“Orion could be close behind us,” Damselfly warned, knowing the sorcerer’s name would convince her companion to keep going. “We have to find a way into the Magicgarden, locate the Matriarch and she can help us save my mother.”
There was no sign of habitation with everything covered in a thick layer of white snow. Trees made ghastly silhouettes in the dark night and a biting wind snapped at their heels. Damselfly’s red shoes were soon drenched from all the snow and her toes were turning numb.
“Perhaps everyone got sick of all the snow,” Buttontail prophesied.
“Someone must still live here,” Damselfly answered defiantly.
A bird hooted loudly as it flew overhead, disappearing almost immediately into the darkness. Damselfly looked up at the moon and was grateful for the light it provided. “What was that?” Buttons asked.
“I didn’t hear anything, just keep going,” the princess instructed.
Buttontail had sharp hearing; he could hear a snapped twig from leagues away and yet he tried to convince himself that Damselfly was right and that it was all in his head.
Red Eye rode his favourite Baywolf into the Sprite camp. Several fires had been lit and were fiercely protected as he pushed through the crowd towards their leader. Several of the wolves became alert as they entered, although the Sprites were busy arguing over scraps and paid little attention. Red Eye swatted a fly away irritably before descending to the ground where he continued on foot to the largest pyre, which was surrounded by a handful of Sprites.
“Look who it is,” Clubfoot greeted in his gruff voice.
“I have news for our belligerent leader,” Red Eye reported stiffly.
“What are you waiting for then?” Clubfoot sneered.
Red Eye bristled under the captain’s glare before striding purposefully towards the fire and his audience. Jinx was the leader of their callow band, handpicked by their deity and named for his unique cunning. Jinx was gnawing on an old bone, his large incisors working hard as his green tongue searched for any remaining marrow. Around the Sprite leader was a handful of his most faithful captains. Few showed any interest in Red Eye’s approach although he knew they were all listening.
“I found something,” he started.
Jinx looked at him with jet black eyes, tossing the bone to one of his wolves. The Sprite leader signalled for him to continue.
“I was patrolling downriver when I heard voices.” Red Eye began slowly noting the increased attentiveness of those around him.
“There was a human girl with burning hair and a talking rabbit.” A few laughed at this revelation, thinking Red Eye crazy, or worse.
“Any sign of Blakast?” Jinx interrogated.
“None,” Red Eye responded.
“That fool should have sent for us by now,” Jinx cursed.
“Knew we should never have trusted that one,” Gutrot spat.
“You don’t even know what end of the wolf to feed,” Jinx insulted. “Leave the thinking to those with brains.”
“Good one, boss,” Torn Ear snickered at his peer’s discomfort.
“What was this girl doing?” Jinx asked.
“To begin with they were fighting, then they started walking and I heard them talking about going to the Magicgarden,” Red Eye reported.
“Really?” Jinx considered the implications of this news.
“I don’t think they are from the Wintergarden,” Red Eye revealed.
The camp was silent in anticipation with only licking flames to interrupt their vigil. Red Eye waited patiently, knowing that he would be blamed for any repercussions this information brought.
“Why don’t we go find out what this burning girl knows.” Jinx grinned.
Damselfly sat shivering in the shadow of a dense wood. They seemed to have been walking for an age until they could go no further. Buttons was snuggled against Damselfly’s hip. For once the gluttonous rabbit was silent, sharing their mutual misery. They were both cold, hungry and completely lost. Damselfly was beginning to despair as she considered the enormity of their challenge; even if they found shelter, how would they get to the Magicgarden without a token for the gate?
What if the Matriarch could not help them get Death’s timepiece back? The princess was shaken from her reverie by Buttons standing up shakily.
“What is it?” Damselfly asked.
Before he could answer, a long low howl resounded from the darkness behind them. A swarm of birds took flight from the nearby trees, and Damselfly caught sight of a pair of red eyes.
“Wolves,” Buttons uttered.
Old Nana had often told stories about Sprites riding Baywolves. What Damselfly could not understand is how they came to be here in the Wintergarden. All Sprites had been banished along with the Fairy King to the Evergarden.
Buttontail’s foot was nervously tapping the ground as he fought the urge to flee. More pairs of eyes appeared, and Damselfly could hear the tattoo of her heart beating against her chest.
“Run,” she cried as the wolves charged.
In the open they would have been easy targets for the faster hounds, especially with snow covering the ground and threatening to trip them. Instead, they headed into the woods where the trees offered them some cover. Damselfly ran as fast as she could though Buttons soon disappeared far ahead and she quickly lost sight of his tracks in the snow. Behind her the sound of pounding paws grew louder as the wolves sought their prey. She could hear the Sprites calling to one another and enjoying the hunt. Her lungs began to burn. She stumbled, catching both knees hard before getting to her feet and carrying on with the sounds of pursuit getting closer with each breath.
A blur passed on her right side. Damselfly immediately changed direction, the wolf spotted her amongst the bracken and followed with renewed vigor. The wolves howled to communicate their location and excitement over closing in on their prey. Damselfly was desperate. She turned a corner, only
