𝙰 𝙽𝚎𝚠 𝙼𝚎𝚕𝚘𝚍𝚢 // 𝙲𝚕𝚘𝚟𝚎𝚛 𝚡 𝙻𝚒𝚌𝚘𝚛𝚒𝚌𝚎 - 𝙲𝚘𝚘𝚔𝚒𝚎 𝚁𝚞𝚗

5 | The Top of the Tree | 5

! Heading into headcanon territory
! Longer chapter which I'm publishing at night, forgive me if there are mistakes I haven't seen
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word count (excluding A/Ns on top and bottom): 1515
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"Go north, south, west, east in this forest, my servants!" Licorice commanded.

"Finding that loud cake hound must be easier than finding Poison Mushroom Cookie!"
The servants nodded obediently and went their ways.

This was supposed to be a good day. He was gonna spend time alone with his new friend, but then he was ordered to walk a zestful cake hound — then he had to help someone he despised — then he lost the cake hound.

'...His new friend.'

Clover was searching for clues on the ground with his guitar tied to his back. "Fig Cookie and I can help find your little Chiffon," he insisted.

Licorice let his stress out by slashing a tree with his scythe. "Again, he's not my pet, but some extra eyes and ears could help prevent my master from finding out I failed a simple task!"
He stopped scarring the tree when a hand was placed on his shoulder.
"Licorice, please calm down. I know we'll find Chiffon! There's no need to abuse that innocent tree," Clover reassured him.

Fig chimed in the conversation "I'll ask tha for'st friends if they've spotted ya cake hound! Mr. Bird, have ya seen-"
They followed a blue bird into the trees. After those few minutes, four had become two.

"If Fig went that way, then I can search the side where the river is. While you can search over there," Clover suggested, already stepping towards said direction.
Licorice frowned, in doubt whether he was gonna speak his mind or not.
It seemed that his reluctance was obvious, since Clover asked him "What's the matter?"
Licorice didn't make eye contact. "I actually thought we would have searched together, y'know?"
He felt a twinkle of contentment when Clover walked back to him with delight.
"I hoped you would say that."

Licorice and Clover ambled through the forest, a mage and a musician looking for a lost hound.

"Chiffon! Where are you, Chiffon? Give us a woof!" Clover yelled in his soft voice.
"C'mere, Chiffon!" Licorice joined in with less enthusiasm.
It was useless when he called for Poison Mushroom. Chiffon listened to Red Velvet while barely caring about Licorice's orders, anyways. Still, he went with Clover's plans.

"Chiffon's probably hungry, got any snacks on you?" he asked. It was his responsibility to take care of Chiffon, he could as well come up with ideas too.
Clover checked something on his clothes and revealed tiny pockets. "Do cake hounds eat bird seeds?" he asked back. It was hard to tell whether it was a genuine question or sarcasm.

They heard a bark in the distance, one that Licorice could recognize with ease.

"Ah-hah! He's right over there!"

An old tree stood in front of them, sticking out from the rest as it was a whole lot taller and thicker. Its large branches were scattered and the roots were like the tentacles of an octopus.
There was a glimpse of two round, red ears all the way on the top.

Clover lifted his hat to see better. "Oh, how did he get up there?"
"All that matters is that we found him!" Licorice responded.
"Chiffon! Get down here this instant!" "We have bird seeds!"

There were no signs of Chiffon moving.

Licorice pondered for a bit before suggesting "We could climb the tree and snatch him when he's not looking!"
He thought he saw Clover's smile leave for a second. "Roll cake trees aren't supposed to be so tremendously tall. I don't think it would be safe to climb."
"Oh please, I have climbed many trees before!"
"One as massive as this one?"
"No height can stop this sorcerer!"