Chapter Nine: The Search

“I bet you she wandered off,” Lisa was saying to Fluffy, who had settled herself at the foot of the sleeping Doctor’s bed. She was staring out the window. “Typical human, you can always count on them to mess things up. I told them to be back by dark, and I heard a commotion earlier. I bet they ran into one of them, it’s almost a guarantee around here.”

“Are you going to look for them?” Fluffy asked, speaking feline.

She considered. “I should, but I hate to leave him.” She cast her eyes downward, onto the peacefully sleeping Doctor. His nightmares had tapered off some and he’d calmed down considerably.

“I’ll stay.”

Lisa looked at her cat. “What if something goes wrong? You’re a cat. There’s not a lot you can do.”

“Would you trust me?” Fluffy asked. “Go before they get hurt.”

“If anything happens, contact me.”

“Yeah, yeah.”

She glared at her, then gave the Doctor a kiss on his forehead and left the room. Once outside, she called out telepathically, Hooks, can you hear me?

Hooks’ telepathy range was usually very good, but having no answer clinched the fact that he was out of reach. They must have wandered deeper into the forest than Lisa first thought.

“Damn,” she commented and took to the sky, spreading her yellow-gold wings to catch the air. She focused on the multicolored trees below her, trying to find any sight of them.

It took her a few minutes, but she finally spotted Woodhorn. He was limping slightly, but most definitely on the prowl. Though she didn’t like it, if anyone knew where Rose and Hooks were, he did.

Lisa made her landing and Woodhorn glared at her. She, of course, glared right back.

“I don’t have time for any of your bull,” she said testily. “I’m looking for Hooks and a human who was with him.”

While Woodhorn didn’t like humans, he, like all other Alnilam unicorns, had been raised to respect Lisa and her family (when she had one, that is).

“Janis Thorn attacked them. They were in his territory. I distracted him and they ran.”

“Is that why you’re limping?”

Woodhorn snorted. That was enough of a yes for her.

“Did he use poison?”

“No. I stunned him with a kick and left.”

“Which way did they go?”

“I don’t know and I don’t care.”

“Then why did you save them?”

“I protect the animals of Alnilam. Hooks is one of them. The human child just happened to be in the right place at the right time.”

Lisa sighed, annoyed. “Whatever. Have Medicus look at your leg. I have to find them before they get into more trouble.” She left, knowing full well that he’d ignore her suggestion to see Medicus. It didn’t matter. She had more important things to deal with.

End chapter nine.

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