The days and night passed without number, not that Jeran
could tell the difference between day and night anyway since the window of his
cell didn't let in much light because it was blocked by the branches of a tall
pine. He had nothing to look forward to anymore, not even the occasional packs
of food that the Pteri threw in through the window could lift his spirits. He
ate little and slept little, thinking only of his selfishness. "I should have
gone one way or the other," he muttered to himself. "Turned myself in or not turned
myself in. Either way, Lisha would still be alive now."
But Lisha was alive. Just barely, but she was.
Chained to a stalagmite in a cave half a mile or so from Jeran's cave, half-starved,
beaten and weary, but alive. In the darkness she clung to life, pictures of
faces swimming in and out of her fuzzy vision. A comical green Quiggle with
a training sword. A red Zafara in a cape of midnight blue and gold stars wearing
a witch's cap similar to the one of her hero. A Blumaroo in a cape as black
as night, fangs protruding from his mouth. Then of course, there was Jeran.
A noble blue Lupe hero. And Hillary, a human girl with chestnut-brown hair and
a delicate face. Chuck, a friend although she had not known him very long. A
rascal and scoundrel. Yet only a child.
"Why do we keep the Aisha?" the Pteri asked.
Although Lisha could not see him, she could hear him squeal. "She'll only be
a nuisance and another mouth to feed. And whenever she has the strength to rebel,
she does!"
"She might still be useful," the Skeith growled.
"Another bargaining chip." "If that Lupe finds out she's alive, we're toast!
Correction: I'm toast!"
"We had to tell him that she was dead. Now he
has nothing left to fight for."
"And if she escapes?"
"She won't escape. Why are you so paranoid?"
"It might have something to do with BEING INVOLVED
IN THE BIGGEST KIDNAPPING SCANDAL NEOPIA HAS EVER SEEN!"
The sound of Skeith scales hitting feathers.
Then, "Don't get cheeky with me, Pteri. I'm still the Chief here. I make the
rules."
The Pteri whimpered, "Yes Chief."
Then, Lisha went into a dreamless slumber.
* * *
A tiny red head peered around the corner of a cave entrance. "Sir Jeran? Prince
Jeran Borodere?" it whispered. "It's me! Chuck!"
The tiny red Kyrii heard a sound… a sound like
moans of despair. He exited the cave and followed the noise until he got to
the outside of Jeran's cave. "Prince Jeran?"
A light sparked in Jeran's eyes. He went to
the window. "Chuck! Chuckie, is that you little buddy? I'm Jeran! I'm here!"
Chuck Foxpaw looked at the window leading to
the cave. "Sir Jeran, I think I can fit through that window."
"Great. You can get stuck here with me," Jeran
grimaced.
"I could scale the walls," Chuck said. "Do you
have any rope?"
"There's some rope in my knapsack. The Skeith
has it."
Chuck grinned. The best thieves in the Neopian
world are Kyrii and Hillary sometimes said that Chuck was related to Stan in
some way. He could be as silent as an infant Cybunny and as swift as a racing
Ixi. "I'll get it, Sir Jeran." Before Jeran could protest, the Kyrii was gone.
Chuck slunk into the main cave, a large chamber
where the Skeith and the Pteri lived. It also happened to be the cave where
Lisha was held captive, but she was in the back and light could not go that
far so Chuck was unaware of her presence. Two straw beds and a stone chair were
the only furnishings in this gloomy room. Chuck peered left… and right… and
left again just in case. There was no sign of the villainous duo. But Jeran's
knapsack was on one of the beds. The Kyrii was just ten paces away. Silently,
Chuck stepped… and stepped… and stepped… until the knapsack was within paw's
reach. This is too easy. The Kyrii thought, sniggering. The sound of his laughter
echoed in the vast chamber. "Chief!" yelled the Pteri. "There's someone in here!"
It was impossible to tell where the voice was
coming from. The caves did tricky things to sound. Panicking, Chuck grabbed
the knapsack and fled. A flashlight beam pierced the darkness. "I see him!"
the Pteri called. "He's a Kyrii!"
Thankfully, Chuck was much faster than both
of his pursuers and he reached the cave in record time. There was no way he
could get the rope through the window where he was, so Chuck held his breath
and started to climb the tree, rope between his teeth.
A flash of red feathers blocked his vision.
"Surprise!" the Pteri yelled, clawing at Chuck. They were above the ground.
This was a Pteri's element. Chuck could not defend himself, because his arms
and legs were clinging to the tree. His teeth held the rope, and to let go of
the rope would be to lose all hope of freeing Jeran forever. He couldn't move
up, so his only choice was to move down. Down and down he climbed, whimpering
in pain and fright every time the Pteri scratched him.
Lisha heard her brother's screams. "Chuck!"
she cried, wiggling like mad to try to escape her chains. "I'll help you! Hang
on!"
Jeran heard the child's screams outside. "He
came to endure this, all to save me." He whispered to himself. "And after I
hit him too."
The minutes passed like years, Chuck inching
his way down the tree and being clawed at and pecked by the Pteri. Despite her
feebleness, Lisha struggled, wiggling to loosen her chains. At long last, she
was free. "Hang on, Chuck!" Lisha searched the cave frantically, but could not
find her Wand of Nova. With a jolt, she realized that she had left her favorite
weapon at home. So, she reached for the nearest substitute weapon: Jeran's sword.
She was at the tree in mere moments. A fearsome
sight she made, teeth bared in a grin of victory, great sword held high and
eyes filled with the desire to defeat the one who was harming her kin. Injuries
didn't stop her; fatigue didn't stop her. She was a warrior on a mission. Alarmed,
the Pteri flew off and Chuck continued to climb the tree, Lisha by his side
to make sure he didn't fall.
Chuck and Lisha lowered the rope through Jeran's
window, and the Lupe climbed out. Panting, he sank to his knees, too weary to
even thank his rescuers.
Suddenly, a chill feeling raced down Lisha's
spine. A large, dark shadow crept across the ground, darkening the land with
its presence. "Happy little reunion here, isn't it?" Growled the Darigan Skeith,
running a shining claw through his unkempt hair. "That fool Pteri might have
flown the coop, but you still have me to deal with."
"Ahh, go pretend to threaten someone who cares,
fatty-face," said Chuck boldly, sticking his tongue out at the Skeith
For a moment, no one spoke. The Skeith's shadowy
eyes filled with rage and he raised his hand as if to strike the young Kyrii.
"Imprudent little child!" the Skeith roared. "You dare to challenge me?"
Lisha tugged on Chuck's tunic. "Not the best
idea, little buddy."
Seeming to regain his composure, the Skeith
lowered his hand, only to draw a long curved sword form his belt and point it
at Jeran. Eyes filled with hatred locked onto Chuck's. "You just cost your hero
his life!" The glittering blade swept down to Jeran…
"No!" Lisha shrieked, blocking the sweep with
Jeran's sword. "Chuck," she whispered. "Sneak back into my cave and get a Wand
of Nova. I know the Skeith owns one, and it's in his living quarters somewhere.
It's the weapon I'm best with and I cannot wield this hunk of metal properly."
Chuck snapped his sister a smart salute and
scurried off.
The Skeith drew his blade upward, but Lisha
blocked his next stroke. Thrusting, weaving, dodging, Skeith and Aisha were
locked in a whirlwind of peril. Metal clashed on metal, singing a song of heroes
everywhere. But the Skeith was stronger and more experienced than Lisha, and
he was quickly gaining the upper hand.
Finally, the Aisha collapsed, panting and wiping
the sweat that ran rivers through the week's worth of dirt on her face. "I found
the wand!" Chuck said. "It took a bit of searching, but… Lisha?"
Gathering her last reserves of strength, Lisha
stumbled and rose to her paws. "You could have finished me on the ground," she
whispered to the Skeith "Why didn't you?"
The Skeith laughed cruelly. "I do have some
honor. I would never kill a lass on the ground in cold blood."
"That was your biggest mistake." Lisha tossed
the sword to Jeran and a transformation took place. Jeran was no longer just
an ordinary Lupe. He was Sir Borodere, guardian of Meridell and heir to the
Meridellian Throne! Chuck tossed the Wand of Nova to Lisha and she became Sir
Lisha the Lioness, traveler of lands and lady warrior bold. Not your average
soft-footed rich girl.
Together, they faced the Skeith, united in their
cause. To protect Meridell from an evil plot, yes. But moreover, to protect
each other and a tiny Kyrii child called Chuck Foxpaw. Valiant champions if
ever any walked on real earth or through pages of fairy tales.
The Skeith turned tail and fled. But before
he did so, he shouted one warning over his shoulder. "You have not seen the
last of me, fools! For I am Prince Darkclaw, and was heir to the throne of Darigan!
I shall raise an army and take Meridell by storm! The walls of your precious
king's castle shall fall to me! This I vow!"
To be continued...
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