A chill breeze blew through the trees and Elena huddles closer into her cloak. Well, Fiona's brother's cloak really. It was grease stained and dirty, but for once Elena didn't care. The shadows were drwaing in now under the forest and she was suddenly glad to have Fiona's mother close by. The girls had managed fine on their own, but it was nice to have adults to do the looking after again.
It had been scary in the barn too, seeing dark shadows coming out of corners and from behind stacks of hay. It had been a huge relief when the shadows had turned into Fiona's mother, brothers and some neighbours. It seemed their fathers were helping to fight the wild men, and they had hidden in the barn for safety. Elena was worried about her father but she knew he was braver than any twenty wild men. He would be fine.
She knew that she would be fine now, too. The old man from the big house had appeared that morning with other people, to accompany them to a safe place. Not the big house, which was a shame, but caves. Elena had surprised herself by feeling slightly excited instead of anxious. She would far rather be at home- Fiona's home, she amended hastily- and clean and warm but this might not be too bad. For a little while. She sighed suddenly, it seemed that once again everything was changing. Maybe this time it would be a good change?
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“Sylphs of the forest,” I whispered. “Spirits of oak, beech and ash. Dryads of Rowan and hazel, hear us. You who have guided and guarded our every footstep, you who have sheltered our growth, we honour you."
the Forbidden Link
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