The wolf kept running. What is this thing Cullen doesn't want to see?
She stopped abruptly. She saw her father, Chief Darke. Impossible! It's not possible you're here! she wailed in her thoughts.
The chief flicked his tail, and looked at her.
"See what I don't want to see now?" Cullen sulked. "It's him..."
"How do you know him?" Midnight growled.
Cullen muttered, "Father..."
"Hah, nonsense, he's my father," Midnight hissed, staring at Darke's hollow eyes. She looked around, in hopes of finding Wisp.
Around them there was a ring of blue wispy flowers, with soft leaves underneath her toe pads. "Wisp?"
"It's my dad! Can't you see? His fur... so messy, that pattern of mahogany and caramel..." Cullen listed. "Deep blue eyes, that broken claw, half-grown by now..."
Midnight stopped. "No! That wolf is a solid black wolf!" she growled.
"Not!" Cullen growled.
"Neither," said a voice.
Before them, someone came charging and appeared into the clearing. It was a deer, his coat was milky white, and his horns are coffee coloured with caramel tips. His hooves were like the colour of soil, but fresh and sturdy like a tree's mighty bark. His eyes are jade, and his voice was clear.
"Who are you?" asked Cullen.
"Me? I'm part of the Forest Guardians," the deer replied. "I'm Epsilon."
"What do you mean earlier by 'neither'?" demanded Midnight.
Epsilon laughed. "There's no wolf, this is just an illusion," he said, and the stomped the ground, the wolf who Midnight saw as her father disappeared, and all she saw was a tree...
"My father's a tree?" asked Cullen.
Midnight slapped him with his tail. "Oh fang, Cullen, you're so dim!" she growled.
"Where are we, anyway?" asked Cullen.
Epsilon raised his head. "North-East borders," he replied. Midnight was silent. Now she's confused. "This is the end of the line."
"You see that river?" asked Epsilon when they were silent. "That's the border that separates the forest from all other 'reality', no magic can pass through the river when it's rushing."
"Why not?" asked Midnight.
"It's dangerous," Epsilon said, "once magic is released to what you guys call 'reality', all is lost, magic itself has it's own thoughts. If not harnessed correctly, they'll bring chaos to the world, and open a new realm. Everything and everyone will be gone, extinct, if it does so. Including us..."
"What if it's harnessed by some others correctly?" asked Cullen.
Epsilon said, "Well, that's a rare situation."
"Did this happen?" asked Midnight.
"Once," Epsilon said, lowering his voice. "Beta released about a ton of them, and they were for his craft to create the Rune Tower. After we stopped him, though, the half-done tower crashed down and into the soil the magic went."
"Where this did happen?" asked Midnight.
"Can't remember, it's been about a... year?" Epsilon said.
Cullen licked his lips. "Also, besides being forgetful, are you indeed a delicious talking deer?" he asked.
Epsilon was silent. "No, and it seems like magic has corrupted your thoughts."
"Food is good," muttered Cullen.
"Oh dear," Epsilon said, "hungry, I suppose?"
Cullen nodded, and Epsilon shimmered, a glow of white engulfed him, and he became a petite-looking wolf, grey and white in colours. Midnight looked awed, after all, the deer just shape-shifted.
"Maybe it's time in a year that I feel hunger again," Epsilon said, laughing. "Come on."
"Don't you say magic can't exit and you'll be a wolf again?" Midnight asked.
Epsilon grinned, his sharp fangs gleamed. Midnight wondered if he shifted that especially too. "Hey, I don't know the rules, just, I know 'em."
Midnight gulped as Epsilon ran towards the river. The water rose, opening a path for Epsilon to pass. "Heh, as easy as that, sis."
Sis? Who does he think he is?
"C'mon, bro, sis, let's eat, I'm starved."
Author's Note: Well, it's time for a new chapter already? Too quick. It's a bit blunt here, but this chapter will be the start of most explanation of magic.
Don't forget to comment!
Yes! I've been waiting for magic!
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