Ah, chapter 12, and I have another predicament to get Stella out of. The
location and some characters belong to Tamora Pierce. The plot and the rest
of the characters come from within the eclectic experiences and imaginings
that make of the labyrinth (oh, history concept, eh Sethos) of my mind-not
that I suffer from insanity, I enjoy every minute of it.
She gritted her teeth and pressed her body back into the tree as he
approached. Fury walked slowly in a meandering sort of way. Stella glared
warily at him. He stopped just in front of her and reached for her
shoulder. Pinecone was instantly at her side
"Don't touch me," Stella growled. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Agile get up off her tree stump and head to the campfire.
"All right," Fury said nonchalantly, stepping back on Pinecone. "I won't touch you. Of course, it will be difficult for you to eat the stew I brought you if you won't let me free you. I suppose I could spoon feed you the soup, but you probably won't want me to do that either." This wasn't what Stella had expected, her jaw dropped in shock. Fury spooned some stew into her mouth. It was slightly cold and not particularly pleasantly flavored to begin with but Stella was far too hungry to care. Her stomach growled.
"More, please," she whispered. Fury spooned the bowl into her mouth, being ridiculously careful not to touch her. Stella ate greedily and wondered at her luck. Pinecone backed away as he realized she wouldn't come to harm.
Just as she finished off the bowl, Agile came up to them holding a small jar in her hands. "All sound asleep," she announced quietly. "Haven't you freed her yet?" she asked Fury.
"No, she didn't want me to touch her, not that I blame her." Fury replied. He handed Agile the knife-small dagger really-and she went to work cutting the ropes that held Stella to the tree.
"I don't understand," Stella said. "You're setting me free?" She was puzzled.
"Why else would we be untying you?"
"But why? Aren't you supposed to be bloodthirsty bandits?"
"Well, yes, and actually we will be chasing after you about 15 minutes after you leave." Agile told her.
"What's the point of letting me go then?" Stella sunk down onto her knees as she was cut free."
"Were running away from our aunt, the leader, your our alibi-we aren't planning to catch you again-besides, we don't think you are a horse thief, you just have a way with 'em" said Fury.
"Here, let me put this on you cuts and scrapes and bruises," Agile said holding out a jar of salve. Stella nodded weakly. "We do have a favor to ask you actually, we want you to 'steal' the horses the band picked up three days ago."
"Can't I just send them home?"
Agile and Fury gave her confused expressions.
"They were taken from a wealthy farmer, who kept them warm and well fed. They want to return to them, they will if I encourage them." Stella felt fairly sure of it.
"Do it now then," Agile told her. "I'll go untie them." And she slid away into the darkness.
"Help me up, please." Stella didn't feel able to stand, but she had to get over to Pinecone.
"I'll have to touch you, I'm no mage."
"Are you called Fury because she can be infuriatingly annoying sometimes?" Stella asked him.
"That's about right," he said as he pulled her up. "My aunt finds me particularly difficult to deal with." He hoisted Stella up onto Pinecone and stood back to let her work her magic.
Home, she pictured for them, she used simple ideas because she didn't know them well, oats, warmth, safety, companionship. Go home! And slowly, in single file they trotted back home, at that moment Stella felt like doing the same.
"Here," Fury uncurled her fingers and put the handle of the knife into her hand. "Good luck and Goddess bless," he told her.
"Thank you," Stella whispered back. "You too." Then she turned, clutching the knife she hoped she wouldn't need, and rode of into the night.
I have decided I want to put a quote at the end of every chapter. I like quotes, they are my alternative to caffeine. The quotes won't have anything to do with the chapter-you aren't expecting me to be that organized are you? Anyway here is the first:
"Only lovers and deadly enemies look directly into one another's eyes."-Elizabeth Peters, The Ape Who Guards the Balance. Thank you for reading and please, please, please review!
"Don't touch me," Stella growled. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Agile get up off her tree stump and head to the campfire.
"All right," Fury said nonchalantly, stepping back on Pinecone. "I won't touch you. Of course, it will be difficult for you to eat the stew I brought you if you won't let me free you. I suppose I could spoon feed you the soup, but you probably won't want me to do that either." This wasn't what Stella had expected, her jaw dropped in shock. Fury spooned some stew into her mouth. It was slightly cold and not particularly pleasantly flavored to begin with but Stella was far too hungry to care. Her stomach growled.
"More, please," she whispered. Fury spooned the bowl into her mouth, being ridiculously careful not to touch her. Stella ate greedily and wondered at her luck. Pinecone backed away as he realized she wouldn't come to harm.
Just as she finished off the bowl, Agile came up to them holding a small jar in her hands. "All sound asleep," she announced quietly. "Haven't you freed her yet?" she asked Fury.
"No, she didn't want me to touch her, not that I blame her." Fury replied. He handed Agile the knife-small dagger really-and she went to work cutting the ropes that held Stella to the tree.
"I don't understand," Stella said. "You're setting me free?" She was puzzled.
"Why else would we be untying you?"
"But why? Aren't you supposed to be bloodthirsty bandits?"
"Well, yes, and actually we will be chasing after you about 15 minutes after you leave." Agile told her.
"What's the point of letting me go then?" Stella sunk down onto her knees as she was cut free."
"Were running away from our aunt, the leader, your our alibi-we aren't planning to catch you again-besides, we don't think you are a horse thief, you just have a way with 'em" said Fury.
"Here, let me put this on you cuts and scrapes and bruises," Agile said holding out a jar of salve. Stella nodded weakly. "We do have a favor to ask you actually, we want you to 'steal' the horses the band picked up three days ago."
"Can't I just send them home?"
Agile and Fury gave her confused expressions.
"They were taken from a wealthy farmer, who kept them warm and well fed. They want to return to them, they will if I encourage them." Stella felt fairly sure of it.
"Do it now then," Agile told her. "I'll go untie them." And she slid away into the darkness.
"Help me up, please." Stella didn't feel able to stand, but she had to get over to Pinecone.
"I'll have to touch you, I'm no mage."
"Are you called Fury because she can be infuriatingly annoying sometimes?" Stella asked him.
"That's about right," he said as he pulled her up. "My aunt finds me particularly difficult to deal with." He hoisted Stella up onto Pinecone and stood back to let her work her magic.
Home, she pictured for them, she used simple ideas because she didn't know them well, oats, warmth, safety, companionship. Go home! And slowly, in single file they trotted back home, at that moment Stella felt like doing the same.
"Here," Fury uncurled her fingers and put the handle of the knife into her hand. "Good luck and Goddess bless," he told her.
"Thank you," Stella whispered back. "You too." Then she turned, clutching the knife she hoped she wouldn't need, and rode of into the night.
I have decided I want to put a quote at the end of every chapter. I like quotes, they are my alternative to caffeine. The quotes won't have anything to do with the chapter-you aren't expecting me to be that organized are you? Anyway here is the first:
"Only lovers and deadly enemies look directly into one another's eyes."-Elizabeth Peters, The Ape Who Guards the Balance. Thank you for reading and please, please, please review!