Triple Trouble

Chapter 6 : A Friend At Last

Faced with the most majestic yet frightening wolf, Keaira felt like running, crouching down in fear yet couldn’t move. The gaze from the black-wolf kept her intrigued. It had a long white nose and his fur was black, blue and white but his eyes were the most captivating of all. They were almost…human, filled with emotion. Around his neck was a crescent moon pendant with a wolf sitting and howling on it. “He mustn’t be wild I guess” she thought.

They always say right before your death you watch your life pass you by but Keaira was a different story. She was caught in the seemingly eternal moment, waiting for the inevitable, captivated by the creature that stood before her, holding her gaze.

Suddenly, the wolf turned around, growled in warning to the fierys and leapt. The attack was short lived and all that could be heard was screams of “Retreat!!!” and “We’ll get you next time, maybe it will be your legs that will have to come off because of this!” As for what she saw, it was simply a blur of orange fleeing in every direction. The suddenness of the attack and the random threats yelled by the terrified monsters froze Keaira into place.

Once the wolf felt like the beheaded creatures were at a safe distance, he walked back towards Keaira. He went up to her and started rubbing his head up against her thigh in search for attention and congratulations. It took her a few minutes before she regained her wits. She bent down and held the wolf’s face in her hands. She stared intently into its eyes as a tear rolled down her cheek. She gave her savior a hug and pet it like there was no tomorrow, thanking him countless times, even though she knew he didn’t understand a word she was saying.

After a good half hour of affection, the wolf somehow knowing where she needed to go began walking down the path. Seeing that there was no other way to go and not willing to leave the best guide she had to get through the labyrinth behind, she followed at his heels.

It seemed as if they walked forever down the same winding path, in the same dank forest, until they finally arrived at a stone wall that towered over them. Unless someone helped them from the top, there was no way they were getting over that wall. She stood, gaping, at the height of the wall. Coming back to reality, she looked everywhere for her hero, when she realized he was a couple of meters away, and still walking. She was still attached to the safety she felt around this creature so she ran after him until she caught up.

For hours they walked along the stone wall, following it as it curved to the left. When they finally came to the end of the wall and a giant cliff, Keaira noticed that for the last while they had been traveling around the Bog of Eternal Stench. She was ecstatic that she had passed the stinking land where you would stink forever if you ever touched the water. Her and her animal partner walked a little way ahead to a wooded hill that descended next to the giant cliff.

Though the hill was a much gentler descent than the direct fall of a cliff, it was a very long march. Keaira didn’t want to stop for fear of not having enough time remaining even though her legs were tired to the point of falling off. Her feet wouldn’t lift much higher than the ground. There was a tree root which was slightly above the ground and she caught it with her lazy foot.

“WHOOOOOOA AHHHHHHHHHHH!!!” she screamed.

With wolf speed, her friend ran beneath Keaira’s weary, falling body. She fell, stomach first, on the wolf’s soft back. She got up right away, for fear of hurting the best things that’s happened to her since the beginning of this nightmare. As she did so, he turned his head, grabbed her sleeve in a way to tell her that he would give her a ride. Being too tired to argue, especially with an animal with teeth that sharp, she did as the animal told her.

They were about to continue their journey when suddenly a scream was heard from the top of the hill.

“HEEEEEEEEELP!!! AAAAHHHHHHH!!!” said the panicked, screaming voice. Keaira listened, attempting to see if it was her sister or some awful trick from Jareth. It took her only a split second to know it was Kerri, they were maybe a year apart but they knew each other like twins.

“Hold on Sis, I’m coming!” she bellowed up the hill with a new found energy that surprised the wolf.

While Keaira was facing down a wolf, Kerri was sliding to her doom, to the Bog of Eternal Stench.

“Ahh.” She screamed as she flew out the bottom but grabbed hold of a vine growing along the wall she fell out of. Looking down she gagged at the smell and began to weep. The bog was a sickly black and green with such a putrid smell that it would make anyone faint. It looked like there were tiny little volcanoes in the bog and the smell seemed to be farting out of them. Once she regained use of her arms, she started to pull herself up. After a few attempts she managed to get back up to safety on a shallow shelf along the wall. She placed her body flush against it and started to move towards land, which was on her right. As she was doing so, Kerri placed a delicate hand over her nose and cried out, “It smells so gross!”

“How am I going to get down?” She cried once she came to the end of the ledge. She contemplated her position and declared, “I guess I have to jump.” After she convinced herself that she could do it, she released the wall and leapt. The ground came faster than she expected and she landed heavily on her butt.

“Jareth, make stairs next time you decide to create a labyrinth!” She announced to the Goblin king whom she was very certain was thoroughly amused with her fall. Kerri rose from the ground and dusted herself off, then hastily walked toward a far off bridge.

“God this bridge doesn’t look safe.” She said after she had worked for 10 minutes to get there. “I hate bridges. I can rock climb and climb trees but I hate bridges!” Kerri exclaimed as she held onto the ropes on either side of the wooden plank. This was supposed to be a bridge? She warily started across. When she got half way however, she started to hear a cracking sound. Turning around, she saw the plank starting to give way.

Looking around Kerri discovered a low tree branch and reached for it. Just as her small hands enclosed around the branch, the bridge went down with a crunching sound and a resounding splash as it fell into the bog.

“HEEEEEEEEELP!!! AAAAHHHHHHH!!!” Kerri screamed, as she held on for dear life.

“Hold on Sis, I’m coming!” Was a shout she heard from far up in front of her. But no matter how far away that voice was she’d never mistake who it was.

“Keaira help! I’m slipping!” She screamed as her sister came into view with a dog following her.

“How is it that you’re the only one who can get into this much trouble?” Keaira asked mockingly as she took in her sister’s predicament.

“Shush up and help me.” Kerri whined.

“Ok, I’m gonna reach out and try to get a hold of you.” Keaira said as she got close to the edge of the bog and reached out toward her dangling sister. But the bog didn’t like the idea of loosing a victim and gave way under Keaira’s feet. The dog that was following her sister jumped over and grabbed a hold of her shirt, pulling her to safety.

Kerri let out a breath she didn’t know she was holding. “Be careful Keaira! I don’t want you falling in.” Kerri exclaimed. She was silenced before she could say anymore as another cracking was heard but from above her. Looking up, Kerri saw that the branch she was holding onto was old and weather worn; it was starting to break.

“Oh god, I’m going to die!” Kerri screamed again. Then with a final snap the branch came free and started to plunge toward the bog, taking a screaming Kerri with it. Letting go of the branch, Kerri braced herself for the impact. As she was about the hit the sludge of the bog, something grabbed her and carried her away only to drop her as gently as possible on the ground.
“Kerri!” screamed Keaira, as she ran to her sister to check her over. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah, at least I think so.” Kerri replied. “Who saved me?”

“He did.” Keaira replied, looking behind Kerri. Turning around her eyes were met with the most beautiful sight.

“Oh my god…” Kerri exclaimed in astonishment, her mouth dropping to the floor. Standing in front of her was a golden brown griffin. The most beautiful thing she’d ever seen. It had a long tail, the lower body of a lion with front feet which were sharp talons. Its head and wings were that of an eagle. It had gorgeous eyes that looked like gold as it basked in the sunlight. Around its neck hung a crescent moon pendant with wings like his at each end. It was absolutely majestic and the girls couldn’t be more captivated by the welcome sight of the new creature, the new found friend.

“Thank you. You’re a very beautiful griffin.” Kerri thanked as she returned to life, slowly approaching the creature and extending her hand to pet it. The griffin extended its head and rubbed it against her hand.

Looking to her sister, she just noticed a large dog standing by her side. It was the one that had saved her. “Awww… what a cute puppy dog...” Kerri said only to have the creature snarl and growl at her. “Gross; puppy has some issues. Bad puppy!” Kerri smiled. Keaira laughed at her sister while giving a comforting pet to the wolf. She was unbelievably happy to have found a familiar, friendly face.
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