(A/N: I'm just going to let you guys know in advance, this is not going to be the exact story; it'll have some changes in it. And also, I don't own any of the Over The Garden Wall characters, settings, etc, you guys get the gist. Okay, that's all, happy reading!)
There, coming towards me, were two boys. They perfectly fit Adelaide's requirements of "young, strong children." Well, maybe not that tall, skinny one with the gnome hat, I thought to myself. The little teapot child at least seems to have some muscle. He's carrying that frog without much difficulty. I took a deep breath; I couldn't scare these strangely-dressed children away or I'd have to find another servant for Adelaide, and how often do young people come meandering aimlessly through these woods? Mustering up all of my courage, I flew down to a lower branch where the two boys could see me. Up close, I could see that the "gnome" was actually a lot older than I first thought he was; about 14-15 years old, my age. The teapot child looked to be about five or six maybe? I wasn't sure. I heard the "gnome" say, "Shoot, Greg, we're really lost, I think we need to find some help." Here was my chance.
Taking a deep breath, I cleared my throat and said, "Maybe I can help you. I mean, you guys are lost, right?" Just as expected, Mr. Gnome didn't take it well. He gasped and turned as pale as a ghost. The teapot child, Greg, just looked mildly interested.
"Yes, we are lost, can you help us please?" Greg asked me happily. His frog gave an equally happy croak. Gnome Boy looked horrified.
"Greg!" he hissed. "Don't talk to it! I don't need you getting us into more trouble!"
"It?" I asked, irritated. I was liking this guy less and less. "Excuse you, Gnome Boy, but I have a name and it's Beatrice. Also, it just so happens that I know how to get you two out of these woods and back to wherever you came from, so if you want me to help you, I'd appreciate it if you'd refrain from calling me 'it.'" Gnome Boy looked a bit surprised at my sudden outburst, opened his mouth to say something, but then decided against saying anything to make the situation worse and closed it.
"You do? Well that's great! Let's go, Brother o' Mine!" Greg exclaimed, looking up at his older brother.
"Greg…" Gnome Boy muttered tensely. "I'm not sure that's the best idea." I huffed and he looked up at me. "How are you even planning to get us home anyway?" he inquired.
I was getting a bit frustrated. "I was just going to tell you that, so listen for a second. There is a woman, Adelaide of the pasture, who can bring you back home," I lied. He looked a bit skeptical. "Look, I know the way and if you want to come with me, then come. If not, I'll just go by myself." I have my own things to settle with her anyway, I thought. I could almost see the wheels turning in Gnome Boy's head, wondering whether or not he'd be able to trust me. He looked down at young Greg, and Greg nodded back up at the former.
"C'mon Wirt, it'll be fine. Beatrice seems pretty nice!" I looked at the leaves above me, feeling a bit guilty already. Alright Beatrice, hold it together, you are a strong individual and you don't even know these people, I reasoned. Besides, this is all for your family. The voice of the gnome boy (I thought Greg had said "Wirt"? What kind of a name was that?) drew me back out of my thoughts.
"Okay Beatrice. We'll come with you," Gnome Boy said. "Lead the way." I flew down off of my branch and started to fly down the path, then looked behind me to make sure the two were following me. Greg was skipping along ahead with his frog sitting on top of his teapot hat, but Wirt was trailing about ten feet behind, lost in thought. He seemed to be mumbling something to himself. I was a bit curious and slowed down a bit, hoping to catch a bit of what he was saying.
"Forever wandering aimlessly into the dismal abyss, the moon's rays my only companion through the darkness of the forest," Wirt mumbled dramatically.
"Wow, Gnome Boy, did you write that yourself?" I asked him, genuinely interested. Wirt jumped and his ears turned a bright red.
"Um, well, I…" he stuttered, completely embarrassed that I heard him. I rolled my eyes at him as he fumbled for words. He's such a nerd, I thought to myself.
"C'mon, let's just focus on finding a town so we can get some rest," I told him and Greg, who was wandering up ahead, collecting "cool" rocks. Wirt seemed perfectly fine with changing the subject, and resumed trailing behind Greg and me. I decided to leave him to his nerdy poetry.