“Can ya see anything Wardley?”
“Shhhh!”
“Don’t hush me!”
“Bordo, be quiet!”
“It wouldn’t matter if I was loud or not ya clod. Yer eyes make more noise than the both of us.”
“Well, I can’t see without them here, this forest must have some ancient magic attached. I can’t see through it.”
“They don’t call et the enchanted forest for nothin’, can ye hear them then or are yer ears dumb too?”
“Don’t be crude… Yes, I can still hear some of it. They are talking about the creature right now. Concerning indeed, it’s worse than I first thought.”
“Waddya mean?”
“I can’t listen with you running your mouth now can I?”
The bushes at the tree line rustled.
Thump! Thwack!
“You know you can’t hurt me dwarf…”
“But it sure does make me feel better to try!”
The forest floor rumbled with a sound like rocks shifting.
“Quiet yerself! Now look what ya’ve done, the little mite is looking in our direction.”
“He couldn’t have heard that, could he?”
“How am I to know! Yer the smart one remember?”
“Oh… Oh no, he’s getting up.”
“Close yer eyes ya dim wit!”
The two glowing orbs disappeared behind the bushes.
“ooft!”
“Careful where yer walkin’ dragon!”
“I was trying to follow you, you are a terrible guide Bordo. I told you, I can’t see here, I need you to assist me if you wish me to keep my eyes closed. Is he still looking this way?”
“I’m not the one tryin’ to stay hidden from the human critters, it’s you who’s all bound up about it. I’m just helpin’ you to follow your own rules.” The one called Bordo grumbled. “an yes, he’s got his eyes pinned to where we just were, he’s scampering down the hill now.”
The voices went silent as the boy rushed over the dark meadow toward the trees. He slowed as he neared the forest and scanned the area before him.
“I know you are there!” He called quietly. “I saw you.”
Crickets and the lone hoot of an owl met his challenge.
“I’m not leaving until you show yourself.” Still nothing. The boy sat down into the grass, showing he had no intention of leaving. He watched the silhouette of bushes and looming branches intently until his eyelids turned to stones and threatened to remain closed each time he blinked. He placed his elbows on his knees and propped his head in his hands. Before long his eyes started to flutter. He laid in the grass and curled into a ball almost automatically and fell into a deep sleep.
“I think ‘e’s out cold Wardley.”
The huge eyes danced through the air as they drew near.
“I believe you are correct Master Bordo, he is fast asleep.” The deep voice was soft and full of affection. “Look how precious and small he is.”
“‘elpless… utterly ‘elpless.”
“And yet… so brave and full of courage. Did you see how he ran up here, in the dark without a thing to protect him as if he could conquer the entire contents of the forest if he had to! Incredible! See, what did I tell you! They are amazing creatures.”
“Incredibly daft! ‘e coulda been eaten if it was anything but us stalkin’ the trees!”
“We see very different things Master Bordo, wasn’t long ago your kind was in the same boat. Don’t forget the state I found you in.”
The one called Bordo scoffed. “Well, ‘ave you seen an’ ‘ear your fill Wardley? Can we be off, it’s nearly light an’ then we’ll be off a cliffs edge an ‘ave to hoof it back ’cause ye won’t fly in the daylight.”
There was a silence and then, “I don’t hear them talking anymore, they must have finished their meeting. We can go, but I don’t want to leave him out here, and look. Is he shivering in his sleep, the poor child is cold. I must find something to cover him with, I will make an exception to fly with you at first light if you agree to stay until we see him safely to the morning. With that creature lurking in the forest it wouldn’t sit with me to leave him out here alone.”
“Fine! you ‘ave yerself a deal!” The dwarf almost sounded excited. “What are ye plannin’ on covering ‘im up with?”
“I’ll show you!” The canopy jolted and rustled chaotically for a moment, the sound of a deep grown and creak wrenched the silence. It went quiet and starting with the tippy top a large oak poked through the treeline horizontally. when the thickest part of the treetop was hovering above the boy it was shaken violently until all the leaves tumbled and twirled to the meadow floor, cloaking the boy completely.
The large shadowed form of Wardley, the dragon slipped from the safety of the forest and gathered the carnage into a huge pile covering the child. As quickly as he’d appeared he disappeared, and then reappeared with moss he’d gathered from the forest floor. He tossed this into the mound for added weight so they wouldn’t blow away and was gone once more.
“There! Perfect.” He sounded deeply satisfied with his handiwork. “And now we wait.”