Not even claws, for all the assistance they would beâ€¦ â€œA boy? Ah, you mean the far darrig and his c?n annwfn companion. No, theyâ€™re trouble, young lady. Iâ€™m glad heâ€™s gone.â€ He tilted a wink at her and crept up behind one of the dead men, lifting a pewter jug to check its weight. Finding it full, he poured out two glasses, surprisingly deft with that tail of his.<br/><br/>â€œIt was a nasty thing he did to you. Humans shouldnâ€™t leave the trods, you know. Fae woods are endless.â€ The odd creature seemed almost truly sorry for her, but when he brushed against one of the skeletons, it appeared for a moment that it had tried to flinch away from him. â€œTheyâ€™re probably watching you right now, laughing at the sport of leaving a young lady defenseless and hungry to wander through the woods.â€<br/><br/>A flick of his tail and a half turn and heâ€™d brought one of the cups heâ€™d filled in front of her. â€œThereâ€™s no doubt they lay a good table though, is there?â€ The smile he gave her was haunting in its intensity; it was most certainly fake. â€œThe company leaves something to be desired of course. If you sit, youâ€™ll join the dead. Maybe youâ€™d hear them speak then.â€<br/><br/><div style="text-align: center;">--------</div><br/><br/>Kalab had no fear of endless forests; he could navigate them well enough. A white stag leapt the finally straightening path and dashed through the hedge on the other side. Close behind were a pack of pure white hounds, their red ears flashing like pools of blood as they cried out to the hunting party behind.<br/><br/>The mounted party followed next, men and women of both unimaginable beauty and ugliness, and two men who seemed to tower above the rest. One dog had lagged, he saw. Then noticed the reason was the boy mounted on its back. A boy he knew personallyâ€¦ A boy to whom the scent and power of his dear heart clung to still.<br/><br/>â€œRuxtan! What did you do to her?â€ The entire party pulled up short in the middle of the path, amused smiles playing across the lords and ladies as ripples spread over a pond. The boy tried to slink behind the horse mounted party, but the dog had other ideas and came to him for a scratch. â€œHello Girvan. No treats this time, Iâ€™m afraid. â€¦Well?â€<br/><br/>â€œI didnâ€™t do anything to hurt her. She said she was your friend. I was good.â€<br/><br/>â€œTake me to her or bring her to me.â€ Despite the fact that he hadnâ€™t raised his voice, the assembled party did not move, frozen to the spot. The boy doubly so, too timid now to even leave his dog.<br/><br/>â€œNo.â€<br/><br/>â€œI have a promise from your kingâ€¦â€<br/><br/>â€œAnd here I am Kalab. We will not until the stag has been run down.â€ It was the fair haired of the two most powerful of the men that spoke. He had a snakeâ€™s golden eyes and his crown was polished obsidian, but prettier than the other that also wore a crown. â€œYou may wait, or ride with us.â€<br/><br/>â€œIf she is hurt, or you think to play your tricks and keep her here, this realm will pay a terrible price Gwendyn.â€<br/><br/>The king nodded and gestured to one of the boys riding behind another. He climbed down and a silver courser stood in his place an instant later. Kalab hesitated, but climbed onto the beast and jumped the hedge with the rest of the fae lords and ladies of the two courts. There were not many courtesies that a human had to worry about, but a great many that other immortals were expected to know.