Basket of Cupcakes

The forbidden forest was disorientating with its blinding darkness. The smell of decomposing leaves rendered the air thick and murky. It seemed their sense of hearing heightened as even the slightest susurration of branches was heard thru the dense forest as if the forest were trying to whisper to them. A little further on and their eyes began to adjust to the shadowy figures around them.

Their path was made uneven by roots that crept across their path. Hogin’s march forward was slow and deliberate, often raising a hand to indicate they need to be still and then gesturing to continue.

Claire heard a whisper calling out to her. She held on tighter to Ethan and tried to ignore the haunting sound. As they crept further on, she noticed a figure walking alongside her, passing behind the large tree trunks. Was that her Nana?

She tried to focus and sure enough, the figure materialized into her Nana.

“Ethan, look!

Nana’s come for us! She’s found us, we’re saved!” She screamed but before Ethan could grab hold of her, she had sprinted across to meet her Nana. The group turned in a hurry to see what was going on just in time to hear Claire scream as the apparition turned into a hideous woodland witch. Ethan ran to save her but as soon as the witch grabbed ahold of them both, she let out a deafening cackle and vanished into thin air along with Ethan and Claire. Kiki tried to run but Ben held on tight. Hogin’s blocked her path.

“There is no going back for them dear. The only way is forward. They were not to leave the path. These forests hold tricks that you couldn’t dream off. Their only hope lies now with the Phoenix. If you want to save your friends, that is our only hope.”

Victoria comforted Kiki, Ada and Geordie as they wiped their tears and set off once more.

Ben chose to walk behind everyone to keep an eye out for any further ghouls of the forest. Ben noticed Claire and Ethan’s Cuppies scuttling along trying to keep up. They were terrified and ran up Ben’s jeans and settled warmly into his coat pockets.

It seemed Cuppies were immune to the forests trickery. Ben remembered that Cuppies have a sort of link to their human’s and was sure that these cuppies would play a part in sniffing out Claire and Ethan. Soon they reached what looked like a cave made up of leaves. An unnatural light seemed to mist over the entrance. As they stepped within the opening, they found themselves in a clearing awash with many colours of light. The plants here developed their own luminous quality and bugs flew about like floating lanterns. It was truly a feast for the eyes after their horrific journey. But before anyone could be truly taken in by the scene, Hogin’s quickly warned them to stay on the path and keep moving. This did not please the residence of this clearing.

Fairies began to fly up to them coaxing them to play with them in their garden. But when they did not pay attention, they soon turned into flying bats screeching at them and clawing at their faces. They rushed thru the exit marked by a concave of leaves and as they rushed thru, loud wails of torture could be heard disappearing behind them.

“What the hell was that?” Huffed Ben.

“Well, let just say you’re the best lunch they’ve seen for centuries.”

Victoria looked as though her eyes would pop out of their sockets and let out a tiny squeal.

“How far do we have to go to Hogin’s? I can’t risk these people’s lives like this.” Ben said agitated that he allowed Kiki to be put into this situation. It wasn’t his fault but he couldn’t help feeling like it was.

“We have arrived. I cannot go any further but I will be waiting for you here.”

Ben looked around until his eyes adjusted to their surroundings. A huge mountain towered in front of them. Its peak is hidden in thick mist. In front of them loomed a giant entrance into the mountain. The Lair of the Phoenix. They froze for a minute where they stood, trying to muster all the courage they could to enter the unknown.

“it’ll be okay.” Hogin’s said, but he didn’t sound convinced himself. Ben nodded and led the way.

Their steps echoed in the vast cavity of the cave. Bats could be heard flapping in the distance and it seemed that they were completely blinded, dependent on the walls of the cave to guide them. Ben noticed a flickering of light in the distance.

As they got closer they noticed a fire alight in the centre of a large pit. It was a heavenly feeling to feel the warmth on their skin again. They looked around, there was no exit, just an empty cave with a fire in the middle of it.

If anyone lived here, they were definitely not there now. It all felt so hopeless. They sat down in exhaustion, no one willing to speak out what they truly thought. Kiki fell onto Ben’s lap and began to weep. This was her only hope. But all she felt now was hopeless.

Ada noticed the air move in the far corner. It may have been the effect of the fire but she looked at Geordie and silently pointed out what she was seeing. He saw it too.

“It’s nothing Adi, fire tends to do that sometime,” Geordie said trying to comfort Ada.

It’s crying Pyre. Are you really going to let them go like that?

“Did you hear that?” Cried Ada. Victoria pulled Ada close. “Oh my dear, it’s been a traumatic journey and we’re far from home, here here, it’s okay my darling.” She then turned to Ben and whispered that Ada might be going thru some post-traumatic stress.

Pha! What is it crying for? A new toy?

Better friends? Riches that will be squandered off in no time? Aura, how many times have we been visited by imbeciles wanting useless trinkets to better their spoilt lives?

Ada stood up in a huff. She was exhausted, hungry and really didn’t enjoy the words she heard.

“She’s here to save her mother! And we are not imbeciles!”

“Ada, who are you talking to? There’s no one here but us?” Ben asked in a worried tone. He was sure Ada had lost her marbles.

It seems that piglet can hear us Pyre!

Impossible! We have not met anyone or anything that could communicate with us Aura, that is why I’m stuck talking to you all these centuries.

Well! It’s not my fault you grew a second head Pyre! Now we’re stuck for eternity like this because of your one moment of boredom.

“I can hear you you know!” Ada shouted.

By now Victoria and Ben looked positively worried that Ada was definitely going loony.

Well well, this is quite the surprise. That little piglet hears us. Time to show ourselves then Pyre.

Victoria and Ben were trying to make Ada sit down, feeling her temperature and generally fussing about trying to do something about nothing. The air started to move like a mirrored mirage.

Geordie shouted to get everyone’s attention.

“Look! There in the corner. Something is moving about there!”

The look on Geordies face alerted Ben. It was complete fear.

They all turned just in time to see the mirage materialize into a gigantic two-headed bird!

“The Phoenix.”

Said Kiki in wonder. It was truly majestic. Its tail of many colours circled the fire. |Its body was covered in lush, velvety red feathers with blue piercing eyes.

It lowered its head to stare straight into Ada’s eyes.

“Interesting.

How is it you can hear us?” Asked Pyre.

“I don’t know, I just can.” Said Ada trying to sound brave thru but to no avail. Her terror showed thru her shaky voice.

“Kiki’s mum was kidnapped and taken to a place called Saspine County. And were here to save her.”

“A real quest Aura! Finally.” Said Pyre in excitement.

“Who said we’re going to help them!” Snapped Aura.

“Oh please, we need your help. Our friends have been taken by a woodland witch. We don’t know what to do.” Pleaded Ada.

“Well, you have a choice then, I could take you straight to Saspine County but you forget your friends. Or you choose to save your friends and find another way to save the girls mum.”

Ada looked at Kiki with fear in her eyes.

“What did they say, Ada?” Asked Kiki.

“They can take us straight to Saspine County if we choose but we forget Claire and Ethan or we chose to save them and find another way to your mum.”

At hearing this, Kiki felt lost. The whole reason they were there was for her mum but Claire and Ethan did not ask to be there. They were in trouble because of her. Kiki did not want to choose.

After a moment she asked, “Why can’t we save all?”

Ada relayed the question and responded. “They can only help on one quest. It is the law.”

“Fine, then we will first save Claire and Ethan ourselves and come back together to seek their help for my mum.” Kiki knew any delay jut made finding her mother that much harder but she could not leave Claire and Ethan behind.

“Well, this is quite a change from those we’ve met in the past,” Pyre said admiringly. “Your friend there is good of heart. And her courage is bigger than any man I have ever met. Not many would want to seek out the woodland witch. So be it. I smell that wretched hobgoblin outside.” With a wave of her wing, Hogin’s appeared. Completely confused as he looked around. She also made possible for everyone in the cave to understand her words.

“Hello, imbecile. Still leading strangers to my lair for a few favours are we?”

Everyone stood still, looking at Ada to confirm they heard the Phoenix speak. She nodded to them that they were, in fact, hearing the words of the Phoenix.

“I’m so sorry!

I need to live too you know. They are not like the rest of the jokers.

They truly seek out to save their mama.”

“Yes Yes, I’m aware, but they want to save their friends first and who better to guide them to the witch than you?” Pyre said with a large smirk on her face. At hearing this, Hogin’s tried to run as fast as possible out. Pyre sighed for a minute, let him get to the entrance and then waved her wing and he appeared before them again panting for breath.

“So we agree Hogin’s?” Pyre asked leaning over to stare him in the eye.

“Agreed”.

Hogin’s said out of breath, looking as hopeless and miserable as ever.

Aura started to sniff the air. “I smell cake Pyre? Can you smell cake?”

“Well Well, yes I do. Oh, what a surprise this is. Come out cuppies.”

The cuppies emerged from their hiding places and hopped onto the floor in a line.

They did not look happy. Their arms were crossed and they looked everywhere else but at the phoenix. Aura and Pyre took one look at them and burst out into such a loud, rumbling laugh that the cave started to shake.

Aura wiped a tear and sighed. “Oh, how long has it been? I had even forgotten about these pests!”

A long time ago, a group of fairies had found their way to the lair of Pyre and Aura who lay asleep. They entered and saw the giant bird and began to flutter about them in curiosity.

Poking at their beaks, opening their eyes. They giggle at the size of its butt and made loud fart sounds while the rest played dead.

This woke the phoenix before their nap was over and in a rage, they cast a spell. Aura was in a dream at a tea party and being amidst dream and awake, the fairies turned into a basket of cupcakes.

“As much as it pains me, I see the universe is much on your side. These pesky creatures are quite useful in their natural form.

They have many tricks up their sleeves that could be very useful on your quest.”

With a wave of a wing, the cuppies turned into their original form. They tested their wings and looked at their tiny hands in awe.

They hugged each other and flew up to the phoenix placing kisses on her face as she tried to shoo them off. A loud snore could be heard and everyone looked at Kiki.

“it’s not me.

Wake up, Yori!” She shook her jacket and out fell Yori in a daze.

“Yori!

My pet! Oh, how good to see you!” Pyre said picking Yori up in her large wings.

Yori wiped the sleep out of his eyes and looked at Pyre and Aura.

“Hello, ladies. Still arguing are we? Its been too long. These here hooman’s are looking for their mum and I, unfortunately, was taken away from my cosy bed to help. So I try to get as much beauty sleep whenever I can. They can be a stressful bunch you know.”

“My moon child, it must be a truly important quest to have sent you out to help. But do not worry, you can rest here with me while they go and seek out their friends.”

“yes, I am rather exhausted!” He said stretching his body.

“Oh please, he’s been carried the entire way?” Squealed Kiki. “We’re the ones that have been walking and are starving. He eats anything that flies or crawls.”

Yori scowled at Kiki and mouthed some obscenity.

“Well, you lot have a daunting mission ahead of you. Come, I will open up the cave rooms and we will feast tonight.” Aura announced as new cave entrances began to materialize as well as a large table with a feast to die for. Roasted lamb with fluffy mashed potatoes, buttery scones and every possible flavour of jams imaginable. Salads and heap of fruits and cakes. It seemed everyone’s heart’s desire materialized in front of them.

They ate until they could not eat anymore. They then retired to their caves. They each had their own hot spring to soak in and fresh clothes to change into.

This was a dream come true and they each fell into a deep dreamless sleep.