[Lyra Greenleaf]

Elena ran, staggering slightly, but with Fiona scaring off the wild men- What did she DO to them? Elena wondered- they could go slower than if they were trying to flee their captors.
“Wh-where are we going?” she asked between gulps of air.
“I don’t know” said Fiona, slowing down.
“I want to see if my Papa is still at your house” Elena said slowly, eagerly slowing almost to a walk.
”Going back to where they caught us. That’s really clever” Fiona answered. Irritation flashing in her eyes.
Elena winced. She almost felt like crying.
“But-“ she began. Suddenly she stopped. “Where’s Rian?”
Both girls gazed around.
“She wouldn’t have stopped again, would she?” Elena asked with a sigh.
“There she is” Fiona called, pointing.
“Well, it doesn’t look like we have any choice anymore.” Elena said “She’s going back to the village.

After sharing an exasperated look the two girls began to run after Rian. It was hard to catch up to her, because she was so much older. Elena began panting more, but it didn’t seem fair to let Rian cope with monsters or whatever was at the village alone, not in her state. After a while the reached the outskirts of the village. There was no sign of Rian anywhere.
“She must have gone to our house” Elena started, then realised what she had said. “I mean your house” she corrected herself, blushing.

Fiona got no chance to reply, as Elena spotted something and ran to her left.
“Hello” she said to the beautiful horse. “Fiona! This is the Elf lady’s horse. Isn’t she beautiful?”
Elena offered her hand to the horse’s nostril. She sniffed it gently, then lipped the back of her hand. Fiona walked over slowly, and the same events repeated themselves. Suddenly there was shouting from a nearby house. Elena looked around in fear. As she listened, now, she could hear many strange noises- bangs, yells and screaming. If Rian was here I would hold her hand, she thought sadly. But Fiona is probably enjoying it. Nervously she turned back to where Fiona was still patting the horse.
“What shall we do?” she asked.

Almost as if in answer, the horse shook her head and began to walk towards the woods.
“Do you think we should follow it?” Elena whispered, transfixed as it turned it’s head to whicker softly at them.
“Don’t you want to get away from here?” Fiona asked, just as quietly.
“But w-what about Rian?” Elena asked, voice breaking. Again tears began to prick at her eyes.

[ June 10, 2003: Message edited by: Lyra Greenleaf ]