Keeper of the Phoenix (10 page)

Ash saw the woman studying Gwaam curiously. “Oh dear. I’ve been alone so long
I forgot my manners,” she said. “Tell me, what are your names?”

“Ash Rover,” Ash said. “And this is Taine and Rhyll Piggins.”

The woman’s hand fluttered clumsily, knocking over a jug on the table and spilling water everywhere.

“So sorry. Let me clean that up.” She mopped at the mess with a cloth, glancing at the three as she did so. “So what brings you to the Emerald Forest?”

“We’re on a quest.” Taine puffed his chest out.

Ash kicked him beneath the table. “It’s not a quest, though Taine
does
have a good imagination. We’re lost, that’s all. We’re on our way home. My father will be meeting us soon.”

The less we say about our mission the better, he thought.

“What’s your name?” Rhyll asked.

“Oh, it’s been a long time since I told anyone my name.” The woman stared at her hands. “I get so few visitors, you see. My name is Elw–, I mean, Ellen, lovey. Yes,
Ellen
.”

Ellen fixed them with such a sad smile that Ash wondered whether there was more to her story. What if her meal was enchanted like the unicorn food?

“Well, thanks for the meal.” He stood up.
“I think we should go. Ma is expecting us.”

“I thought your father was meeting you.”

“Is that what I said? I meant my mother. Thanks again. You’ve been most generous.”

“Are you sure you won’t stay longer?” Ellen tugged his sleeve. “I get so few visitors.”

“I’m afraid not.” Ash edged out of the cottage, gesturing for Taine and Rhyll to follow.

“Would you like to take some food with you? I can wrap it in–”

“No! Thanks.” Ash cut her off.

Taine and Rhyll said a hasty goodbye and followed Ash down the path.

Ellen ran after them. “Are you sure you’re taking the right path? I think your village lies back that way.” She pointed through the trees. “This forest can be confusing.”

Ash’s eyes narrowed. “We never said which way we were heading. Or where we’re from.”

Ellen laughed nervously. “My mistake. I suppose you know which way home is, though I must
warn you, the direction you’re taking is dangerous. Make sure you go right at the fork in the path.”

“How do you know which direction we should take?” Rhyll asked.

Ellen touched Rhyll’s hand. “Just a feeling I get, daughter. Don’t worry, I won’t hurt you.”

“Thanks again for the food.” Ash steered Rhyll away. “Come
on
.”

“What did she mean about a dangerous path?” Taine whispered as they tramped away. “And why did we leave when there was more food?”

“Stop thinking about your stomach, Taine,” Ash admonished him. “She was weird, that’s all, and I wanted to keep moving.” He glanced over his shoulder to see Ellen pluck a grey hair from her head and toss it to the wind as she chanted incoherently. “See? I told you. Weird.”

Rhyll didn’t seem convinced. “I think there was more to it than that.” She shook her head. “But I can’t put my finger on it.”

“Best to let it go,” Ash said. “Forget it.”

The travellers came to a fork in the track. The pine forest had given way to trees of all different sorts, like elm, ash and maple. These species grew further apart and were taller than the pine trees. There was very little undergrowth, just a few tufts of green grass here and there.

Ash stared up at the forest canopy. Patches of brilliant sunlight shone through the dappled leaves, making his eyes water. “We must be near the edge of the forest. It’s much warmer and sunnier here.” He nodded towards the forked track ahead. “So, which way. Left or right?”

“Ellen said to go right, didn’t she?” Rhyll said.

“I don’t trust her,” Ash said. “What do you think, Taine?”

Taine snorted. “It doesn’t matter what I think. This whole forest is evil or enchanted or
something
. We’re probably doomed either way.”

Ash raised an eyebrow. He hated it when Taine was so negative.

“Of course it matters,” Rhyll snapped. “Every choice we make could mean life or death for us and the people back home. We have to stay positive, Taine.”

“I wish I could, but it’s impossible.” Taine yawned tiredly, which set the others off too. “Do you really think we can stop Zadoc?”

“We have to,” Rhyll said. “People are relying on us.”

“I don’t think we can,” Taine said. His voice grew louder. Ash could hear the fear in it. “And Gwaam hasn’t helped us. Not once.”

“Feed me!” Gwaam said.

“Soon.” Ash held Gwaam’s basket to his chest protectively. “None of this is Gwaam’s fault. You should stop arguing and whinging all the time.
I say we go left.”

“I say right,” Rhyll said.

Taine jutted his chin out stubbornly. “I say we go home.”

“Left,” Ash insisted. He strode down the left path, leaving the others no choice but to follow.

Ash was in such a hurry he didn’t see the gigantic cobweb strung across the path. None of them did. The three friends walked straight into it and were stuck fast, the sticky threads of web drawing them into its prison.

Trip barked and ran around the web. “It’s all right, Trip,” Ash said. “We’re fine. Sit, boy.” Trip sat obediently, although he kept whimpering.

“I’m so hungry,” Gwaam croaked from his basket, which Ash was still holding. “Feed me!”

“Not now, Gwaam,” Ash said. “Unless you fancy eating this web.”

Gwaam opened and shut his beak. “Very well.” He tucked his head under his wing and went back to sleep.

“I told you that bird was useless,” Taine grumbled as he tried to free his arm from the web. “Look at the mess he’s got us into. Boy, this stuff is sticky.”

This can’t be happening, Ash thought as he struggled. Come on, Ash. Find a way out.

All he succeeded in doing was becoming more entangled. “This is useless,” he groaned. “We’re stuck.”

“Um, guys,” Rhyll said. “It looks like we’re not the only ones here.” She pointed to a corner of the web.

On the edge of the silky trap was a giant butterfly. Its wings were battered and crumpled from its fight to free itself.

Ash blinked. A giant butterfly? Taine’s right. This forest
is
enchanted.

“Hey, you! How do we get out of this web?” Taine asked the butterfly.

“I’m sure if it knew, it wouldn’t be here,” Rhyll said.

The butterfly lifted its head. “Don’t struggle so much. You’ll only become more caught, as I have.”

“How long have you been here?” Rhyll asked.

“Since early morning. No doubt it will soon be time for the spider to come.”

Trip jumped up and started barking again. Ash recognised that bark. Trip was trying to warn him about something.

Ash felt movement from higher up the web. He stared up into the trees. From the shadows, he saw something that made him go cold with fear. “Oh no.”

Clambering down an anchor thread towards the web was an enormous black spider, bigger than a plough horse, its pincers snapping, its orange eyes glowing with malice.

Taine’s whole body shuddered. “I hate spiders,” he squeaked.

“Me too.” Rhyll and her twin exchanged identical looks of dread.

“S-stay calm,” Ash said, though staying calm was the last thing he felt like doing. “We have to think.”

“Nonsense,” Rhyll said. “We have to
do
.” She wriggled a hand free and reached back to draw an arrow from her quiver. She held it between her teeth while she tugged her bow free. “Ash, I can’t get my other hand free. Reach over here and hold this bow steady.”

“I’ll have to put Gwaam’s basket on the ground.” He leaned down as far as the web would allow and let go of the basket. It landed with a soft thud on the earth below, rocking slightly. Gwaam continued to sleep safely inside.

Ash switched his attention back to Rhyll. He stretched his arm towards her, straining to bridge the distance. “Almost there …”

“Hurry up.” Taine chewed his lip nervously. “It’s getting closer.”

The spider gave a high-pitched shriek and scuttled forwards. Its pincers clapped together with a sound like stones scraping.

While Ash held Rhyll’s bow, she loaded it with the arrow.

“Hold it steady!” Rhyll shouted.

“I’m trying.”

“Try harder. Now, on the count of three. One, two–”

“
Hurry
,” cried Taine. “It’s almost got me–”

“Three!”

Rhyll released the arrow. It struck the spider, sinking into its belly. The spider screeched and dropped to the ground where it landed on its back and lay with its legs scrabbling uselessly in the air.

Trip crept warily towards the spider, sniffing.

“No, Trip!” Ash cried out.

With a final burst of strength the spider swivelled and sank its fangs deep into the dog’s muzzle. Trip yelped in pain then dropped to the ground, his sides heaving as he panted.

“No!” Ash strained with all his might to wrench free from the web. He could feel the strands weakening. He strained harder. Slowly he peeled himself free of the sticky, clinging threads. He ran over to Trip, cradling the dog’s head in his lap.

Trip whimpered and licked Ash’s hand. As the dog closed his eyes, his body went limp in Ash’s arms.

“No!” Ash sobbed. “No! Please, Trip, don’t die. Please.”

Rhyll used another arrow to cut herself out of the web. She helped Taine to get free and they hurried over to Ash and Trip.

“He’s gone.” Tears streamed down Rhyll’s face. “Oh, Ash, I’m so sorry.”

Taine sniffed and wiped his nose. “I’m sorry too, Ash. Poor Trip. This is all that stupid bird’s fault. We’re all going to get killed, just like everyone at home.”

“Taine!” Rhyll snapped. “That’s
enough
. This isn’t Gwaam’s fault.”

Taine ran his hands through his hair. “All right. Fine. Come on, Ash. We can’t hang around here.”

“I can’t just leave him,” Ash said. “He’s my dog.”

“We don’t have a choice.” Taine peered up into the trees. “There’s another spider up there and he looks really mad.”

“I think that’s a she, not a he,” Rhyll said. “Female spiders are bigger than males.”

“Time to go, Ash.” Taine’s voice was more insistent.

Ash reluctantly let Trip’s body rest on the ground. Taine pulled him to his feet and collected Gwaam’s basket while Rhyll tugged the giant butterfly free. The creature fell to the ground with a thud, cocooned in spider’s web.

Rhyll and Taine carried the limp butterfly between them and led Ash away.

Ash was so numb he didn’t notice where or for how long they ran, he simply followed the others. Tired from lack of sleep and distraught at the loss of his dog, he just kept putting one foot in front of the other, all the while aching inside for his lost friend, Trip.

After a long time, they stopped to rest, chests heaving, hearts pounding from the exertion of running for so long.

Ash staggered towards a fallen log and slumped onto it. He held his head in his hands and sobbed.

After a long time, Ash couldn’t cry any more. He dried his tears and wiped his nose. He looked around and saw Rhyll had eased the butterfly onto the ground. With great care and kindness she was slowly peeling the sticky threads away.

Taine rested Gwaam’s basket beside Ash. He peaked inside. “You all right, bird?”

“Fine,” Gwaam said. “How is my Keeper?”

Through his haze of grief, Ash noticed Taine studying him.

“Ash, are you okay?” Taine asked.

Ash heard the question, but for some reason he couldn’t respond.

“He’s upset,” Rhyll said. “Give him time. He’ll be okay.”

“I’m very hungry,” Gwaam said. “I need food.”

“Soon,” Taine promised.

“That’s what everyone keeps saying.” Gwaam sounded impatient. “I’m getting weaker. I can feel it.”

Ash felt Taine shake his shoulder. “You need to feed Gwaam. You’re his Keeper. He’s depending on you.”

Ash nodded as if in understanding, but he felt blank and emotionless. He knew he should do something, but it all seemed too hard. He didn’t want to think. He didn’t want to move. He didn’t want to do anything.

It’s my fault Trip’s dead, Ash thought. I got him killed. And if I can’t even keep my dog alive, how am I going to save the others? How can I help Gwaam?

Everything seemed so hopeless.

Ash heard Taine talking. He tried to concentrate on what he was saying. Anything to ease the pain of thinking about Trip.

“Hey, is that thing dead?” Taine asked Rhyll. “Maybe Gwaam could eat it.”

Rhyll gasped in shock. “How could you say such a thing?”

“What?” Taine shrugged. “Birds eat insects all the time.”

“Not magical ones like this,” Rhyll said. She leaned over the butterfly, stroking its soft, woolly head. “Hello. Can you hear me?”

The butterfly’s eyes flittered open.

Rhyll gave a delighted smile. “You’re alive.”

Taine inched in for a closer look. Despite himself, Ash did the same.

The butterfly blinked at the faces peering down at her. She shuddered then rolled over, wobbling to her feet. Taine and Rhyll held her long black body steady while she tested each of her six legs.

“Thank you,” she said. “I’m fine now.”

The twins stepped back.

With a snap like a kite bracing the air, the butterfly stretched her wings open to reveal swirls of vibrant scarlet, lemon and orange. She fluttered her battered wings, wincing in pain.

“Are you sure you’re all right?” Rhyll asked.

“Yes,” the butterfly panted. “I just need a minute to compose myself. We butterflies are stronger than you think.”

“Bigger too.” Taine laughed.

The butterfly smiled. “You must be new to the Emerald Forest. It is true we were once tiny. The forest has been strange for some time now. Dangerous creatures lurk here.”

“You can say that again,” Taine said.

“What happened?” Rhyll asked.

“No one truly knows,” said the butterfly. “Talk sprung up of a spell being cast, but no one has been able to find out who did it or why.”

All Ash wanted to do was lie down and howl. But he knew he had to keep going. Ma needs me and so does Gwaam, he told himself. Pull yourself together.