Elf Killers by Carol Marrs Phipps, Tom Phipps Page B

of clambering over a jumble of boulders and ropes of lava as they led their mounts to the cleft in the lip of the crater of Mount Sliabh, where they had last seen Radella and the Fire Sprites.
    Soon they entered the cleft, too exhausted to talk, as they listened to the echoes of the scuffling and crunching of cinders under the hooves of their unicorns on its sheer walls, while rock wrens gave their ringing calls far overhead. At the edge of the glistening waters of Lake Na Gealai, they fell to their knees without a word amongst them and drank, bathed their faces and filled their water skins. They were on their feet at once with the melancholy memory of Mian and Aland growing on them as they made their way along the shore to where they had abandoned their ashes. When at last they spied the big flat rock where their pyre had been, they dashed up to it and stood in silence.
    "What are we standing here for?" said Kieran as he turned to fling a stone out into the water. "They're long gone."
    "Yea?" said Olloo. "Well I miss them and I feel bad, myself. I hated watching them die..."
    "I see the spillway down into the mountain where Radella brought us out," said Oisin, wrapping his reins around his fist. "Let's go. The day's getting away from us." A pair of sandpipers ran twittering ahead of them along the edge of the water before taking flight to a place further down the shore. Soon the three of them stood watching crystal clear water from the lake race into a cavernous lava tube.
    "This looks like the mouth of the Pit to me," said Kieran. "Are we really going to do this? I mean, I liked the Fire Sprites and all, but remember it was trolls in there who killed Aland and Mian. I'm not sure I want to go in."
    "Oh pooh, Kieran," said Oisin. "We've been all through this. If you objected, you had plenty of time to back out before we left. We did promise them we'd be back to see them, after all. They did go to a lot of trouble to get us through the mountain alive and well.”
    "Actually, Oisin, you told the Sprites we'd be checking on them. I don't remember you asking any of us..."
    "What does that matter, Kieran?" said Olloo. "You knew all this and came anyway. And besides, I'd think you'd have some gratitude for the Sprites' getting us out. You were the biggest whiner in the mountain, as I remember."
    "I agreed to come, all right, but remember the whole subject was discussed in mixed company where I'd have looked like a coward for not agreeing to go."
    "Mixed company?" said Olloo. "What does that mean?"
    "He means Doona and Lilee," said Oisin.
    "So what?" said Olloo. "You had all kinds of time to back out."
    "Right. And Doona would've known why the minute you all headed off into the grass without me," said Kieran as he sent another stone skipping out across the water. "But maybe that's just what you wanted, aye Oisin?"
    "Oh dry up!" said Oisin. "Why would I bother sitting about thinking up ways to make you look bad in front of Doona when you keep doing that all by yourself?"
    "Will you two shut up?" said Olloo, "I don't think any of this belongs out here..."
    "We're going in, Kieran," said Oisin, "and you can either come with us or go back by yourself and really look good for Doona..."
    "You all need to shake hands and not another word like this as long as we're out here..."
    "Shake?" said Oisin, thrusting out his hand.
    With a sigh and a nod, Kieran took his hand.
    "Good," said Olloo. "Shall I tie up the unicorns on that little old cottonwood back yonder?"
    Olloo returned directly and the three of them carefully stepped inside the lava tube, feeling their way along the slippery ledge which ran alongside the rushing stream.
    "Hey!" cried Kieran above the thundering water. "What are we supposed to do for light?"
    "I figured the Fire Sprites would come light our way!" hollered Oisin. "I've been thinking out to Radella as hard as I can, but I sure haven't got any sort of reply yet. Let's go a little further while we wait on her, at least as