A/N: Wellll sorry about the long wait lol! I had a miniture writing crisis and I couldn't write anything :( But I think it's a bit better now... I'm blaming Life On Mars, because I sat and watched the whole two series over the past week and all I can think about are coppers and Gene Hunt. I love Gene Hunt... Anywhoo... back to talking horses :D

Chapter Seven

Enchanted Forest

Arnie wasn't making life easy for Ashley. He trotted ahead, making use of the speed of his two extra legs to pass through the part of the forest he openly admitted that he didn't like and Ashley was finding it hard to keep up. She hurried after her guide, struggling with the bag on her back and being raked by merciless branches from the surrounding trees. She already had a thin cut on her cheek that was stinging irritably and now she had a hole in the sleeve of her jumper. Her mood wasn't getting any better.

'Can't you just go a little bit slower?' Ashley asked with a frown. 'This is ridiculous, really. You're just doing it to annoy me, aren't you?'

'Bloody humans,' Arnie muttered from ahead. 'Always think it's about you. Just because I'm going to fast for you then it must be that I'm doing it to deliberately wind you up, not because I happen to find this part of the forest slightly intimidating. You were so keen to find this Doctor friend of yours, maybe you should stop whining and keep up.'

'Oh yeah, that's rich coming from a horse that hasn't stopped complaining.' Ashley snapped in response. 'I don't think you have any right to be telling anyone to stop whining.'

Arnie glanced back to her with a scowl. 'I wouldn't be surprised if he has it all set up so that dragon would take him away so he could get away from you. I mean, for God's sake I can barely stand walking with you behind me, let alone travelling around with you all the time. Poor bloke is probably borderline suicidal.'

'Oh yeah? And I suppose you're the best companion in the world, eh? Leaving your rider behind to get killed.'

Arnie stopped and whirled around angrily. 'It's a little thing called self-preservation, missy. Just because my rider has some kind of death wish doesn't mean that I have to have one too. Pardon me if I value my life.'

'What, you value moaning and trotting around waving that big backside of yours in my face.' Ashley crossed her arms. 'Sounds riveting.'

Arnie kicked the ground and snorted. 'You want me to help you find that castle? Maybe you should work on your social skills. I've met twigs with better people skills than you. At the rate you're going you're going to be wandering around on your own soon.'

Ashley looked at the horse for a moment and then rolled her eyes. 'Right, fine. Whatever. But can you walk a little slower please?'

Arnie began walking again. 'See? All it takes is some manners. Didn't kill you did it?'

Ashley frowned and followed, batting a tree branch aside in annoyance. She let out a surprised cry when something hit her across the back of the head and she fell forward on her front. Arnie turned in surprise and looked down at her.

'Oh well done. We'll get there in no time if you keep falling down.'

Ashley pushed herself up and looked around in bewilderment. 'Something hit me!' she exclaimed.

'Probably someone who couldn't stand the sound of your bitching.' Arnie grumbled. 'Get up and come on. I hate this place.'

Ashley got up, rubbing the back of her head and looking around. 'Was it you?' she demanded, frowning at Arnie.

'Oh yeah, sorry,' Arnie rolled his eyes. 'I just threw a boomerang and it came back and hit you in the back of the head.'

Ashley looked around, searching for any signs of life in the surrounding foliage. Arnie snorted and shifted on his feet.

'Come on,' he insisted. 'I'm just going to leave you in a minute.'

Ashley ignored the horse and continued looking around. 'Hello?' she called. 'Is there someone there?'

'Shut up!' Arnie hissed. 'For God's sake!'

Ashley shot him an irritable look. 'Maybe it's someone who needs help.' Her eyes widened slightly. 'Maybe it's the Doctor!'

Arnie scowled. 'Yeah because he wasn't frozen solid last time you saw him. I bet he's just through that clearing throwing icicles at you.'

Ashley looked towards the gap in the foliage that Arnie had gestured to and headed towards it quickly. Arnie let out a loud snort and looked upwards.

'What did I do to deserve this, eh?' he asked the heavens. 'I was always a good horse.' He looked ahead again when he heard another loud 'Ow!' from Ashley. He hesitated, and then followed her tentatively, once again discovering her on the ground, rubbing her head. 'I told you didn't I?' he sighed.

Ashley got up angrily. 'Is it you?' she demanded, pointing a finger at him. 'Because this isn't funny.'

'Of course it's not me you mule,' Arnie snapped. 'One, I can't actually throw things because, in case you haven't noticed, I have no hands and two, the first time it happened I was in front of you. Maybe you should stop blaming me for everything and-' Arnie stopped mid-sentence and completed it with a loud neigh. He rose on his back legs and then whirled around. 'Someone just slapped my hide!' he cried in alarm.

Ashley looked around. 'What the hell is going on?'

Arnie was looking around in bewilderment. 'I told you I didn't like this bit of the forest!'

Ashley was just about to respond when she turned around to see a tree branch flying at her. It hit her square in the forehead and she fell on her back. She lay there dazed for a moment before hearing a deep, creaky voice.

'Oh I didn't realise you were going to turn there! I'm very sorry.'

She sat up, rubbing her forehead. Arnie was looking everywhere at once, shifting on his hooves. Warily and watching for another swinging branch, Ashley got back to her feet.

'Who is that?' she demanded.

'I haven't had any company for a long time,' the voice explained, sounding apologetic. 'It gets boring when you've been rooted to the same spot for a hundred years or so. I have to make my own entertainment you see.'

Ashley looked to Arnie to see him looking up at a tree beside him. He was frowning now – looking annoyed more than afraid. 'I should have bloody known.' He grumbled. 'Nothing but trouble you lot are.'

'Now come on, I said I was sorry.' The creaking voice replied. 'What do you expect me to do? I've been on my own for ages. Of course I'm going to stir it up a bit.'

Ashley followed the horse's gaze and her jaw dropped at what she saw. There was a wide, twisting oak tree standing in front of them, easily the biggest tree around them. Its branches seemed to cover every direction, some even reaching the ground. In the middle of the trunk, about fifteen feet up, was a huge wrinkled face. Two shiny black eyes were looking down at them and a gaping black mouth, which resembled a knothole, twisted into a friendly smile.

'Can we all be friends?' the tree asked.

'Yeah, like I'm going to be seen dead talking to a tree.' Arnie frowned. 'Come on Ashley.' He began to head away, grumbling to himself.

Ashley stared up at the huge tree in disbelief. 'You were the one hitting us.'

The tree winced. 'Well… yes. I'm sorry about that but I couldn't really resist. I saw you both arguing and, well I don't really like arguing. I didn't want the first voices I overhear in months arguing with each other. So I thought I'd mix it up a bit.'

Ashley stared for a moment longer, and then anger swept over her. 'So you decided to bash us about with your branches? You could have put my eye out!'

The tree looked embarrassed. 'I'm very sorry.'

Ashley frowned at it for a moment longer, and then went to follow Arnie who was waiting for her. 'Next we'll find a talking brick.'

'Oh no don't go!' the tree cried. 'Please! I haven't had any company for absolutely ages! Just stay for five minutes. Please?'

Ashley turned and looked at the tree, which was pouting unhappily. Curiosity pushed aside her anger. It wasn't every day you came across a talking tree. The least you could do was to talk back a little. 'Okay.' She nodded. 'Five minutes.'

'Are you serious?' Arnie cried. 'You can't be serious!'

Ashley looked to the horse, and then to the tree. Then she chuckled. 'Well I can tell you both now I never expected to find myself in a forest talking to a horse and a tree without the aid of drugs.'

The tree looked proud. 'Oh I'm an Enchanted Tree. But you can both call me Barry.'

Ashley laughed. 'Barry? Barry the tree and Arnie the horse. Fantastic.'

Arnie snorted and moved away a little, obviously not wanting to be part of the conversation. Ashley perched on a tree stump opposite Barry and smiled up at it.

'I'm Ashley.' She told it, trying to ignore the surreal feeling.

'Nice to meet you, Ashley,' Barry smiled. One of his many branches lowered down to her with a creak. She hesitated, and then shook the branch and laughed. 'So may I enquire to where you are both off too?'

'We're off to see your mother.' Arnie muttered.

Ashley rolled her eyes. 'Ignore him,' she told Barry. 'He's just a grumpy old mule.'

Arnie shot her an irritated glance and turned away, sitting down heavily with his back to them. Ashley pulled her knees up on the stump, actually glad for the rest. Perhaps this tree would know something about what was going on too. It wouldn't hurt to ask.

'We're looking for my friend. The Doctor,' Ashley explained. 'He uh… He got frozen and taken by a uh, dragon.'

Barry looked surprised. 'Oh yes I've heard about that dragon. Causing chaos, so the squirrels tell me. I hear the ports are positively packed.'

'Well we haven't been there.' Ashley shrugged.

'You should,' Barry told her. 'No use staying here. You might get hurt.'

'Well I can't really go home without the Doctor.'

Barry shook his branches, which Ashley assumed was the equivalent of a nod. 'Well I understand that. Loyalty is a good thing to have.'

Arnie snorted at that comment but said nothing.

'We think he might be at a castle. Arnie's taking me there. He went there himself with his rider to fight the dragon but…' She hesitated and decided not to tell the tree of the horse's cowardice. 'But it went a bit wrong and his rider was killed. He thinks.'

Barry glanced to Arnie sadly. 'I'm sorry.'

'Save your sympathy for your friends that got turned into toilet seats.' Arnie muttered.

'So,' Ashley went on, shooting an annoyed look at Arnie. 'We think maybe that the dragon took the Doctor there. If we find him he'll be able to get rid of the dragon. He's good like that.'

Barry smiled. 'Well good look with that.' He paused thoughtfully. 'Actually… I heard something from a little friend of mind a few days ago. She was saying something about the castle in the Dark Woods.'

'That would be the one.' Arnie sighed. 'Don't know why they call it the Dark Woods. There's hardly any trees left to make is dark.'

Ashley ignored Arnie. 'What did she say?'

'Well, she was flying over it and decided to drop in to see if there was anything to eat,' Barry went on. 'She's a little blue jay you see.'

'So a little birdie told you?' Ashley smirked.

Barry looked confused. 'Well yes.' He didn't understand her amusement so he carried on. 'Anyway she said that she went in through one of the windows and it was freezing, she said. Apparently there were ice sculptures everywhere. It frightened her so she left. Perhaps that's got something to do with your Doctor friend?'

Ashley frowned in thought. 'Sounds like it.' She nodded. She hopped down off the stump. 'Thank you Barry, but I really think we should be getting on. We need to find him soon.'

Barry smiled friendlily. 'I'm glad I could be of some help. Now be careful you two. There's a few bad apples in this forest.'

Ashley nodded and smiled again. 'It was nice to meet you.'

Barry smiled again and watched her head away. She slapped Arnie on the back and he stood up, frowning irritably.

'I can't believe you just sat and talked to a tree.' He muttered as they carried on through the forest.

'What's wrong with that?'

'He's a tree. They're all full of crap.'

Ashley rolled her eyes. 'Great. A racist horse.'

Arnie frowned at her. 'I'm not a racing horse.' He replied in bewilderment.

Ashley waved her hand at him. 'Oh just come on.'