chapter 36 the creepy forest

"Kadrid, good you're awake." Pandora exclaimed jumping up to greet her.

"Yes, I am. Should we continue?"

"Yes, we should probably get moving again." Salem replied as he stood with a little less agility than the sorceress.

The trio headed off on foot for several hours, passing by large mountains, small pools of water, strange narrow pathways and more villages than they kept track of. They had cleared well over a hundred miles by the time the bright moon had risen, taking it's rightful place in the clear night's sky. By the time they had found a good place to settle for the night the three of them had cleared almost half of the journey home. Salem lit a small campfire. The three of them sat around it telling stories of their past, talking and laughing together well on past the witching hour until they all needed a good night of rest. The next morning one by one they had all risen early, ready to get a head start on the day at hand. They had gone back the way they came. All of it had been new and diffrent for the sorceress. She really didn't mind the rough journey that lay a head of them. She had her warlock and her very best friend with her. Nothing else mattered to her at the present moment.

"When can I fly again?" The dragon pleaded.

"Do you think you're okay?I don't want to see you getting hurt like that again." Salem replied, nearly scolding her.

"I'm sure that I'm just fine." The dragon spoke through her teeth, wanting to growl in annoyance.

"Why don't we keep walking for a little longer?" Salem suggested.

The three of them kept going , Kadrid had spent the entire time giving Salem the evil eye. She loathed all this walking. She knew deep down he was just showing that he cared for her well being, but it was still irritating. She wasn't five years old anymore. Salem made them walk a few more hours before he finally gave in to the dragon's request. He knew he had better before she led a revolt against him. He didn't need to turn around to know she was angry with him. He had known her long enough that he could sense it when she was mad or upset with him.

"You may test out your wings if you wish. However if you get to feeling strange or light headed, you have to land." Salem told her in a rather firm tone.

"I promise even if I feel no more than a slight headache I will land us as soon as possible." She replied with a twinkle in her eyes. She seemed to glow with excitement.

"Climb on to my back. Let's be off, maybe we could get a little further, take a day's traveling off of this trip back home." The dragon told them, talking a little faster than usual.

Pandora giggled and then climbed on to the back of the waiting dragon, then the warlock did the same. Kadrid found a nice hill to leap off of. She jumped into the air and began flapping her wings, squealing with delight as she took to the skies.She flew at a moderate speed, not wanting to show off. She also didn't want Salem to tell her she was going too fast and make her land just after taking off. She slowly increased speed a little at a time. Eventually dipping in and out of the puffy white and pink clouds, giggling with sheer joy. The dragon kept right on flying for the next six hours had passed. By then the warlock had more than insisted that she land and take a little break. Kadrid let out a soft growl before finally landing in a large soft field of bright vivid wild flowers.

"Are you satisfied, warlock?" Spat the dragon.

"Very much so, yes. Thank you young one." He replied ignoring the sarcastic tone in her voice.

"Thank you Kadrid. I really enjoyed it." Pandora told the dragon with affection.

"You're quite welcome. I'm glad someone appriciates me flying them wherever they want to go." She replied to the hybrid sorceress.

"Where are we?" Pandora asked them.

"A few hours hike from the swamps, we're slowly getting there." He explained to the sorceress.

"Is it safe?" She asked in a nervous tone.

"As far as I can tell. Besides we have got magic, wit and a dragon on our side." He told her in a teasing manner.

Pandora let out a light hearted soft giggle and the three of them headed on through the next forest. It was massive in size and full of dark looking plant life. There were dark indigo blue ferns against black elm and willow trees. They were covered in large hunter green leaves that shaded a few of the dwarf sized trees as well as little mushrooms and exotic looking flowers through out the long stretch of the forest. It held a creepy impression to the land, a strange dark feel in the air around them. the ground had been much softer than it appeared, like thick mud as the three of them headed through the spooky looking winding trails. The further they went, the darker the forest had become. They hiked over another twenty seven miles before Salem could see the famillar clouded mist. He knew they were inching closer to the voodoo swamp The foggy mist seemed to thicken in the air around them. The warlock led them with caution through the mist until they had gotten a few feet from the water's edge.