War Of Misery

Chapter 6 Adventure Awaits

"What waits outside can be found, but cannot be looked for."

"Are we there yet?" Eluis uttered these words for what seemed like the millionth time.

Mordra gave an exasperated sigh. "No. Act your age."

Eluis whined. "Never.  Why does the forest have to be so biiiiiiiiig! I don't think it was this big when I was little."

She clicked her tongue in response.  "That's because it wasn't. Humans aren't as smart as they think they are.  I still can't figure out how this imbecile got that far."  She motioned to Mavric.

Eluis apparently hadn't thought of that. "Now that you say something... Yeah... And why? I mean, yours is the last tree I would try to cut down. It would take at least a week for a normal human to even get to it."

Mordra nodded. "Yes, there is also that.  I believe we have a mystery, almost as interesting as yous." She turned her head to look at the limp body on Eluis' back. His's mouth was hanging open and gave him a rather stupid air. "He hasn't been awake in awhile."

Eluis lifted an eyebrow as she bent over and felt the ground. "What are you doing?"

Mordra sighed and gave him one of her looks.  It quite plainly said 'shut up.  I'm concentrating' "Please hush.  You're not helping."

Eluis laughed, "For your information, I have quite a bit of knowledge on wharbaddillds. Did you know that they burrow into the sides of small streams in order to keep wet? They also are used in many elven healing potions."

Mordra shot up and grabbed his shoulders. "You're a genius, dear." She already knew that those small, frog like beings lived in the side of streams. She also happened to remember an old friend who lived nearby. "Do you remember Yará?"

Eluis perked up. "Do I remember Yará? What do you take me for? A fotorge? My memory isn't that bad. I do have a faint recollection of her."

Mordra nodded. "Yes. She also lives near a brook that's about 7 miles in from the edge of the forest.  The last time I came here was when you were a young colt."

The unicorn started to prance with renewed excitement. "We're going to Yará's palace? I wonder if she remembers me."

Mordra sighed and grabbed Mavric as he slipped from Eluis's back. "Careful with your rider. And yes, Yará most likely remembers you. I don't know who wouldn't remember the little boy who got so far into the forest with only the protection of Tapistaries."

Mordra walked a few more paces before she stopped abruptly and yanked his mane to the side. "Move this way. There are torlos coming.". They moved off the path as they kept pushing forward. Eventually, Eluis felt it too. The ground began to shake as creaks and groans could be heard. The giant tree like creatures moved along slowly. Two shepherds steered them along the winding path, but were having quite a rough time keeping one of them in order.

One of them sounded frustrated as she frantically called to it. "Strika! Nah uo tooeh!"

Mordra quickly realized that the girl was speaking neither the dryadic tongue nor the Elven accented Naida (a common forest language). "El!  Down!" She jerked his leg to get him on the ground. 

Unfortunately, the shepherds were on edge.  One of them cocked her head in their direction. "Saffi, aut nreader?"

The shepherd, who was apparently Saffi, shook her head and then scanned the foliage near the wanderer's hiding spot. "Nant dreer.  Fur a weh?"

The first shepherd then spotted Eluis.  She froze.  All she could see of him was his sharp horn and a bit of his mane, but that was enough to know what he was.  She looked extremely frightened as she leaned over to her friend and spoke more quietly.  From their spot, Mordra and Eluis could see the color drain from the second shepherd's face.  They were obviously terrified of unicorns, but they weren't Dryads and couldn't be Naiads, the usual races Unicorns squabbled with.  They could have been Elves, but there was something off about them.

Mordra leaned a little closer to Eluis and pulled Mavric off of his back. "I think they might be Mimics.  Although I can't hear them clearly, it sounds like Macish." She glanced back to the shepherds. "Step out.  They've seen you."

Eluis, who had no problem being the bait, nodded and peaked his head around the bush.  He took a deep breath and muttered something to himself.  Looking up, he trotted over to the shepherds and gave his best attempt at coming across as a terrible flirt. "Hey there ladies!  Fine day to... Uh.  Shepherd. Ay? Hehe..."

One of them looked like she was about to faint and the other was melting in a nervous sweat and tensing up. "Uh... You, eh, you ver dare?" The melting one pointed at the bush. "Eh, c- can I do somesing vor you? Ehhe, ve ver jost going to.. heh.."  she motioned frantically towards to the torlos and to the path. "You... err... friends?"

As Eluis waited patiently for her to collect her thoughts, he gave a quick look towards Mordra.  She was completely invisible in the brush.
"No, I'm not with anyone.  Why do you ask?"

She gave a little laugh as her muscles loosened a little.  "Eheh...  Goot den.  Goot..." The shepherd gave her friend a little shake. "Biesh niklek uo tooeh nreader."

Saffi was still shocked at the sight of the unicorn, but silently nodded and took a shaking step nearer to Mordra and Mavric. "Da tooeh?" She pointed at the area of brush next to the hiding spot.

The shepherd nodded and signaled to hurry it up. "Yak. Yak! Da tooeh."

Saffi almost took one more step before they heard a deep bellow as the wind whistled through the trees in a ghostly moan.  The shepherds both turned pale.  They had been stalled for too long and the torlos were getting impatient.  Not only that, but someone had called out in a dryadic whistle.