The very next day, Elisheva was slowly starting to piece together a plan for how to find her family.
Step one sketch a map from Glipwood to Torrborro. Step 2 prepare supplies. Step three Depart by Autumn, so she'll have a better chance of searching in winter time since the Fangs are reptilian in nature.
Thanks to her paying a visit to Ferinia's shop for some lavender, sage and lemon grass – Elisheva got to work into making more potpourri. Maybe then the Fangs will finally stop sniffing at her every time she passes by.
Right now, she's going to the bakery. Some of what she'll buy will count as her lunch. She turns and walked through another path feeling uncomfortable under the watch of the Fangs, and saw Peet 'skating' around up ahead.
"Peet is so weird. Like hilarious weird." A familiar voice remarked.
Elisheva looked to her left to see the Igiby children also watching Peet. The man was chuckling briefly and occasionally wheezing. He twirled a little with his right arm over his head then noticed both Elisheva and the children watching him. Leeli waved at Peet. Janner and Tink looked at him with unassuming smiles.
"Hey." Elisheva greeted Peet, "I'm uh, headed for the bakery, want me to fetch you something?"
Peet whimpered a little. He looked left and right before jumping backwards and cartwheeling out of sight.
"He always make me feel sad." Leeli said, making her brothers look at her.
"I kinda know what you mean," Elisheva commented. "He needs help and I don't just mean food and shelter."
"Seriously, return these now Tink, and make it's ALL of them." Janner handed some books he was holding to Tink.
Tink rolled his eyes but did as he was told. "Fine!" And he walked away.
"What got his goat?" Elisheva questioned.
Janner was a little alarmed by her question. "Uh, that's kind of a long story."
Nugget let out a little bark and wagged his tail at the sight of Elisheva. He nearly jumped at her, trying to lick her face. The older girl laughed and petted him. "Okay, boy, I'm glad to see you too."
Leeli took a quick glance then asked Janner. "Hey, what are you gonnna say to Sarah?"
Elisheva looked at the older boy with raised eyebrows.
"Oh, I don't know…" Janner began. "I'll say, I made this with bully blossoms to keep the fangs away, and then I thought… who might like it?"
As he talked Elisheva noticed Sarah Cobbler was out on the porch of Ferinia's store listening to Janner. The girl was smiling indulgently. Elisheva covered her mouth with a tiny, delighted gasp. Leeli shared her expression with a giggle.
"And I hope you like this necklace I made. Does that sound silly?" Janner's back was to them momentarily so he did not see Sarah yet.
"I dunno, ask her." Leeli replied.
Janner stood ramrod straight.
"I think it's a great idea." Sarah said approaching Janner with a smile.
Both Leeli and Elisheva watch as Janner and Sarah talked. The girl invited him to watch a Silvermoon bloom, a large flower that blossoms every seven years, that might open the next day at the bridge at dawn.
This makes Elisheva smiles warmly, gushing with delight inside. Those two look so cute together.
Sarah had to go back to work at the flower shop, she bid a fond goodbye to Janner, Leeli and Elisheva. Leeli hugged her brother happily, apparently thinking the same as Elisheva.
However, this happy scene was observed by Slarb, who was hiding amidst some lupine flowers on the roof. The smell of the flowers made him sneeze, which almost gave him away. But he ducked back down, once the children and the older girl were out of sight, he left.
"Not to sound weird, but that song you sang to the dragons what was it about?" Elisheva asked Leeli. "And who is Yurgen?"
Janner also looked at his sister with interest. He too had been meaning to ask her about it.
Leeli shrugged, blushing. "I don't know. I think it's a song mama used to sing me when I was little, or something like it anyway." She scrunched her face up, thinking hard. "It's odd," she said.
"What?"
"I can't remember it now," said Leeli.
"Well, it was...really pretty." Elisheva said. Ah well, guess she'll never know.
Leeli noticed Nugget wagging his tail at Elisheva and couldn't help but smile. "Hey, Elisheva, do you want to come over for dinner tomorrow?" she asked, feeling a sudden burst of courage. "Mama and Grandpa said it was okay. We're making some of our favorite foods, and I thought it would be nice if you could join us."
Elisheva's eyes widened in surprise. "Really? I would love to," she replied, feeling a warmth spreading in her chest. She had never been invited to someone's home like this before, and it made her feel grateful for Leeli's kindness.
"That's a great idea, Leeli," Janner said, smiling at Elisheva. "We would love to have you over."
Privately, he acknowledged it was a good idea. The previous day, Leeli had asked their mother, Nia, and grandfather, Podo, who'd agreed - to get a better idea of the newcomer that kept to herself. Nia had guessed Elisheva's a homeless wanderer, Podo figured she's a teenager who probably ran away from home.
Elisheva smiled back, feeling a sense of belonging that she had not felt in a long time. "Thanks, both of you," she said, feeling a little emotional. "I'd be honored to come."
As they continued walking towards the bakery, Elisheva couldn't help but feel a glimmer of hope in her heart.
Things might start to look up. But that was not so.
As Elisheva curled up in her perch that evening, she didn't notice Zev's necklace fall and land onto the grass.
That same night, the infamous Black carriage rode into town. A ghastly caravan used by the Fangs for the kidnapping of Skreeans.
Just as Gnorm had said, Slarb was reassigned carriage duty, first by loading a couple crates inside before he and another Fang were handed a scroll by Vop – the Fang with the eye patch.
Slarb took the scroll and looked it over. "But some of these names are…" he looked up curiously. "We get to snatch kiddies now?"
"New orders!" Vop answered. "Take one youngling per town to start with, spread the terror around evenly."
"The stink of all these kids up close will make us gaggy!" one Fang- this one sounded female- nearly dry-heaved.
"Three towns is too many, it'll take us all night!" Slarb griped.
"Best get to it grunts!" Vop retorted marching back to his post.
The two Fangs assigned to the Black Carriage grabbed onto the back, holding on tightly as it began it's ride through the countryside.
In less than an hour, the menacing vehicle passed by a certain oak tree.
Elisheva sat up, blinking sleepily. Huh? She'd heard a distant sound that made her sit up in bed. Was that the sound of horses and wheels, and crows following it?
She listened for a few moments, but the sound soon faded away, and she shrugged it off. "Eh, whatever," she mumbled, lying back down. Whatever it was could wait until morning when she was more active.
The carriage rode down one road, then Slarb had it stop in front of one house he recognized. Once the carriage halted, he hopped off and began stalking towards the house.
"This one ain't on our snatchy list." The female Fang frowned.
"It are now." Slarb sniggered sinisterly.
The following morning, Janner awaited Sarah's arrival. To keep his mind off his nerves, he watched as Peet picked a 'fight' with a sign post before the sockman slunk away.
He hear footsteps on the bridge, Janner turned happily, hoping it was Sarah. He was alarmed to see Slarb on the opposite side of the wooden bridge, and he nervously turned his back to him. Maybe if he ignored the Fang, he'd go away.
"Waiting for someone?"
"No," Janner stammered. "I mean, just a friend."
He didn't see Slarb sarcastically scratch his chin. "Will be waiting a long time. Your friend took a ride last night. A black carriage ride with me!" The Fang cackled.
Janner turned to stare in disbelief. Before he could even accuse the Fang of lying, he saw Slarb dangle something between his claws. The boy felt his blood chill when he saw it was the same locket with bully blossoms he'd given Sarah the day before.
"Do you want it?" Slarb taunted. "A keepsake."
Janner's eyes began to tear up, and he reached out for the item.
"Well, you can't have it!" Slarb jeered, laughing spitefully as he left.
Distraught, Janner runs home to tell his mother and grandfather of Sarah's fate.
Today, Elisheva couldn't help but notice something was off. An incoming storm perhaps?
She had come out the bakery, having eaten her breakfast and intended to do a sketched outline of Glipwood from a good high spot in her new journal, so she doesn't forget her time there when she leaves for her step four plan of finding and rescuing her family. But enroute, she sees up ahead an unpleasant face: Slarb.
The Fang sneered, "Well, well, well. Look who it is. The little outsider."
Oh, great. The one Fang who looks like he broke right out of Arkham asylum. Elisheva thought.
She still hadn't forgotten how he'd almost bitten her out of spite on dragon day when she first met the Igiby children. At least for the past two weeks, Elisheva was able to avoid him for the most part but it seems she's gonna have to give him the slip some other way.
"Ugh, you again? Don't you have some other innocent victims to terrorize?" Elisheva grumbled.
"Plenty of victims. But I always have time for you." Slarb answered.
Elisheva rolled her eyes, "Oh, joy. What do you want, Fang?"
Slarb smirked, "Just a friendly chat. You know, I've been thinking about you a lot lately. You're a fascinating little creature, Elisheva. Can't quite figure you out."
Elisheva stepped back, trying to not show alarmed she was that he learned her name. "Keep your distance, Fang. I don't want to catch your germs."
"Germs?" Slarb laughed. "You really think you're better than us, don't you? But you're just like the rest of them, Elisheva. A scared little mouse hiding in the shadows."
Elisheva was unimpressed. "Is that supposed to be an insult? I've been called worse by my little brother whenever we fought over the T.V. remote!"
Slarb growled at her sarcasm. "You think you're so clever, don't you? But you're just a human. Weak and powerless."
"That may be true, but at least I'm not a Fang. I'll take being a human mortal over cruel and gross any day. And one more thing, dude, tell your buddies to quit sniffing me every time I visit the town. It's already creepy enough the first few days I got here." Elisheva grumbled, preparing to leave.
Slarb actually sniggered in response. "They're merely curious about you, Elisheva. You're not from around here, after all. Still trying to figure you out."
Elisheva raised an eyebrow skeptically. "Yeah? Feels more like they're trying to hunt me down like a wild animal. I don't expect anything from the Fangs except cruelty and violence. And if they try to mess with me or my friends, they'll regret it."
Slarb's eyes narrowed. "Is that a threat?"
Elisheva smirked. "No, it's a promise." With that, she turned on her heel and strode away, leaving Slarb standing there, fuming.
Her willfulness angered the Fang, so he determined to get the better of the meddling outlander.
Janner hurried back home in tears. He found his mother and grandfather in the stables tending to the horse, Danny.
"They took Sarah!" The boy wailed.
Nia and Podo at once hurried over to him. "What happened?" Nia asked, placing her hand son her son's shoulders.
"The Fangs… Slarb… the Black carriage." Janner sobbed, trying to catch his breath.
"Slow down boy." Podo said gently.
Nia looked to her father in concern. "But that can't be right!"
"Naw, they've never taken kids in these parts." Podo shook his head.
"He did take her!" Janner said. "And, it was because of me, Mama!" he sobbed and hugged his mother.
"Lad, the evil those creatures do aint your fault." Podo told his grandson.
"Maybe Mayor Blaggus can do something." Nia said then addressed Podo. "Papa, hitch up Dannny while I fetch something to barter."
"Stout heart, son." Podo reassured Janner before hugging him.
Ten minutes later, Nia and Podo were on their way to town to talk to the mayor. Nia told Janner to watch his siblings, assuring him that they'll return soon.
Poor Janner was in tears, still blaming himself for what happened to Sarah. And then he made a decision.
Elisheva had just finished looking over a book of zoology, needing to know more about the wildlife native to Aerwiar and was on her way back to the oak tree where she usually spends the night, when the end of her deep blue cloak caught on the edge of the porch to Mayor Blaggus' office.
RRrip! This irritated her. Aw great, she went to salvage part of it as possible. Perhaps she could patch it up with reeds or something just as thick by making a needle out of a piece of wood…
As she inspected the damage and whether it can be mended properly, she heard someone come up the porch and the door to the Mayor's office slam open. Whoever it was didn't see her because she'd kneeled down or they were in a hurry.
"They took a child last night!" Nia Igiby's voice cried. That was the Igiby siblings' mother.
What the-?! Elisheva's head came up sharply. The door closed, but the voices inside were audible enough for Elisheva to overhear from the open window.
"Did you know about this?" Nia questioned Mayor Blaggus.
"Considering the child's parents were knocking on my bedroom window before dawn, yes!" Blaggus answered waspishly. "I heard all about it."
"Then it's true. They're taking children from Glipwood now."
"Not just Glipwood." Mayor Blaggus answered.
Elisheva covered her mouth to contain a squeak when she heard that the infamous Black Carriage was taking children from Dugtown and Torroborro as well. And she remembered transportation vehicle the night she and her family were taken…
She felt a chill run down her spine as she listened to the conversation inside the Mayor's office. So those rumors weren't exaggerating, the Fangs were now starting to kidnap children from all over the region.
'That must've been what I heard last night!' she thought.
"We have to do something to help!" Podo, the Igiby children's grandfather, said determinedly.
"Help? Here's how you can help, Podo Helmer: Go home, and forget that girl ever existed!"
Elisheva was disgusted and angry with the mayor's words.
"All I'm saying is if the Fangs aren't messing with you, don't mess with them." Mayor Blaggus was saying, "Why make trouble for the town?"
'Ugh, classic bystander syndrome.' Elisheva rolled her eyes. It's obvious this moron won't help.
From the sounds inside, Nia appeared to be offering something valuable. "Here, take this to Gnorm as a gift. He loves his shinies. Persuade him to return the girl."
"I'll not put my own boys at risk for such a fool's hope." The mayor sputtered. "The girl is gone."
"Then keep it…" Nia said coolly. "To bribe the Fangs when the carriages comes for your sons."
Elisheva looked in briefly to catch a glimpse of a silver ring with a ruby forcibly shoved into the man's hand.
Nia pleaded for the man to tell them what he knew. Blaggus had no clue except that they never come back. Podo snapped back, calling him out for his indifference.
"The Cobbler girl was taken for someone else's selfishness!"
"What do you mean?" Nia demanded.
"Gnag wants one thing and someone out there isn't giving it to him." answered the Mayor.
"And just what do you think that monster's greedy claws are cracking for?!" Podo's voice snapped.
"The Jewels of Anneira."
Elisheva became skeptical. A treasure?
She had heard rumors of some lost treasure before, but she had never really believed in it. Could it be possible that the Fangs were after these Jewels? But what made them so special that Gnag the Nameless himself would go to such trouble to find them?
Nia told the Mayor that the Jewels were just a legend. Then the next thing out of the Mayor's mouth cued Elisheva that it was time to retreat for the moment.
"There's also rumors going around about a portal to some new advanced world they found up in the far Northwest nearly four months ago. The Fangs had caught three marauders, but one escaped."
Uh-oh. Elisheva's heart raced as she figured out that Blaggus was unknowingly talking about her family. And when he mentioned the portal to the "new advanced world," Elisheva was filled with a sense of longing and sadness. The portal had been closed, and her family might never be able to return home to Earth.
Elisheva would have made a mental note to be even more careful in her movements, she couldn't risk being found out by the Fangs, or by the Mayor, who seemed more interested in protecting his own interests than in helping the people of Glipwood. She would have also felt a sense of urgency to find her father and brother as soon as possible, knowing that they were in grave danger.
She carefully untangled her cloak from the porch railing and slipped away, her mind racing with thoughts of the missing children and the elusive Jewels of Anniera. Not knowing Slarb overheard the conversation too.
"Time to play ssseek and find."
In the meantime, the Igiby children had different ideas. Janner asked to see the map Tink found (much to the younger boy's delight), Leeli overheard wondering what was going on.
Both Tink and Leeli were aghast when they heard that Sarah had been taken in the Black carriage the previous night.
"They took a kid?" Tink gaped.
"Why would they take Sarah?" Leeli questioned.
Janner stood up from where he'd been studying the map. "Why doesn't matter. Getting help matters. Ready Tink?" He took a messenger bag with him.
His brother already had a packback filled with supplies. Janner then looked to an inquisitive Nugget. "Nugget, stay and guard Leeli. He looked to his sister, If Elisheva comes around, tell her we're going to find Sarah."
However, their little sister didn't intend to stay put. She fetched her whistleharp and began following. "I'm going, she was my friend too." She said with innocent determination.
Janner and Tink hesitated for a moment, but then nodded in agreement. "Alright, but you have to promise to stay close to us and do what we say," Janner said, looking at his little sister with concern.
Leeli nodded eagerly, her eyes shining with excitement. "I promise!" she exclaimed, her fingers already itching to play a tune on her whistleharp.
Not long afterwards, the children were walking into the forest. Janner was looking at the map analytically, "We must be close."
Just then they heard a sound, and the three got down at the older boy's urging. Look Squeeblin. Janner pointed at the creature coming out. It looked like a rodent the size of a toy dog.
"It's so cute!" Leeli gushed, she meant to get up and pet it but Janner stopped her.
"No. Nothing in this forest is just cute." He warned.
As if to prove his point, a bird passed by and the squeeblin jumped revealing a big mouth full of teeth.
"Squeeblin bites are the fifth most painful in all of Skree. If it sees us, I'll distract it, you two run."
"Do squeeblins have a weakness?" Tink asked.
Janner thought for a moment, "Pembrick says they're prone to melancholy."
"Does that mean they like to eat melons?"
"It means they get really sad."
Leeli piped up, "I could play a sad song."
The squeeblin noticed them and began charging. Janner placed his hand on his sister's shoulder, The saddest song you know.
Leeli nods and begins to play a gentle ballad on her whistleharp. The music makes the Squeeblin slow down and begin to wail before it ran off.
"Hurry, before it cheers up." Janner stood up, the others did the same
As they started walking again, they heard a howl.
"Another Squeeblin?" Leeli hoped fearfully.
"A horned hound, come on!" Janner answered
"What's their weakness?" Tink questioned.
"They don't have one!" Janner replied.
The best they could do was run to the mysterious place the map indicated. At least they won't be completely alone, Peet had been swinging around the trees and began following in concern.
Slarb had gone to the Igiby household where no one was home to search for the alleged "Jewels" himself. Nugget had growled and barked at him incessantly before the Fang licked the dog into a closet and locked the door.
A bedpost fell over and revealed to have a small container in it Slarb found Annieran jewels – but he didn't know they were not what his superiors were looking for. General Khrak will make him a Colonel for this.
Now to see about this meddling stranger.
Slarb had tracked the ragged street-mouse's scent to the oak tree where she had been spending her nights. Her makeshift shelter nestled in the branches was empty, she had left recently. Slarb clambered up the tree to search through her meagre belongings.
There were only a few items: torn blue cloak with Azkadi stitching, a length of rope, several plants dangling from the upper branches (the kind that made his nose itch), and some berries and dried meat. Slarb snatched up the cloak to inspect it, sniffing it carefully. The girl's scent was strong on the cloth. He tossed it aside in disgust.
As he climbed back down the tree, something glinting on the forest floor caught his eye. He hissed with glee when he saw it was a necklace made of shiny azurite. The golden symbols carved on the stone meant nothing to him. He pocketed the necklace, this will make excellent proof.
Slarb followed the girl's scent trail further, determined to locate her and either force her to reveal her connection to the Jewels or simply kill her as a nuisance. The necklace would make a nice additional trophy. His hunt had begun in earnest.
If he'd waited a little more he'd have found his prey.
Elisheva had gone into the forest to forage for berries. As she wandered through the trees, she kept her ears open for any sounds of danger. The forest was usually a peaceful place, but she knew that anything could happen at any moment. And the animals were not the same as those back home.
After a while, Elisheva had collected enough berries to last her for a few days. She made her way back to her tree, eager to enjoy her newfound bounty. As she approached her perch, however, she noticed that something was amiss. The branches that she had carefully arranged to form her shelter were now scattered haphazardly on the ground, and there were signs that someone had been there.
Elisheva's heart started pounding with fear. Had the Fangs found her hideout? Was she no longer safe even in the tree that had been her sanctuary for so long? She cautiously approached her perch, ready to run at the slightest sign of danger.
Worse. she noticed that one of the branches had been broken, as if someone had been trying to climb up to her perch, yipe! She's gonna have to find another place to stay, and fast.
She quickly gathered her things into her new side bag, put on her cloak and started making her way down the tree, her heart racing with the fear of being caught.
Once she was safely on the ground, Elisheva looked back up at her perch, feeling a sense of loss and sadness. She knew that she couldn't go back there, not now that it had been compromised. She would have to find a new hiding place, before the Fangs found her.
The Igiby children had followed the map's directions to Ankle-Jelly Manor, hoping to get help from the Florid Sword. However, they were chased by a pair of Horned Hounds into the basement catacombs, which had a metal door with a strange locking mechanism.
Janner held up the map, letting the light illuminate some of the buttons forming the letter 'W'. By pressing the buttons forming the letter, they were able to open the door. Inside, they found a collection of weapons, including a sword with the name "Esben Wingfeather" etched into the hilt.
But their discovery was short-lived, as they soon heard the Horned Hounds approaching. The trio had no choice but to hide behind the iron door, hoping that it would hold against the ferocious beasts.
When Nia and Podo returned to the cottage after unsuccessfully trying to convince Mayor Blaggus to ask Gnorm into bringing back Sarah Cobbler, they were shocked to find it ransacked.
They searched for the children allover, Nia found a barking Nugget in the closet.
"Fangs did this." Podo growled.
"Fangs? Where are the children?" Nia was still holding Nugget.
"Let's not jump to the worst of it. Maybe they slipped out." Podo said, "I wager they'd head to Oskar 's fast as a buttered thwap like we told 'em."
"To Oskar's then." Nia replied, only or Nugget to squirm out of her arms and begin barking at the back door.
"The pup's locked onto something out back Podo noted. You take the wagon to town, find Oskar, check the jail. If the new girl is at Oskar's, ask her if she's seen the children. I'll see what Nugget's nose has to say." He then reassured his daughter. "Nia, We'll find them."
"We'll find them." Nia greed sternly.
Back in Anklejelly manor, the Igiby siblings were hiding in the weapons storage still hiding from the hounds. There were sounds of a struggle outside, to their surprise, it turned out Peet the sock man had somehow fought off the hounds.
"Leave now." Peet said anxiously.
"Should we bring these?" Janner questioned. He held up the sword with the name Esben Wingfeather carved onto the blade.
The moment he saw the sword and the name on it, Peet stumbled back with a horrified yelp. He began mumbling and whimpering to himself, but his mind was a jumbled mess of screams and fire.
Leeli approached and touched his back to calm him. "Mr. Peet… please don't be scared."
"We need your help."
She wasn't wrong. There was a howling nearby, the horned hounds weren't giving up the chase.
"Keep them safe I will." Peet muttered then said to the children. "Get up go. We go." He apprehensively touched the sword with his sock covered hands. "These must stay!"
Janner nodded and placed the sword back on the table he'd found it on.
"Go! Follow Peet-tham!" Peet urged.
Tink looked at Janner in confusion. "Peet-tham?"
He then shrugged and recovered his backpack. Janner looked back at the sword, something about all this was bothering him.
Nia went into town to search. First the jail, then to Oskar Reteep's bookstore. When she reached the bookshop, Oskar had told her that he had a secret compartment nearby filled with dangerous literature: one of the maps leading to Ankelejelly Manor had gone missing the same day Tink supposedly had a belly itch.
Upon Nia wondering her children go to Anklejelly Manor, Oskar believes it 's to find help for Sarah, and he produced a poster of the Florid Sword.
Back in the forest near the manor in question, Peet was leading the children away. However, the horned hound's were still hunting them, so the town recluse helped the three Igiby children up into the trees.
Elisheva cautiously made her way through the dense underbrush of the Glipwood forest, keeping her eyes and ears alert for any signs of danger. As she moved deeper into the forest, she felt a sense of unease growing within her. The trees seemed to loom larger and the shadows grew darker, and she couldn't shake the feeling that she was being watched.
She didn't want to stay in town, not with all the Fangs roaming about. Another tree hideout would have to do. So she climbed a large one, intending got check it out.
Suddenly, she heard a rustling ahead of her. She froze, gripping a fallen branch tightly in her hand. Out of the bushes emerged a mid-sized winged weasel with a long, thin body and moth-like wings. It was a thwapperfly, and it was bearing down on her with frightening speed.
Elisheva swung the branch at the thwapperfly with all her might, narrowly missing its head. The creature veered away, screeching in anger. Elisheva stumbled backwards, and promptly landed on something she didn't entirely expect.
It was then that she noticed the wooden planks. She looked down in surprise and saw that she had fallen onto a rope bridge, suspended high above the forest floor. It was made of sturdy wooden planks for walking and ropes for railings.
Elisheva couldn't help but laugh at the absurdity of the situation. She cautiously made her way across the bridge, her eyes scanning the surrounding trees for any signs of danger. She felt a sense of awe and wonder at the ingenuity and creativity that had gone into its creation.
As she crossed, she caught glimpses of the forest below, the treetops swaying in the breeze. She followed the bridge, not knowing where it would lead her, but trusting that it would take her where she needed to go.
Unbeknownst to Elisheva, the bridge was leading her West.
Meanwhile, Slarb hurried back to the barracks and had taken Gnorm's whistle intending to send a crow secretly with his findings, but on his way out bumped into Vop.
Inevitably, he's goaded into fight with him, frustrated with not being taken seriously by his peers. After being thrown to the wall, Slarb took a short blade embedded into it and threw it right into Vop's chest… this lead to dangerous consequences.
"He was always good for a laugh. What are you ever good for?"
All the other Fangs began to gang up on him. Slarb took a running jump and leapfrogged over one's head and out the door. But he crashed, and was grabbed by the last person he intended to run into: Gnorm.
"Hey Boss, he killed Vop!" One of the Fangs tattled as the other Fangs walked out. With Slarb held up by their boss, he'll get what's coming to him.
Angrily, Gnorm shoved Slarb against the side of the building by the throat. "You got some explaining to do, maggot! Always making me trouble amongst my troops, making me trouble in town."
Then his slit-pupilled eyes landed on what was hidden on Slarb's belt. "And you pinched my whistler!"
The other Fangs were yelling different punishments for Slarb.
"Toss him in the box!"
"Grind his fangs to nubs!"
"Best to just squeeze your neck, Poof! No more Slarb, no more trouble," Gnorm sneered.
Slarb choked out, "But they had secret jewels! Igibys - and meddling street-mouse! They all had jewels!" He opened his claw, handing them to Gnorm.
The Commander was surprised by this revelation. He dropped Slarb in shock. He looked at the jewels Slarb handed to him, "The Igibys…? And the streetmouse?"
Slarb fell to the ground, gasping for breath. Recovering, he began to flee but Gnorm ordered the other Fangs, "Nab that deranged Fang!"
A group of Fangs dashed after Slarb while Gnorm inspected the jewelry Slarb had dropped - Nia's trinkets along with the azurite necklace. Gnorm ran a claw over the strange symbols carved into the stone, a sinister smile spreading across his face. He didn't know Slarb's rampage had unexpectedly provided a clue.
The Igiby children were still up in tree after Peet helped them up.
"How do we get down?" Tink questioned.
Peet hopped onto the large branch near him. "Not down, Iggy-bunch. Across!" To demonstrate, he began walking right up the branch.
"Wait!" called Janner. "Sir!"
Peet poked his head out from the leaves.
"You want us to just walk through the tops of these trees?"
"Can you fly?"
Janner, Tink and Leeli looked at the man in confusion.
"No."
Peet's face fell. "Oh, well then of course you'll walk." And he began trudging through the leaves.
"I think I can crawl." Leeli offered.
The Igiby children carefully moved past the leaves and finally saw what Peet meant: rope bridges!
This will help carry them safely above any potential predators. They lead to his treehouse even though Peet insisted they go where the sun will set. He wouldn't answer Janner's questions and then Tink discovered an old diary when he asked who was Arthram Wingfeather, the man became instantly distressed. He flailed, starting to experience horrific flashbacks and shooed the children away.
Gnorm was eating Nia's maggotloaf and across from his sat a disturbed Mayor Blaggus. "Read it back." The Fang commander said to the Mayor.
The Mayor cleared his throat nervously, "My horrible and ferocious…"
Gnorm slammed the lid down on the crate containing the maggotloaf. "Most ferocious."
Some of the maggotloaf flecked on the mayor's face, which he wiped away. "Sorry. Most ferocious General Khrak, vigilant as I am, I recently seized this lone piece of forbidden jewelry from a sneaky glipwooder. We also discovered that the azurite necklace was found in the possession of a newcomer, a girl called Elisheva. Had there been more jewels, I would certainly have sent them along as well. Your most trusted officer, Gnorm the ever watchful."
Gnorm had been greedily eyeing some of the jewels, making sure to send one of Nia's trinkets and Zev's necklace into the small container where the message will be carried. He rolled his eyes at the mayor, then held his hand out for the written message.
Mayor Blaggus handed it to him. "I expect you'll be promoted for this…" the man babbled nervously.
Gnorm placed the message and two necklaces into the container, he smirked at the mayor deviously. "Oh, you'll soon know your true worth to us, Blaggus." He stood up, holding the crow and said to it, "To General Khrak!"
However the crow crashed into the boards and fell over with a squawk.
Gnorm facepalmed. "Fetch me another crow."
Nia and Oskar searched first where Elisheva's tree might be. But it was empty and it looked like someone had searched there too, which left Ankle-jelly Manor.
They went down to the basement and found that the weapons had been disturbed, and Tink's lighter. This meant that they solved the doorcode. Nia was concerned, knowing her children will have all sorts of questions.
There was sock on the floor, meaning Peet had been there too. Oskar brings up the possibility of a Key emerging in Glipwood. An old legend of a doorway to their world and another being opened by one more worthy, leaving said person eventually with the choice to leave their world or remain here.
"That's just an old legend." Nia said.
Oskar sighed and with great reluctance. "I know it sounds far-fetched, but I can't help but wonder if there's some truth to it. Something about Elisheva's presence here feels...different. I fear I may be betraying Elisheva's trust by even mentioning it, but the circumstances of having an otherworldly visitor and the possibility of danger compels me to say something. Have you noticed anything else off about Elisheva? Perhaps customs or simple traits that don't pertain to any region of Aerwiar?"
Nia thought for a moment before responding uncertainly, "Well, she's a young woman. I'm not sure what customs or traits to expect from her."
Oskar nodded in understanding. "I understand your hesitation, but we must consider all possibilities. Even the young ones can find themselves involved in things out of their control. And if this legend is true, then Elisheva may be in over her head."
Nia sighed, knowing that Oskar was right. She couldn't help but worry about her children and their safety, but now she had the added concern of a stranger from another world who may be unwittingly involved in something dangerous.
Meanwhile a crow brought Gnorm's message to General Khrak in Palace Torr.
"Seized this lone piece of forbidden jewelry from a sneaky glipwooder. Gnorm, you fool! These are Annieran jewels! You found jewels in possession of such jewels and you let them walk free?"
He looked at the other trinket with a bored sigh, and was about to throw it away but noticed the three golden symbols in vertical order on the blue stone. The branched candlestick, the six pointed star and the fish for last. And he sat up straight, narrowing his eyes.
Khrak had only seen these once before, and that was when they'd taken the otherworldly family captive in winter. That could only mean the Key was hiding in Glipwood.
The Fang then smirked. "How interesting… Scribe!" He called, letting the crow fly away.
A frightened man stumbled into the throne room. "You… bellowed?"
"Write a message. You imbecile!"
The man gulped. "Me?"
"No. Well, yes." Khrak clarified. "I meant it as part of my message. Secure whoever is in possession of anymore shinies with the symbol on the azurite token you've sent, especially any outsiders or newcomers to town. And arrest by dawn all who dwell where this second shiny was found, or I will ride into Glipwood and personally draw and quarter you."
To be continued…
Author's note: There you have it. There's the running gag of the Fangs always sniffing Elisheva whenever she walks by them, she fears "It's my B.O., it attracts Fangs!" It's just skittish thinking on her part since the Green Fangs like disgusting things. But it's something else entirely. General Khrak recognizes both valuables as important items. Firstly, meaning that the Igibys know about the Jewels of Anniera, and 2nd that the necklace with those symbols belonged to the family of the escaped prisoner from another world.
So yep, now the danger increases. Don't forget to read and review, it helps my morale.
