Chapter 26- Unlikeliest of Friends

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A/N Just a quick reminder I'm still looking for someone who wouldn't mind drawing me a map of the world I've created so everyone can visualise it. If you like the idea PM me.  Much appreciated

Alec and the others slept that night in a gloomy forest which was the safest place they could find. They were all a little shaken by the days events and already missed the warmth and security of the hidden mansion. 

Here the warmer days led to cooler nights and the plants held too much moisture to be comfortable. The league tried his best to make the others comfortable in his element but he could only do so much. Lots of the trees were dead so they had to hunt for one that he could work with. So he caused two small oaks to grow together creating a platform. From their he grew moss on them making their bed more comfortable. Still it was cramps.
   Hesitant and Sylvester went to roost in a deeper part of the forest where the trees were large enough to take their weight. Flint however struggled the most for warm dry place to sleep. As a herd animal the stallion felt vulnerable on his own but he couldn't sleep in the treetops and the ground was too wet for him to lay as it would cause a great sickness in the beast of fire to be exposed to its elemental opposite. 
    Fai resolved this dilemma by cutting open some dead trees to find the dry wood inside and making a small platform from it. He summoned an orb of light that's heat burned away moisture while also acting as a guard to ward of threats. It was good enough for Flint who sat on the platform eating chilli peppers that Alec had grown. 
    Breakfast the next morning was a more hearty experience. Fai and Alec went for a run together and found some wild mushrooms, berries and herbs. They cooked the mushrooms with the herbs using the fire Flint was able of leaving in his wake. Sylvester and Hestia ate away from the others as the meal of deer would have upset Alec. They were omnivorous but to keep up with the long distance flights protein was the most fulfilling thing they'd find.
Flint preferred to eat metals but there was little of that to spare. Fern however saved the day, she sensed a large mass of copper under the ground and managed to open up the Earth to reveal it. It was the only the second ever demonstration of her earth-bear powers but the element seemed to obey her as living things obeyed Alec.  

     The next market was a two day ride away so the odd party ambled along at a steady pace. They got many a strange look from their fellow travellers who were nomadic species that were all familiar with one another. Mostly though they only saw Fai and Flint who were often the only ones on ground level. Although sometimes Alec joined them running full pelt in the strange horned wolf shape he had acquired at the same time he met Fern. It was tough going to keep up with the fire beast though his company was rare. 
    The boy was spending an increasingly large amount of time alone and in beast form. It helps him process his thoughts because to most creatures survival was the only goal, grief was foreign to a fox for example. It worried his friends but they let him be knowing that the boy had been a loner before they met him and that he was differing to what was familiar. 
     They decided to have a late lunch in a meadow on the shores of a huge lake in the kingdom of Carth. This region was ruled by cursed rather than castors and as such had much fewer laws, travel would be easier but perhaps more dangerous. While murder was still a crime here what was counted as murder was a different matter. Slavery was big in the area too and on these long roads many were kidnapped and sold to rich collectors. They'd have to be careful. 

    The lake shore was beautiful. The waters were rich with minerals a beautiful turquoise in colour and they lapped at a small rim of sand with soft surf. Adjoining was a meadow of vibrant wild flowers which filled the air with their sweet scents much to Ferns delight. She and Alec who was in fox form romped through the meadow together smelling the lavender, daisies and buttercups. Fern splashed in and out of the water trying to drag Alec in but as a fox he had little taste for getting wet. As well as the pretty flowers the scene was made more picturesque by the tall, proud mountains standing the guard in the distance. They wore snowy caps and were made of gleaming stone polished by weathering. The whole picture was one that reflected natural Earth magic. 

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