Uncharmed

Chapter 17: Party

             “You really think we’re going to need this much space?” Tania asked as she stood halfway down the slope, surveying the area. A large depression in the ground created a natural amphitheatre in a large clearing in the middle of the forest. At the far edge of the level ground, a small pond lay, covered in a thin layer of ice. The dead, brown grass was visible as Aiden had melted all the snow earlier that day. In the centre of the level ground a large area had been ringed with rocks. “Are we having a bonfire?”
            Aiden laughed. “If you count me and the other fire elementals as a bonfire, then yes. It’ll be nice to relax for a bit.”

            “We’re sitting here,” Alex called from lower down. He’d just finished laying out a large blue blanket against some logs that were about a quarter of the way up from the level area. “We won’t get roasted here.”

            “If you want I can make sure you do,” Aiden offered with a grin.

            “I brought a fire extinguisher in case you try it,” The vampire replied.

            “Food’s all set up,” Kayne told them as approached with Bredon. The two had been setting up tables in various places, some closer to the fire elementals’ circle to keep the food warm and some at the edge of the clear area to keep things cold. Bags of chips, bottles of pop, beer and tubs of Purple Jesus were placed all over as were several platters of cheese, fruit, veggies, sandwiches, crackers, dips and meats.

            “Ilana and Theron should be here shortly. Ilana’s group is the first group that’s supposed to arrive. The pack’s in it,” Alex announced.

            Tania grinned. “Awesome. There’s an awful lot of food. How many people are you expecting to show up?”

            “If everyone from the tours comes that’ll be some two hundred people. I expect somewhere between fifty and a hundred crashers. Because there’s no way any of the younger sets are going to be able to pass up sneaking into a party like this. The only parties of this size they get to go to are at the council headquarters and there’s always adults around. This’ll be irresistible to them.”

            “More than two hundred people? Are you serious?” Tania asked, shocked.

            “Maybe more,” Theron called from the top of the slope. “A bunch of the people on my tour kept phoning their friends, trying to get them to come up for the party.”

            “Blankets are on the table over there if you want them. The rock circle is for the fire elementals, there’s a pond for any water elementals and if any of you are earth or air you’ll be fine anywhere,” Ilana explained to the people following her before she waved to the others. “Everything ready?”

            “Yep,” Kayne called back.

            “Excellent,” The dryad replied as she climbed down the hill, Theron right behind her and behind him, all of Tania’s first tour group and additional ten people she didn’t recognize.

            Soon all of Alex’s group, except Aiden, were sitting on the blanket. Tania and Alex were up the highest, the pair each using a log as a back rest. Beneath Tania, Ilana laid down while Theron sprawled beside her. Next to the were-lion sat Bredon and beside him was Kayne. Aiden was already in the fenced in area and relaxing. Tania hadn’t really believed Alex when he’d said the elemental was nothing more then a walking talking fire. Now she did. It looked just like a normal bonfire except no bonfire burned without fuel or smoke. And no bonfire was that tall and narrow. Tania couldn’t help but stare at the column of fire that was her friend.