Chapter 2
Too Many Questions, Too Little Answers
I was back in the forest. The trees towered overhead, and the wind gently tossed my hair around. I was right where I had been when I had grabbed the hand of Clyste. "Clyste?" I thought about his name for a moment, and shrugged my shoulders. I had to finish this strange test. I changed to unicorn, and flew up past the trees. There were hundreds of unicorns in the forest! Fifty on the ground, and fifty in the air. As soon as they spotted me, they flew straight for me. Each one fired a zillion questions, and they asked the questions all at the same time. I shook my head and flew for the door in the wall. It took me a few minutes to finally reach that side of the room/forest, and once I was there, I found the door standing wide open. I swooped down, and gently landed on the ground. Clip clopping out onto the stone floor, I found Brayan in a panic. I changed to human and walked towards him. When I was close enough to touch him, I stopped. He did not turn around, but spoke in earnest about me. I tapped my finger lightly on his shoulder. He spun around. Brayan was as surprised to see me, as I was when he gave me a hug and leaped up and down. He seemed a little old for such things, but I guess he was happy to see me. "Where have you been?" You have been gone for five days! You must tell me all about it!" He was grinning and throwing his hands up in the air. I smiled back and said,"With time my friend. It truly wasn't the end." He cocked his head to one side, and smiled at me in a queer sort of way. I laughed and said,"Come, follow me. I'll tell you my story. And remember until December. Watch the sheep, do not sleep!" "What are you talking about?" He asked me, clearly confused. "Confused are you, believe you don't, believe I do, trust you won't." He threw up his hands in despair and yelled,"Maria! We need three nice portions of mashed potatoes and how about some of that good roast beef?" A unicorn across the room quickly nodded her head and rushed past other unicorns into a room I assumed was the kitchen. I shook my head. I understood the words Brayan had just said, but they were sort of confusing. "I've hung around Clyste too long. But I had to fight for right not wrong. I would have been killed in the fight. Thank goodness we're both alright." Brayan worriedly looked over at me as I mumbled in rhymes to myself. I waved his look off, and marched into the kitchen. "Prepare it fast, won't you dear? Or I won't last another year!" The unicorns in the kitchen eyed me suspiciously, but they worked as they watched. I walked out of the room, and back to where I'd left Brayan standing. "Come, we've got to run. Go, you are to slow! You are now fun if you don't run!" Brayan stood in front of me, blocking my path and said,"Why do you speak in rhythms and rhymes?" I looked at him, and showed my confusion. "Ack!" He yelled, and threw his arms up again. He change to centaur and ran across the room. I turned centaur and followed him. We ran out of the training room, and into the Big Room. There, we ran on until we found the set of doors that led to the huge dining table. We stopped, just before hitting the door, and changed to humans. Brayan led the way into the room. He did not find a place at the table, but instead walked to a door on the right. "Come, through the door we must go. I don't see why we can't go slow." He had finally caught on to the rhyming, and I was relieved to understand him this time. I nodded, and walked through the doorway. In the room, was a small table. It was small enough for people to sit at, and there were chairs by it just waiting for someone to sit in them. I ran to the nearest chair, and sat down. Brayan walked to his, and carefully sat down. "Now, tell me why, you can only speak in rhythm and rhyme." I laughed at him. "For rhythm and rhyme, you must have perfect time." I laughed some more, but Brayan just looked bewildered. "What are you talking about? Don't leave me confused. I have worried, and worried about you." I nodded and explained. "Shadow I saw, invisible it was. See it I could not, until creek it crossed. Scared me, it did. Kill me, it could. But nothing it did, and something it would. I was wary that night, the first night I mean. It had rhythm and rhyme, and evil it seemed. I gave it my trust, it said that I must. I started to believe, whether I was deceived. Or not. The sky was hot, where I went. It scorched my wings, and I bent, toward the ground, and down I went. We traveled to a hut, for Clyste's pet. We risked our very lives, so pet we could get. Bird like it was, and solid it was too. Sharp were its claws, and what did it do? Fly to the air, and leave us to them. Creatures on the ground, turned into wolves. We screamed and ran, but too fast were they. Turn into wolves we could not that day. Jello, my friend seemed to be made. I had no ideas as nearer they came. It hit me then, I could go dragon. My friend could go bird, and we could defeat them. Closer they came, snarling and mad. Me and my friend, were no longer sad. We stood to the challenge, ready to defeat. We were met with some bites, and could not walk on our feet. But somehow I made it, to the queen's cave. And there Clyste was left, and back here I came. Here I am now, safe and sound. Am happy am I, to be on the ground. Shadows do scare me, and so does jello. So do birds and tests. But I will do as you wish, for I have learned respect." Just then, three unicorns came in with huge platters with food. As soon as my plate was on the table, I folded my hands in my lap. Brayan blessed the food, and we ate hungrily. "We need all the blessings we can get." He said, between a mouthful of meat and mashed potatoes. I laughed and nodded in agreement. After our dinner, Brayan sat back in his chair. "So, you've learned respect?" I nodded my head vigorously. "Ya know, that was a very good idea you cooked up there. I mean, with the shadow and all. I never knew there was such a thing. And the way you seemed riveted when I told you my story, I questioned whether you had devised the little scheme or not." Brayan's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "Well, I would like to take credit for it, but that wasn't my doing. I mean, none of us knew where you were. The unicorns reported you acting strangely, and I said you were just adjusting to your surroundings. Or maybe you had run into some wolves or something. But after a day, and none of our Watchers could find you, we started to get worried. Search parties were set up all over the Watchers Forest, but no one found a trace of you. You had vanished for five days! Five whole days! We'll need to know where you went, but that will come later. Right now, you need to relax and know that you've earned my trust. I mean, I didn't know how much you meant to mean until you were gone." He blushed, and obviously hadn't meant for that last sentence to be said. I said,"Yeah, I know. But, never can I tell the tale of the different dimension. I was sworn to secrecy. K?" Brayan looked disappointed, but he slowly nodded his head. "Well, now that you've earned my trust, and you're more respectful, you can pick out a nice room to stay in." He sighed and scratched his head. Then he ran his fingers through his hair. "Go on. I need to talk with the lead unicorns here. We have much to do." I nodded, and walked out of the room to pick out a bedroom for myself. I was truly happy now. At least, for the night I was.
I had a good sleep that night, and was thoroughly rested when I awoke at six thirty in the morning. I stretched my neck and legs for a few minutes, then walked to the door. I opened it, and revealed a totally dark and quiet Big Room. I walked out into the Big Room, and pulled the door shut behind me. I shuddered and crossed my arms to keep them warm. I peered into the darkness, wondering how I'd been woken up. Then I saw it. A bird creature walking toward me. "Clyste?!" I whispered into the big, echoing room. The creature did not show he had heard. "Clyste, is it really you? Do you remember Saria, who, carried you to the queen? Away from the wolves so mean?" The bird creature jumped at me, and wrapped its wings around my neck. It caressed my hair over and over again. "Me it be! Me it be! I wasn't sure if it was you. But now I do! Now I know! You are safe! Now we go!" I stroked his feathery back and said,"I just got back my little friend. I rescued us from the end. But now I'm safe and want to stay. Why must we leave this day?" Clyste only continued combing my hair with his bird fingers, and rubbed his feathered head against my cheek. I ripped him off my neck and held him, squirming, in front of me. "Clyste! Answer me! Why must we go? Why this day? Why can't we plan, why can't we stay? Why can't we play?!" Clyste stopped wiggling and crossed his bird wings. A difficult task he managed with ease. "Leave we must, you gave your trust. Now we go, no more may you know." I looked up and said,"Why me? Why must this be? Why? Why? Why?" Clyste stared at me. "What are you saying, I can't understand. Please tell me right now, then give me your hand." I shook my head and held out my hand. He quickly grabbed it, and the Big Room vanished. We appeared in the wheat field. Or rather, I appeared in the wheat field. "Aaaaaahhh! Aaaaaahhh! Aaaaahhh!" I screeched. I was the strange bird-like creature. Another creature flew down to me and said,"Do not worry, tis only a glitch. Nothing to fear, you'll be fine my dear." I glared at him, and spread my arms. Or rather, my wings. "What has happened to me?" I screeched in the creature's voice. He smiled and repeated,"Do not worry, tis only a glitch. Nothing to fear, you'll be fine my dear." I shook my head and stared at the ground. Quickly thinking of my human body, I changed back. Clyste looked up at me and said,"Change I will not. Creature is built for the hot. I must glide to the sky. You want to know why?" I nodded. "Tis my true form right here. I am a Clyuire, that is right. You may not understand yet, but you will by tonight." I sighed and said,"I probably will. When may I go back? I have friends to help, and I must not, ack!" I jumped out of the way. Twenty of the Clyuires sped past me. "Don't they watch where they're going?!" I yelled, still upset. Clyste looked at me, but it was clear he didn't understand what I was saying. "Watch where they're going, they do not?" "They don't care about cold or hot. Don't care about others, don't care about me. But the queen, they care about, well, maybe." I nodded, and Clyste glided into the air. I followed on foot, not wanting to change back to the strange little Clyuires just yet. I shook my head and stopped. "I can not go. I am too slow. To friends I go. Goodbye, and hello." He looked down at me and said,"Here you will stay, for just one day." I threw my hands up in defeat and exclaimed,"One day here, to them is a year!" He glided down to my shoulder and looked me in the eye. "Here you will stay, for just one day." I rolled my eyes, but started walking again. There was no way I was going to argue with an alien bird. He pointed where I was to go. I went where he told me, and even sped up to a steady jog. "Why fast are you?" "So home I get soon. They are worried too, must get home before the moon." "Before night! But we have to fight!" I stopped and lifted him off my shoulder. He squawked and scratched my arms, but I held him firmly, swinging him around to face me. "Home I will go, before the moon. Otherwise I'll go at noon." He nodded and sadly rhymed,"Fine then, before the moon. Just don't leave before noon. Stay one day. Is that okay?" I nodded and put him back on my shoulder. He ruffled his feathers, and told me where to go. We were heading for a small hut near a stream. The closer we got, the shabbier it looked. I wanted to ask him a question, but I decided not to. I would find out soon enough why we were here. A Clyuire flew out and said,"Come! Hurry! Come! Hurry!" He started to chatter in the Cly language. I shrugged and ran to the hut. Inside, was a small table. A girl was sitting at it. She looked to be about four years old, but she seemed much older for some reason. I gently lifted a fluttering Clyste off of my shoulder, and set him on the small table. The table only came to my knees. "Hello! Who are you?" She looked up at me with big brown eyes and said,"Do not rhyme." I looked around the room, and nodded my head. She motioned for me to follow her out of the hut. Just as I took my first step Clyste flew out of the hut. "Clyste! Come back you must! Please! Just trust!" He flew back in, and landed on the table. He was clearly impatient. "Stay here now. I'll be right back. You'll be fine. I'll be back at nine." It was seven in the morning, so I would have two hours with the young girl. He nodded and ruffled his feathers again. He began preening, as I followed the girl out of the hut. She sneaked around the side of the hut. I pressed myself against the flimsy stick walls and copied her every move. When she stopped, I stopped. When she inched along, I inched along. "Be very quiet," she whispered to me. "Okay. I will do as you say." She smiled and moved over a few inches. I moved over beside her. "What is it?" I asked her. "Woods. We need to get to them. But they're at least twenty feet away. We'll have to run out in the open to reach them. I just can't risk that. There's got to be another way." I looked around, but could see nothing that would help us. "I have no idea what we're going to do!" I told her. She shook her head, and tears came to her eyes. She quickly wiped them away. "I have to talk to you!" She whispered in between her tears. I reached up and moved the bangs that were in front of her eyes. She peered at me through those deep brown eyes. "We'll find a way," I told her. She nodded, and turned to look at the woods. Her shoulders slumped as she sank to the dirt ground. "There's no way we can get over there. Even if we were different creatures, we wouldn't want to risk being seen." She shook her head again, and I stooped down so I could look her in the eyes. I grabbed her wrist and said,"We have to. If you need to talk, then we'll talk. To the woods we go!" And I jumped up. She watched in horror as I ran out into the open. I ran straight for the woods. I dove for the cool shade of the trees. It was getting hotter by the minute. I already had a tan! I'd only been in the sun for two minutes! And those two minutes were spent running for the trees. The girl was almost to the trees. She had an awful look on her face. Her expression was a mix of horror, amazement, respect, disgust, and even a little worry. I looked quizzically at her. She glared at me, and dove for the shade. "How...how dare.......you!" She said as she tried to catch her breath. I smiled, but that made her glare all the more. "What?" I asked her. She glared and turned away from me as she tried to catch her breath. I leaned against a tree, and tried to figure out what I'd done to upset her. "How dare you run out like that!" She said after a couple more minutes. "What did I do?" I asked her. She shook her head and faced me. "You ran out into the open! We could have been discovered! How dare you!" I laughed at her and reached for her arm. She jerked her arm away from me, like a person who had just been shocked. "Look! I don't see why that upset you, but we need to get moving. The sun will be peaking through the trees soon, and I don't want any more of a tan." She rolled her eyes, but began walking deeper into the woods. I looked at the towering trees above me. They were all green and lush. I frowned, wondering how they could be so beautiful with the sun shining on them. Shrugging, I turned my attention back on the girl. "So..." I began. With a turn of her head and a frown on her face, she glared at me. I shut my mouth, and followed in silence. After a few more minutes, I heard the trickling of a stream. After a few more minutes of hearing the water rush over little rocks, I saw the stream. The girl ran to it and plunged her bare feet into the water. I sauntered up and felt it with my big toe. Cold, but refreshing. I flopped down on the grass beside her and stuck my feet in the water. I opened my mouth to talk, but the girl held up her hand. For some reason, I fell silent. "Now, this is my turn to talk," she said, still glaring at me. I shrugged and lay down on the grass. The girl started to talk as I closed my eyes. "I did not want you to speak in rhymes around Clyste, because I needed to talk to you without him ‘hearing' me. Got that?" I nodded and motioned for her to go on. The sun peaked through the trees, but it was not harsh. I lay in the sun, getting a nice tan as the girl continued. "I am the queen." At that, I sat straight up. I looked at her in amazement. "You're the queen!" I exclaimed. "Yep. I had to hide, because the creatures that live here do not like me. I have only one way to gain their respect, and I am working on that now. I'll tell you about it later. For now, finish tanning, and I'll finish talking." I nodded, and closed my drooping mouth. "Now, lets see. Ahh, yes. I have taken on the form of this little girl, because no one would expect me to choose such a weak creature. After seeing you, I was able to develop a picture of a human. It is sort of funny, this little human is. She seems happy all the time. Except for when someone says ‘no'. I cannot fully understand humans, but they are truly unique. Such strong emotions. I am happy when the sun shines, and sad when the rain comes. Mad when people tell me ‘no', and happy when they say ‘yes'. Oh, truly unique are these creatures. I also feel a hint of sadness when I go to bed at night. I almost cry. Do you know why this is?" I nodded and said,"Some children are tucked in bed. Their parents kiss them, rock them, and sometimes sing them to sleep. You are probably feeling a little sad because you do not have any of that." She sighed and lay in the sun beside me. I turned my head to face her, and she turned hers to face me. "These humans. Oh, they are so small! And yet, when I look at the reflection in the water, so adorable! I can't get over how beautiful humans can be. So pretty. And such tiny voices. Nothing like dragon or unicorn voices. Much more like the Clyuires voices. Yes, so much like the Clyuires. A little wobbly at times, but they do get around ok, these humans do. I am amazed at how sleepy they can be." She laughed then, and a smile came to her face. "They seem to always be happy when sleeping. I sleep wonderfully in this little body. I have named this human form. I named it, Graotew. Yes, such a pretty name. I laugh whenever I hear my voice. It is so sweet! And I can get anything if I only wine. Oh, what an experience this has been!" She laughed and closed her eyes as tears of happiness streamed down her cheeks. I smiled, but sensed a sadness in her laugh. "What are you hiding?" She stopped laughing and turned onto her side, resting her head in her hand with her elbow digging into the ground. "Hiding? Excuse me? Pardon?" I shrugged and said,"You are hiding something. Something you haven't told anyone. Please tell me. I will keep silent about it." Her face turned sad, and I regretted taking the smile off her face. "Yes," she said, sighing. "Yeah, you're right. It's about time I told you why you had to come back here." She sighed again, and lay down on her back. I turned onto my stomach and gave her my full attention. "It has to do with the dragons." I gave her a confused look. She continued. "I've done a lot of thinking lately. You are exceptionally nice and all that. I'm just not ‘for' the unicorns. I mean, I'd like to be on their side, but I can't be. Not if I'm going to stay queen. Like I said, I've given this a lot of thought. I finally decided, just yesterday actually, that I'm teaming up with the dragons. They are expecting the unicorns to attack, and they have already asked for our assistance. I am going to tell them ‘yes' tonight." I sat up, wide eyed, and with a drooping mouth. "How could you do this?!" I yelled. She shook her head sadly, then went expressionless. "I will be killed if I do not choose to team up. We will fight you unicorns, and we will win." A mocking smile spread across her face. I looked down at her face in horror. I stood to my feet and turned to run. "We will win. Go home; that would be the smartest thing you've done yet." I was frozen. But I got myself to leap into the air, and I set off toward the hut. Clyste! I need Clyste to get home. I ran as fast as I could, knowing that the queen would never catch up in the little girl form. I ran on and on, until the hut came in sight. I ran out into the open, and straight for the hut. I ran through the doorway, and doubled over. "We...need......to...get...me home," I said, gasping and trying to catch my breath. Clyste ran to me on his bird legs, and looked up at my face. "Please!" He nodded and flew out of the hut. I followed him. Clyste flapped up to my shoulder, and sat there for a minute. Then he said,"Goodbye. You fly. I stay, here today. Goodbye, little one. I'll stay, you run." I lifted him off my shoulder while crying, and kissed his little head. Then I set him on the ground and bid him farewell. Away I ran. Across the open field. I yelled,"Home, now!" And suddenly, the field and huts faded away. Clyste vanished behind me, and I was back in the Big Room.
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