Bending my knees, I gripped his arms tight and braced myself. Lift, twist and hurl. The action was so quick I barely saw my arms move. Conall shot over the trees like a black comet, and was lost to sight in seconds. Hands covering my mouth, I bounced on the spot in horror. My ears stretched back then I took off. I ghosted through the trees at speed with no fear of harm, franticly burning across the rugged terrain. Through the awning of leaves my eyes spotted him falling. As I drew closer he gracefully straightened out, soaring back to the earth pencil straight before curling his body into a summersault. In a move of power and grace his feet touched down on the forest floor with an ear splitting boom.
The ground shook; air rippled out and tossed fallen leaves. Conall was crouched, one fist and knee on the ground, in a dirt hole. The earth looked freshly tilled where it had been forced to make way for him. He sprung up laughing, and dusted himself off.
I slammed to a stop beside him, and for a moment my body screamed at me to keep going. I was closer to Breandan. If I kept running and I would be at his side. Focusing on the fairy in front of me, I rushed to apologize.
"I didn't realize." Breathy with panic my tail thumped my shoulder repeatedly. "Forgive me. Are you right?"
My hands flittered around him and he caught one to kiss it.
"I am proud," he said bowed over my hand. "You will be glorious. I'm not heavy, but it was a good demonstration nonetheless. There has not been a female fairy with a talent in strength for such a long time." Conall sounded delighted. "But then you will be talented in most things." He released my hand and tapped me on the nose.
I blinked at the playful gesture. "It was easy, like throwing a ball. Gods, I'm wicked strong."
"I wait bated to see your castings."
My face crumpled. Magic was not something I suspected would come easily to me. "It'll be a while before I can control calling on the Source, and getting it to do what I want rather than whatever stray thought is passing through my mind."
"Aptitude will come quickly or not at all, such is the way of it."
"You said I'm strong for a female. Is there anything else I could try?"
"You're eager." Conall shook a little dust off, an efficient brush of his shoulder with an eloquent hand. "Every fairy is unique, and it will take time for you to learn your skills."
"I'm curious, what skills do you have?"
He walked off into the trees. "You ask many questions," he said matter of fact and jumped over a huge boulder roughly my height.
I eyed it, my healthy competitive nature goading me on. Sense caught up me and I walked around it. Conall waited patiently on the other side, and once he was visible continued walking.
I realized we had been travelling for an awful long time and that the forest had changed. It was sparser, and the trees swept down into a bowl shape with the land. The leaves had broadened and become darker, just as the trunks had become thinner and lighter. As the day drew to a close my eyes adjusted, and the world tinted to purple and blue again. My sensitive nose and ears picked up lingering trails, the snuffling of smaller mammals.
My senses stretched and I honed onto something, different. The 'being' sensed me touch her mind and nudged me away. She was of the two natured, a canine shifter of some kind. Startled, I scrambled back into myself. It was a shock. I knew of course there would be other demons Outside, this was their territory. But still, I was shocked. I sought the comfort of the familiar.
"Breandan," I murmured. I knew he was near but not in my line of sight or range of hearing.
"Yes, he is close." Conall was beside me. He'd stopped walking as I skipped on. "He'll meet us here." He motioned with his hand for me to continue walking.
I pushed a hand through my crazy hair and stepped forward. Entering the glade I saw a colossal building. Grey stone with marble statues adorned each corner and flanking the entrance. The slated roof was thatched, golden and half caved in. Trees and flowers sprouted on the ground inside, this I saw through the large glassless windows.
"Witch." Conall called and pumped his hand cheerfully.
"Hai, Rae?" a sunny voice called across the clearing.
