Chapter 4

Moonglow

Novembre 24, 5599

 

Maidawn awoke as the Brumel started to lighten the early morning sky. She stretched all the way down to her toes and hugged the blanket to her. It had been quite cold during the night and the fire had helped to keep her warm, but her exposed face was chilled. She breathed outward and watched a tiny mist cloud form from her warm breath. Maidawn did that a couple of times and then decided that she needed to get up and get ready to head out. After all, they were finally traveling again and she didn’t want to lose a moment of sunsshine.

As she stood, she nudged Thorfrn Throkreaver, the Yellowbeard Dwarf, with her foot.

He threw back his blanket, grabbed his magical battleaxe, Bloodedge Skullsplitter, and gave a shout. The dwarf swung his head left and right, looking for danger, noticed Maidawn, and then smiled sheepishly. He leaned back and yawned loudly.

Maidawn gave a little laugh, and she was joined by Cyereth, the elf, who sat on a nearby rock, as she had been on watch during the early morning. Cyereth moved her hair behind her pointed ears and leaned her bow against a nearby tree. She walked up to the fire, turned around, and warmed her fanny, which has been on the cold rock for a few hours.

“Ah,” she sighed. “That’s better.”

Maidawn laughed. “A warm tush is always something to strive for.”

Cyereth joined her in laughter.

“Bah,” Thorfrn muttered, rolling up his blanket. “What I’m gonna miss is a warm breakfast. Me belly will be missin’ that most of all.”

Zift stood and stretched in the downward dog position. Being a welcorg, a battle corgi, and Maidawn’s oldest brother, he yawned, walked over to Maidawn, and gave her a big lick up the side of her face. And then he stared her right in the eyes, not blinking.

Maidawn froze, as this had never happened before. And then she laughed and threw her arms around her brother’s neck, wrestling him side to side. She stood back and looked at him.

Zift smiled. “Gotcha,” he said.

“You sure did,” she replied, wiping the slobber off her cheek.

“That was for the boop on the nose when we were on the side of the cliff.”

“I’d almost forgotten about that.” Maidawn smiled, already planning the next boop on his nose. Oh, it’s coming, Zift, she thought. Whenever you least expect it. It’s coming.

Shorn sat watching the interaction between his friends and smiled. The large blorc looked at the black skin on the back of his hand and rubbed some dirt off. He stood, bent over, picked up his large, black, serrated sword, and slid it home in its sheath. He moved the sheath over his shoulder, something he was trying out, and cinched it down around his chest. The hilt of the sword was just behind his head, slightly to the right. His amber chainmail hauberk shone in the early morning sun, sending sparkles of light all around.

Spck peeked her tiny head out from under Shorn’s armor in his neck hole and made a little sound, “Gleep.” Shorn knew that she said things, he just could not understand anything she said. He hoped to someday be able to talk to the little flairie, like he did with Jumper the krickett, but for now, he was content knowing that she was his friend, and sometime protector.

Braunk, the centaur, came sauntering in with tow ravvits and an opposcoon in one hand. He handed then to Maidawn, who smiled and thanked him. She moves away to the nearest creek and started to skin then for breakfast.

Stench, as usual, was still asleep, curled up next to Shorn, snoring lightly. Shorn’s best friend, a green goblin who didn’t smell as bad as he used to, having recently had his fifth bath, was a hard sleeper and not easy to wake up. Shorn rested a hand on the goblin’s head and drummed his fingers on his skull.

The green goblin’s eyes flew open and he screamed “Ride, you fools! We must flee!” as he jumped up and ran over to Chomper, his gray donkey. He looked back at the fire, mostly because no one else had moved, and then saw Shorn smile and pat the blanket beside him. Realizing the drumming on his head had just been a ploy to wake him up, he grumbled and walked back to put his boots on. Then he tromped over to Chomper again to check on his stinky, furry friend, all the while mumbling under his breath.

Shorn watched his friend and thought that the goblin had a good idea. So, he rose to check on Thrasher, his big, black warhorse. Thrasher nuzzled him for a few seconds, and Shorn gave him a quick kiss on the nose. Stench saw this and chuckled. He tried this with Chomper, whose eyes widened and Stench came in with puckered lips and eyes close. Chomper opened his mouth and then gentle bit Stench on his top lip.

Stench’s eyes flew open and he screamed. The donkey began to bray with laughter.

While Stench yelled at his donkey, Alizabet the enchantress packed up all of her overnight items into her backsack and sat down to wait for the ravvits and opposcoon to be cooked. Theleisium the white mage sat beside her wishing that he had his morning coffy.

Thirty minutes later, the party has eaten and were ready to get moving again. They had spent the night near Lanfern Lake, and now needed to head north around the lake so they could make their way to the coast.

Suddenly, a tiny, glowing, blue bird came zipping toward the party and began fluttered around Theleisium’s head. The mage watched it for a second and then held out one finger. The magical bird landed on his finger and tilted its head back. Instead of breaking out in song, the following message was heard: “Theleisium, King Prestius Freemen of Devinshyre requests your presence as soon as possible to discuss grave matters. Moonglow is on the way to you. Tarry not.”

The magical bird disappeared in a puff of smoke.

Theleisium shook his finger and then looked into Alizabet’s eyes. “Well, this isn’t what I was expecting. You’ll have to go on without me, apparently. The king beckons and I must answer.”

Alizabet frowned for a second and then gave him a small smile. “Well, at least you were able to begin the training of both Maidawn and Shorn in the ways of Amber magic. We’ll continue on to Kexy Island to look for the ring that you think is there. You said that you think it was in a small metal box, right?”

Theleisium nodded. “If you don’t find it there, look for any clues as to where the other items might be. We must find all of the remaining four items if we have any hope of saving the human race.”

“Don’t worry,” Maidawn piped in. “We won’t let you down,” she said, smiling.

“No way,” Zift agreed. “We’ll find something. I just know it.”

Thorfrn pointed to his nose, “If they be made of a precious metal, I be able to smell ‘em if they be close.” He winked at the mage.

Cyereth nodded in agreement. “We look forward to your return.”

“And Braunk and I,” Shorn said, “will be on the lookout for danger. The group will be safe.”

“I have no doubt of that, my friend,” Theleisium replied, eyeing the two largest members of the group.

“Me too,” Stench said, waving his elven dagger around.

“Careful,” Shorn said as he grabbed his friend’s arm. “You don’t want to hurt anyone.”

“Aw,” Stench said, sheathing his dagger. “I wouldn’t do that, at least, not on purpose.”

The sound of rapidly approaching hoofbeats made everyone turn to the north. Like a streak of lightning, Moonglow could be seen thundering through the trees, leaves flying up into the air as he nearly flew over them. He skidded to a halt not five feet from Theleisium and then let out a terrific snort, smoke rising from his hooves.

Maidawn, not able to restrain herself, approached the all-white unicorn. His blue eyes followed her, watching her warily. His mane hung down the side of his neck, braids interspersed throughout the free hair. Moonglow’s long tail swished back and forth, whether from agitation at the approaching girl or for some other purpose, Maidawn didn’t know. In the middle of his forehead, the unicorn’s twisted horn glowed brightly.

Maidawn held a hand out in front of her as she neared the creature, who continued to watch her.  “May I?” she asked Moonglow.

Moonglow stared at her for a moment and then briefly nodded.

Smiling, Maidawn took a couple more steps forward and laid her hand upon the neck of the unicorn. It is a pleasure to meet you, Moonglow thought inside Maidawn’s head.

Maidawn flinched and then replied, Oh, Moonglow, you are magnificent.

 I’m nothing special, but thank you for the compliment. You must really meet our king, Goldenrod. Now, he is someone to behold.

Maidawn laughed and then thought, I’m sure he’s very special. Please keep Theleisium safe. He’s important to us.

Not to worry, Moonglow replied. No harm shall befall him.

Maidawn removed her hand from the unicorn and broke the link.

Theleisium said his goodbyes and promised to return as soon as he could. He hopped up on Moonglow, who let out a cry that sounded something like a mixture of a horse whinny and a whistle. He reared up while Theleisium grabbed handfuls of the unicorn’s mane. Moonglow jumped up, all four hooves leaving the ground, pivoted in mid-air, and then speed off at an unbelievable speed.

All that was heard was a fading “Wahoo!” shouted by Theleisium as they disappeared between the trees.

“Well, that’s that,” Alizabet said. She turned to the group, slapped her hands on her thighs and said, “We’d better head out. Let’s see if we can make it to the inner Lmiryon Sea today.”

Stench, who had already hopped on top of Chomper took off.

“Hey,” Shorn yelled. “Stench! Wait for us. Stench! We’re not packed up yet. Blast it.”

He picked up a small rock, took careful aim, and heaved it at his friend. The rock ricocheted off of Stench’s griffin helm. The goblin’s hands shot up and he tumbled off of Chomper to lay still in the grass.

“You got me,” the group faintly heard. “Ha! Good shot, sire!” He held a thumb up.

Everyone laughed.