Episode 10 - Run!

It is calm again. Sunlight filters through the leaves and onto the grass, lighting our path as a light breeze carries old life. As we walk, I close my eyes and listen to the faint sound of crashing and flowing water that carries through the forest. The serene sounds of nature are interrupted by a laugh, and as I look over to Trolling, I see him trying to bind some leaves to his tail. Choosing to ignore his mischievous behaviour, I glance up to the Blue Bird. Perhaps it is time to try releasing the magic shield? I jump with a shock as Trolling lands, shouting, on my shoulder. 

“Something is coming!” 

I stare down the path, cautious of the approaching figure. Carefully, I shift so that my paws are behind my back and summon my… 

"Blue" 

I don’t want to take any chances. What appears between my paws is not a ball of magic, but rather sparks that glow across each arm. I allow the magic to flow with my will, moving into my right arm and lighting it up with its power. Seeing that the silhouette has split into two, I fling my arm out against the unknown figures, watching as a blue stream flies through the air. As they came closer to me I calmed down, realising that it is only two horses, alive and healthy… but oddly alone. I let my eyes shift behind them. No owners? As my blue magic hits them, creating a cloud of lightning around them, I quickly summon my white staff in an attempt to stop the whining and groaning noises being made by the horses. 

I shouldn’t have tested it on an unknown. 

As I point my staff towards the two horses, their necks begin to contort - to stretch and grow. A body unlike that of a Furless forms but with more fur; the new shape of their heads having long ears not unlike my own but big and pointy. It is too late to do anything now, but they are still alive after being hit by my blue magic. They’re clearly like me and the Furless… Horsemen? The first of the two, a male, groans as it uses two new limbs to hold its head. The second one, a female, looks at me with confusion, then at her companion. 

“We… have… become…”

“We… have… transformed…” The first continues for her as her words die out. 

Then, they both turn to me with pleading eyes, and speak together.

“What are we?”

Trolling’s previous chuckles have more than doubled over the course of the transformation, causing him to trip over his leaf tail. Unable to rise, he grabs the tail and uses it to hide his face as he laughs. The first of the horsemen leans over to Trolling, the second over to me. I look up at her, about to answer the question of her identity before I realise what the first one was telling Trolling... 

“You are not funny!”

“No! You can’t say that!” I shout. 

Fully aware that I am too late. And, sure enough, Trolling begins to shake. As the horrifying noise leaves him, we all hold our hands tightly over our ears, attempting to block out the sound. As the sound ebbs away, I turn to Trolling and find that he has once again become the Monster-Dog. He jumps upon the horse before him and begins hitting on its back furiously. The horse bucks in an attempt to get him off, jumping and shaking even as he shouts.

“What’s it doing!” 

“What is it!” The second horsemen shouts as she attempts to pull Trolling off the first one.

“My Trolling!” I shout as I come closer. 

“You are funny!” 

I expect some reaction but instead I find that Trolling continues his misbehaviour, biting at the second horse’s fingers and growling. Having gotten free from the grip on his limb, Trolling jumps down and bolts down the path. I command firmly… 

“Quick, after it!” 

We begin running together, but I soon find myself being swung onto the first horsemen’s back by the scruff of my neck, his speed much greater than my own. I tighten my grip on the White Staff, thankful that I had not returned it to a scroll before Trolling’s transformation. 

“Catch!” I growl as my spell is unsuccessful and continue to repeat my spell. 

"Catch"... "Catch" 

Until… 

“He's Gone.” 

The second horse asks me as the two slow to a trot… 

“Who are you?”

“And… what have you done to us?” Continues the first who has kindly allowed me to ride upon his back. 

“I am Princess Meow of the Woods. I think… I have drawn out your inner creature, allowing you a new life?” 

I am not fully certain that I am correct. The first of them speaks, followed by the second one and then finishing together.

“We are happy to have this chance…”

"... We just die and our soul…" 

"... Did not find a way…" 

"... We were lost until you found us…" 

“... we will follow you, our Princess Meow.”

As they spoke, the first horseman carefully placed me upon the ground, turning to face me from beside the other. Then, the two kneel before me. I suck in a breath, honoured that these creatures I created would want me to be their Meow. 

Perhaps I could settle down here in the forest, have a castle built and become High Princess of Obbisia! With my new power I could manage my kingdom and my people… first, I must name this race. 

“What are your names?”

“Ken.”

“Taur.”

I raise my voice, letting it echo in the forest.

“Then, from now on, your race shall be known... as the Kentaurs!” 

“We are honoured.” They say together, grins on their furless faces. Hearing a rustle nearby, I turn to look down the path. Trolling! 

“The Monster-dog is coming back!” Ken exclaims, followed by Taur.

“Ready to catch it!”

With what little time is left before the angry dog is upon us, I turn to Ken - keeping my eyes on Trolling. 

“You need to tell him that he is funny.”

Now that he is getting closer, a sound, other than his aggressive growling, comes to my sensitive ears. I squint, and as the undead creatures come closer I am able to identify them. Rabbit-Skvaders! My heart pounds loudly in my ears as I realise what the situation entails. 

“Get ready to run!” I firmly warn, observing the situation carefully. 

Trolling has something on his neck… some sort of small elixir? As he runs out of the foliage and into Ken’s arms, I throw my arms out in front of me, staff at the ready. 

“Shield!” 

The first Skvader hits the shield, bouncing back with the force of the impact and lands on its back. More of the creatures piercing yellow eyes appear around us; I take a deep breath and hold my paw out to Taur, who lifts me onto her back. 

“Shield!” 

Saying louder, summoning it just in time for several of the creatures to bang against it. The light filling the Skvader’s yellow orbs focuses on the bodies in front of them - our bodies - and suddenly, the sweet little creatures turn angry, dead eyes staring back with one command: kill. 

“Run.” 

I make a forceful command as their Princess. As we run, I notice that Trolling is still green, struggling slightly in Ken’s arms. Even as my heart pounds in my ears, I take a deep breath and attempt to act calm, as a Princess should. 

“Ken, speak to Trolling. He’ll calm down if you tell him he is funny.”

With the time I have gathered, I grip my staff tightly and begin a new shield spell. Though the chant is longer, I take the time to create a shield that will stream from my staff as we ride. 

"Streaming Shield" 

Just in time, the shield is summoned, stopping yet another hoard of the fearsome animals. Several of the Skvaders fly down from the trees, bouncing off the shield and into one another midair. Trolling’s laughter tinkles in my ear, causing a smile to spread across my cheeks.

“Trolling, you’re back!”

“Bong, bong, bong!” He chants as the shield repels them. I turned to look at him, checking for injuries and relieved to find none. Then, excitement courses through me like wildfire...

“You have my Secret Elixir!”

With that big smile only he can manage,  he utters the words that I have heard again and again. 

“I am a good helper!” 

I grin at him, nodding my praise. With every impact against my shield, I can feel the magic being lost. The Kentaurs abruptly stop, sending shockwaves rippling through my body. A herd of Deers, undead much like the Skvaders, is ahead of us. And… What is that? It looks like a creature I have only read of in fantasy… 

"A Shadow-Crawler?" 

Ken looks at me. 

"A what?" 

"A Shadow-Crawler?" Taur asks. 

I begin to quickly explain:

"This is a very dangerous creature. The creature’s paws are each as large as my own head, all four scraping the ground with long claws as it runs. A tail as sharp as a butcher’s knife whips through the air behind it. Stories say that Shadow-Crawlers were the lost souls from the beginning of the Catmen. Only Black Magic can control the Shadow-Crawlers, so…" 

I jump as I hear another thump of a Skvader against the shield. I take a shaky breath and bring my focus back within the shield. 

“The shield will not last much longer, and I do not have time to make a new one. May I have your advice?” I ask, taking care for my words to sound regal. 

“We can still run…" Ken states, allowing Taur to continue.

“... And we can throw you over the dead animals so you can escape.”

“No, my Kentaurs, you must live too.” 

I am about to succumb to my despair, watching in fear as the shield flickers slightly. Then, I noticed Trolling shifting and looked at him.

“My Meow, stay and fight." 

Some Skvaders make it into the shield, making the tense feeling rise up to my throat, spreading behind my eyes and forcing out a shaky breath. I hope whatever he is planning works.

"I am a good helper!”

Trolling, gripping the elixir, jumps from Ken to Taur, letting a drop fall onto each of the Kentaurs. My shield is fully down, and with no power left I take a deep breath.

“Ready to fight?”

“Yes, my Princess Meow.” The two Kentaurs say, proudly wielding new gear. As I glance over the two, I catch my reflection in Ken’s new shield, shining in light that glimmers from the sun onto his sword, a logo on the shield I have never seen before, looking like a pointy ear, like their own, which is fading out like a Cat-cat soul logo I have seen in the books. But… Why does Taur not have arrows to accompany her new big bow? 

I attempt to summon my blue magic, finding that it immediately fizzles out in my paw. I have no white magic power left to fight. I grip my staff tightly, prepared to use blunt force to keep back the animals. I hope Trolling knows what he is doing.

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