Are you going to sit silent the entire ride?"
"Normally I am alone." He answered her.
"Well you and your horse."
"Yes. What is it you are asking Celia?"
"I am unsure. I always traveled alone, twice I was attacked. I started carrying a sword along with my bow."
"You have been injured more than once."
"Yes. One even tried to rape me. He found the dagger I kept hidden under my skirt. That was the day I stopped wearing skirts."
"All this to follow me."
"You are my only family. Even if I didn't know you I wanted to but I was afraid to approach you."
"I knew you were there."
"Did you know I was attacked?"
"No, I am guessing that happened before you found me."
Celia quietly sat on the horse and looked toward the treeline. She conjured a fireball and sent it flying into the trees and a huge black mass screeched and leaped from the trees.
"What the fuck is that?" She asked nearly leaping from the horse. Geralt jumped from Roach and touched Celia's leg.
"Stay put."
"No argument here. Where do these things keep coming from."
"They are always there most people just don't look. Plus your fireball might have woke it."
"No it was already awake. I heard it moving in the trees. Following us, you noticed it, I know you did."
"I did, but until you tried to burn it, it would have left us alone."
"No it wouldn't have, look at the ground Geralt. It had been tracking us. I may not be a witcher like you but I can sense things brother." Celia slid down from Roach, her feet touching down on hard surface, before she could react something wrapped around her ankle and pulled her away from him.
"Celia." Geralt tore off after her, he held his sword out as he moved through the brush.
"Geralt." She cried out, he followed the sound of her voice.
"Celia. Where are you?"
"I believe I am in a tree."
"Is it still with you?"
"I believe so. I can't move. Geralt help me." Celia called out to him. Geralt stopped, something in her voice didn't sound right to much emotion or to little emotion. He stopped and listened more carefully, he realized he was following some sort of mimic. A doppler, he hated dopplers. Now he needed to find where it had hidden Celia. He moved through the brush follow the sounds around him, he pulled a potion from his pocket and drank it. It was almost instant that his senses were even more enhanced.
"Show yourself creature. I know your not Celia."
"She says you're a witcher."
"I am. Return her to me."
"She is a beautiful woman. You want to protect her. What is she to you witcher?"
Geralt listed and turned toward where he knew the voice was coming from. He would not tell his relationship with Celia his relationship to Celia.
"She is a child. Return her to me."
"No."
Geralt growled and headed further into the woods. He knew she was there he could sense that much, and he could sense she was unconscious.
"Fuck." Geralt growled as he moved further into the woods, he stopped suddenly when he spotted a figure standing over another. He held his sword and reached.
"Move away from her." He spoke, he was surprised when what turned around wasnt what he expected.
"I am to guess Geralt, this pretty little thing is what you seek?"
"I do. Step away from her." He told the young man before him.
"As you request. She has been injured."
"I will deal with it. Where did the creature go that took her?"
"I don't know."
"Then chose your next words wisely, I haven't sensed anyone but her and you. Do not lie to me."
"So it's true I took her. And she brought me a witcher."
"I am just here for her."
"What is she to you witcher?"
"A child."
"Your child?"
"I have no children."
"Then she means nothing to you."
"Harm her any further and I will seperate your head from your body."
Celia's eyes slowly opened and she looked up at both men that stood over her.
"Geralt." Celia said scrambling backwards. She crawled toward Geralt, almost getting to him when she grabbed and lifted up against the other man.
"Geralt?" Celia said.
"You'll be fine." He said to her. Celia nodded and tried to relax, she closed her eyes and extended her arms only to have them pulled tight against her.
"Now no magic for you my dear."
Geralt moved forward he was close enough to almost touch her when they both disappeared before him.
"Fuck." Now he needed to find her. He had enough to do and now the girl he knew as his sister was gone. The creature the person that took her wasnt a doppler it was a mage.