They had camped at the edge of the forest the night before. They now were on fields that looked like those in Ireland. Alex was amazed at the scene. Up ahead they could see buildings, but no living soul could be seen.
The village could be seen clearly after a few minutes ride. Alex was anxious to rest and eat in an actual, human, establishment. She loved the wild, but still longed for a real bed, and food that a farming community could offer. But when they reached the village it looked abandoned. Alex turned to Hawk, "What happened here?"
"This used to be a great sheep farming village; had a real magic wishing well and everything. When the Queen took power everything charged. She destroyed the well, putting a curse on it so it damaged instead of blessed, all that came to it. Soon everyone left. Some tried to fight the Queen, but they were killed by her patrols."
"Her patrols?"
Hawk looked at Alex with fear in his eyes. "The Queen is very powerful. She has goblins, trolls, and it's rumored, ravens in her control. If she wanted to find someone and kill them it happened, and very quickly.
They rode the horses through the main street. The buildings were tall and close together. It was eerie riding through the town. Alex could almost hear the ghosts of the people who lived there once upon a time ago. Alex pulled behind, almost as if in a trance. The voices were saying something, she knew it.
Hawk gave a shout, snapping Alex out of her dream. She looked ahead to see Hawk holding out his bow. He was holding it on a man with shaggy brown hair. The minute she looked at him she was enchanted. She rode up beside Hawk and laid a hand on Hawk's bow, lowering it away from the boy.
Hawk turned to her. "Why are you protecting this creature?"
Alex ignored him, instead she spoke to the boy, "Who are you?"
The boy smiled slyly, "You can call me Kip."
"That's your name, but who are you?"
This response seemed to amuse the boy, "I am a traveler who settled in this desolate land. I cry to remember what it once was, but I dream of what it can be."
"This is absurd!" cried Hawk, but again Alex ignored him.
"Tell me, where can wear wonderers rest and eat? You know these lands; can you tell me if it is safe to camp here?
Kip perked up, "I can do better then that, I can show you a bed and feed you lamb." The boy led them the way to an old tavern and inn. Alex claimed one of the rooms on the second floor while Hawk and Gregory took the horses to the stables. Kip went right away to cooking the lamb. How he found a lamb was beyond her. So far Alex had seen no such creature. Maybe there were some in hiding. Either way when Alex went down to the main room there was smells of lamb that made her mouth water. Once again kip smiled. He pointed to a table, "Sit, foods almost done. We will eat soon."
Alex sat, and soon Hawk and Gregory came in. Tori was skittering about Kip brought out the food and sat across from the others. Alex dove right in. It was wonderful, but she soon stopped. There was tension. "Did I miss something?"
Hawk was mad, that much was obvious. Alex wished she knew why. As if answering her thoughts hawk muttered, "How could you eat anything that creature cooked? It's probably poisoned.
"It's fine," Alex announced defensively, "Why do you hate him?"
Hawk looked at Alex as if she just arrived from another planet. "He's a wolf!"
That shocked Alex. A wolf? Here he was, a perfectly human looking man, and Hawk called him a wolf. "I don't get it. He looks human."
Kip almost laughed, "You aren't from around here are you? I am a wolf. Wolves here come in all different sizes; some retain their dog like look. Others, like me, look human, but when the moon shows itself fully we get a little wilder, and a little shaggier."
"Like a werewolf." Alex understood Hawk more. She heard stories of werewolves. They were scary, she found it hard to believe this boy was one.
"Wolves don't just get a little wild. They are evil, vile and treacherous creatures" Defied Hawk.
Kip smiled, "Coming from a man who keeps strange company." He looked right at Alex and she felt a tingle run up her spine. What was it about his eyes? They almost seemed to glow. She should have been frightened, but she wasn't. There was something almost familiar in his eyes. She seemed to be in a trance the deeper she looked in them. She shook her head when Kip asked, "What brings you to this area? No one comes around here without a purpose."
"We are heading to the Castle. We need to get home, but we also need to turn Tori back into a human." Alex gestured to the squirrel. Hawk looked upset that Alex spoke their mission.
"The Castle is a very dangerous. Are you sure you want to go there?"
"We need to, unless you know of someone who can reverse curses. And have a traveling mirror we could barrow."
Kip shook his head. "The only person who does curses is the Queen. I also know of no one with a magic mirror, much less a traveling one. Do you know how to get to the Palace? It the Queen expecting you? The Queen is very careful when it comes to helping others. If she feels threatened she would rather kill the cursed."
Alex was scared. Would the Queen feel threatened by them? One hoped not. The Queen was their only hope. "The Queen is not exactly expecting us. What do you suggest we do?"
"We don't trust him. That's what we do." Hawk was getting livid. Alex wished he would relax. Kip was nice, Alex trusted him for the same strange reason she trusted Hawk. Deep in her soul, her heart, was telling her to.
She turned back to kip, "I ask again, is their any way you can help us?"
Kip leaned in, "I know people in the castle. They can probably help your friend change back. I also know the castle like the back of my paw. I can get you in unnoticed."
Hawk stood, "No way! We are not going to accept your offer! We will do it on our own! No way, Alex, not happening! He's a wolf! Wolves are dangerous and will turn in a heart beat! We will not ride with him!"
Alex stood too, "Hawk, I know what he is. You have made it quite clear. I also know that for some reason I feel I can trust him." She turned to Kip, "We will need your knowledge if the castle. Will you ride with us? Luna will carry you."
Kip stood with the others. "I will rise as long as the Lady accepts me."