Andy thinks he's lost forever when his aunt's chimney transports him and his dog, Chip, into the magical world of Emerraine. To get home, he must save the Hearthstone Village with Elsie, a young witch, and her Familiar against a dark plot that has b...
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ANDY AND ELSIE sat atop Fenris' back, while Hex and Chip complained about having to be carried around like a toy by Rolf in his mouth. It was still strange being able to hear the animals' thoughts. For Andy, it would take quite a lot of time to adjust.
While crossing a tree, over a lake, and under the stars, Andy learned that the whole pack thrived for over a hundred years already, and they concealed themselves somewhere deep in Verfair Timberland to get away from the people of Hearthstone. The two didn't do well co-existing with one another. Since then, there were no wolves in sight around the village, for the men had killed and skinned most of the pack's population.
Hearing this story, Andy couldn't help but get worried; however, Lupa assured him that they knew Elsie's heritage and Andy's being an Outlander. They were overly grateful for the young wanderer's great deed, so they passed as an exception.
The group emerged from the forest onto the vast, grassy plain that stretched for miles before coming to an abrupt halt at the foot of an immense mountain.
"That is Mountain Terrabris. It borders Hearthstone's forest to its neighboring village—the Eclipse Village," Elsie said from behind him, and he tilted his head farther to look up, admiring and fearing its immense height at the same time.
"I couldn't see its peak. It's hidden behind the clouds."
Andy and Elsie put their heads down as the wolves sprinted, which soon turned into a fast run, and began the dangerous journey up the mountain. They went up and up, and even beyond that. Andy's fingers were heavy with cold, yet he clung tight around Fenris' hard, bristle-like fur to avoid slipping. Otherwise, he and Elsie would fall like an out-of-fuel rocket from the top of the mountain—much taller than Mount Everest—he had ever seen.
While they followed a path flanked by giant boulders as big as his room, Elsie told Andy of books she'd read. Elsie acted out the battles for him using a stick she picked up on the trail. She roared and slashed, pretending to attack Andy, and then he would ride on with her silly charades, gripping his side in agony, as she drove her spear into his unprotected belly.
After that, Andy found himself starting to share his own story—a thing he was pretty hesitant to do out of mistrust. But Elsie grew herself inside his heart, and at last, he found the thing he desired to have the most—a real friend in her presence.
"You were adopted?" Elsie yelled in his ears, though it was unintentional as the girl had a naturally loud voice.
"Elsie, you don't have to shout and let everyone know," he hissed and glared over his shoulder.
Elsie pursed her lips and muttered, "Sorry."
He sighed and looked straight ahead. With Fenris and Lupa at the lead, their group was now crossing a rope bridge with flowering vines wrapped around the suspensions. Andy's heart almost leaped to his throat as the bridge swayed under their weight. To their left, a waterfall gushed over the rocks. It had a beautiful serenity-pool at the bottom. The frogs croaking nearby added to the beautiful sounds, and the sweet nougat smell of flowers washed over them.
