Read Online Echoes from the Lost Ones by Nicola McDonagh - Free Book Online
Authors: Nicola McDonagh
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direction. And I fear that if not Agro or Woodsfolk, then Wolfies may be a-following.”
“No Wolfies on this path.”
“Why so sure?”
“Look,” he said, bent down, plucked a flower from a low growing shrub, and held it up to my face. “This is of a sight familiar?”
I peered at the green and yellow plant and sighed a relief-filled sigh. “Wolfbane.”
“As far as the eye can glimpse.”
“Which is not far in this murky atmosphere.”
“The Ladies planted it especial-like to keep the nasty fangy things away.” “Therefore, we are all safe.”
“From Wolfies to be sure, but not from…”
“Manlymen or Agros.”
“Is right. Do not look so forlorn. We are closer than a suckling on its mother’s teat. Come.”
“I would feel safer if I could take your hand. You would allow it?”
“It is yers for as long ye need it,” he said and offered me his grubby mitt. I placed mine in his and he wrapped his fingers around all six of mine and thusly entwined, we made our way forward.
He moved smoothly through the scratchety foliage and uneven ground. I tromped beside him trying not to fall. When I did succumb to gravity pull and ended up upon my rump, Wirt offered me his back.
“I’ll carry ye for a bit. Until the ground levels.”
I gladly jumped up. “Hang on,” he said and I wrapped my arms around his neck. He wobbled, then found his strength and stood tall. I marvelled at his newfound brawn and relaxed into the warmth of his shoulder blades. My movement caused him to loose footing and he tottered uncertain-like upon his feet.
“Maybe it would be best if you set me down.”
“Nay.”
“But…”
“Just hold on,” he said and tried to take a step. I thought I heard him moan.
“You are yet well?”
“Aye.” I heard him gasp and loosened my hold on his neck. He bent forward and I felt myself slide towards his bot.
“Maybe you should let me go?”
“Nay. I can manage,” he said, then his knees gave way and down we both went into the mud and mulch.
I had never tasted rotting leaves. I pulled the slimy things from my mouth and hoped I would never again have cause to swallow such pungent sludge. I spat out as much as I could, then ran my finger around the inside of my mouth. I turned to Wirt. He too was gauging bits of twig and moss from his gob. He looked at me, picked a wodge of something brown from my hair and grinned.
“Mebbe, ye can go the rest of the way on foot?”
“Goodly plan.”
Wirt stood, shook himself so that all the nasty bugs and bleck fell off, and then offered me his hand. I took it and he pulled me up.
“Ready to continue?”
“That I am. I would be done with this wood,” I said and brushed away some maggoty things that clung to my ankles.
“Then follow me, but stay close.”
Wirt strode off and I hurried after, taking care not to relive my recent encounter with the mushy earth. We trod on, pushing foliage and fern from our path until the forest thinned and we came to a small clearing. There were many dead trees lying in rows on the floor as if someone had hacked them down.
“Is this area used by your folk for logging purposes?”
“Nay, we are not allowed to take from these parts. The Ladies have domain.”
“Of this forsaken landscape? They are most welcome to it. Those prone logs will be a chore to clamber. I confess to being more than weary as it is.”
“Do not fret, Adara. We are close. The Ladies abode lies just beyond the seventh fallen tree directly ahead.”
I opened my eyes wide to let in all the tiny light that shone and could just make out a vast wall of thick brambles and the like.
“Good it is not far, for I am soggy in parts I would rather not be.”
“Take my hand then and let us tramp quick.”
I did and we trod speedily to a great log. Wirt leapt onto said stump and hoisted me up beside him and so we went on climbing and jumping up and over fallen tree after fallen tree, until we came to the high, dense, spiky hedge.
“No Wolfies on this path.”
“Why so sure?”
“Look,” he said, bent down, plucked a flower from a low growing shrub, and held it up to my face. “This is of a sight familiar?”
I peered at the green and yellow plant and sighed a relief-filled sigh. “Wolfbane.”
“As far as the eye can glimpse.”
“Which is not far in this murky atmosphere.”
“The Ladies planted it especial-like to keep the nasty fangy things away.” “Therefore, we are all safe.”
“From Wolfies to be sure, but not from…”
“Manlymen or Agros.”
“Is right. Do not look so forlorn. We are closer than a suckling on its mother’s teat. Come.”
“I would feel safer if I could take your hand. You would allow it?”
“It is yers for as long ye need it,” he said and offered me his grubby mitt. I placed mine in his and he wrapped his fingers around all six of mine and thusly entwined, we made our way forward.
He moved smoothly through the scratchety foliage and uneven ground. I tromped beside him trying not to fall. When I did succumb to gravity pull and ended up upon my rump, Wirt offered me his back.
“I’ll carry ye for a bit. Until the ground levels.”
I gladly jumped up. “Hang on,” he said and I wrapped my arms around his neck. He wobbled, then found his strength and stood tall. I marvelled at his newfound brawn and relaxed into the warmth of his shoulder blades. My movement caused him to loose footing and he tottered uncertain-like upon his feet.
“Maybe it would be best if you set me down.”
“Nay.”
“But…”
“Just hold on,” he said and tried to take a step. I thought I heard him moan.
“You are yet well?”
“Aye.” I heard him gasp and loosened my hold on his neck. He bent forward and I felt myself slide towards his bot.
“Maybe you should let me go?”
“Nay. I can manage,” he said, then his knees gave way and down we both went into the mud and mulch.
I had never tasted rotting leaves. I pulled the slimy things from my mouth and hoped I would never again have cause to swallow such pungent sludge. I spat out as much as I could, then ran my finger around the inside of my mouth. I turned to Wirt. He too was gauging bits of twig and moss from his gob. He looked at me, picked a wodge of something brown from my hair and grinned.
“Mebbe, ye can go the rest of the way on foot?”
“Goodly plan.”
Wirt stood, shook himself so that all the nasty bugs and bleck fell off, and then offered me his hand. I took it and he pulled me up.
“Ready to continue?”
“That I am. I would be done with this wood,” I said and brushed away some maggoty things that clung to my ankles.
“Then follow me, but stay close.”
Wirt strode off and I hurried after, taking care not to relive my recent encounter with the mushy earth. We trod on, pushing foliage and fern from our path until the forest thinned and we came to a small clearing. There were many dead trees lying in rows on the floor as if someone had hacked them down.
“Is this area used by your folk for logging purposes?”
“Nay, we are not allowed to take from these parts. The Ladies have domain.”
“Of this forsaken landscape? They are most welcome to it. Those prone logs will be a chore to clamber. I confess to being more than weary as it is.”
“Do not fret, Adara. We are close. The Ladies abode lies just beyond the seventh fallen tree directly ahead.”
I opened my eyes wide to let in all the tiny light that shone and could just make out a vast wall of thick brambles and the like.
“Good it is not far, for I am soggy in parts I would rather not be.”
“Take my hand then and let us tramp quick.”
I did and we trod speedily to a great log. Wirt leapt onto said stump and hoisted me up beside him and so we went on climbing and jumping up and over fallen tree after fallen tree, until we came to the high, dense, spiky hedge.
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