The Unity of Spellbound Threads

10

_-_Rick's POV_-_

"It's all your fault!" Lilith screamed. I could basically feel the anger radiating off of her as she yelled at Andy. "If you hadn't sided with The Darkness and then turned your back on him, maybe it wouldn't have taken Lila and the others!"

Andy covers his head with his arms as she glares at him with fury. She doesn't get to yell at him like that. Screw this. I'm going to get in so much trouble after this.

I pushed all of my energy into one thought. And poof! I'm a squirrel! My mind races as I suddenly find myself in a new, furry body. I'm floating in mid-air, my paws waving wildly as I try to get my bearings. I let out a startled squeak as I began to plummet towards the ground, my tail flailing behind me. But to my surprise, I landed with a soft thud, my paws absorbing the impact with ease. I can't believe I just transformed into a squirrel! My bushy tail twitches excitedly as I scamper to my feet, my tiny paws pattering against the ground. Lilith's eyes widened as she looked at me.

"It's not polite to stare, you know." I chattered "What??" she exclaimed, her voice almost a whisper. "Ok good you understand me." Lilith, her eyes locked on my face. "Anyway my name is Rick I'm here to help you find your friends. Please relay this to Andy."  After I finished, she turned to Andy.

I watched as Lilith's eyes narrowed, her voice dripping with disdain as she spat out my name. "He says his name is Rick, and he's here to help us find our friends," she sneered. Would it kill her to be nicer to him. I felt a pang of regret as Andy's eyes widened in panic, his face contorting in anguish as he rocked back and forth on his heels. Tears filled his eyes, and I could sense his breath coming in short, sharp gasps. "Oh no, not again," he muttered, eyes filling with tears.

Lilith's sneer twisted her face, her lips curling up in disgust as she spat out the words. "Deal with it, Andy. Rick is here to help us, and we need all the help we can get." Her voice was like a whip, lashing out at Andy's already fragile state. Andy's eyes welled up with tears, his gaze fixed on me in horror as if I was a monster come to haunt him. His breath hitched in his throat, and his body shook with sobs as he stared at my squirrel form. "I can't do this, Lilith. I can't face another Rick. It's too much," he wailed, his voice cracking under the weight of his grief. His shoulders slumped, and he crumpled to the ground, his body racked with convulsive sobs. I felt guilty and sad, as I realized that my presence had triggered such a painful reaction.

Lilith's grip on Andy's arm was like a vice, her fingers digging deep into his skin. Her eyes blazed with frustration, her voice sharp as a knife. "Andy, listen up!" she snapped, her words biting into the air. "This Rick character may be a squirrel, but he's here to help us, and we need him." Her emphasis on "need" was like a hammer, driving the point home. "So, put aside your problems, whatever they may be, and work with it, got it?" She spoke as if she was trying to drill the words into his skull, her tone brooking no argument. Andy winced, both from the physical discomfort of her grip and the verbal barrage. If her face didn't give away that she was frustrated with him her words sure did.

After a few moments he nodded silently. I started moving towards him slowly. When I reached him I softly nuzzled his hand, trying to offer comfort and calm him down.

Andy's eyes, still red-rimmed from crying, met mine, and I held his gaze steadily, trying to convey a sense of calm and reassurance. His breath hitched in his throat, but as he continued to look at me, his breathing slowly began to steady, his chest rising and falling in a more measured rhythm. I could sense the tension in his body begin to ease, just a little, as he seemed to take comfort in my presence. I longed to speak, to tell him how sorry I was for whatever had happened, and to reassure him that none of it was his fault. But I knew I couldn't, not yet. So I simply held his gaze, trying to communicate my support and solidarity through my silence. 

Andy's shoulders, which had been hunched up around his ears, began to lower, and his arms, which had been crossed tightly over his chest, relaxed and dropped to his sides. He took a deep breath in through his nose and out through his mouth, and his body seemed to sag slightly, as if a weight had been lifted off his shoulders. His eyes, which had been wide and panicked, began to narrow and focus, and his jaw, which had been clenched tight, relaxed, allowing his lips to soften into a gentle curve. He nodded, his head bobbing up and down in a slow, deliberate motion, as he whispered, "Okay, what do I need to do?" His voice was still shaky, but it was no longer trembling with fear, and his words were no longer choked with sobs. He looked at me, his eyes searching for guidance and reassurance, and I felt a sense of pride and hope as I realized that he was starting to trust me, will me in this form, to him I'm just a strange squirrel who had suddenly appeared in his life.

Lilith's face relaxed a bit. "We need to find a way to stop The Darkness before it's too late," she said, "Rick, you'd better be more than just a pesky squirrel if you want to help us. We don't have time for games." Lilith started looking at me. "Game's? Do you think that just because I'm a squirrel I'm going to fool around, and play games when the fate of the world depends on me. Ha! You make me laugh princess. Either way let's get going we don't have much time to spare." I chattered twitching my tail. Having a tail is quite strange. I never imagined I would have one. But I do, at least for the time being.

Lilith's scowl softened, and a glimmer of hope flickered to life in her eyes. She nodded. "Then let's move out! We've got no time to waste." Her voice urgent.

I started to run towards where I felt a dark magic aura darting back and forth, leading the way. "My goodness, I can't believe this." Sperantia tweeted. "Can't believe what. Miss-?" I paused for an answer. "Ohh! I'm Sperantia!" She replied lively. "Oh well, Sperantia what can't you believe?" I chuckled (or whatever sound squirrels make when they laugh) "Well, I suppose that you know that Lilith and Andy are siblings?" She chriped loudly. "Hush! Lilith must not know yet! It must remain a secret that will be revealed in due time." I exclaimed. "Oh right sorry." She chipped softly. "It's alright." I could feel Lilith's and Andy's magic aura following behind me. 

_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_

Hey. It's chapter 10!!!!! I did it!! This is a milestone marker!!!

Please
Be kind
Be considerate
Be thoughtful
Be loving
Be a good person!

-Rose out

Words: 1260
Edited on: 3/8/24