Chapter 4

I blinked my eyes open. My head was throbbing and it took me a moment to realize what just happened.

I sat up and looked around me. I was in a forest... in the middle of nowhere. I felt around for my staff, but I realized another thing.

I left it at North's place. I didn't bring it with me.

I didn't need it, but I felt so lost without it. Now I had nothing to hang on to.

I got up to my feet, but I froze. Just a few metres away, one of North's reindeer was lying on the ground, unconscious. I carefully walked towards it and bent down to take a closer look.

I think it was Comet. I wasn't sure.

Then it opened its eyes ans stared at me for a moment. I smiled. He snorted and got up to his feet. Boy, he's huge. My head only reached the graceful arch of his furry back.

It wasn't Comet, it was Prancer. "Hey, there. You okay?" I asked, carefully reaching out my hand to touch his furry neck. He nuzzled at my hair and snorted with reassurance. I patted him and turned to look around.

I guess we just have to walk until we find something.

"C'mon, buddy. Let's take a little walk."

After what seemed like hours, we finally stopped to rest. I had no idea where we were going, all of the towering trees looked exactly the same. We might be heading deeper into the forest for all we may know.

"Hey, you there!"

I jumped and spun around towards the source of the voice. Just a few metres away, two well-built, red-headed men were standing with daggers in their hands. One of them was wearing an eye patch and I noticed the shiny, pink scars on their faces and arms. I do hope they aren't thugs.

"Uh... Y- Yes?" I stuttered.

One of them pulled out a piece of parchment from his satchel and held it up or me to see. "You seen this guy?"

I stepped forward and looked at it carefully. It was a drawing of a man, with a really weird nose. It was a 'Wanted' poster, and beneath the drawing it said 'Flynn Rider'.

"Nope, sorry. Never seen him before in my life."

The one that held the poster put it away into his satchel, whereas the other slowly walked towards me. He got so close, we were almost nose-to-nose.

"We don't do lies here, kid," he said menacingly.

"Unless you want to get yourself into trouble," said the other.

"Ah... No, not exactly..." I said, wincing a little. I noticed there were quite a few similarities between them. They must be brothers.

The one in front of me stared with his big black eye patch. "Well, it seems to me that he's lying," Satchel-Dude said. Eye-Patch didn't take his eyes (or is it EYE? hehe) off me. "We're giving you another chance, kid. Have you seen him or not?" he asked.

"No," I said. I wasn't afraid, but I was anxious to get away from them.

"He's lying. Get him," Satchel-Dude said.

With the help of my agility and incredible intelligence I ducked under Eye-Patch's reaching arms and pulled myself over Prancer. "Go, Prancer! Go! GO!" I shouted. With great might, Prancer sped off through the maze of the forest, practically flying. I tucked my feet under his warm belly and my arms around his neck.

I glanced back at the brothers. They had stopped chasing us. I couldn't see them anymore. I waited for Prancer to run a little further just to make sure we were safe.

I didn't need to say anything. Soon, Prancer ceased to a stop. I got off him and we hid in a small cave hidden with hanging green vines. But there seemed to be an opening at the back of it. I walked towards the source of the light with Prancer trailing behind me.