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IRIS
I paled at the mention of my home. I knew I was going to help these two, but I still hadn’t quite figured out how I would get them in without anyone finding out. I thought back to my teachings growing up. There was the dew drop flower that held healing powers. One sip from the potent liquid and the ill could be healed of anything. But they also contained baby fairies, incubating them until it was time to be released as crawlers. I knew that was an option all along, obviously, which was why I was taking them there, but I hadn’t quite thought of what would happen once we had arrived. I knew that my mother and the hierarchy were onto me, no doubt they would be waiting at the entrance when we arrived. What would we even do once we got there? What would mother think? how could I explain the people with me? I wasn’t even sure that I could trust this creature, but what other choice did we have but to listen and obey?
When he had finished talking and instructed us to move on to the next stage in the process, I looked past him to see a myriad of strange creatures looking back at me.
This was going to be interesting... I turned my head over my shoulder to see my two accomplices with the same unsure look on their faces. I let out a sigh; this was going to be a long next chapter to our journey. We made our way to the next obstacle - Two large dogs. One resembled the type that someone would have as a pet. A short silky silver coat and long floppy ears. The other resembled an estranged and very wild, shaggy wolf. The two seemed very strange side by side. I wondered what they were doing here together... As we approached them, something nipped at my wing. I yelped in pain, pulling back distinctively. At my feet, was a rogue lobster. I stared daggers at it, as it scurried back its protectors. I rubbed my wing protectively.
The large dog let out a bellowing deep voice. I screwed up my face at the sound, not expecting it. He looked solemn, wise and elderly, “You need to follow the road. Though there will be those that will approach you, encouraging you to stray from your path. There will be a trickster. He will resemble one of you. He will try to pull one of you away from the group. One of you will be tempted, though you must not stray, or it will lead you to your ultimate demise.” He remained in his position, laying on the stone pedestal that we had approached.
We all turned our heads to the wolf, though he did not speak. We waited an appropriate amount of time with no response before moving on to the next figure in the line, a Rabbit. Though it resembled a Rabbit, it looked oddly different from any other I had come across before. It had hooves instead of paws and appeared to be holding a sphere. The closer we got, the more dignified the round appendage became. It was the colour of the ocean and had some green as well as earthy tones sprawled across it. It spun on one of his hooves as he peered at it closely, his bucky front teeth making an appearance.
“What is that?” Violet murmured in her small delicate voice, unlike my own, which was strong and powerful.
“It’s the world...” Bear stumbled forward, observing the item with such care. This was the first I had heard him speak since we had arrived in this oddly placed circus.
“Indeed it is the world.” The rabbit chuckled. “I have the world in the palm of my hand.”
“Hoof.” Violet corrected, to which the Rabbit laughed, “Indeed child.”
“How did you know that was the world, that he has?” Violet aimed her question at our human counterpart.
“I have seen it on maps. Though it never really looked round it always looked flat... but the markings are the same.” he pushed some hair from his forehead and stepped closer, “may I?” He looked at the globe, without so much making eye contact with its possessor.
“Go ahead,” it replied.
“There... there is my home, I’m pretty sure at least.” Bear trailed his finger over one of the sections.”
“And there is the ocean. So that is where you are from, though I’m not too sure what part.” he looked at Violet, who squinted her eyes at where Bear was pointing.
“And this is where you're going.” the Rabbit hit a heavy hoov onto the clouded section of the sphere... my home. He looked at me with a wicked grin, his large eyes narrowed, “That is your home. And the destination to which you are all going.” He looked at me, unwavering, the others following his stare. “You will encounter troubles, not only on your journey, but upon your destination, as you look for clues to fix your predicament,” he looked at Bear, who was going through stages of good health and falling ill. It appeared to happen in cycles. I wondered what he meant by encountering troubles on our journey into my home. Would my return home not be safe? No doubt I would be scolded for bringing outsiders back home, but to what extent?
The rabbit spun the world on his misshapen hoof. “You must hurry on your journey for each of you is needed back home. Your own homes.
“What's going on?” Violet asked, worry spread curtly across her face. She always had this look, like there was more going on in that head than she let off.
“Ha! Oh child. I cannot tell you that. Well, I can. But I’m not going to. You must hurry back and see. Once you have finished on your journey, of course.” He laughed, setting us off to our next destination.