'I can't believe what I'm seeing,' Arthur howled in surprise, tilting Robin's cap to get a better look.
Before him in the trees surrounding the train and below on the forest floor were countless creatures of Robin's Wood. Esme and the rest of the Children of the Forest had found allies. And they were all hard at work.
Arthur saw unicorns pulling logs, phoenixes flying through branches with nets in their beaks, fluttering pixies building more bridges and ladders, and much more. He also saw gnomes digging traps and covering them with twigs and leaves, making him think about Bitty and Dolores.
And as the children got closer, another surprise was waiting. The ground opened up into a blossoming and ever growing lake, which too teemed with mythical creatures.
'Oh, wow,' breathed Merlynna. 'I see selkies, kelpies–'
'But how?' interrupted Little Johnny. 'How did they do this?'
Suddenly, Esme dropped down from a branch up above.
'Good to see you back,' she said in relief before giving the three bone crunching hugs. 'We got your message and we're working overtime to get this place ready to defend, ready for the Shadow's attack.'
'Yes, I can see,' said Arthur. 'Impressive.'
'And hopefully, it will all be finished before they come.'
'How did you do this?' Merlynna asked Esme before seeing Fury fly by carrying a ball of mud and off towards a line of them perched on one of the train cars. 'How is there now a lake where there wasn't?'
'All the water creatures you see here made it,' Esme replied. 'Using the well, the water, they flooded the place. The mermaids were the first to help.'
'The mermaids?' Merlynna burst out. 'You found them?'
'We sure did.'
'And Nixie?'
Esme gestured over to the far side of the newly made lake. The mermaids and Nixie were there. Like glistening busy beavers, they were building dams of logs supplied to them by the unicorns.
Merlynna smiled and so did Arthur and Little Johnny. It was good to see they were still alive.
'Now,' said Esme, 'what on earth are you lot carrying?'
Looking down at the bows in his hands, Arthur answered, 'Weapons.'
'Where'd you get them? And where'd you get that cap, Arthur? You look like Robin Hood himself.'
Arthur told her everything. About finding Robin's Lair, the ghosts and what the bows were capable of.
Pleased to hear that Robin's horn would call Maid Marian and the rest of the good fellows once again, Esme nodded to the bows and said, 'I'll get someone to hand them out to the children.'
'Great–'
Just then, and with the most crashing of crashes, out from the water came a monstrous beast. Its long, thick neck rocketed into the air, sending waves rushing out and over the children, wetting them through and through.
Thinking it was a leviathan, Arthur, Little Johnny and Merlynna shrieked in horror and recoiled back ,ready to do their worst, but. . . .
'Nessie!' yelled Esme, wiping her soaking face. 'You really need to stop doing that. There won't be any water left otherwise. And you really need to keep watch on the well at all times. We don't want any horrible monsters to sneak in here.'
With an echoing groan, the beast disappeared back below the surface of the lake.
Esme then turned to Arthur, Little Johnny and Merlynna, 'Sorry about that. I keep on telling her.'
After getting back to his feet, Arthur said, 'So that was the Loch Ness Monster?'
'Yep. And don't be afraid of her. She's incredibly nice.'
'But how did she get through the well, if that's how she got in?' asked Merlynna. 'Surely it's too tight.'
'It took a lot of pushing and squeezing,' Esme replied. 'But in the end, we did it.'
'Hopefully, she's not too nice,' said Little Johnny.
'Oh, she can become quite furious when she wants,' said Esme. 'I saw her flick a fish with that neck of hers up into the clouds after it got a bit too nibbly with her. And I didn't see it come down.'
'Really?'
'Oh, yes. Now, we should probably get ourselves some dry clothes. Come on.'
'There's no need for that,' said Merlynna. 'I think I'm capable now.'
And with just a twitch of her nose, Arthur felt a surge of heat before his clothes, his hair and his skin began to evaporate. In the end, he, Little Johnny, Merlynna and Esme stood as dry as a bone.
'Time to start helping out, I guess,' Merlynna then said.
But before they could, the peel of a bell boomed, making every child and creature go still, and which was followed by someone yelling somewhere up in the trees, 'The Wild Children approach!'
Shocked faces quickly turned confused.
'Just them?' Arthur asked.
'Maybe they've come to give us a message from Morgana and the Sheriff,' suggested Little Johnny. 'An ultimatum or something.'
'You could be right,' said Merlynna.
'Well, let's go see if that's the case,' said Esme.
Then leading the way, she took off. And when they reached beyond the train, beyond its boundary, they saw the Wild Children standing in a group below a circle of Children of the Forest in the trees, the boy with the bowler hat in front.
'What do you want?' Esme asked gruffly and with suspicion.
'We're here to help,' the boy with the bowler hat replied with a look that Arthur had seen at the druid stones.
Sneers rang out from above.
Still with wariness plastered on her face, Esme said, 'Are you now?'
'Yes,' said the boy with the bowler hat.
'I'm sorry if I don't believe anything you say.'
'Please. We don't want this forest to be destroyed. It's our only home.'
'You shouldn't have turned to Morgana and the Sheriff, let them into your lives.'
'I know, but they promised if we did as they asked, the forest would be ours. Selfishness took over me, over us.'
'How do I know this isn't all just a ruse? How do I know you won't attack us when our backs are turned?'
With a flourish, the boy took off his bowler hat and tossed it at Esme's feet, sending murmurs of absolute shock flittering amongst the trees. He then wiped away the red paint from his face, the other Wild Children quickly following their leader. 'You may lock us away if you don't believe us.'
At this, Esme's suspicion softened and Arthur could tell that she believed the boy was sincere. He believed it too.
Esme picked up the bowler and dusted it off. 'You may take it back.'
The boy was hesitant, but he eventually walked over, plucked it from her hand and put it back on his head. 'Please let us help. Let us fight with you.'
Esme put a finger to her chin before looking up at the girls and boys in the trees and asking them, 'What do you say?'
There was no response at first, a quiet descending all around. But then, a little girl shouted, 'Let them help!'
'Yes, let them help!' came another and then another and then other until all the girls and boys had answered.
Esme lowered her gaze and stared at the boy with the bowler hat. 'Well that does it then. My family has spoken.' She then raised an opened hand. 'The Children of the Forest and the Wild Children are united once again. Put her there.'
The boy with the bowler hat took Esme's hand with his and bowed. 'Thank you.'
With a cheer, the girls and boys in the trees shook their arms with glee and the Wild Children beamed. And Arthur, Little Johnny and Merlynna looked on with hope in their hearts.
But everyone's mood soon changed, as a noise scuttled and swirled over the forest floor.
With the Shoes of Swiftness, Little Johnny was up a tree before anyone knew it. And as he stood on the top most branch, he looked out to see a wave of tiny beasts coming their way.
'REDCAPS!' he yelled before climbing back down.
'The Shadow is here,' quivered Arthur. He then turned to Esme, to everyone. 'This is your last chance to flee Robin's Wood, to save yourselves.'
'Not a chance,' Esme replied before bellowing, 'EVERYONE! TO YOUR STATIONS! IT'S TIME! IT'S TIME TO FIGHT FOR OUR HOME!'