and down the tree as he slowly stepped away. 
         “I…” he began, shaking his head in disbelief.  “I can’t feel them.”
         Corindra shook her mane and neighed, while Sirius and Fayth exchanged an ill look. 
         “Anything at all?” Corindra asked, a hint of fear and desperation seeping into her voice.
         “A faint whisper,” he replied.  “Soft, distant, unrecognizable.”  He turned to her, his cat-like eyes narrowed.  “But many have become silent.  Corindra,” he said, his voice low and brooding.  “This is not autumn, this is death.”          
         The Weirwood suddenly seemed deathly still, and silent.  They could only hear the sounds of their breathing.  They could no longer hear the rustling of the critters or the songs of the birds.  Sirius lifted his nose out over the valley and sniffed.          
         “There is something foul in the air,” he said.
         Corindra stepped forward, her gaze drifting to the Tree of Hope, still far in the distance.
         “We must go with haste,” she said.
         “But with care,” Shay quickly added. 
         With a fierceness in her eyes Fayth had not seen before, they made their way through the now orange and red speckled forest.  As Lady Sun began to pass overhead, the trees began to cast their long shadows, and the air turned cool and brisk.  Further in, the leaves became more colored, and the ground became more littered.  There were fewer greens, and much more orange, red, yellow and gold.  The trees still stood tall, but seemed brittle and bare.  To Fayth, they appeared sick and weak, with lonely braches swaying lifelessly in the wind. 
         Her gaze lingered towards the canopy, a cold feeling gripping her heart as they descended further into the color vale.  Then, she felt herself step on something soft and squishy.  Looking down, she gasped.
         “Is something the…” Sirius began, coming to her a side a moment later.  As his eyes fell upon the earth, his mouth hung open and stared aghast.  “…oh my,” he managed a moment later.
         Half buried beneath a layer of dull and brittle leaves was a corpse.  Its skin was torn and tangled with its four legs stretched out before it.  Horns, like those of a rams, protruded from its head, hanging over its wide eyes which stared blankly ahead.  It was a creature Fayth did not recognize, and its appearance made her stomach churn. 
         Shay knelt next to the corpse, carefully prodding it with his sword while Corindra lowered her head and barred her teeth. 
         “What killed it?” she asked, flatly. 
         Shay carefully lifted the creatures head, exposing its neck, and narrowed his cat-like eyes.  With in the snarled fur of the creature were several bits crushed leaves, tiny stems, and several tiny puncture wounds.  They were spread around its neck, a white substance seeping from each. 
         Then, Shay recoiled his sword, dropped the creature and leaping back as several small creatures with tiny legs and hairy torso’s skittered from beneath the creature.  They ran in all directions, away from the dead creature and the companions, racing up the nearest trees with their tiny legs. 
         Corindra whinnied loudly, lifting herself to her back legs before stomping her hooves furiously on the ground.
         “Arachnids!” she shouted.  “What treachery is this?”
         Fayth and Sirius exchanged a look. 
         “Spiders?” Fayth asked.
         Shay sheathed his sword, a fierce glare filling his cat-like eyes. 
         “Yes, spiders,” he replied.
         “How can this be!” Corindra said, digging her hooves furiously into the earth.  “They are banished to the Underdark, for eternity!”
         Fayth folded her arms across herself, her eyes darting in all directions.  There was a tingling sensation, a tiny itch and rustling within the hairs on the back of her neck.  She scratched it furiously, and sighed when she realized nothing was there.
         “I don’t see what the matter is,” Sirius said.  “Spiders, entirely unpleasant and grotesque as they may be, are mere pests, nothing more.”
         “No,” Shay said, grimly.  He made his way to a thick cedar, whose trunk reached high above.  Placing his hands on the bark, he closed his eyes.  “Arachnids are creatures of darkness,” he said airily, his closed lightly.  “They are cursed to crawl the surfaces of the worlds, thirsting for the blood of mortal creatures, striking at the heals of their prey.  They are an omen of death and decay.”
         “And they have brought their stench to the Weirwood,” Corindra said, with anger. 
         Shay pulled himself away from the Cedar, a grim look crossing his cat-like eyes.  “Our time is scarce, we must find your mother,” Shay said.  “Their poison is what silences the trees, and it has run deep.”
         Corindra nodded slowly, her ears straight, and her gaze narrowed.  With a loud neigh, she stomped her hooves into the earth before galloping away.  Shay began running behind her, taking only a short pause to look over his shoulder and gesture for Sirius and Fayth to follow. 
         Feeling herself lifted onto Sirius back, she grabbed hold of his fur before he sped after Shay and Corindra.  Her white glowing mane served as their guide as the shadows became longer and darker.  As Lady Sun began to make her descent, the stench of death became stronger.  They ran swiftly, small branches and twigs scrapping against her face as the brush became thick. 
         Sirius leapt over a family of bushes, and Fayth felt something stick to her face.  She tried to wipe it from her face, but its long strands were stubborn, and they stuck to her fingers and hair.  With a frantic effort, she managed to pull them from her hair.  Then she gasped as the thin strands gleamed like fresh silk in the pale glow of Lady Moon.
         She looked above.  Her heart froze, and she grasped tightly to Sirius’s fur.  He yelped slightly, and she pulled harder.
         “Stop!” she said.  “STOP!”
         Sirius yelped again, but dug his claws into the earth and came to a halt.  Shay slowed his run, peering curiously at her while Corindra took a sharp bank before trotting to her. 
         “What is it?” she asked, glaring.  “Why have you stopped us?”
         Fayth swallowed, her eyes never leaving the darkened canopy above.  Slowly, they lifted their heads, and their eyes grew wide.  Above, thousands of thin glistening strands littered the branches and leaves of the canopy.  Woven together like nets in elegant and fearsome patterns, they laid silently in the trees as deadly traps, awaiting any who stumbled upon them.  Birds, rodents, and other critters of the forest could be seen hanging lifelessly within the webs.  They were thick and numerous, like a labyrinth which stretched long into the darkness of the forest. 
         Shay unsheathed his swords, his knuckles turning white.  The light of Corindra’s horn dimmed as she lowered herself, though never taking her eyes from the canopy.  A chill ran through Sirius, which passed to Fayth.  Shay’s eyes drifted throughout the canopy.  Then his eyes fell to the earth.
         “Corindra,” he said, his voice barely above a whisper.  He made his way to a bare spot of dirt near them.  “Tracks.“  Kneeling, he gently traced his fingers around the small tracks. 
         “Whose are they?” Corindra asked.
         “Unicorn,” Shay replied.  “A small herd.”
         “How fresh?”
         Taking a pinch of dirt, he held it to his nose and sniffed lightly.  “A couple of days,” he said, regretfully.  “I would guess they were moving swiftly.”
         “Where?” Corindra asked, impatiently. 
         He examined the other tracks.  Rising, he followed them.  “This way,” he said motioning with his hand.  “North, towards the vale.”
         Rearing her legs once more, Corindra sprinted in the direction of the tracks.  Sirius, Fayth, and Shay followed, his swords still held firmly.  The trees appeared as shadowy silhouettes as the glow from Corindra’s horn pierced the thick darkness ahead. 
         “They must have been trying to reach your mother,” Shay said. 
         “But why would they head north?” Corindra asked, sounding confused, and afraid.  She leapt over a cluster of bushes then ducked beneath the hanging limb of a tree. 
         The tracks would change, here and there, but still held towards the north.  Corindra galloped fully ahead, while Shay kept his cat-like eyes on the tracks. Following closely, Fayth watched the canopy above as the webs glinted and gleamed off the moonlight.  Farther and farther they sped into the dark forest, until Corindra dug her hooves into the ground and came to an abrupt halt.  The others were beside her a moment later, and found themselves facing a steep hill. 
         “Their tracks continue on into the vale,” Shay said.  His gaze shifted over the tracks, his cat-like eyes narrowing.  “This is strange,” he continued. 
         Fayth peered into the darkness.  From the hills summit, she could see the top of the canopy within the vale, and a thick darkness below.  She shivered as the hairs on the back of her neck began to tingle.  Turning, her eyes surveyed the canopy above.  The webs waved lazily through the breeze, and an eerie silence fell upon the forest.  She shook herself before turning back to Shay and Corindra.  However, an uneasy feeling pressed down upon her, and she felt as though she were being watched.
         “They were digging in,” Shay said.  “But the tracks continue into the vale.”
         They all peered into the darkness below, silently, anxiously.
         “The stench of death is thickest down there,” Sirius said, low and broodingly.  Corindra stood beside him.
         “I smell it too,” she said.  Lifting her head, she directed her light into the darkness.  It did not penetrate far, but they could see the Unicorns tracks leading deeper.  She stepped forward, slowly and cautiously.  “Come,” she said.
         “Corindra…” Shay began.
         “I must know what happened to them,” she said, glaring at him.  “And if they are in need of aid, I will provide it.”
         Corindra appeared a mere silhouette, like the trees, the further down she traveled.  They followed, slowly and silently.  Further in, the darkness grew thicker, even consuming the light of Corindra‘s horn.  Fayth pulled her cloak tight as the air became cold and caused her breath to frost.  Ahead, there was a small clearing, dimly lit by the light of Lady Moon.  The tracks led towards it, and stopped.
         They slowly came to the clearing, and Fayth brought her hands to her face and gasped. 
         Beneath the pale glow of the moon, a herd of Unicorns lay spread throughout the clearing. Their white coats were stained by dirt and blood, their horns appeared dull and brittle, and they stared lifelessly into the darkness. 
         “No…” Corindra said, a quivering whisper.  Beside her, Shay gazed in stun silence into the mass grave of the Unicorns. 
         “How could this be?” he whispered.
         “I do not believe I have ever seen anything so…tragic,” Sirius said, mournfully.
         Corindra bowed. Her powerful legs shook tensely as her breath quivered.  “By the lady I swear,” she said, angrily through clenched teeth.  “There will be a curse upon them, there offspring will be made to pay seven times over, and I will not rest until there is retribution.”
         The leaves above began to stir.  Rustling softly, but not of the wind.  However nobody noticed, as Shay walked amongst the corpses, his swords in hand.  With the flat end of his sword, he gently turned over the head of a Unicorn whose last expression was one of terror.  He became completely still, his eyes fixed on the soft flesh of the Unicorns neck.  Gently returning the Unicorns head to the stone cold earth, his eyes met Corindra’s. 
         “Venom,” he said, gravely.  “Then they were drained.”
         Corindra stomped her hooves and shook.  Meanwhile, Shay quickly examined another Unicorn, laying lifelessly a few feet away.  He only took a brief glance before moving to the next, then the next.  With each Unicorn he searched his cat-like eyes became more grim.
         “No two are alike,“ he said.  “Each wound is different in length and girth.”
         “It was a trap,” Corindra said. angrily.  “They were herded here, like common beasts to a slaughter.”
         “Then perhaps we should not linger,” Sirius said.  Fayth nodded her head, her pulse quickening.  “The four of us would not last long against whatever took a herd of your people Lady Corindra.”
         Corindra turned and glared at him menacingly.  Shay quickly stepped between them.
         “Sirius is right,” Shay said.  “There must be retribution yes, but we are merely prey by ourselves.  We must reach the Tree of Hope and find your mother, and gather the remainder of your people.  Then we shall seek to avenge your brothers and sisters.”
         Corindra snorted and slapped her hooves against the earth.  Moving to speak, she soon stopped as the branches began to stir loudly above.  Fayth looked up, and she couldn’t breath.  Eight red, gleaming, eyes hovered over them.  Nested upon a large head with short black fur, two fangs extending from its maw twitch excitedly as venom dripped off their tips.  Lifted itself on eight segmented legs, it raised it torso high behind it as the branches began to bend and snap.  Then, with a sinister hiss, it leapt towards them.           “Run!” Shay shouted. 
         Sirius leapt towards the hill and began scrambling up, Fayth clinging to his fur with all her strength. Sirius scrambled up the hill, his claws digging deep into the earth with each pace.  Corindra dashed behind the Arachnid, dimming her horn and melding into the shadows.  Shay merely stepped backwards, inches away from a hairy leg. 
         The Arachnid hissed and began snapping its legs towards Shay.  Clapping his swords together, they ignited into flame.  All eight of the Arachnids eyes fell to him as he spun them wildly in his hands.  Hissing, the Arachnid reared itself back, and leapt towards him.  Shay leapt backwards as the Arachnid crashed onto the earth.  It raised its legs to strike, but recoiled as a blinding light glared in its eyes. 
         Corindra had come about, hidden by the shadows, then lighting her horn.  The Arachnid tried to shield its eyes with two legs, striking blindly with two others.  Shay dashed towards it, leaping high over head, and landing on its hairy torso.  The Arachnid kicked its abdomen, wildly, as Shay scrambled to its head. 
         He held his sword high, the point aimed towards it neck.  With a cry he thrust the sword deep into the Arachnids soft neck, its flames singing its black hair.  It cried wildly and lifted itself onto its back legs, exposing the soft tissue of its underside.
         Digging her hooves into the earth, Corindra’s ivory horn glowed brightly.  “Taste the agony of death, cursed creature of the Darkness!” she shouted.  Then she charged.  Her horn glowed brightly, and aimed for its belly. 
         As she charged, Shay withdrew his swords and leapt from the creatures back.  He landed with fierce gracefulness on the steep hill, grasping a tree to hold himself steady.  In the next moment, Corindra rammed her horn into the Arachnid.  The forest became dark, the light of her horn swallowed by the blackened body of the Arachnid.  It wretched and hiss wildly and Corindra dug her horn deeper.  Then, with a burst of light, the Arachnid‘s body tore apart as Corindra pulled herself away. Parts of its body flew in several directions, and a putrid stench filled the air. 
         Having been holding her breath, Fayth gasped.  She took several quick breaths as Shay stepped towards Corindra. 
         “We mustn’t linger,” he said softly, his cat-like eyes darting about throughout the canopy.  “More could…”
         His voice became lost as the canopy began to stir.  Above, and far away, the soft rustling of tiny legs skittering throughout the trees echoed throughout the vale.  Fayth looked above to see clusters of beady red eyes glaring at her through the darkness.  The air was filled with chilling hisses of an Arachnids fury at the death of one of their own. 
         Gripping Sirius fur tightly, her pulse began to race.  Corindra and Shay exchanged a short glance, before scrambling up the hill. 
         “Quickly, they will be upon us soon,” Corindra said as she reached the top  of the hill and began galloping away.  Sirius and Fayth followed, Shay running beside them. 
         As they ran, the trees scurried to life.  Arachnids, of seemingly endless numbers, crawled through the webs above.  They were of all sizes and strengths, but each with blood red eyes, their darkened silhouettes dipping in and out of the shadows.  Only their red eyes shone clearly against the blackness of the forest. 
         An Arachnid burst from the bushes as they ran past.  Leaping onto Sirius back, its fangs twitching wildly as it raised itself.  With a slight cry, Fayth kicked it with her foot, hurling it back into the darkness.  Another leapt towards Corindra, but a powerful kick from her back legs sent the Arachnid hurtling away. 
         The cries and rustling of the branches became louder.  Shay leapt onto Sirius back, placing his back against Fayth’s.  “I hope I do not hinder you,” Shay said, withdrawing his bow and arming an arrow. 
         “No, not by much at all,” Sirius said with a hint of sarcasm.  “I trust you have good reason?”
         “Indeed,“ Shay said,  unleashing three arrows into the darkened canopy.  Three black shadows in the shapes of Arachnids tumbled from the canopy, twitching wildly on the earth before becoming still.           
         “They feed on despair,” Shay said, arming another arrow.  “Calm yourself, keep your hopes alive.”
         Fayth’s hair blew wildly as they raced through the darkened woods.  Forcing a half smile, she tried to quell her fears.  But with each cluster of blood red eyes set against the blackness of the forest, her pulse raced faster..  Ahead, Fayth kept her eyes on Corindra, the brightness of her horn helping her cling to hope.  However, her hopes were swept away as several clusters of red eyes and dark silhouettes appeared ahead. 
         “They‘re surrounding us,” Fayth shouted. 
         Dashing to her left, Corindra dimmed her horn and galloped away from the red eyes.  Sirius followed, banking sharply, causing Fayth to loose her grip.  Shay caught her by the shoulder and pulled her upright.
         Behind, the Arachnids converged together.  A sea of blood red eyes flowed towards them like.  They swept over their labyrinths of webs.  The air was busy with the sound of the their hissing, and the pattering of their legs.  Holding his bow tightly, Shay clenched his teeth and narrowed  his cat-like eyes. 
         Cut off from all directions, the Arachnids would soon be upon them.  Fayth clench her teeth together, feeling as though they were being led to a slaughter, as was Corindra’s kin.  Tightening her grip, she tired to push away her fear, not wanting to give the Arachnids anymore to feed upon. 
         As her pulse raced, she faced forward, her gaze falling upon Corindra’s white mane as she galloped through the darkened forest.  Where there is light, there is hope, she said to herself, over and over.  Yet her pulse continued to race as the pattering and hissing of the Arachnids echoed in her ears.  Then, something became tangled in her hair.  Gasping, fearing it was an Arachnid, she quickly ran her fingers through her hair.  But her fingers only found something soft and brittle.  Her eyes grew wide.
         “The leaves!” she shouted.  Shay turned slightly, glancing at her from the corner of his eye. “Fire,” she said, animated.  “Set the leaves on fire…” yet she stopped, her breath escaping her.  A fire would kill the trees. 
         “Fayth!” Shay said, aghast.  “I could not…”
         “Listen to her!,” Sirius shouted, over his shoulder as he leapt over a fallen tree.  “It might cut them off, give us a chance to escape.”

         The hissing grew louder as the Arachnids drew near.  Narrowing his cat-like eyes, Shay gripped his bow tightly, his gaze drifting between Fayth and the approaching sea of red eyes. 
         “Burn the forest?” he said, to himself. 
         A pain of guilt pierced deep within Fayth’s chest as Shay withdrew his swords.  His knuckles turned white as he turned towards the Arachnids. 
         He spoke softly, mournfully,  “It is our only means to escape.  May the Lady forgive me.”
         His swords clanged together, and were consumed by flame.  They danced and twirled in his cat-like eyes, a bright shade of orange which flickered and flashed.  Holding himself tightly to Sirius, Shay lowered his arms towards the ground.  The hungry flames leapt from his sword into the dried and brittle leaves resting still on the earth below.  In an instant, they were consumed.  The dancing flames consumed all it touched, feeding a hunger it could not quell.  They leapt from brittle leaves to dried twigs, to lifeless trees. 
         The forest lit with shades of orange and red as thick smoke floated lazily into the air.  Shay lifted himself upright, and Fayth caught his look of painful despair.  The fire spread throughout the forest, an indiscriminate killer of anything it touched.  The Weirwood burned, furiously, orange and red flames spreading in all directions. 
         Critters fled from their hideaways.  The birds flew far away.  The beasts scattered throughout the darkness.  And the sea of red eyes came to a halt.  Hissing wildly and rearing on their hind legs, they recoiled from the flames and scorching heat. 
         Safely away from the fires, Sirius slowed before coming to halt.  They stared at the fires as they continued to spread far into the distance.           
          “What have you done!” Corindra shouted, behind them.  Turning, Fayth saw staring at the fire, anger and pain in her eyes.  Then, she turned slowly towards Shay, narrowing her eyes, and lowering her horn. 
         Shay leapt from Sirius’ back, sheathing his now flameless swords and standing before her.  With a fierce cry, Corindra charged.  Her horn glowed brightly, aimed at Shay’s chest.  Fayth gasped and grasped Sirius tightly, he was too stunned to move. 
         “Curse you!” Corindra shouted.  “Beast, plague, murderer!”
         Fayth gasped and felt her heart skip a beat as Corindra reached him.  Holding his strong arms before him, Shay caught Corindra by the shoulders, and held her at bay.  His boots dug into the earth, sinking deeper as she pushed against him with all her strength.
         “I do not take pride in what I have done!” he shouted.  “But I have given us a chance, to find your mother…”
         “You desecrated the Weirwood!” she shouted, angrily.  “The creatures and trees, they were my friends!  I can feel their agony!  I have felt them die!”
         Shay kept his cat-like eyes on hers.  His arms quivered as she pushed on, her horn inches away from his chest. 
         “Do you think I can not feel them too!” he shouted.  “But they were dead already, or do you think I have forgotten how to commune with the forest.“ 
         Corindra snorted loudly, the flames of the fire flickering against her deep blue eyes.  “Curse you!“ she shouted, her voice quivering.  “Curse all the Elflings.”
          The anger and pain in her voice was palpable, and Fayth swallowed the knot in her throat as she watched the forest continue to burn behind the two childhood friends.           
         “Curse me all you wish,” Shay said.  “I am not content with what I unleashed upon the forest, but the Arachnids are held at bay.  Now, we must go, with haste.  We must find your mother, tell her of the what we have seen.”
         They stood still, their eyes locked, pushing against each other.  Breaking away from his grip, Corindra shook her mane and neighed furiously. 
         “Very well, Elfling,” she spat as her hooves crashed to the earth.  “I shall see you to my mother, but no further.  After we tell them all that has transpired, you will leave the Weirwood, never to return.  You are no longer welcomed here, and if you return, you will be made to pay for what you have done, with your life.”
         With her final words, she turned and galloped away.  Racing through the darkness, her horn began to glow once more.  Turning to Shay, a fresh wave of guilt washed over her.  Fayth turned to Shay, who stood still.  Staring blankly after Corindra, she opened her mouth to speak.  But he dashed into the darkenss after her before the words could come forth. 
         He sped away into the darkness, and her throat thickened. 
         “Sirius…” Fayth began.
         “Come my lady,” he said quickly.  “Do not trouble yourself.  Shay would not change what he has done.”
         “But he did it for me!” Fayth said, her voice quivering.  “Because he believes I can save this world.” 
         “That he did my lady,” Sirius said as he began to trot to after them.  “So you must see this through, without loosing courage or doubt.  The only way to honor a sacrifice such as this, is to be worthy of it.”
         His trot soon sped into a gallop, and they were running through the darkness once more.  Turning, she took one more look at the Weirwood.  The flames were still spreading, consuming all in its path, leaving only dust and ash behind.