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

VII

When Judson was done sealing the Skut inside its hole - a task that took up only a few minutes because of his new ability to seal the ground without touching it - they continued on their way.

Waverly was not the only one who threw occasional glances at him as they trekked on - Chestnut did too. His unexpected display of power had stunned both parties into complete silence.

They walked for miles and miles past small plains, woody thickets, broad roads, a dry marsh and enclosed secret paths which they could only find because of the map. Judson's attention remained plastered on the golden parchment as he led them on. He would often halt to look up and around then steer them into the right direction; a procedure he executed time and time again.

Eventually they emerged into a rocky inland area where a group of foothills rose on either sides and further ahead. In between these and the other side was a shallow dent that everyone assumed was The Stinging Creek.

"Where is the water?" Waverly asked in bewilderment. This was the first thing that came to her mind at the sight of the strange looking water body.

"It is named the Stinging Creek." Judson pointed out with a fretful tone. "Did you think it will hold water?"

Waverly frowned as she stared at the undulating bed of what was obviously not normal water or water at all. The surface was incredibly smooth like a wide layer of clear milky skin and it stretched on narrowly in between the rocks around until it ended at the opposite side, where she assumed was a shore of some sort.

"Why call a creek a creek if it does not hold water?" She mumbled inaudibly then began to look around as if searching for something.

"What do you search for?" Judson asked, his eyes clocking from her to the abnormality.

"Something to throw in." She replied.

"What? We have no clue what is in there and you are going to disturb it?" He asked nervously.

Waverly turned to him. "What do you suggest we do then?"

"That we go over it. You take your wolf and I will be okay flying." He said.

Waverly blinked softly, wondering why it had not occured to her to think in that direction. She sighed and threw her hands up.

"Alright, then."

Chestnut allowed her onto his back and took off into the air. Judson followed closely behind and neither one of them made a sound as they flew over the creek. Waverly peered down curiously, squinting her eyes in a desperate bid to catch sight of whatever might be below the surface but there was nothing to see underneath the vast, milky white membrane.

"I wonder. . ." She began and Chestnut suddenly bucked with force as if he had just bumped into something solid.

She screamed as she tilted sideways. Her leg slid off the wolf's side throwing her half off so that she dangled upside down but as quickly as this happened, Judson grabbed her before she could fall headlong into the creek.

Waverly tightened her grip around his neck and carefully glanced down. Her face had been only a couple of inches away from the water bed before Judson's intervention. He began to soar upwards but Waverly looked down again when she heard a loud lashing sound as if someone had thrown a whip.

A wispy green string like a thin vine erupted from the water. Judson suddenly jerked and groaned.

"Something has my foot." He announced unhappily.

"Chestnut." Waverly called.

The wolf came barreling toward them like an out of control tornado and slashed at the vine with his claws but many more shot out of the creek and wrapped around the wolf before he could get away. Soon, vines began to erupt from everywhere under them, lashing and whirling.