Passing

Ok blame Foxfur for the chapter title, she suggested it saying that at least two of the characters in the chapter were doing so. I also want to thank Foxfur for keeping me on the grammatical straight and narrow.

Drooling

“Peter, I think we should turn back.” Claire said nervously.
“No I know they went this way.” Peter insisted.
Claire wasn’t so sure but she knew there was no arguing with her little brother when he got in this kind of mood. She should have put her foot down when Peter insisted the follow Mom and Junior when they saw them leaving the Lodge heading off into the woods. At the strangely circular clearing when Mom and Junior had disappeared into the darkness, Claire’s common sense rang alarm bells but Peter grabbed her hand before she could say anything and followed. Even though it had been only seconds since Mom had entered the blackness before them when they emerged in the silvery glade they saw Mom atop a horse with a strange man disappearing in the distance. Peter immediately took off in pursuit and Claire had no choice but to follow.

They soon became lost in the strange woodlands but Peter refused to admit it. Then the fairies came, the small people with wings that swirled around and chattered at them. Peter tried to shoo them off but one handsome looking male landed on Claire’s hand. He wore leaf britches and had a type of bow over one shoulder with a matching quiver at his side. He motioned frantically back the way they had come.
“Peter, I think they want us to go back.”
“No! They must be HIS friends trying to stop us. We’re going this way.”

So they went on. The male fairy rode on Claire’s shoulder. He called to one of the others and she flew over to Peter and before the boy could do anything cut a hair from his head with a small knife and flew off. Gradually Claire could tell that Peter’s certitude was cracking as they continued to pass further into the strange woods. The trees about them here seemed to glimmer less, like the batteries were running down. They came to a point where the trees and a rocky outcrop narrowed the path to find it blocked. A group of mice standing on their hind feet and holding spears stretched across the path. A female fairy hovered above them. The male on Claire’s shoulder flew over to meet them and turning to Peter and Claire again motioned for them to turn back.

“You want stop us,” Peter said stepping towards them but Claire grabbed his arm.
“Don’t hurt them, Peter. I really think they are trying to help us.”
“Heh, they are just trying to keep us from Mom.”

A bloodcurdling howl came from the path beyond the mice.
“What was that?” Claire said worriedly.
The mice turned into a panicked mob, squeaking and running away from the sound. The Fairies tried to stop them but they rapidly disappeared into the surrounding forest. The male Fairy returned to Claire’s shoulder and began fitting an arrow to his bow.
“I really think we should go now,” Claire said stepping backwards.
“You may be right,” Peter said.

The howl came again and its source appeared ahead on the path. It was like no dog or wolf Claire had ever seen before. Dark ragged fur covered a thin muscular frame, it had an oversized jaw and fangs and its eyes glowed bright red. It slunk slowly towards them, rending and tearing its evident intent.
“Run!” Peter cried.
They turned and fled back down the path. The creature howled again and took off in pursuit. Claire didn’t dare look back but she could hear the creature’s ragged breath as it gained on them. The Fairy on her shoulder took off; joined by others, he harried the creature. Their efforts slowed it a little but not enough.

Then Peter tripped and fell flat on his face. Claire ran back to him. She bent down to help him up. As she looked up she saw the creature close the final distance. It leapt at them, slavering fangs bared.
Claire screamed and threw herself over Peter. The creature let out a howl of victory.

Claire shrieked as something hot and wet struck her. The creature’s howl turned into an ungodly shriek. It took a moment for it sink in to Claire that she was still alive to hear it. She looked up to see the beast flailing above her. It was impaled on a long spear, black ichor flowing from the wound. She followed the spear to see Junior, muscles clenched as he struggled to throw the creature off her and her brother. He was wearing only some kind of Native American loincloth and under different circumstances she would find the sight…intriguing.

Kit flung the beast aside. It crashed to the ground flailing and struggling to rise. It’s dying shrieks echoing through the forest. Kit stood over it, a growl escaping his bared teeth. Spinning the spear, point down, he grabbed it with both hands and drove it into the beast’s heart. The creature’s shriek died into a gurgling rasp and it lay still.

Claire and Peter watched as Junior removed the spear and walked over to them. In their shock they failed to notice the spear disappear into thin air.
“Are you alright?” Kit asked helping them up.
“What is that thing?” Peter said staring at the creature.
“An Unseelie Hunting Dog,” Kit said.
“It was hunting us?”
“We better pray it wasn’t.”
“Why?”
“Because they never hunt alone,” Kit said looking around. “Let’s get out of here.”

Kit started leading them back up the path. Claire followed watching his slim muscular back as he walked. She was shaken out of her reverie by a touch on her shoulder. She reached up her hand to have the male Fairy step into it.
“Thank You,” she said to him. He smiled and chattered in reply.
“He says ‘Your welcome’,” Junior said over his shoulder.
“You understand him?”
“Yes, and while he can’t speak English, he understands you.”
“Oh,” Claire said smiling at the sprite.
She looked up again at the lanky form walking ahead of them.
“What is that you’re wearing?” She asked.
“My bathing suit,” Junior said with a grin.

Peter suddenly stopped.
“Where’s Mother?”
“Safe.”
“Take us to her!”
“I need to get you to safety first, and then we can talk about Melody.”
“I’m not going anywhere with you until you tell me where Mom is!”
Junior turned and growled at Peter.
“I said she is sa…..”
He suddenly looked up, sniffing the air.
Off in the distance but not distant enough came the howls of more beasts.