Peacock flies low. Hearing the winds by his ear but also something screeching. That which the giantess and the boy think it is just the wind passing by the ruins on the plains. But Peacock knows how a wind on plains sound, definitely not something guttural and roaring. Howling like a banshee, sure since there are ruined structures on the side. Shadows dancing that is not theirs. And, ominously quiet grass.
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“What’s that up ahead?” Amerie asks but Peacock and Isaac cannot see what she is seeing.
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Figures that are shambling with their heads overly tilted to the side. They twitch madly and take sharp turns and steps. Speedy on their feet as well when a bunny run to the tall grass but gets caught. Closer, the group approaches and see the figures’ blue and violet dark skin. Rot pollutes the air and immediately reminds the three of undead during Rumen’s destructive performance.
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Feathers immediately slap back and land. Turning to Amerie whose eyes are wide at the guttural sight. “What do we do Princess?”
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And Amerie bites her lips, frustratingly saying but with eyes set for the mountains, “We have to get past them somehow. While also trying not to fly over the roots.” The roots which they see are warding off the Shamblers. Some are already caught and crushed down to their bones.
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Peacock decides to fly, heading west and following the bordering roots. All the way to the cliff watching the western shorelines, the shamblers are all around, trying to jump or charge themselves in. When Peacock turns to follow all the way to left, Isaac stops the bird, “Why cannot we go over, Princess?”
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“The Nautrens hate surprises. It’d be better for us to knock on their doors but, there seems to be no other way…” Looking around and seeing a figure with a horse. The figure going down to the cliffs. “Who’s that?”
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Isaac and Peacock turn to look and see that it is the lady who stole their horse. Carrying a torch as she climb down the cliff. The group rush to the horse’s side and trail her steps, noticing a narrow path on the side that leads to natural crevice. Large enough for Amerie to barely squeeze through. But the inside fits everyone with birds chirping at the dark corners.
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“Do we got a torch?” Isaac asks which Amerie and Peacock shrug their shoulders. “Great…”
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They proceed into the dark. Blind as a bat and holding each other’s hands. Isaac only follows the flickering warmth from the lady’s torch, staying far while also not straying too far that they will lose the light.
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And when the lady suspects something following her, she turns around and there is no one. The group had quickly hidden behind rocks. Before retailing the lady, leading them to a change from sharp rocks and sleet slippery rocks to wood and leafy rustling. Every movement rustles the grass and every step crunch the dead leaves, making it harder for the three to follow close.
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“Peacock, stop making that sound” Amerie hushes,
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And the shrunken bird looks at the giantess with ‘what?’ eyes, when he is on her shoulders.
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“Gosh, I feel like I’d be busting us.”
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Then, they come out to a larger chamber. Water trickling from above where water hovers. Isaac touches his reflection and suddenly it pulls him up. Amerie quickly grabs hold of the boy’s legs, pulled him down and rolls out to hide. Once again making a narrow escape from being found out.
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From thin leaves to thicker, padded surfaces that springs to slap their faces. Wherever the lady is heading, Amerie whispers out softly, “I’m sure this is the right way, I bet we are already under Módbeorg!”
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“I forgot; we could have just been in Peacock!” Isaac suggests but already too late when Peocock is already as small as a wood louse. “Not going to happen?”
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Boom, something splashes loud ahead. The group quickly run forward at the ray of moonlight shining down to a pool below. The lady swimming towards the a hollow with a warm flickering glow. “We have to jump down!?” The boy asks
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“Nuh uh, I jumped once from a waterfall before and my brothers said that I was like an elephant dropped from the sky. The splash was so loud and big that it flooded a village!”
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“Looks like it is my time to shine once again.” Peacock enlarges himself, big enough for his shadow to look like a giant hen. “Come on, into my feathers.” Which the two gladly snuggle themselves in. Using hard feathers like belt to strap themselves to Peacock’s body before they feel themselves shrinking to the size of a pebble.
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Jump they go towards the pool. Before Peacock flap his wings, inches away from the water and buzz towards land like a mosquito. A hunched shadow—no, rock gestures for the lady to sit by their campfire. It turns to look at Peacock gesturing with its fingers that they should come closer and a wall of earth rises to cover the hollow. Another brings them close to the lady drying herself.
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“What is it?” she asks, still not noticing of the tiny green bird,
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“Turn right”
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And she does so with her head, seeing the enlarging peacock flopping Amerie and Isaac out of his feathers as if he laid them. “Cock…we busted”
ns 15.158.61.48da2
