Finding Shelter

Whitney fought against the vines as she was pulled under. She really, really panicked when they were underground. She is super claustrophobic. Just about when she thought she would pass out, she fell and hit the floor of a cave.

Her heart still hammered loudly in her chest as she gulped in the cool, damp air of the cave. She sat up slowly and opened her mouth to answer Artellen but then her eyes landed on the vine-wolf.

Fighting down new fear she whispered, "Artellen...."

Artellen turned and stood up when he saw the wolf. He raised his sword in a defensive position. The wolf bared its teeth and growled. He moved slowly in front of Whitney, putting himself in between her and the wolf-like creature. The wolf took a step backwards.

Heel human, I mean you no harm. I don't want any unnecessary deaths. The wolf stopped growling but kept its teeth bared. The female voice of the wolf echoed off the walls and through their minds. It was audible and inaudible at the same time.

Artellen lowered his sword, "What do want, she-wolf."

I am here to guide Whitney, but I won't stop you if you follow as well the wolf slowly approached Artellen, then walked around him so she was facing Whitney, You called and I have come.

Whit slowly got to her feet. She didn't like being low on the ground - the wolf was barring its teeth and she felt more comfortable being up higher where the wolf might have to work harder to take her down. She shivered a little in the cooler air of the cave.

"Um, guide me to what?" Whit questioned uneasily. "And I didn't call you."

Standing up, the wolf was half the height of Whitney and bigger than any average wolf. The wolf stopped bearing her teeth and sat back on her haunches. She tilted her head slightly.

The seeds, when you plant one you are calling for my assistance. Do you not remember? I stopped those men from pursuing you. And I am here to guide you to Inthe. Is that not where you want to go? I am an ancient Guardian of the spirit and I am at your service, Whitney of the Four, the wolf bowed before Whitney, My name is Shura.

Whit was surprised, "Um yes we are trying to get to Inthe but I hadn't realized that-"

She was suddenly annoyed, "Did you really have to half suffocate us to tell us this!? And how are you going to help us get to Inthe?"

It is too dangerous up above, Shura snarled, Tamesis watches everything from the skies. Minst used to be safe, but now that the Great Spirit is dying Tamesis is clamping down.

Shura stood up and motioned backwards with her head, You, and your friend if he chooses to come, will ride on my back. We will be able to reach Inthe in a day or two.

Whit looked at Artellen and asked, "What about Tanira?"

"I-," Artellen began to say, but was cut off by Shura.

He is greatly needed back at the castle. Tamesis servants are closing in and planning to siege the castle. Minst is already too weak as traitors are working from the inside. If Tanira doesn't return I'm afraid the Queen and the Great Spirit will fall.

"Can we at least let him know? I mean will he know to go back? It feels wrong just to ditch him." Whit argued, "And the people in Minst don't trust him. If he goes back, they could just arrest him!"

He will find a way. He at least needs to protect Lola and the Great Spirit. But you may talk to him if you must, Shura walked up to Whitney and put her head under Whitney's hand.

The cave vanishes and is replaced by their camp. But Whitney will notice that everything around her is transparent, almost like a projected image. Whitney can see Tanira readying his horse.

Whit looked around still a little confused. I'm not sure I'll ever get used to magic...

She spotted Tanira and called hesitantly, "Tanira?"

Tanira turned around startled, "Whitney? Where are you and Artellen? What happened? Are you okay?"

"We're fine. We're in a kind of underground tunnel." Whitney began, "There's a wolf called Shura here who says that you need to go back to the castle to help Lola and the spirit. Shura is going to take us to Inthe. I used one of the seeds that Lola gave me. I don't think she would give us something that would lead us astray. Shura said that there are traitors in the castle and that Tamesis' forces are getting close."

"The crows we saw...they must have been heading for the castle! You and Artellen go ahead, and try and return to Minst as quickly as possible. I fear the worst will happen," Tanira said.

"Ok,..good luck!" Whit told him. She was worried. What dangers would he face back at the castle? How would he defeat all of the crows?

Better yet, what are Artellen and I getting ourselves into?

Shura broke contact and the campsite and Tanira faded. The dimly lit tunnel returned.

Do not doubt him, Whitney of the Four, he is a powerful mage and a wise prince. Every second is precious and we must not waste anymore time, Shura lowered herself so that her belly was touching the ground, Your friend may ride too.

Artellen looked at Whitney, waiting to see what she will do. If she climbs on Shura's back, he will follow, and they will be on their way.

Whit gulped and hesitantly climbed onto Shura's back and did her best to grip whatever fur/vines were on Shura's neck.

Somehow this thing was supposed to be able to take them to Inthe in a day or two...that was quite a cut from the weeks that it would have taken. How fast are we really going to go?

Artellen climbs on behind Whitney. Shura's size was big for a wolf, but Whitney might still doubt that Shura can comfortably support two people. However the weight doesn't seem to bother the wolf.

Hold on, Shura barked and leaped into a run.

At first they seem to be going only as fast as a horse gallop, but Shura quickly picks up speed. Wind whips at Whitney's hair and the damp air chills their skin. The glowing moss soon blurs together in a solid wall of bluish green. Whitney cannot tell how much time is passing. When it seems like they will never stop running, Shura finally stops. She lays down and waits for Whitney and Artellen to get off. Whitney will feel exhausted and cold. They are still in the tunnel and it looks almost the same as the spot they left. Whitney may notice that the air smells salty, there is less moss on the walls, and the ceiling above them is covered in tiny roots.

Artellen stumbles off of Shura's back, but after he regains his balance he offers his hand to Whitney.

Whit clung to Shura's back and bowed her head against the wind. It did little good and she was soon shivering. She was terrified of Shura's breakneck pace and she couldn't help think about how bad it would hurt if she were to fall off at this speed.

It felt as if they had run forever and Whitney realized that the saddle sore she had felt earlier was nothing compared to this.

Whit was too concerned about herself at the moment to take notice of the tree roots or the salty air.

She tried to take a step off Shura but almost immediately stumbled into the cave wall.

"Ow..." she groaned. "Where are we?"

Artellen helped steady Whitney so she wouldn't fall over.

The southern peninsula of Inthe, this is as far as I can take you. Do not hesitate to call again, Shura sat against the wall of the tunnel; vines began growing from her fur up the wall.

Whit glanced at Artellen, "So what do we do now?"

The vines climb all the way up to the ceiling of the tunnel, and further. Dirt and sand fall away and soon a shaft of light pierces the dim tunnel. There is now a hole big enough to crawl through. Shura is still and appears more like a tree trunk than a living animal. The vines sprouting from her still form are thick and twisted in a way that they would be easy to climb.

"Go up," Artellen took the lead and began climbing.

The vines are an ease to climb, though the hole they have to crawl through is a little tight. They climb for about fifteen minutes before they make it to the surface. They emerge on top of a grassy dune. The ocean stretches out before them to the west and to the north they can see in the distance what looks like a town or city.

Artellen stands and stares out at the ocean. Even though part of Minst bordered the ocean, he had never been.

http://browse.deviantart.com/?qh=&section=&q=dunes+beach#/d2dzerx

"Thank you," Whit murmurs to Shura before climbing up after Artellen. She got nervous after climbing so long, If I fall, I'm dead!, and now her arms ached in addition to her legs.

Whit squirmed through the hole and into the sunlight. Her time perception was really screwy now. She hadn't slept and it still felt like it should be night time. Once out of the hole, she just laid in the grass too exhausted to want to move.

If Whitney looks at the hole they have just climbed out of she will see that it is now gone.

"It looks like the sun is about to set," Artellen pulled himself out of his trance, "It looks like we have three options: camp here, see if they can offer us shelter at that house down by the beach, or try to make it to that town over there, though I doubt we can make it before sun down."

Artellen collapsed besides Whitney.

Whit groaned, "I don't wanna move but I don't wanna sleep here either. We don't even have anything to make camp with. I left my stuff. We should probably try the house."

"Unless you brought anything?" she asked hopefully.