Chapter 29

Chapter 29

      After a quick mean of sunflower seeds and honey, Nixie and I headed out, each of us having a dagger which was a sharpened rock attached to a carved wooden handle, strapped around our waists with some vines.  This was in case we were attacked again by those Crognards, or something worse.  Nixie unharnessed her huge monarch butterflies, which to the people of Nocotee had the same equivalent to them as cars do to us.  However, cars are nowhere near as much fun as butterflies.  I looked at Nixie with confusion,

“Um, how do you get on?” I asked, feeling my face flush red of embarrassment.

“You put your foot in the stirrup and climb up, haven’t you ridden a butterfly before?” she replied.

“No, but I rode a horse once or twice,”

“Good enough.  Get on Flutter just like you would a horse, as you call it,”

      After that ‘thorough’ explanation, I managed to get on.  Nixie then clicked her tongue and the butterfly took off, I followed her lead and soon we were flying through the air.  I never felt so free, I threw my hands up and yelled “Woo hoo!” as loud as I could.  I couldn’t help but smile as the crisp air brushed through my hair.  I looked to my right and saw the sky turning a brilliant pink and orange as dusk was approaching.  This gave the tree Gwen showed me a pinkish tint to all the dream filled leaves.  I had never seen anything so beautiful in my whole life.  I knew we were close to home.

      Nixie gradually pulled both of our butterflies to the ground in front of Gwen’s tree where we got off.  We sent the butterflies off and immediately noticed something weird.  It was quiet, the usually busy ‘town hall’ was totally still.  Nixie and I exchanged glances before we heard a familiar voice.

“Annabelle, Nixie, inside.  Now.”  It was Gwen, and we could tell by her voice something was wrong.  With that we followed Gwen inside the tree where guards locked at least twenty locks on the door.  Inside people were screaming and talking amongst themselves, children were crying, and even Marissa and Clarissa were behaving, which never happens.

      Gwen took Nixie and I upstairs to her room where she shut all the shutters on her windows and locked her door.  At that point we were getting scared.

“They are here…and they don’t just come in pairs,” Gwen said, her voice filled with worry.

“Who’s here?” Nixie asked.

“The Crognards, that rotten ball of mold, Varkus, has begun sending in his troops.  We are under attack.  We have to defend this tree at all costs, if Varkus gets ahold of one of those leaves he turns that dream into a nightmare.  We can’t let him do that, that’s why everyone is here, they volunteered to fight the Crognards just so their children and loved ones can stay here.”

“Wow…what are we going to do?” I asked, sitting down on her bed.

“We fight.  They started the war and we will finish it.  Ladies, you’re going to want some different clothes for this,” Gwen stated, signaling towards her closet.  Nixie and I looked at each other before nodding in agreement.