The Trip Back

"C'mon there's not much left, hang in there"

Under the cover of the night, Elias, Eset, and the three rescued boys navigated their way out of the forest. However, it was more accurate to say that Elias, Eset and Leo did. Patrick and Lester were hoisted on Elias's shoulder, each boy occupying one spot.

The intelligent owl was looking at the two boys with envy, her gem shimmering with amethyst light occasionally as she debated whether to just switch places with one of them.

[Stop looking at them like that Eset, they're out of it. I can't just drag them on the ground]

The little owl fluttered her wings frustratingly and pondered deeply for a solution. She shook her head a few times as if dismissing unviable ideas.

Suddenly, she stopped in her tracks and snapped her head at Elias, her eyes a blazing pool determination.

[If I can't take your shoulder then…. Let me sit on your head!] It seemed she was convinced that she had reached some sort of middle ground, and she was proud of it. Her chest was puffed and head held high.

Elias's eyes went wide as soon as he heard what she said. The hair on the back of his neck stood up in alarm and his hands flailed around in the air trying to stop her from landing, almost dropping the two boys.

[NO-NO-NO, don't even think about it! You'll skewer my brain!]

The pair continued their silent bickering for a good ten minutes but it then escalated into a mute war. A mime would have been proud of their performance.

Elias would wave around his hands in exclamation and cover his head frequently as if blocking something. In turn Eset would poke his legs with her antlers and fly right in front of his face then fly back down, her gem shimmering each time brighter and brighter in frustration.

Leo looked at the two behaving strangely with creased eyebrows, wondering if the hermit boy and his owl were lunatics. Suddenly he was hesitant about leading them back to his house.

"What are you guys doing? Are you okay?"

The two paused comically and looked back at him. Sweat formed on their foreheads and a tinge of red painted Elias's cheeks in embarrassment.

The bonded kids looked back at each other before flashing a smile and raising a thumbs up towards Leo.

Unfortunately for the pair's crumbling image, Leo was even more creeped out by their behavior. Raising a thumbs up suddenly certainly does not save the situation from being awkward.

What was even worse was that they were stuck in that position for a good minute, unmoving, as if waiting for Leo to reciprocate.

'S-Since when do owls smile… And did the owl's wing just, thumbs up me?'

With a wry smile, Leo extended his non sword wielding arm tiredly and mimicked their action.

Elias nodded at the bewildered kid and continued on with the walk out of the forest. Both he and Eset had a bad feeling, yet they were not able to put a finger on it.

Gradually, the moonlight peeked out of the thick net of branches obstructing its path, and the children found their way out of the daunting forest.

They traversed the thick snow ridden earth for a few more minutes before reaching the town.

In the center plaza many adults were gathered, holding torches and makeshift weapons, discussing among themselves

-"We must look for them now! If we wait any longer then the wolves would find them before we do." Exclaimed a frightened looking villager. His face was illuminated by the burning torch clenched within his palm, painting an orange color on his haggard face and sagging eye bags.

-"Don't worry old man Clarence. They're kids, they get lost, we all did. Let us go back to our sleep and we will deal with them in the morning." Out of the convened adults, one of them stuck out. No torch or weapon in hand, not even a smudge of worry marring his face. His lanky figure was relaxed, fanning a yawn with one hand and scratching his lower back with the other. His voice cast a melodic spell hypnotizing everyone within earshot.

Plenty of those present voiced out in affirmation, drowning the very few who opposed.

His words seemed to influence the tug of war within all the villagers present. The whispers of sloth calling them back to sleep seemed to pull on the rope with more force than those of rationality, urging them to find the missing kids.

Many of the adult snuffed out the fires of their torches and planted the blades of their weapons towards the earth in surrender. They walked back tiredly dragging their feet across the ground and slumped in tiredness. Some even had the gall and shamelessness to mutter complaints under their breath, as if they were awoken for something inconsequential.

The once crowded plaza was now a ghost-quiet, only three individuals watched on incredulously as their friends, family even abandoned them in their time of need.

Al that remained was a frail looking woman, whose sunken eyes betrayed her noble posture. She wore a white night gown stained with crimson smears eliciting pity from all those who chanced upon her figure; a fragile fairy. Silvery streaks sailed the ocean of gold trailing from her scalp all the way to the blanche earth, draining the life from them.

Supporting her arm, was a tall plump women with braided brown hair and jovial looking facial features. Yet now, a pained look was painted over her face, as strands of her hairs escaped the braid and covered her firmly closed eyes, trapping her tears from escaping.

In order to lighten the burden of her ill friend, Teresa's smile broke through dye cast upon her face and whispered comforting words to her lifelong friend.

"Don't worry Drea, w-we'll find them for sure. I will drag that oaf from bed if I have to and make him search with us. They are going to be okay, isn't that right old man Clarence?"

The old man clenched the torch in his hands firmly, his chest burned with even more heat than the fire he wielded I his hand. The words formed in his throat bubbled with rage and encouragement, they were about to come to life and convince the two ladies themselves of their children's well-being.

Yet, the coldness of the snow seeped into his boots, it' frigidness carrying his thoughts to the shivering feet of his grandson, Lester.

He tried to bring life to the words, but when he took breath from the freezing atmosphere, the icy winds bit at his lungs, once again surfacing the worry gnawing on his mind for Lester's fragile little lungs prickled by the sharp air.

"Clarence? Clarence say something!"

Teresa stared at the old man and called out to him desperately, her throat squeezing out the words with considerable effort as the harsh dryness of the air robbed it of any wetness.

The old man looked at her with listless eyes as his once clenched arm loosened lifelessly, dropping the torch to the floor and out the fiery light of hope.

The darkness of the night reigned supreme once again, only the moon offering some respite and casting a silvery light upon the fragile woman. Her ethereal blue eyes trailed the small smoke rising out of the torch buried in snow, and then the lanky man whose words bewitched the villager's minds.

She parted her cherry red lips and extended her thin arm pointing her dainty finger at the man.

"Demon" she said, fog escaping her mouth as she exhaled.

"Hush now Drea, do not let them hear you comparing them to such foul creatures." Teresa was quick to lower her friend's arm and calm her down, afraid that the man would take offense.

"Pick up your torch Clarence, we must look for the kids. We are not to-"

"Mom?"

The kids in question were there all along. They witnessed the hubbub in the town plaza, the arguments…the betrayal.

They watched as their parents struggled to keep their wits about and battle with despair. Not one of them spoke a word.

At one point Patrick got down from Elias's shoulder and stood up, supporting himself with his savior's help. He could not take it anymore and called out for his mother, his voice squeaking, squeezed by guilt and sadness at her current state.

Teresa snapped her head towards the calling voice, but the night was merciless, leaving a lamb distraught by its darkness and eluding the mother with its overwhelming presence.

"Sowilo {ϟ}" A childish voice muttered shyly.

The young shepherd held up his hatchet vertically letting the etched rune shine with a ferocious light, showing the lost lam the end of the tunnel, leading it to its mother.

"PATRICK!" Teresa yelled. She let go of Drea and ran with as much speed as her legs allowed her. She kneeled on the ground and embraced her child with suffocating force, afraid he would escape her grasps again.

"Oh Patty! Where were you?! You had me worried sick! Don't ever leave mommy like that again"

One by one the concerned parents peeled off their worries as they reunited with their dear children. Patrick was being smothered with hugs and kisses amidst occasional spanks. Leo received kisses on his forehead from his mother and a warm hug. Drea dug her pale knees into the snow foregoing any self-awareness as her eyes shed crystal tears staining the back of his coat. Even Lester was lay in the arms of his grandfather who held him close to his embrace as he caressed his legs and covered his chest with his arms.

Lester was alive. Elias used {Nature's kiss} to close some of the fatal wounds, that was all his drained Aeter would allow him to do.

It was a happy ending to a frightening night. Everyone was reunited with his dear ones, all except the lonely shepherd.

[Let's go Eset. We're done here]

With a steeled expression Elias marched on unnoticed, his stealthy steps deceiving all those present. They even failed to notice the light fading away. Perhaps it is because there was another, shining brightly within them once again.

"Please wait brave shepherd. Did you save these children?"