thought about what she’d experienced. Boys had always been easy to manipulate, but this was different. She had power over Mr. Kain. She felt like she could’ve told him to go jump in the river and he would’ve done it gladly. As she pondered it, she could still feel the connection to him in the back of her mind, an awareness of where he was and even what he was feeling. She was definitely going to have to experiment some more with this!
* * * *
In the end, there were only three contestants for the matches. Vic and the twins were too small and Sara decided not to participate. Alisha was mildly disappointed at that. She didn’t think Sara would stand a chance anymore against the wiry strength of Todd, and certainly not against Kim’s bulk. Kim stood close to seven feet and was strong as an ox. Alisha thought Kim looked ridiculous in the patched-together clothes she wore. Kim had two jackets tied together as a top and one of the bigger boys had given her some sweat shorts which were stretched to their limit. Once Kim had a club in her hand, however, she was all business, defeating both Will and Todd handily. Todd, with his longer reach, eventually wore Will down in their bout.
The three walked away with nothing more than a few bumps and bruises and everyone had a good time. Alisha felt Mr. Kain’s eyes on her several times throughout the evening. Occasionally, she rewarded him with a small smile and felt some of the thrill he experienced through the bond they shared.
Alisha settled down for the night, thinking of more ways to take advantage of her newfound power.
14
Jenni woke with a fresh sense of purpose. The idea of a change of scenery from the rolling grasslands had sparked them all, and they made good time moving toward the massive forest.
Crank rode on her shoulders, as he often did. Sara walked on her right, with Tori riding awkwardly on her backpack. Tori had shrunk rapidly the last few days, since the appearance of Merlin, but she wasn’t small enough to ride him yet. Jenni and Sara had taken Tori’s T-shirt apart with one of the utility knives a few nights before to make something for her to wear. They had managed a tube top and long skirt affair that Tori could adjust each day as she got smaller. Merlin flew and swooped above them, periodically diving to snatch up a mouse or small snake.
Sara towered over Jenni’s five foot one frame by nearly another foot. She had a dancer’s grace and a body builder’s power. Her coppery skin glinted in the sunlight. She was still Sara on the inside, but Jenni was still startled by her friend’s appearance. Everyone had changed so much over the last couple of weeks it was astonishing.
Except her. She remained plain old Jenni.
It bothered and upset her. What’s wrong with me? Why hadn’t she changed too? She had always wanted to be special, unique. Sometimes she found it funny that here, she had become special simply by remaining the same while everyone around her changed. Laughing kept her from crying.
They crested a small hill and the endless forest stretched before them. The trees most closely resembled oaks, with broad, green leaves and solid trunks. They grew smaller near the edge, perhaps twenty to thirty feet in height. Deeper in the forest, they were massive. A variety of birds flew among and over them, creating a cacophony of noise.
They stopped at the base of the first few trees and Jenni lowered Crank to the ground. He had warned them not to step into Lodir’naie uninvited. Most took their packs off or sat down to rest while Crank surveyed the scene.
They waited quietly for nearly an hour before three birds approached and landed in the lowest branches of the closest tree. Each bore a small rider, and each rider carried a tiny spear and miniature bow and arrows. They did not appear hostile, but looked ready to defend themselves despite their small stature.
Crank bowed before them and said, “Guardians of the Lodir’naie
* * * *
In the end, there were only three contestants for the matches. Vic and the twins were too small and Sara decided not to participate. Alisha was mildly disappointed at that. She didn’t think Sara would stand a chance anymore against the wiry strength of Todd, and certainly not against Kim’s bulk. Kim stood close to seven feet and was strong as an ox. Alisha thought Kim looked ridiculous in the patched-together clothes she wore. Kim had two jackets tied together as a top and one of the bigger boys had given her some sweat shorts which were stretched to their limit. Once Kim had a club in her hand, however, she was all business, defeating both Will and Todd handily. Todd, with his longer reach, eventually wore Will down in their bout.
The three walked away with nothing more than a few bumps and bruises and everyone had a good time. Alisha felt Mr. Kain’s eyes on her several times throughout the evening. Occasionally, she rewarded him with a small smile and felt some of the thrill he experienced through the bond they shared.
Alisha settled down for the night, thinking of more ways to take advantage of her newfound power.
14
Jenni woke with a fresh sense of purpose. The idea of a change of scenery from the rolling grasslands had sparked them all, and they made good time moving toward the massive forest.
Crank rode on her shoulders, as he often did. Sara walked on her right, with Tori riding awkwardly on her backpack. Tori had shrunk rapidly the last few days, since the appearance of Merlin, but she wasn’t small enough to ride him yet. Jenni and Sara had taken Tori’s T-shirt apart with one of the utility knives a few nights before to make something for her to wear. They had managed a tube top and long skirt affair that Tori could adjust each day as she got smaller. Merlin flew and swooped above them, periodically diving to snatch up a mouse or small snake.
Sara towered over Jenni’s five foot one frame by nearly another foot. She had a dancer’s grace and a body builder’s power. Her coppery skin glinted in the sunlight. She was still Sara on the inside, but Jenni was still startled by her friend’s appearance. Everyone had changed so much over the last couple of weeks it was astonishing.
Except her. She remained plain old Jenni.
It bothered and upset her. What’s wrong with me? Why hadn’t she changed too? She had always wanted to be special, unique. Sometimes she found it funny that here, she had become special simply by remaining the same while everyone around her changed. Laughing kept her from crying.
They crested a small hill and the endless forest stretched before them. The trees most closely resembled oaks, with broad, green leaves and solid trunks. They grew smaller near the edge, perhaps twenty to thirty feet in height. Deeper in the forest, they were massive. A variety of birds flew among and over them, creating a cacophony of noise.
They stopped at the base of the first few trees and Jenni lowered Crank to the ground. He had warned them not to step into Lodir’naie uninvited. Most took their packs off or sat down to rest while Crank surveyed the scene.
They waited quietly for nearly an hour before three birds approached and landed in the lowest branches of the closest tree. Each bore a small rider, and each rider carried a tiny spear and miniature bow and arrows. They did not appear hostile, but looked ready to defend themselves despite their small stature.
Crank bowed before them and said, “Guardians of the Lodir’naie
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