Exton

Heads snap up the moments young thoughts disappear from their parents' minds. Stoney, Ob, and Pandora are barely on the move when the door crashes open and Alise skids to a stop in the empty clearing. She looks around wildly, sending out her thoughts to the children, meeting.... nothing.

Grace stands with Pike, her eyes screwed tight shut. A hand touches her arm and Alise spins to find Star beside her looking around carefully. Wish is suddenly in front of them. Twisted fingers ball into tight, painful fists.

"Where are they! *Les enfants! Où!"

Wish stares at her a moment, blinking large almond shaped eyes. "They are right here." Alise stares at her in disbelief. "Tis true. They are right here." 

The Wyldfae grins, infuriating Alise. ~"Non! Je ne les vois pas! Je ne pense pas! Qu'avez-vous fait avec nos bébés!"

Wish reaches out to touch Alise but Star shakes her head. The petite fae takes one step backwards and Alise follows. She advances on the Wyldfae. "Where are they! Tell me Wish or I will"

"Ye will what, mortal?"

Just the tone of her voice, the shimmer of power in her words, makes Alise falter. The smaller woman looks up at enraged mother. "Ye claim ye want yer childrin safe, able to defend themselves. Well we are teachin them to do jus' that. If ye ken nae what I am speakin of, sit yerself down, OUT O' THE WAY, an' watch. M'Soul an meself are nae childrin as ye seem t' fergit. We have been a'trainin warriors far longer than ye have been alive... both times combined!" She bows to Star. "With yer pardon Lady, we will return to the game o' Hide and Seek."

With that the young seeming fae turns and stomps to a spot in the clearing, raising her voice. "Stay hidden Wee Ones. Tis Gracie's turn t' be it."

Stoney's hand rests on his wife's shoulder. Alise stares at the Wyldfae as if she had never seen her before. She allows them to lead her to a bench set against the school's wall. 

Star smiles gently. She asks hesitantly, as they sit. "Hide and Seek? This is a game?"

Alise covers her mouth with a hand. "Oh! I am sorry... Oh ^mon ami, it is so much fun... someone covers their eyes and the others hide. Then the person covering their eyes has to find the others..." She looks around the bare clearing. There are very few places to hide.

Stoney kisses the top of his wife'd hair. "Do you remember Chaton... the time we played among the tombstones at Notre' Dame? It was not easy finding a stone creature among all the dressed stone." He whispers very quietly in his wife's ear. "Look at the top of the boulder. Is that one of the kids?" 

Star grins. Her multi-hued irises dance with color. "It must be a game. Pike and Wish would lay down their lives for the children. Please Alise... I don't feel any danger, let's just watch..."


* The children! Where!

~No! I do not see them! I do not feel them! What have you done with our babies!

^my friend