The Unknown Realm #4 (Waverly Stump and The 7 Realms)

II

The sight of Belling and its surrounding areas grew farther and farther away until it was nothing more than a mere green and blue patch on the ground.

Chestnut flew Waverly and Judson through the first half of the day and landed during noon. He opted to shrink to pup size, bounding across the forest in search of a good kill as his companions began their long walk on foot.

Waverly had her bag and things strapped onto her back while Judson had his strapped to his front. The forest was buzzing with flies and many other annoying insects as the pair marched on across the dry underbrush snapping a twig or two under their heels and frightening a few birds they occasionally came across.

"I miss the horses." Judson half mumbled and half groaned as he limped onward behind Waverly. He thought of the helpful creatures that had unfortunately met their end during the Heathland Dragon's first attack.

"I do too." Waverly replied, overhearing him and glanced pointedly at Chestnut. "At least they would come to me whenever i call."

The wolf turned to look at her, quite oblivious to her comment then ran off again.

"Do you know why he does that?" Judson asked, coming to a halt.

"What? Ignore me?" Waverly retorted still staring after Chestnut who was slowly becoming nothing more than a speck of silver as he ran farther.

"No. Why he will not stay big. Is that not the easier way to catch prey - when he is large and intimidating?"

Waverly half smiled. "I'm sure it is but Chestnut obviously likes to do things differently. He is a unique wolf and i guess he thinks this is the best way to hunt."

Judson hummed. "I understand. He chooses wisdom over physical strength, fooling his prey into believing that he is too small and weak to attack them and then taking them by surprise."

"Yes, i think that is it." Waverly agreed.

She watched Chestnut as he sped in and out of sight from all corners of the forest - visible only by his silver coat. It was difficult to find prey now since many animals had been wiped out during the war by the Night's Plague. The ones that had survived were too frightened to come out in the open. There was hardly any sight of a deer or even a rabbit. Back in the village of Belling, the only animal Waverly had seen - except for birds - was a hen she caught for breakfast once and even that had just been just pure luck. There was also the fox at the foot of a hill but she concluded that she had only conjured it as a result of her fuzzy state of mind.

"You never told me how you came to have him." Judson offered. He maneuvered his injured leg carefully as they crossed over a row of fallen trees, wondering if they had fallen on their own.

Waverly clearly recalled the night Chestnut had curled himself into a ball inside her small room giving her quite the shock at first. She kept silent for a few moments, allowing the sound of crunching twigs dominate the atmosphere for a bit.

"My mother gave him to me many many seasons ago." She replied. "I woke up and found him inside my room."

Judson humphed. "And he just liked you at once?"

She shrugged. "Well, that was not exactly our very first meeting but yes, i can say he liked me at once."

"Understandable." Judson mumbled quietly.

"What was that?" She asked looking back at him.

"You said you would tell me about Eden and well, the other wonders of Alpgeton." He offered quietly. "I think we have a chance to talk about it now."

Waverly smiled. "Yes. I was even meaning to show it to you until. . . well. . ."

Judson nodded in both agreement and understanding.