A Friend?

His leafy wings seemed to perk up a little. The boy seemed to suddenly wake from his slumber and look at me for the first time. He looked at Alexis with a cocky smile.

"You need my help huh?" He said leaning on the earthen wall, "Well that's not going to come for free."

The sudden change in attitude caught Alexis off guard, "What do you mean exactly? You were ready to run out of here with someone you looked like a minute ago."

The boys face dropped but she continued, "You'll get payment enough if you come with me."

His face dropped more and he walked away softly, "I can't, I must take care of my grandmother," then he walked slowly away, "You can stay until morning."

Alexis was left staring at the small hut. She looked around a little noticing the small fire place in the corner and a small makeshift mattress on the floor. It was covered will a weaved blanket and she walked over and sat. The earthen hut was earily quiet and the only noise heard was the pounding rain outside and the unevenly spaced claps of thunder.

She listened intently and wished for a moment she weren't alone. She wondered what Malistaire was doing. She wondered if he would stop before he found her, if he knew she was inside. She leaned back and hit her head on the wall. This was just going to be a brilliant night.

Realizing there was nothing for her to gain from worrying she lay down and went to sleep.

She woke up to the face of the boy staring at her from above. She jumped and hit her head again on the wall. The boy had scuttled backward and Alexis rubbed her head.

"What were you doing?" she asked.

The boy looked down ashamed and answered, "You look like me; I was just curious."

Alexis sighed, "I better be going. If you don't mind I'll be back later tonight. I need to see the situation of your world."

The boy nodded and led Alexis to the door.

"My name is Seitse," he paused, "I though you might like to know."

Alexis nodded and left. Outside she turned to look around her. The leaves around the small village were in dissaray but the village was safe. She wondered what it meant for the forests. She walked slowly through the village towards the forest and stopped at the edge. Energy radiated around the area, bad energy.

She pulled out her wand and started walking. The leaves crushed under her feet and she could feel spirits around her. She walked deeper and deeper into the woods cautiously. The trees grew denser as she went and green light filtered through the branches.

Then suddenly the light grew grim. Ahead of her the came a spider 10 times the height of a human. The spider crashed through the trees; it's beady black eyes stared down at her from above. Alexis stood transfixed as the spider kept coming closer. It loomed closer and closer until she was trapped.

As she was trapped a boy jumped out of the trees. His lean body flew through the air and hit her square in the side. She was thrown to the ground just as the spiders pincers came down. She gasped looking at the spider's pincers stabbing into the ground where she had just stood. She looked at the boy who had tackled her; it was Sietse. He had saved her life.