The Misty World of Arial Hollyberry

Posts Tagged ‘Dogs’

Something was wrong! I didn’t know what it was, but my heart started doing a Gene Krupa drum solo in my chest and my breathing stopped, then started with a squeak. I thought I was having a heart attack. Men my age have them, you know, but I’ve learned the warning signs of a heart attack and this wasn’t it, nor was it a stroke. I think it was a panic attack. I was panicked but without a cause. Doesn’t that seem odd?

I was looking out the kitchen window at the ivy covered back fence. I stood there shaking and grasping the sink until my physical sensations settled down. That’s when I saw it. There was a beam of light like laser pointers, only it was an icky green instead of red. It was aimed at the ivy near the round outdoor thermometer. I couldn’t tell where it was coming from. My best guess was across the street, but lasers pointed at the moon 238.000 miles away have illuminated spots that were seen from earth. If this was a laser its source could be anywhere there was a direct line of sight.

As I watched the green pinpoint started to grow and the ivy leaves scorched where it touched. I was shocked but fascinated. I had never seen anything like this and I wondered what I should do. If it grew any bigger it could cause some real damage. What if it shifted from the fence to the house? That’s when I got scared. We had to get out. We had to let someone know that our fence was under attack by, by what?

I didn’t know but I didn’t want to wait any longer to find out. I went rushing through the house yelling for my wife, but she didn’t answer. I didn’t know she was out, but she sure wasn’t in. I grabbed for the dogs who were yapping like a pack of idiots because they didn’t know what was going on. Better to yap than to be caught unprepared. The silly things ran away from me every time I tried to pick them up. I had to herd them into a couple of kennels so I could carry them out to the car. You’d think a four pound dog couldn’t put up much of a fuss, but they can. I don’t know if they were reacting to my fright or if they sensed something wrong too. They were bumping, and thumping against the sides of the kennel so hard that I could barely hold on to them. The handles on top were straining and I was afraid that they might break and they’d tumble down the stairs kennels and all. I was lucky, no breaks.

We reached the back door when I heard something strange above the caterwauling of the dogs. I know, dogs don’t caterwaul, but these three were coming very close to disproving that belief. It was loud, and obnoxious, and high pitched. I didn’t think I could hear a bomb go off in the din they created. But I heard something. It sounded like a woman shouting at me, “Mr. Bill, Mr. Bill don’t go away and forget us! We’re scared too.”

“Wha?”

It must have been the ringing in my ears and my overactive imagination. “Nah,” I thought, “I didn’t hear anything.”

Then just as I turned back to the door again, I heard it again, “Mr. Bill, don’t you dare leave this house without us!”

I turned around and there standing just outside of the kitchen were two little people only six inches tall. My eyes bugged out. I dropped the kennels, which caused the dogs to get louder if that was even possible, and I fell down hard on my butt. “Oh great,” I thought, “Here I am running around the house like a crazy person, scaring the wits out of our dogs, and the truth is I’ve gone around the bend to the funny farm and climbed the slippery basket-weaver’s tree.”

The little folk took this chance with me seated on the ground to run up my legs, scramble up my shirt and perch on my shoulder. The female said, “Hurry, we have to go. There is going to be a breach in the portal and we can’t be here when it happens.”

I didn’t move. The male of the pair slapped my ear and yelled, “Get up, yer big lug — we don’t have time for yer amazement. You can be amazed later — right now we gotta go.” With that he yanked the hair at the nape of my neck and screamed, “Go, go, go!”

So I did. Luckily the car door opened easily. In went the kennels. The tiny folks scrambled from my shoulders on to the front seat beside me. I jerked the door closed and backed the car down the drive. There wasn’t a moment to lose, I turned and shot down the street. Car, kennels, little guys and me, rushing headlong into the darkness. I glanced over at the little man and woman struggling to get under the broad seat belt and started to think. Were these the gnomes that lived under our sink? My wife said they were there, but I had never seen them. Not until today that is. What else has she been talking about that seemed too fanciful to be believed — fairies, shape shifters, and centaurs? What if it was all true? What if? The thought made my stomach queasy. I didn’t want to think about it anymore. Besides I had better figure out where we were going and what we were going to do once we got there.

© Tami Ruesch, The Misty World of Arial Hollyberry, 2009-2010

Mab had finally returned to her seasonal palace in the west, giving Orlaith full reign here for the winter. Our small group stood by the great crystal doors of the palace as all the guests at the Yule ball said their good-byes and departed into the forest. The mermaids needed a little assistance getting back to their lake but that was accomplished by the centaurs pulling massive wooden carts with large crystal tanks. The tanks were  filled with lake water, and the mermaids who were now flapping and splashing happily as they rolled away down the path and into the darkness.

Orlaith glided across the hall toward us followed closely by Arial, Sunny, Bella, Pip and Ferne. Arial took her usual place on my shoulder and the others played tag with each other around my head. In the year that had just passed I had forgotten what a handful they could be. Not that I minded. Other faeries shot past me and took positions by what I assumed were their mortals. I chuckled under my breath when I realized that they kind of matched their charges. Sparkle had a feisty little faerie that wore a gown of multicolored scarves in a daring off the shoulder fashion. She had large eyes and a puckered mouth. The Word Master’s faerie had silky straight hair and wore a black and white one piece jumper. A faerie with large green wings in the shape of oak leaves perched on Jewel and the faerie hovering around the Sculptress had her honey colored hair pulled up in a lose bun and was wearing a red and white polka dot skirt that ballooned out like the top of a mushroom. Golden Heart had the most glorious faerie. She wore a gown of midnight blue and silver that billowed around her like a cloud.

When the last of the straggling pixies had departed, Orlaith drew closer so that she could give us her royal blessings. Speaking softly to each person, she sent them off with their faeries. One by one, my new friends dissolved in sparkling light with promises that we would keep in touch.

Orlaith waited patiently while  Golden heart gave me a hug. Her black hair shone in the reflected light of the palace as she waved goodbye. Grinning broadly, she shimmered away into nothingness. The winter queen slipped her arm through mine. “Kind One, I must speak with you before I let you return to your world.” Her mood was suddenly somber. “I have been informed of a breech at the portal in the ivy hedge. ” I jumped back in shock at the unexpected bit of news, sending the group of faeries spiraling around my head flying off in all directions, squeaking their displeasure. “Oh no! is anyone hurt? I must get back immediately. I, I have to check on my gnomes and Bill, oh, and my dogs!”

I charged through the crystal doors, down the wide steps, and out into the night. I shut out Orlaith’s frantic plea’s for me to return to her and the safety of the palace. The only thing on my mind was the safety of my family. Not stopping to think about what I would do when I got to the ivy hedge, I dashed through the meadow, heading for the ebony gloom of the trees. A single thought wafted though my panic driven mind, I’ve been down this path many times before, I have a good idea how to get back, even  if it is pitch black. I ran, fearing the worst, but hoping for the best. I had no idea where Arial was or even if she was following me.

The path ahead was swallowed by the forest. I hesitated for only for a moment then shot forward, dashing into the inky underbrush.The wild wood closed in around me. The trees that were so cool and inviting by day had turned menacing, their branches reached for me, picking at my hair and clutching the sleeves of my gown. The last thing I heard was Orlaith’s voice warning me about…what was it…her voice was so faint now, it sounded like “they’re dangerous” or something. Then, I was alone, with nothing but the pounding of my heart in my ears.

Irrational fear drove me out of the palace and into the darkness of the forest. I had to get home, had to help…somehow, but it wasn’t long after I entered the dark, foreboding,  mass of pine and oak that cool, logical, common sense hit me and I stopped running. My sides burned and ached and my breath came in ragged gasps. I tried to see through the murky blackness with no success. Bending forward, I wrapped my arms around my waist and waited for my breathing to slow down and the pain in my side to release. What had I been thinking? I hit my forehead with the palm of my hand. Stupid, stupid, stupid girl! Now you’re alone in the woods, in the DARK.

My imagination began to get the best of me, I thought that I felt a hand close around my ankle and jerked myself to attention. I tore forward, shaking  my foot with each frenzied step.The darkness filled with all kinds of eerie sounds. Multiple sets of tiny, piercing, yellow eyes blinked at me from the bushes. I slowed my pace and began walking slowly up the path, hoping I was going in the right direction. The yellow eyes were all around me now, moving with me.

*********

Orlaith shouted at me as I darted down the steps. “Kind One, no! Don’t go, wait for the emerald guard! You don’t know what lurks in the dark woods, wait! They are dangerous!” Arial was hovering at her side, shocked at how fast I had moved, wings flapping like a humming bird, eyes wide. Mutely, she pointed after me as I sped across the meadow toward the opening in the trees. Panic swept through the mass of faeries that had gathered by the palace doors. Sunny and Ferne were trying hard to calm the commotion. Shrill whaling’s of “what will we do now!” echoed through the great hall.

Orlaith turned and raised her arms, calling for quiet. The court grew silent and waited. “Arial, my daughter, go after the Kind One, be quick now, they will hear her coming. Sunny, Ferne, go ahead to the portal, see what needs to be done, help where you can and send the captain of the emerald guard to me. Bella and Pip, you go to the Elvenwood and notify Elendain and the elves, they can work back from the far side of the realm. The rest of you spread out over the forest, be sure to stay above the canopy, and keep your eyes sharp. Signal if you see anything.

Orlaith stood at the entrance to her palace and watched as hundreds of faeries headed into the night. “I pray the Goddess Danu watch over you, and keep you safe Kind One.” Her voice stuck in her throat. “Please Danu, bring her back to us.”

*********

I walked timidly through the pitch black forest. Eyes wide, arms out in front of me, feeling for any obstacles that I might run into. The yellow eyes kept pace. I noticed that the farther I went, the more  pairs of eyes were watching, waiting. A low moan echoed the the darkness causing the tiny yellow beacons to wink out. I don’t know what was worse, seeing the yellow eyes, or not seeing them but knowing they were out there. A chill ran down my spine as the moan echoed again. I stopped and waited. Silently cursing my stupidity, I began to wonder what had happened to Arial. Why wasn’t she here? I whispered into the darkness, “Arial, I need you, I’m here, on the path leading to the ivy hedge, and I’m not alone. Follow my thoughts…hurry, please hurry.”

A glowing mist had begun to form on the path ahead of me. In it was a ghostly form of a faerie, she was smiling and beckoning me to come closer. A warm peace settled over me and all sense of panic subsided. Feeling a little lightheaded, I moved toward the light…

© Tami Ruesch, The Misty World of Arial Hollyberry, 2009-2010

I didn’t know if Bill wanted to laugh or cry. One thing was perfectly clear, he wasn’t at all happy about having his wife turned into a cat. He sat down on the porch step and stared at me. Arial and Cythia had each taken a protective position, hovering a few inches off the ground on either side of me.

I have noticed that when situations get tense, the faeries will hum softly. It has a calming effect, like the time my little Chihuahua, Edie, got plopped on the head with cold wet snow.  She will always let us know when she is not happy, and by the sounds of her wild screaming that day, she wasn’t happy! The faeries paralleled her every move, humming a gentle lullaby, until she stopped. Then of course she looked at us like nothing out of the ordinary had just happened.

Arial and Cythia were humming like that now, but this time it was for Bill. When the shock began to wear off, and the two faeries were satisfied that he was calmer, they left my side. Arial went to perch on Bill’s shoulder and Cythia proceeded to braid the strands of hair that she had pulled out of my head prior to my feline transformation.

Arial repositioned herself on Bill’s shoulder, leaning forward to observe Cythia’s work. She scratched her head, “Potions are tricky things.” Since Bill hadn’t been home to witness my metamorphosis, Arial had to do a little explaining. “Unless you know the exact magical strength of the creature you are going to change into, it is hard to gauge the length of time before the potion wears off. Obviously Mrs. Shunners cat wasn’t just a cat, or, the shape shifter had placed charms on it.”

“She won’t stay like that will she? We have dogs, and gnomes!” Bill edged a little closer and held out his hand to me. “Please forgive me sweetheart, I had no idea you were a, he gulped, cat.” I knew that I would have to make him dinner tonight, but right now I decided to play the cat role to the hilt. I turned my back and proceeded to lick my paws, glancing around to give him a detached look of disdain. “Tonight, you get tuna!” Meooow.

Cythia finished the braid and wove it into the fur on the top of my head. She moved back  waving her wand over me and chanted. Pink sparkles fell from the tip and disappeared into the thick black fur. “That should do it! Her natural DNA will recognize the strands of hair and the transition back to her former human self will begin.”

We waited. When nothing happened, I started to get nervous and began pacing around in circles. “I can’t stay this way, I can’t stay this way!” Meeeeoow, meeeeoow! Bill stifled a shudder and gently rubbed my fur. “Ah honey! Thanks for that show of support, I forgive you, you don’t have to eat tuna tonight!” Meow, Meoow.

All of a sudden I felt a tingling, it started at the tip of my tail and worked it’s way up my spine and out the tips of my ears. My eyes opened wide and I stood very still, waiting. Everyone else must have known that something was about to happen because they all took several steps away from me. For a split second, I felt as if the whole world was collapsing in on me. Everything compressed, then in a sudden explosion of sparkling pink light I materialized, and from the relieved smiles on their faces, looking quite myself.

At first no one spoke, then, everyone was speaking at the same time. “Well done!”  “Welcome back.” “I thought you would stay that way forever!” “What did it feel like?” “What’s for dinner?” (that’s my hubby, it’s all about the food!).

Faeries were buzzing around my head, Bill was hugging me. I think Warren and Odette even got in on the welcoming committee, of course, the dogs were barking madly. I let their relief wash over me, happy to be myself again, aside from a slight buzz in my head, I felt rather good.

When the celebration had subsided, and Bill couldn’t hug me any tighter, I extricated myself from his arms and stood back to look him in the eyes. With hands on hips, and with a mock tone of indignation in my voice, the first words to come out of my once again human mouth…”Shoo cat!?”

Bill’s eyes opened wide and he stammered, “You understood me?” I nodded. Not being able to hold in my happiness any longer, I pointed at him and began to laugh. “You should have seen the expression on your face!” I heard Odette’s high laugh, then Arial’s, and finally Bill.

We were all out of breath, “I don’t know about anyone else, but I need a coke, my mouth feels like it has feathers in it!” We all looked at each other and broke into renewed gales of laughter.

© Tami Ruesch, The Misty World of Arial Hollyberry, 2009.