The Story of the Trees - Sword, Ring, and Crown Book One

Chapter Thirty-Eight

"They're hiisi. Very mean and very dangerous," he growled, "Try to run."

We all hopped and struggled in the deep snow to move forward, but it was nigh impossible for me to do it. My feet were frozen.

"Hop on my back," Luke said.

"What? Y-you're just as c-cold as me - I'll make you sink deeper in the s-snow."

"You know that I'm not," Luke said.

The argument didn't finish because six furry creatures came burrowing out of the snow in front of us. I felt really sorry about wanting to see them up close, as the little dudes were ugly.

They had long noses and wide, rubbery lips that hid wide-spaced, squared-off teeth that were covered in dirt. I don't think they liked my look of disgust as I studied them because they squealed with rage as they waved tiny daggers in their oversized hands. The hands themselves sported long, dirt-and-ice-caked claws on each finger. The largest of the group stepped forward and began yammering in a language that sounded like a bunch of chirps and guttural snarls.

"They want us to throw down our packs, or they'll kill us all. Everyone, throw them down slowly. Nothing's worth our life," Mike explained.

They didn't look like much of a threat to me, even with the knives, but Luke seemed pretty worried about them since he immediately stepped in front of me to protect me. With a growl of defeat, I leaned over and tossed my pack onto the snow. The movement of my body caused my necklace to swing forward, exposing my mother's earrings to their greedy little eyes.

The boss creature pointed at my necklace with his dirty finger and chittered again. Mike looked over his shoulder at me sorrowfully. "The necklace too, Matt."

"No way," I said while shaking my head emphatically. With everything that Mike had done to me, I worried once more that he was setting me up.

He turned his body carefully to the side, keeping one eye on the hiisi and one on me. "Come on, Matty."

I shook my head again as I clutched my necklace. I'd have to be crazy to give it up without a fight. Erick sidled up near me and whispered in my ear, "Have Luke take off Beth's bracelet. You'll need us both for this."

"What? No... I don't trust her."

"You're down three of your court. You will need all the help you can get with these creatures," Erick retorted.

Luke pulled me away from Erick while glaring at him. He hissed at Ciaran, "Can you not just teleport us?"

"Hmm, sorry, friend. That would be cheating, I'm afraid. We'd lose the trial if I teleported."

Mike was shuffling back towards me. One of the little hairy guys swiped at him, but my former friend jumped back before it cut him. "Come on, Matty, just give them the earring - these guys put poison on their evil little stabbers."

My eyes narrowed at Mike. Now I was sure he was being sneaky with me, and I regretted trusting him once again. Mother had said I needed to keep this earring close to me, and I'd done that so far.

"Luke, set Beth free, so we have more people."

He muttered but set her free.

The minute bracelet was off, Beth and Erick blurred in front of my eyes. I groaned, so sure they'd tried to teleport away to ditch us. However, to my relief, they reappeared in another blur next to the hiisi. Erick thrust out his hands, and as he did, a circle of blue flame surrounded the little furry psychos. The leader and two others dove before it hit them, sending plumes of snow after them as they burrowed. But three others, fortunately, weren't so lucky. It burned them to a crisp, leaving nothing but mole-shaped piles of ash on the ground that drifted in the frosty breeze.