the rain.
But on this day, the Water Beings in the creek did not like the sudden presence of evil that stood amongst them. They became angry.
As the Fire Witch’s bare feet touched, the water hissed and bubbled away from her, spreading itself thin in an effort to stay away from her and not be touched. Ella watched in amazement as single droplets bounced angrily across the dry ground of their own accord, whipping around the feet of the wolves to stay clear of the Fire Witch. The creek suddenly dammed on either side in small magical walls and The Keepers walked across the dry creek bed, stones clattering under their feet.
The Keepers backed the unknowing Fire Witch close to the opening of the tree. She snarled in fury, hissing as much at the creek as at the wolves now.
“Now what do?” Running Wolf murmured, as he came to Ella’s side, “How trap inside tree?”
“The tree will keep her, we just have to get her inside,” Ella said. She didn’t know how, but she knew the Earth’s own magic would trap the Fire Witch and the tree would hold her if they could only get her to it.
Running Wolf nodded to her and turned back to his brothers. Two wolves lay crumpled, deep gashes showed red in their sides, matting their fur with blood. They looked up to their U-la-gu, collapsing each time they tried to stand. Their wounds were healing too slowly for them to continue fighting. The three others still were managing to back the Fire Witch toward the tree, though they were doing it slowly and painfully. One cream-colored wolf, named Standing Fox, sprang toward her throat, and the Fire Witch’s sharp nails scraped across his face, taking out one of his eyes. He howled in pain as he hit the ground, blood sprayed as he shook his head back and forth in an effort to see. The blood from the cuts on his face ran into his remaining eye, blinding him completely. But still, he didn’t give up fighting. He stood, staying as close as he dared, and relied completely on scent as he crouched low, snapping at the Fire Witch’s feet.
The two wolves left standing backed the Fire Witch very near the opening on the tree, but were now wary of getting too close to her, after they realized that their brothers were not healing as quickly as they should.
Running Wolf knew it was a matter of seconds now before the Fire Witch figured their plan. He ran faster than he ever had before, leaping over the two remaining wolves, and landed completely against the Fire Witch, covering most of her with his body. The force of his landing threw them both into the hollow of the tree.
The Fire Witch hadn’t realized what was happening other than that the huge black wolf had slammed into her. She shrieked in pain as she bumped against the inside of the sycamore. Now quite aware of where she had landed, she hissed at the wolf still against her who blocked her only way of escape. Arms pinned under his weight, she reached down and bit his neck with her sharp teeth.
Running Wolf yelped and leapt back from the Fire Witch, whining as a moldy black fog seeped from the wound. He had just cleared the opening of the hollow, when the tree’s bark groaned and started to stretch from either side in an effort to close the void and trap her inside. She jumped forward, trying to escape, then screamed as her hands burned when they touched the wood. The tree healed faster now, bark groaned as it twisted and turned, thickening as it criss-crossed in wide strips in front of her.
The Fire Witch knew she was trapped, and her voice rang out like thunder as she glared at Running Wolf. “One day I shall be free and all of your people will pay for what has been done!” An evil smile painted her lips as she cast her spell. “When your eyes show their true color once more, I will come! One of your own shall give his blood and set me free!”
The black fog rolled across Running Wolf’s face, and his golden eyes turned as dark as a starless night. The Fire Witch cackled in delight,
But on this day, the Water Beings in the creek did not like the sudden presence of evil that stood amongst them. They became angry.
As the Fire Witch’s bare feet touched, the water hissed and bubbled away from her, spreading itself thin in an effort to stay away from her and not be touched. Ella watched in amazement as single droplets bounced angrily across the dry ground of their own accord, whipping around the feet of the wolves to stay clear of the Fire Witch. The creek suddenly dammed on either side in small magical walls and The Keepers walked across the dry creek bed, stones clattering under their feet.
The Keepers backed the unknowing Fire Witch close to the opening of the tree. She snarled in fury, hissing as much at the creek as at the wolves now.
“Now what do?” Running Wolf murmured, as he came to Ella’s side, “How trap inside tree?”
“The tree will keep her, we just have to get her inside,” Ella said. She didn’t know how, but she knew the Earth’s own magic would trap the Fire Witch and the tree would hold her if they could only get her to it.
Running Wolf nodded to her and turned back to his brothers. Two wolves lay crumpled, deep gashes showed red in their sides, matting their fur with blood. They looked up to their U-la-gu, collapsing each time they tried to stand. Their wounds were healing too slowly for them to continue fighting. The three others still were managing to back the Fire Witch toward the tree, though they were doing it slowly and painfully. One cream-colored wolf, named Standing Fox, sprang toward her throat, and the Fire Witch’s sharp nails scraped across his face, taking out one of his eyes. He howled in pain as he hit the ground, blood sprayed as he shook his head back and forth in an effort to see. The blood from the cuts on his face ran into his remaining eye, blinding him completely. But still, he didn’t give up fighting. He stood, staying as close as he dared, and relied completely on scent as he crouched low, snapping at the Fire Witch’s feet.
The two wolves left standing backed the Fire Witch very near the opening on the tree, but were now wary of getting too close to her, after they realized that their brothers were not healing as quickly as they should.
Running Wolf knew it was a matter of seconds now before the Fire Witch figured their plan. He ran faster than he ever had before, leaping over the two remaining wolves, and landed completely against the Fire Witch, covering most of her with his body. The force of his landing threw them both into the hollow of the tree.
The Fire Witch hadn’t realized what was happening other than that the huge black wolf had slammed into her. She shrieked in pain as she bumped against the inside of the sycamore. Now quite aware of where she had landed, she hissed at the wolf still against her who blocked her only way of escape. Arms pinned under his weight, she reached down and bit his neck with her sharp teeth.
Running Wolf yelped and leapt back from the Fire Witch, whining as a moldy black fog seeped from the wound. He had just cleared the opening of the hollow, when the tree’s bark groaned and started to stretch from either side in an effort to close the void and trap her inside. She jumped forward, trying to escape, then screamed as her hands burned when they touched the wood. The tree healed faster now, bark groaned as it twisted and turned, thickening as it criss-crossed in wide strips in front of her.
The Fire Witch knew she was trapped, and her voice rang out like thunder as she glared at Running Wolf. “One day I shall be free and all of your people will pay for what has been done!” An evil smile painted her lips as she cast her spell. “When your eyes show their true color once more, I will come! One of your own shall give his blood and set me free!”
The black fog rolled across Running Wolf’s face, and his golden eyes turned as dark as a starless night. The Fire Witch cackled in delight,
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