Chapter Four

The fire flickered in the darkness as the Doctor looked at the map on his lap and pushed the black rimmed glasses up a bit. He sighed when he placed the map back into the pocket and took the black rimmed glasses off. He looked over at Rose sleeping next to him when he carefully touched her hair and she smiled. He smiled back when he placed the black rimmed glasses in the pocket then snuggled down next to her. He placed her hand in his when he yawned and went to sleep while the clouds moved across the moon.

The Doctor led the way as they walked through the forest and the trees encircled them. Rose held his hand as Sir Didymus followed behind them and Rose looked around. She heard the sounds of birds singing and what surprised her was it wasn't birdsong she heard, but actual words. She smiled as they walked along then jumped and tapped the Doctor.

"That tree moved," Rose whispered and the Doctor smiled.

"So do the stones. Just smile and wave back," the Doctor said, waving to an oak tree and it waved back. They walked along when the bushes moved and they stopped. The Doctor took out the sonic screwdriver when the bush moved and something rolled out from behind the bush, stopping in front of them.

"Aw!" Rose said to a small ball of blue fur and the big black eyes blinked at them. "What is it?"

"Uh-oh," the Doctor said after scanning the small ball of blue fur and placed her behind him. "It's a veejee."

"We must be away, Doctor!" Sir Didymus said, taking out a tiny sword.

"What's the matter? It doesn't look that dangerous," Rose said.

The bushes moved when more veejees appeared and rolled closer, encircling them. They were different colors as they started growling and the Doctor held his right hand up.

"No one move!" the Doctor said as he held the sonic screwdriver tightly in his hand and Rose looked at him. His eyes were in tight slits when the bushes shook again and a large, orange fur veejee appeared. It was as tall as the Doctor and had large yellow eyes and four rows of sharp teeth.

"Let me guess. That's their mother?" Rose asked.

"Yep," the Doctor said, popping the "p".

The large veejee moved closer and closer as the little veejees parted and the Doctor looked at the large veejee and the large veejee growled at him.

"Now, now, there is no need for that," the Doctor said as the large veejee stopped and sniffed the air. The Doctor watched as the large veejee growled to the others and the little veejees scattered into the bushes. The large veejee looked at the Doctor when the large veejee growled and puffed itself up.

"Why is it doing that?" Rose asked.

"Right, everyone back up slowly," the Doctor whispered while the large veejee moved closer then roared.

"Doctor?"

"Run!"

The Doctor grabbed Rose's hand as they ran and the large veejee followed. The large veejee roared as they ran when the Doctor looked up and the trees seemed to come closer. They stopped as they panted when the limbs of the trees grabbed them and lifted them into the air. Sir Didymus and Ambrosius barked as the large veejee growled, snapped at them and tried to reach them. Rose waved her hand at it when the Doctor sighed and rolled his eyes.

"That's just making it madder," the Doctor whispered.

"Then do something," Rose whispered when they heard whistling and the large Veejee looked at the trees.

The whistling grew louder when the greenjaks appeared and Rose blinked. They were tall males who were very thin with long green hair and green leaves covered their shoulders, wrists, hips and ankles. They looked like they were made out of wood and their eyes were two black holes.

"What are they?"

"Greenjaks," the Doctor said and placed the sonic screwdriver in the pocket. The greenjaks moved closer as the large veejee growled and the greenjaks raised their hands. Thorns flew out of the fingers as the large veejee roared then rolled away. The greenjaks looked at the trees when one of them walked closer and blinked.

"Down," Bentak the greenjaks said and the trees let the Doctor, Rose, Ambrosius and Sir Didymus down. The Doctor brushed the leaves out of his hair when Bentak walked closer and looked at him. "Who are you?"

"I'm the Doctor. Who are you?" the Doctor asked.

"I am Bentak. What brings you here, Doctor?"

"Well, you see, someone has taken The Goblin King's daughter and..."

Bentak whistled when the Doctor frowned and his hand carefully moved toward the pocket. They watched as four greenjaks came closer and they were carrying a large carrier between them. They placed the carrier down when Bentak nodded and the Doctor held his hand out. Rose took his hand as they walked to the carrier and the Doctor sat down on the seat at the center of the carrier. Rose sat next to him when the carrier rose into the air and she gasped. The four greenjaks started walking as the Doctor looked around and Rose looked at the Doctor.

"Where are we going?" Rose asked.

"I don't know," the Doctor said as they headed off into the forest and Sir Didymus and Ambrosius took the rear.

The trees parted when Rose gasped at the sight of the houses made of wood in the trees and the greenjaks moved by. The greenjaks looked at them as the Doctor smiled and nodded then grunted when the carrier came to a sudden stop.

"What's wrong?" the Doctor asked and Bentak walked closer.

"The animals cannot come inside the village," said Bentak, pointing at Sir Didymus and Ambrosius.

"I see," the Doctor said and he turned around in the seat. "Sir Didymus? I'm afraid that you have to go around and we will meet you at the river."

"As you wish, Doctor," Sir Didymus said with a nod of his head and hitched Ambrosius to the right.

"Why did they have to leave?" Rose asked.

"You know what dogs do to trees, right?" the Doctor asked, arching his eyebrows.

"Oh!" Rose said as the carrier moved forward and they headed for the large palace at the center of the glade then was lowered to the ground. The Doctor took her hand as they got off the carrier and headed for the palace. They stood in front of the door when the Doctor took hold of the gold cord and pulled on the gold cord. The sounds of wind whistling filled the air when the door slowly opened and someone stood in the doorway.

"Hello," the Doctor said and Grenwik the greenjaks looked at him.

"Who are you?" Grenwik asked.

"I'm the Doctor."

"Why are you here, Doctor?"

"Someone took The Goblin King's daughter and we are going to rescue her."

"Ah, well, come in!" Grenwik said when he opened the door more and they walked inside. The entire palace was made of wood and the greenjaks that worked and lived in the palace moved about, looking at them.

"Amazing," Rose whispered as they walked along and headed up the wooden stairs. They walked along when they came to a large door and Grenwik opened the door to a large bedchamber.

"This will be your room," Grenwik said as they walked inside the posh bedchamber, lit with lamps glowing in some sort of light, and Grenwik closed the door. The Doctor walked to the wooden bed when he looked down at the duvet made of leaves and Rose looked out the window.

"I think we should get some sleep. It's a long walk to the river," the Doctor said when Rose walked closer and sat on the bed.

"I just realized that we've been here for a few days, but I'm not hungry or thirsty."

"I noticed that too," the Doctor said when he sat on the bed and looked at her. "You don't mind sharing again?"

"No." Rose walked to the bed when she moved the duvet back and went to lie on the bed. The Doctor walked to the other side of the bed as she moved the duvet up and he went to lie next to her. He yawned as they watched the leaf curtains closing and Rose snuggled closer, closing her eyes. He watched as Rose went to sleep then rolled onto his left side and placed his head in his left hand. He watched her sleep until he yawned then placed his head on the leaves and closed his eyes. He slid her hand into his as the Doctor smiled and the soft sound of crickets filled the air.

"NO!" Mirror shouted as he looked at the Doctor and Rose in the crystal and tossed the crystal against the wall. The crystal shattered as Mirror growled and hit the arm of the throne. "The Veejees were supposed to stop them!"

"Let me do it," a voice said as Mirror looked at Yanna, a young fey female, standing at the edge of the shadows and he smiled.

"Can you stop them?"

"Am I or am I not a great hunter?" she asked and Mirror swung his left leg back and forth.

"Don't fail me!" Mirror snarled then heard the sound of howling and the laughter echoing in the shadows.