First Eclipse

Fauna closed her eyes and held her hands in the direction she needed animals from. She honestly didn't know if using her hands was necessary; she'd just always done it except with the rodents in the tunnel. A few animals startled, so she decided to work with that. She amplified the feeling and sent it back, making sure to guide them in the direction they should run in. She could feel their heartbeats and panic. Immediately after that, she felt the adrenaline. "It's working. Eight, no ten deer heading that way."

"That's our cue," Bastian said quietly.

"Can you steer them at all, Fauna? They're veering and won't run through it."

Fauna squeezed her eyes tight and found them and worked her way along the vibrations that they gave off until she found the one in the front. She sent the suggestion that it should run into the clearing and right through it. "There they go. Perfect." Kara told her.

Fauna opened her eyes and looked at Tim. "We should wait a minute in case I have to redirect them."

He nodded but wasn't looking at her. Instead, he was facing the direction the camp was in. She didn't think they were close enough they'd have to worry about it, but better to be on the safe side, she supposed. "They ran right into the camp," Kara said. "Chaos is upon them." She sounded amused.

"I can count the ones running out," Crissy told them.

"Headcount is good," Quinton replied.

"Oh, coconuts." Fauna frowned when Kara said that. "Uh, I think Fauna stirred up more than just the deer. We have a bear, people, and he's not a tiny cub."

Tim snapped his head around and looked at Fauna.

"I didn't sense him."

He touched his ear. "She didn't pick up the bear."

"Wrong place situation. Probably heard the deer running." Someone said.

"He's heading into the camp." Kara sounded tense.

"Men rushing around leaving the camp. They're running." Crissy announced.

"Yes." Daxx sounded happy.

"Bear is heading into the camp too," Kara said.

Fauna put her hand on Tim's arm. "I need to be closer in case I have to stop him from hurting anyone."

He looked at her, she could see the indecision in his eyes, but then he nodded as he touched his ear. "Fauna and I are moving closer in case she needs to intercede with the bear."

"Be careful." Prince Rafael said quietly, making Fauna wonder where he was to need to whisper.

"Fifteen so far, Vic. I missed some that ran away."

"Keep watching, heart." He said it abruptly.

"Woo, I needed that," Autumn said. "Daxx has just sent two to the cells."

"How damaged are they?" Arius asked.

She chortled. "Minimal. They thought attacking us made sense."

"Poor idiots." Prince Michael sounded happy.

Tim started moving quickly through the growth. He didn't have to tell her to stay close; she grabbed the back of his jacket and followed.

"The woman has come outside," Kara informed them. "Uh, she left the door wide open if anyone wants to go inside."

Fauna smiled, knowing she was sending the Solrelm men to take a look.

"She's looking around, and she looks suspicious. Pish! She's spotted the bear and is going after it." Kara sounded winded now. "If she hurts that bear, I'm going to..."

"I don't think she can control it, Kara," Crissy said. "She looks unhappy and is waving her hand around. The bear doesn't care."

"Now we know why she would have need of Fauna," Rafael stated.

"Have need?" Bethany growled, "You mean to suck Fauna's ability out of her so she can use it?"

Fauna's heart started racing. Could the woman do that?

"Look out, Beth." It was Paisley. "Might need a hand over here, babe."

"On my way." Arius sounded like he was running.

"Son of a bucket. She just grabbed a man who has a gun. Can I knock her out?" Kara sounded anxious.

"You do not draw her attention to yourself, Kara." That was Rafael.

Fauna gripped the back of Tim's jacket tighter when he started running. He stopped so quickly that she bounced against his back.

"This is as close as we can get." He ducked down and looked out through some trees.

Fauna moved over and looked out. She could see the camp. The deer were long gone, but the bear was on his hind legs and not happy with the commotion of people shouting and running around. "Six more just came out." Crissy scoffed. "They must be heavy sleepers."

"I can't get a shot," Kara said. "I want to knock out the guy with the gun."

Fauna stood up straighter and then was able to see the man pointing the gun at the bear. The woman stood behind him, waving her arm around.

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"Can you send him running?" Tim whispered.

"I'm going to try." She closed her eyes and exhaled. Finding the bear's vibes wasn't hard at all. he was angry, annoyed, and unsure of why he was there. She sent the feeling of territory to him. She wasn't sure if it would work on a bear, but animals lived by stronger morals than most humans. She didn't know if it was working and didn't want to look and see. With a little more effort, she sent him images of the stream and the fish in it, hoping his stomach would win out over a fight with a human holding a stinky gun.

"I think he's going to leave," Tim whispered.

Fauna smiled and kept sending it.

"The bear is leaving. The idiot with the gun is yelling at the woman." Kara reported. "Good job, Fauna."

"We're clear," Trendan announced. "Got a good look around."

"Four in the cells," Victor reported.

"Tim, I see where you are, and two men are running in that direction."

Fauna's eyes popped open. Tim looked at her and then out into the trees. The sun was barely touching the horizon, so the lighting made it hard to see. She heard the heavy steps before she saw them.

"Use the porter," Tim said and pulled the sword off his back.

"Tim may need a hand," Kara reported. "Far side of the camp, near the last cabin. Tim and Fauna are twenty feet in the trees if anyone is nearby."

"On the way to you, Tim." Daxx sounded like she was running.

"Cristy, port out now. I'll meet you at home, and we'll go to the meeting." Victor informed her.

"Okay, Vic."

Fauna turned around and saw two men running toward Tim. One had a long knife, and the other one looked like he had a club. She sucked in a breath and watched Tim widen his stance and then just stand there. He was really going to fight them. She looked around, hoping to see one of the others nearby.

"Be there in a second, Tim." It was Leone.

Fauna heaved a sigh of relief and shoved up her sleeve. She wanted to go as instructed, but she didn't want to leave him alone either. She shook her head. She knew nothing about fighting. It would be best if she left, so he didn't have to worry about her, either.

Someone grabbed her from behind and lifted her off the ground. She screeched in surprise. They squeezed her waist harder, and that was when she realized it wasn't one of the friendlies getting her out of there.

"Someone just grabbed Fauna," Kara said. "Stupid branches, I don't have a shot."

Fauna watched Tim's head snap around and looked at her. Eyes wide, she saw the man with the club take a swing at him. Tim ducked like he knew it was coming. He grabbed the club on the next swing and kicked the man in the chest, sending him flying to the ground.

"Almost there. Fauna, if you can hear me, use your animals," Daxx shouted into the mic.

Fauna struggled against the arm holding her and kicked her feet out behind her. She connected with a body a few times because it grunted. She sent out vibes of panic and knew she should have tried to sense what creature was near, but she had no time for that. She didn't want to scream because Tim needed to focus on not getting hurt.

She heard the screech of a bird a second before a hawk descended on the man holding her. She found herself dropping to the ground and heard him staggering around, trying to fight off the bird.

"Holy Fraggle, she called a hawk to help her." She heard Kara say.

Someone ran by her, and she turned to see Daxx making the man disappear. Daxx ducked down. "Send your friend home, Fauna."

Fauna whooshed out a breath and sent peaceful vibrations toward the bird that was coming back for another swoop. It leveled out and flew right over her and then up into the trees. She watched it for a second, in awe that she'd reached a bird, and then jolted and scrambled to her feet. She turned around to see Tim wiping blood off his face. Prince Leone stood there, but the two men were gone.

Tim walked toward her with long strides. "You were supposed to port out."

Fauna lifted her arm to show him the sleeve was pushed up. "I was just going to when he grabbed me." She looked him up and down to check for injuries and saw nothing but the blood near his mouth. "I called a hawk."

His hard look softened. "I saw that." He smiled.

"I've had enough of this wilderness adventure," Daxx said as she approached them. She touched Kara's ear. "Where did the woman go, Kara?"

Someone hissed into their mic. "She used a portal and left."

"Did she make the portal?" Bethany asked.

"I think so. She was there one second, waving her hands around, took two steps, and then was gone." She sighed. "Where am I porting to?"

"Courtyard. We'll clean up and go to that meeting with Bohdi." Rafael said.

Fauna blew out a breath, still astounded she'd reached a hawk. She'd tried birds before. Maybe it didn't work because it wasn't backed with the urgency that she'd just felt. She glanced behind her to where she'd been. She hoped never to feel that urgency again.

"Was he grabbing you because you were convenient, or was it because it was specifically you? Daxx asked her.

Fauna shrugged. "He didn't say anything."

"More about that when you reach the courtyard." Leone didn't look impressed. "Trendan told me some of the things inside the evil twin's cabin."

Fauna looked at Daxx and then Tim; neither of them looked pleased.

Daxx motioned to her. "Think she can come to Alterealm?"

Tim shrugged. "She's half Alterealm, so I don't see why not."

Daxx nodded and then touched her ear. "Have a stabilizer in the courtyard. Fauna is coming back with us."

Fauna raised her brows and looked up at Tim.

Daxx and Leone disappeared.

"Sounds like you need to know what Trendan found," Tim said quietly.

Fauna sucked in a breath and held it for a second, and then nodded. "Okay." She was going to go to another realm.