Chapter 126: Chapter 104

Leopold

 

Something was wrong. He heard soft footsteps. It rustled. Leopold opened his eyes. The first thing he saw were fireflies. Tons of fireflies. The little animals danced above the sleeping group. Slowly he sat up and looked around. It was still night.

He looked in the direction from which the rustling came. Early enough to see how two of the children disappeared deep into the forest. But it took him a moment to understand what he had seen. He was so terribly tired. Nevertheless... The children... Alarmed, he woke Julia, as she was closest to him.

"Juli! Wake up!"

"What is it?" She rubbed her eyes tiredly.

"Come quickly. Two children went into the forest! Quick!" He jumped up and pulled on her.

"What?" Now she was awake and let herself be helped to her feet. "Two children? When?"

"Right now."

"Shouldn't we... Wake up any of the adults?"

But Leo was already pulling her into the forest. "No time. Come. Before we can't find the children anymore."

He pulled Julia behind him, but it was too late. There was nothing to see of the children. But they had left their mark. Twisted branches, footprints... But it was strange. Why could he see all this in the dark? Leopold looked around. The strange tendrils on the trees and some mushrooms shone softly and illuminated the forest. It was beautiful. "Let's follow their footsteps", he suggested.

"I really think we should wake someone else", Julia murmured, but she followed him deeper into the fairy forest. "Why did the children go into the forest?"

"I don't know. Willow-o-Wisps?"

"That may be." Julia stumbled over a root and just caught herself. "I hope we find them quickly."

The two got deeper and deeper into the forest, which seemed to glow and sparkle. Leopold paid close attention to where they came from so that they could find their way back later. They saw fluorescent flowers and mushrooms, shimmering leaves, and even a few pale glowing trees. In between, they discovered fireflies and colorful, nocturnal birds. Leopold had never seen anything so beautiful. But he couldn't enjoy it. They had to find the children. Suddenly, a small, brightly shining light appeared before them. On closer inspection, it was a fairy-like creature that shone brightly. A Willow-o-Wisp. Curious, it looked at the two and giggled softly. It was a strange giggle. It reminded Leopold somewhat of the splashing of water and the buzzing of bees.

Giggling softly, the small light came closer and closer until it flew close to their faces. The Willow-o-Wisp was snow-white with bright blue eyes. It looked innocent. Like a child. It giggled again.

"Oh. Hello!", Julia greeted the light, which immediately hid behind a large flower. "No, please!" Julia clasped her hands over her mouth. "We are looking for two children. Have you seen them?"

What? Leopold looked at her confused. "You don't want to ask a Willow-o-Wisp for help, do you? Probably the children followed it! Who knows where this light would take us! Let's follow their footsteps."

"But it's so cute!", protested Julia. "Look."

"You're not serious, are you? Really? Because it's cute?" It is a Willow-O-Wisp and not a tourist guide!

Julia sighed. "You're right. It probably doesn't understand us either. Let's move on."

It didn't take long for them to follow the tracks until they found the two children. They were standing in the middle of the forest. Alone. "Pepe! Maleen!", shouted Julia, recognizing the two children.

The two children were confused but unharmed. When Maleen saw Leopold and Julia, she began to sob. Julia immediately rushed to the child and lifted her up. "What happened, Pepe?", she asked the boy.

"I don't know", he murmured. "There was a bright light. It seemed like it wanted us to follow it... I listened to music. Maleen was also awake... We followed the light. But now I don't know where we are."

"You followed a Willow-o-Wisp." Leopold stroked the boy's disheveled hair. "These lights like to play tricks. They lure others into the forest and make them get lost. You must not follow one!"

"But the music was so beautiful."

Leopold had not heard any music. Had the Willow-o-Wisp lured the children away from the group with it? Maybe it was magic.

"Music?" Julia seemed to think about it too. "That must have been very beautiful music. But let's go back now..." She looked around and turned a little pale. "Leo? Did you remember the way?"

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He was sure that he had paid attention to the way, but now he could not remember from which direction they had come. Nothing seemed familiar to him. "Um... Didn't you pay attention to the way?"

"Me?" Julia pressed a kiss to the little elf's forehead. "I thought so, but..."

"Won’t we find back?", asked Pepe. "Are we lost? Did you get lost too?" The boy seemed panicked.

"No, no. We'll find our way back," Leopold said immediately, but he wasn't sure. Where had they come from? Again he heard the strange laughter of the Willow-o-Wisp. Did it make us forget the way?

 

Julia

 

That couldn't be true. They were lost!

Maleen rested her head on Julia's shoulder and fell asleep shortly after, but Pepe became increasingly anxious. Leopold led them along what he thought was the right way. Everything seemed strange to her.

"Do we have to live here in the forest now?", asked Pepe, shaking Leopold's hand in fright.

"No. Certainly not", Leo replied. "We'll find our way back."

"And if we don't find our way back? Everything smells funny here!"

This made Julia pay attention. "Do you think you can smell the group?"

Pepe looked at her with wide eyes. "No. I only smell strange flowers. Even you, I could not smell until you stood in front of me."

What a pity... "Don't worry. We find our group."  Hopefully. At least Maleen is asleep and doesn't notice the disaster.

But with every minute Julia became more insecure. The forest was beautiful, yes. But by now she was sure they had taken the wrong path.  Were they perhaps also heading in the wrong direction?

They went a little longer until Leopold finally gave up and suggested that Julia take the lead. But she didn't know where they were either.

"Julia! Leo!", she heard someone call. Fiete!

"We're here!", she replied, relieved.

The dragon approached them. Julia would have loved to run into his arms. "How did you find us?"

He tapped his nose. "Your smell was suddenly missing, I woke up and followed my nose. On the way, I found this! Little Beast!" In one hand he held the little Willow-o-Wisp they had met before. The light bit the dragon's hand angrily, but he didn't seem to notice. "Your smell sticks to the little beast. And also the smell of the two children. It's better not to follow a Willow-o-Wisp."

Pepe pulled excitedly at Leopold. "That's the dragon!"

"We know that. We looked for the children and encountered the light on the way." Leopold snorted and let Pepe run to Fiete, who stared at the dragon like a hero. "And then we didn't find our way back."

Meanwhile, a soft melody could be heard. Sweet and tempting. The melody promised everything Julia could dream of. Pepe listened dreamily to the music.

Fiete just grimaced and looked at the Willow-o-Wisp. "Leave the games! For dragons, your little trick doesn't work!" Then he released the light. Furious, it whizzed away. It scolded in a foreign language. "Come. I'll bring you back. Before such a little beast has fun with you again!"

"I thought it was cute. However, I would have liked to refrain from getting lost...", Julia replied. "At least we found the children."

"At least we were found!", grumbled Leopold.

"Come!" Fiete ruffled Julia's hair, then lifted Pepe, who immediately wrapped his arms around the dragon's neck and yawned. "The sun will rise soon."

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