[Lyra Greenleaf]

Elena felt a hand slipping into hers and glanced up, shocked. Not only was Fiona holding her hand, but her cheeks were shining with tears. With a very watery attempt at a smile she squeezed Fiona’s hand.

The next thing she remembered was morning. Bright sunlight was slanting through the trees, onto the stream, onto the remains of a fire and onto Elena and Fiona sprawled out beside it. Sitting up, Elena rubbed her eyes. The horse was leaning over the stream, drinking, and Rian was lying curled up beneath a tree. Fiona sat up, blinking. Smiling at her, Elena walked over to the stream, washed her face and then drank. Fiona had gone to wake Rian.

After washing herself properly Elena fetched more berries for breakfast. When she gave them to Rian, she actually received a smile although Rian still had not spoken. The girls ate, and the horse cropped the bushes and grass. When they had all eaten, she came and nudged Elena’s arm, walked to the side of the clearing and whinnied to them.

“She wants us to follow” Elena whispered to Fiona, who nodded. Quietly each took one of Rian’s hands and began to follow the horse.

It was hard to tell how long the walk through the forest took, but although it seemed like a long time the girls did not feel tired. Suddenly they found themselves at the edge of a huge open space, leading from the eaves of the trees, where they stood, to the sea. Elena felt a strange thrill inside. She had never seen the sea and had not known they were so close to it. In between them and the sea there stood a great house. Elena could see that this was where they were being led. As they approached, the horse put back her head and whinnied loudly. At the noise, people began to come through the doors of the house.

The people all came out to mill around the girls and the horse, asking who they were, where they were from and how they got there. Fiona talked to them, while Elena held Rian’s hand. It was a surprise to see, all of a sudden, that most of the people had left. Fiona was calling to her to follow, and a nice lady was leading them into the house. From the corner of her eye, Elena saw the lovely horse who had probably saved them, turn and leave, probably to find the Elf lady. Elena waved, then felt silly. It was only a horse after all!

There were many doors in the corridor they walked along, and from one open door, a voice called to the lady who was leading them. Glancing at the three girls, the lady went over to the door and walked in. Elena and Fiona peered in through the doorway, drawing Rian behind them. An old man was lying in a bed, talking to the nice lady. Then he looked up and saw the girls.
“Who are you?” he called.

[ July 14, 2003: Message edited by: Lyra Greenleaf ]