:: http://www.geocities.com/dragynmistress :: :: By Kym Carhart :: ---------------------------------------------- Vinca - Chapter 03 Steam rose from the forest floor after the rain clouds swept over the green valleys and dark forests. It was a chill of misty vapors, cloaking the forest floor like the shadow of a goshawk gliding through a deep blue sky. The forest itself was a shadow with creeping plants and mysterious creatures, some dangerous and others timid, but nonetheless, strange. Vinca ran at the first sight of the pink gorillas. She knew they were of a dark being, their cold greedy hearts looking for something to satisfy, but there is no satisfaction in material things. She skittered into the forest, clumsily tripping over vines and shrubs that suddenly appeared in her path. The tiny creature finally fell over her feet and lay panting. After her breathing slowed, she peered about her surroundings. The Midnight Forest. She knew that's where she was, and it was certainly not a place where she wanted to be. Vinca had heard dark tales of the place, tales of toiling trolls and nasty gnomes, a place of wicked witches and evil spirits. No unicorn would dare wander in this part of the world alone. She had to get out. Suddenly she heard voices. Vinca followed them quietly, trying not to make a sound. The unicorn spotted the voice's source, an ugly looking creature; thin with scaly wrinkles that hung around its huge red eyes. Its skin was a brown shade, like that of rotting flesh. It even smelt that way. From it's enormous head protruded a pair of twisted branches. Vinca had never seen a creature so gross, nor even heard of one. In the creature's claw grip was a yelping wolf pup. "The wizards will love you, you're quite strong, though troublesome," said the creature. "The wizards! That poor wolf!" Vinca said to herself. She knew she had to do something, but what? She could make a diversion; make the creature run after her. "I'm so clumsy though. I'd never make it," she told herself. She studied the scenario. A heavy wind suddenly swept the trees. Light streamed for a few seconds in the forest where the creature stood. He cowered and screeched as the warm light touched his skin. Then the wind halted and the trees swayed back into place. All was normal in the forest. "His weakness," she thought. "Light is his weakness! May be if I could find a clearing somewhere." "Hey! Ahhh, you're a pretty thing aren't you. It's a pity the wizards only want you for your horn." Vinca whirled around. Another creature had sneaked behind her. Vinca backed away. The creature lunged at her, but Vinca dashed out of the way, and the thing hit a tree. The creature with the wolf pup, now struggling in a flour sack, came running to the commotion. Vinca surprised him and snatched the potato sack away. The creature grabbed for the sack, but Vinca shoved a hoof in his stomach and sent him flying to a bed of thorny shrubs. After the dancing of stars around his head subsided, the creature at the tree awoke and scurried up. "Urk! Urk! Where are you, stupid? Speak up!" the creature screeched. "Right here, Tyr. I can't get up. These, these thorns have me pinned down," said Urk. Tyr looked around. No wolf. No unicorn. "Don't worry, Urk. We'll find them. They're worth too much."