Legends from The Warlock's Chair - Book One - Ravengaard

Chapter Thirty - Trapped

AT FIRST, DANIELLE THOUGHT THAT THEY WERE LOOKING in the wrong place. But then she recognised the large oak that stood in the centre of the woodland glade. 

The little cottage had vanished.

But something else was there.

In the middle of the clearing, partly hidden by the low-lying mists, a company of Goblyns sat around a campfire on which a pot of something bubbled and spat. There appeared to be about a dozen of them. All wore armour that had seen better days and most carried a variety of rusted weapons. Their guttural shouts and grunts reached the children. Luckily they seemed more interested in squabbling about what was cooking in the pot, than observing their surroundings. 

'Where is the cottage?' Jessica asked quizzically.

'Princess Meriol said it would be warded by magic,' Danielle answered. 'Ceridwen must have hidden it when the Goblyns showed up.'

Hiding beneath some shrubbery they watched the Goblyns squabbling over the food.

'We have to get to Ceridwen,' Danielle pointed out. 'If we go back and circle around, we should come out behind her cottage. Maybe if we can get her attention, she will let us in.'

'It's worth a try I suppose,' agreed George. 'Beats waiting here for something to happen,' he pointed across to the Goblyns. 'And it doesn't look like they're going anyplace at the moment.' 

A faint snapping of twigs underfoot alerted them to danger. They turned slowly.

A Goblyn stood there, its crossbow pointed menacingly at them.

George muttered a curse. They should have thought about guards.

'Spying are we,' it rasped.

It motioned with the crossbow for them to move into the clearing.

It gave a scratchy chuckle. 'We could do with a bit more meat in our pot.'

The Goblyn jabbed at them with its weapon. 'Come on let's move.'

The children stayed where they were.

Something large moved stealthily through the trees behind the Goblyn.

A smile broke on their faces as they realized what it was.

The Goblyn sensed something was amiss.

It stiffened, feeling hot breath on its neck.

'Somethin's behind me isn't it?' the Goblyn asked, a hint of fear creeping into its voice.

The children nodded.

'But don't worry, it's only Sorrow,' grinned Jessica.

The Goblyn tried to turn, but it was too late. The Vorkun bit down stifling a piteous cry of terror rising in the Goblyn's throat. There was a muffled crack as Sorrow shook the body and hurled it lifeless into the undergrowth.

They ran to Sorrow, who had already started to revert to his wolf form.

'Good... boy,' whispered Danielle. 'Now lead us to Ceridwen.'

The wolf-dog sniffed the air getting its bearings, then turned and took them along a path that led away from the Goblyn encampment. They kept a wary eye open for more Goblyn scouts but were more than confident that Sorrow would sense them before they did. 

Skirting the edge of the clearing, they circled around to the far side. Sorrow suddenly stopped, sat down and stared out into the clearing as if sensing something they could not.