"Vio…" echoed a voice on the wind, "Vio, come find me…"
"Who's there? Red? Is that you? Where are you?" shouted Vio spinning around. He scanned the forest, but everywhere he looked was trees. "Red, can you hear me?"
"Come find me, Vio…"
"This isn't funny, Red! I'm not playing one of your silly hide-and-seek games. Now come out!"
"Vio…"
Vio froze as a set of yellow eyes stared at him from the shadows. The young knight reached for his sword. A low snarling growl rumbled in the creature's throat.
"I'm warning you…Stay back," said Vio pointing his sword as a wolf stepped out of the shadows.
"You seek the slayer?" it snarled.
"I seek my brother," said Vio keeping a strong stance although he was trembling inside. "Do you know where I can find him?"
"Why should I help you? The two of you will just kill more of us." Drool fell from its fangs as if it were considering Vio for it's next meal.
"He…he may kill more of you if we stay. Help me find him and we will leave."
"You speak the truth," said the wolf with a glint in his eye. "Fine. Follow me. But then you leave this place," said the wolf as it shot into the woods with lightning speed.
"Hey, wait up!" shouted Vio as branches slapped at his face. He slid to a stop right in front of the wolf. Vio looked around. "Where is he?"
"He-he-hee, and I thought you were the smart one," said the wolf skittering back into the trees.
Vio stood at the edge of a pond. His ears focused on every little sound. Is this an ambush? he thought.
Glancing down, he noticed his reflection on the moonlit surface of the waters. His reflection stared back at him only it wore a red tunic.
"Red!" He bent down to study the water. The reflection did the same. He held one hand up. So did his reflection. He spun around and froze. And once more his reflection did also.
"I-I don't get it! Red, how do I get you out of there?" Vio gently touched the water with his finger. He could feel the reflection's touch too! The purple clad boy stuck his arm in the water hoping to pull Red out. As he did, the reflection clasped his arm and pulled him beneath the pond's murky waters.
Vio blinked and glanced around. Red wasn't anywhere. Looking up towards the surface, he saw him. Red was standing at the edge of the pond looking down at him. Vio kicked upwards. He reached out, but felt an invisible force blocking him. It was like the water's surface had turned to glass. He could see through it, but he couldn't penetrate it. Vio pounded the surface with his fists. Red merely watched with a blank expression on his face. Without a word, he turned walked out of sight.
"RED!" shouted Vio with his last breath, "Don't leave me!"
"RED!" gasped Vio.
"Vio," said Green shaking him by the shoulders, "it's okay! It's just a dream. Wake up!
Vio lay still for a moment taking in deep breaths. His wits slowly came to him. His face and the top part of his tunic was soaking wet. Worry was written in Green's eyes as he still held Vio's shoulders.
"Vio? You okay?"
"I-I think so. I…I was drowning, and Red was there, but he wouldn't do anything! He just stood there!"
"You stopped breathing," said Green. "It seemed like you were holding your breath. So, I dumped a cup of water on you."
Vio tried to sit up, but noticed his hands were tied. "What's this?"
"Oh, uh, Blue did that in case you had one of those weird dreams again."
"Good thinking," said Vio still a little breathless. "Hey, wait a minute. YOU poisoned me with your soup!"
"What?! No!" said Green holding up his hands in defense. "I would never poison you."
"So you say! Maybe the poison just didn't kill me like you wanted it to!" shouted Vio.
"I didn't poison you," Father thought it would be a good idea to 'make' you rest. So, I slipped some potion into your soup. No harm done. And now you're fully recovered. You're WELCOME!"
"Just see if I ever eat anything you cook anymore!" said Vio with his jaw clenched.
"Vio, please calm down. You're being ridiculous. You're…you're acting like Blue."
"Calm down! Red is out there in the woods alone probably crying his eyes out and my whole family wants me to take a nap! How is that ridiculous?"
Green crossed his arms and legs as he plopped himself on the ground. "We're trying to help you. And you fainting from exhaustion isn't going to help Red."
"Untie me," said Vio with his eyes flaming.
"No. Not until you get a grip and calm down."
Vio sneered and looked away. Several moments passed. Green studied him like a hawk not even daring to blink. Finally, Vio's shoulders slumped, and he relaxed his jaw. He glanced at Green.
"Okay, I've cooled off. Now will you untie me?"
Green tilted his head in thought still unconvinced.
"Will you untie me…PLEASE?" said Vio rolling his eyes.
Green walked over to Vio and started fiddling with the knots. "Father and Blue should be back soon. We'll start our search when they return."
Vio rubbed his wrists, "Whatever you say, Green."
Green squinted at Vio suspiciously.
"Well, what should we do in the mean time?" asked Vio standing up.
Green glanced at his satchel and said, "I guess we could bottle some of this soup for Red. I know he'll be hungry when we…"
Whack! Green fell to his knees and then slumped to the side.
Vio stood above him holding a large branch that didn't quite make it into the fire. "I'm sorry Green, I can't wait for Father and Blue to return. Red could be in danger, and I don't need you holding me back."
Now if I switch clothes with him, maybe Red won't be scared when he see's me. That will give me a chance to see if he'll really forgive me. Yeah…He would trust Green before me after last night.
Vio quickly swapped out Green's clothes with his.
"I know you're going to hate me when you wake up, but I have to do this," said Vio straightening the wrinkles in his green clothes. Green lay unconscious fully clothed in Vio's purple tunic. Vio grabbed the rope that Blue had used on him to tie Green's hands.
"This should buy me a little time, in case you wake up soon. I can't let you slow me down. I promise I'll find him and bring him back," said Vio making sure Green was warm and comfortable.
I'm sorry, Green, he thought as he took off into the forest.