AN: So, this chapter is kinda shorter, and I'm sorry about that, but this week is really kicking my butt right now. I hope you enjoy it, nonetheless!
NOTES: What you want, and what you need are two very different things...
REVIEWERS!:
BrawlerGamer: ...So, this isn't even the main concept that Emma's nickname is foreshadowing. This is just the tip of the iceberg, and trust me, it's a GIANT iceberg. Like, it's a mountain. Yeah... But this tied in so nicely I just had to point it out. And, yes, a good eighty-five percent of everything I write is foreshadowing. So be prepared. Be very prepared.
Arwen Eledel: I did it! And, yeah, making them different species of bears came up pretty early, but you might be surprised to hear that I considered making Hiccup a Grizzly bear, or a Brown bear. It was fun deciding what species to make everyone. But, you know, I actually haven't had too many fangirls, so thank you! I deeply appreciate your kind reviews! :)
C: Thank you! I've been told before that I'm good at imagery, which is nice to hear because sometimes I just take whats in my head and spew it out on paper and then hope it makes sense somehow... Anyways, Merida and Elinor being alone for that scene was a must. Even though this story is about the four of them, each of the Four needs their little moments to be on their own. Jack and Hiccup's bear species were fun, mostly because I knew Jack would be a polar bear, and then I decided that if Jack was gonna be a different species then Hiccup had to have his own too, so I started looking up bear species, and after considering a few I remembered Red Pandas, and after that it was all over. I near about died when I got the image of Hiccup the Red Panda riding around on Jack the Polar Bear's head! It was a hard decision to make though, there was quite a bit of witty dialogue I was going to give them, but I decided most of it could be altered to fit in later, so I dove in head first and just went for it. YOU ARE SO SWEET AND KIND AND AMAZING! I WANT TO SQUISH YOU WITH ETERNAL HUGS! And, yeah, you're totally right, it should have been "ruins". "Runes" is what Hiccup's language is written in. "Ruins" are old remains of something. I meant to double check and go back and fix it before posting the chapter, but I forgot... But there's no need to be sorry about it! I appreciate the heads up! The only person I think who would have had exposure enough to witness death would be Hiccup, but that's not why he can see them. Also, Jack and Mavis can see them as well because Wilder-Creatures can sense/see other Wilder-Creatures. I hope you enjoy the new chapter and have a lovely week while you're at it! :)
Music: "Show us the way" by Patrick Doyle (Brave 2012)
Chapter 15: Show Us The Way
"Oh, isn't this interesting." Pitch Black purred wickedly as he circled his cauldron, letting his middle finger trail along the edge of the metal rim as he looked down at the image before him.
The cauldron showed him five figures traveling through the deepest parts of the Forbidden forest, and how wonderful was it that three of those figures were unable to use magic? The Winter Sprite was completely defenseless along with his dearest friend and the Queen of all Scotland! It was all too perfect! The girl stirred up more trouble with her engagement then he'd hoped for!
Oh, yes, today was going to be a good day, Pitch was sure of it.
"We should strike now! They're ours for the taking! You'll have your revenge on the other three, and I'll have my flower rightfully returned, and just imagine the ransom we could gain from the Queen of Scotland, only to return her as a bear with no way of becoming human ever again! Beautiful chaos would ensue, and we would have everything we wanted and the funds necessary to raise your army once again!" Gothel was positively ecstatic as she leaned against the cauldron, letting her cheek rest against the edge as she fluttered her lashes dreamily.
"Yes, this is a very opportune situation, but we must proceed with caution. There's no telling when North and the other Guardians will appear to save their little pets." Pitch agreed thoughtfully. "Stay here and keep a close eye on them. I will send some Nightmares to the ruins."
"And where are you going?" Gothel wanted to know, narrowing her brow as Pitch slowly walked towards the shadows that consumed the edges of the cavern.
Pitch looked at her over his shoulder and smirked darkly. "Why hide something behind the locked doors of the tallest tower in Hogwarts when it could bring the downfall of your greatest enemy?" He asked her.
"What are you babbling on about?" Gothel demanded, crossing her arms over her chest.
"North is hiding something. Something he believes I can use against them. I intend to find out what it is." Pitch clarified for her.
"You think it may have something to do with the Prophecy?" Gothel inquired, more curious and anxious now.
"I'm almost certain." Pitch chuckled as he stepped backwards. The shadows clawed and crawled as they consumed him completely, and within a heartbeat, Gothel was alone in the cavern, surrounded by Pitch's shadows.
"We've been walking for hours!" Merida groaned as she jumped down from a fallen log, following after Jack and Hiccup as Rapunzel and her mom brought up the rear. "This isn't working! There isn't much time left, and I still can't see the Hogwart's towers through the trees!"
The sky was beginning to dim, turning a deep purple color as the stars began to blink awake while the sun disappeared beyond the horizon. Her mother's first sun rise had already passed, and now, as the day turned to night, Merida could feel her nerves building up inside of her. In just a few hours the sun would return to rise again, and if they didn't fix the tapestry before then... Merida shook herself, refusing to think of that. They would get to the tapestry, fix it, and her mother would be back to normal by the end of the night. Merida swore it on her own life.
"Merida's right." Rapunzel agreed. "Hiccup, you spend a lot of time in these woods, do you recognize anything?"
Hiccup was sitting on his back paws and shook his head, giving a few squeaks. Jack gave a little grumble back, and then Hiccup squeaked a few times, and then Elinor uttered a light groan. The three looked at Merida and Rapunzel expectantly.
"Uh... I don't suppose you caught any of that, did you?" Merida asked slowly, turning to Rapunzel.
"I wish I knew a spell that could at least let them talk. Then we could communicate and come up with a plan like we always do." Rapunzel sighed hopelessly. Hiccup squeaked and reached a paw up to pat Rapunzel's hand comfortingly.
Jack gave a roar of excitement, suddenly, and they all turned to look at him. Jack roared again, and then looked down at his front paws. Using one to keep him steady on his three legs, he used the fourth one to draw in the small patch of dirt with his claw.
With his giant paw and awkward arm angles, writing wasn't exactly the easiest thing, but in the dirt he had managed to sketch out some squiggly letters that Merida just managed to make out.
"Wisp? The Will o' the Wisps?" Merida asked, looking to Jack to see if she had read correctly. Jack nodded enthusiastically and used his writing paw to point at her. "Me?" Merida questioned incredulously. "Look, I don't know what all of you think, but it's not me that's making the Wisps appear! They just show up whenever they feel like it, it seems..."
"Legend says that the Wisps reveal themselves to those of a Great Fate or extremely talented Seers. You might actually fit under both categories considering everything that's happened this year." Rapunzel pointed out.
"That doesn't mean they just show up and tell me everything I need to know!" Merida exclaimed in her frustration. "They're hardly ever around when I really need them, just like right now!"
"Merida, I -" Rapunzel stopped herself and looked down at Hiccup who was pawing at her hand again, but this time it was to get her attention. "What is it, Hiccup?"
Hiccup gave a squeak and dropped to all fours, scampering over to a small hedge near the edge of the path. He squeaked at them again, and this time all four of them walked over to see what he was trying to show them.
Elinor gave a confused sounding grumble as the five companions found themselves staring down at a footprint. Or, more accurately, a hoof-print. Had someone come through here on a horse recently? Had they reached a path near Hogsmeade, or another village perhaps?
Jack sniffed loudly, wrinkled his nose thoughtfully, and then leaned down to sniff the hoof-print more closely. He and Hiccup exchanged a few grumbles, and all Merida and Rapunzel could do was stand by as they talked among themselves.
It was really starting to annoy Merida how often she felt so helpless in this situation filled with bears and Wisps.
Jack looked up, and Hiccup scrambled onto Jack's head. They both looked at the two princesses and the Queen with big, bright eyes, excited for whatever conclusion they had come to. Merida and Rapunzel glanced at each other, and then shrugged. It wasn't as if they had much to lose.
With a nod from Merida, Jack and Hiccup started leading them down the path once again, this time steering towards the right instead of the left. The boys lead the into the trees, and though Merida felt a bit anxious that they were heading away from the sunset, therefore away from the ocean and away from Hogwarts, she managed to keep herself calm by reminding herself that she would trust Jack and Hiccup with her life, she could trust them with her mom.
The fog was starting to rise as the cold set in, the last few rays of light too weak to offer any real warmth to the freezing travelers as they tried to make their way through the dark forest. Merida wondered how on earth they had even managed to travel so far into the forest. Even if they were farther into the forest than she had ever gone, Hiccup should've still been able to make his way with ease.
It was a scary thought, but after seeing that rock circle several times and the ruins where Mor'du had been hiding, Merida wondered if there was something wrong with forest itself. Maybe the Forbidden Forest was cursed? There were rumors around the school, all sorts of theories about why the Forbidden Forest was forbidden. Merida's sensible side told her that it was the dangerous creatures that live there, and that was all. There was no dark spirit haunting the forest, and the forest itself was not alive with dark magic.
But with the cold and the darkness setting in, it became all too easy for her imagination to turn the gnarled tree branches into clawed hands.
"Does anyone else feel like they're being... Watched?" Rapunzel asked shakily, huddling close to Merida and Elinor.
Jack's pace slowed a little bit as he shrank back to be close to them, his ears pressed flat against his head. Hiccup was crouched on his head, eyes wide as they darted this way and that, his fur puffed up so he looked nearly twice his actual size. Elinor gave a soft grumble as the five grouped together, their shoulders and sides brushing as they moved slowly along the path.
The darkness seemed to be pressing in on them. It was a suffocating, petrifying sense of fear. But they realized too late that they had felt this once before.
A horse-like shriek split the air, and the four whirled around to see three Nightmares charging straight at them.
"Move!" Merida shouted, lunging to one side as the others did the same.
The Nightmares ran through the path they created by splitting apart, but then two of the Nightmares turned towards Merida and Elinor while the other one rounded on Rapunzel, Jack, and Hiccup, separating them from each other.
"Look out, Mom!" Merida cried as the Nightmares charged again, and Merida loosed an arrow and shot. The arrow struck the first one right in the chest, turning it back into dust, but the second one reared up, causing Merida to fall backwards.
Merida stared up in horror as the Nightmares hooves glinted wickedly in the weak light, ready to come down and crush her, but the terror was quickly replaced by relief when Elinor slammed into the Nightmare, clamping her huge jaws down around the Nightmare's neck. Within a moment the second Nightmare was nothing but dust.
Rapunzel's scream ended their short victory. They turned to see that two more Nightmares had appeared, and the three had corner her friends. Jack was roaring defensively, but the white fur on his head was stained red with blood from some injury, Rapunzel had her wand out, and Hiccup was growling, swiping out if one of the Nightmares got to close.
Merida loosed an arrow, ready to jump in and help her friends, but something whipped passed her head, and in the next instant two of the Nightmares had turned to dust, and the third was looking around wildly. An arrow shot just above the Nightmare's shoulder, giving a loud thunk as it embedded itself in a tree, and the Nightmare immediately turned tail and ran off into the trees.
Four, very large figures darted passed Merida and the others, chasing after the Nightmare with battle cries and loud, thundering hoof-beats.
Snapping out of the short trance that had taken hold of her, Merida ran to her friends, Elinor following close behind, and Rapunzel hugged her tightly. Together, the five turned to look around them as Centaurs surrounded them, armed with bows and swords. The noble Wilder-Creatures looked down at them from their great heights, and Merida felt very small in comparison to these old and wise creatures.
There must have been at least thirty centaurs standing all around them, staring at them with varying looks of curiosity, caution, and distaste. Elinor, Jack, and Hiccup pressed in close to Merida and Rapunzel.
A tall, even among his own people, centaur stepped forward. His hair was long black silk, just like his hide, but his tail was tipped with white. One side of his head was tightly braid into five braids, but the other half was left to hang loosely like his tail. His eyes were hazel, and he was armed with a sturdy bow and a quiver full of arrows.
"I am Sypys. Head Stallion of the Forbidden Forest. These are the warriors of my tribe." He introduced himself formally, his nobility and strength resonating in every word. "Who are you, and why have you come to the forest?"
Merida looked at the others, unsure of what she should say or do, but Rapunzel only looked just as lost as she felt, and everyone else could only speak bear. After a long moment of silent uncertainty between their group, Jack used his nose to nudge Merida forward.
She stumbled just a bit, and quickly righted herself before the wise centaur, shooting a glare at Jack over her shoulder and promising herself that she would get him back for that later. Looking up, she felt her palms start to get sweaty and her throat go dry as she took a deep breath while trying to think about what she should say.
"I, uh..." She started horribly and inwardly cringed at herself, but pressed on. "Well, it's kind of a long story..." She told him lamely.
Sypys regarded her calmly. He was guarded and closed off, and Merida could sense the tension in the air. If she wasn't careful, things could go very, very badly very quickly. Sypys remained silent, so Merida figured that meant he was waiting for her to elaborate a bit more.
"Um, well..." Merida gulped and hoped that somehow she and her friends would survive this.