As Luna and Finn set out across the plains, Luna couldn't help but think about her home and her mother. It had been a week since she had left, and she missed her mother's warm embrace and the familiarity of their small cottage.
She thought about the times they had spent together, sitting by the fireplace as her mother told stories of the world beyond their own. Luna had always been fascinated by those stories, and now she was living them for herself.
She also thought about her father. She wished he was here to share in her journey, to see the things she was seeing and to feel the excitement she was feeling.
As they walked, Luna closed her eyes and focused on her memories. She could almost feel the warmth of the sun on her skin, hear the sound of the river rushing by her home, and smell the fresh baked bread that her mother used to make.
Finn noticed Luna's mood and nudged her gently. "Hey, you okay?"
Luna opened her eyes and smiled at him. "Yeah, just thinking about home."
Finn nodded, understanding. "I know what you mean. I miss my family too."
Luna tried to shake off the homesickness and focus on the present. "So Finn, let's go over what we've accomplished so far. Maybe it will change the mood." Luna turned and smiled at Finn, who was currently in his fox form.
Finn glanced up at her, then suddenly transformed until he was looking down at her. "Well Luna, it seems we have been travelling for 8 days, traversed the entire length of the Enchanted Forest, escaped the Enchanted Forest by solving a magical stone arch puzzle, and made it to the Whispering Plains." Finn seemed very proud of himself at this moment. "I can't neglect to mention that we also found an ancient library, which was by far my favorite part."
Luna was also proud that they made it this far, but also wondered how they would ever make it back home. It seemed like they left ages ago. "Why do they call it the Whispering Plains?" she wondered aloud.
"That's a good question." Finn stated. "Maybe because of the way the wind 'whispers' through the grass. Luna noticed that the wind was also tousling Finn's hair around, she quickly looked away. "I think we should find a place with other people where we can find food and information, what do you think?" Finn asked.
Luna hesitated at first. What if the people here were like the village at home? What if they knew that she was, different. But maybe everyone here was different. Is it possible that for some reason her village was trying to keep people out and that’s why they couldn’t escape the woods? Or maybe Luna and her small village had been locked in from the outside world. Maybe they were trying to keep Luna safe, locked away. Luna felt overwhelmed. Things didn’t make any sense.
She thought again about. Finn’s suggestion to find other people. Should they risk it? "If you think that's safe, Finn, then yes, that's what we should do."
After they walked for awhile, in the distance Finn could see smoke billowing up into the sky. "Great," he said. "There must be someone in that direction, because I can see the smoke from their fire. We should head that way.”
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As they travelled towards the smoke, they spotted a giant jackrabbit. The creature was the size of a small horse, with long ears and a fluffy tail.
"Wow," exclaimed Luna. She was in awe.
Luna approached the jackrabbit, hoping to pet its soft fur. But as she got closer, the jackrabbit hopped away, its powerful legs carrying it across the grassy plains.
Finn watched the jackrabbit with interest, his eyes narrowing as he saw it moving away. Suddenly, he started to transform, his body contorting and changing until he was a sleek blue fox.
"Finn, wait," cried Luna as she watched them both disappear. A blue streak following a brown streak in the distance shrinking smaller and smaller.
The fox darted across the plains, chasing the jackrabbit with incredible speed. Luna watched in amazement as the fox and the jackrabbit had already disappeared from her view.
After several minutes, the fox returned, panting and out of breath. Luna approached him, concerned.
"Are you okay?" she asked.
The fox nodded, a mischievous glint in his eyes.
"Come on," Finn said, beckoning to Luna. "Let's continue our journey."
Luna followed Finn across the plains, marveling at the speed and agility of the blue fox.
"I thought you were going to kill it," she stammered. She was embarrassed a little.
"I tried," said Finn. "I saw it and just became overwhelmed with hunger. But mostly I was just stretching my legs.”
"I guess we should be considering different food sources now that we are so far from home." Luna was used to eating greens and small forest creatures that her and mother would capture, or food she bought at the market. Her mouth watered at the thought of a fresh bowl of soup cooking at her hearth at home. She missed her mother.
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As Luna and Finn continued their walk across the Whispering Plains, they finally saw a small hut in the distance. This was where the smoke was originating from. The hut looked weathered and old, but it offered the promise of shelter and perhaps a warm meal.
As they approached the hut, an old woman emerged from the doorway. She looked at them with kind eyes and beckoned them inside.
"Welcome, travelers," she said. "Please, come in and rest."
Luna and Finn entered the hut, feeling grateful for the chance to rest their weary feet and have a break from the persistent wind of the plains. The old woman offered them a simple meal of bread and cheese, which they gratefully accepted. When they saw the food she offered, their mouths watered with desire.
As they bit into the bread, they could taste the warmth and comfort of the simple meal. The bread was soft and fresh, with a crusty exterior that was satisfying to bite into. The cheese was sharp and tangy, with just the right amount of saltiness to satisfy their hunger.
Luna and Finn savored every bite, feeling the food fill their bellies and energize their bodies. They couldn't remember the last time they had eaten something so delicious. It made them both think of home and their own mother's, but they pushed the homesickness out of their minds.
The old woman asked them about their journey and where they were headed.
Luna and Finn told her they were on a quest, but didn't reveal much, and the old woman listened intently. When they finished their meal, she offered them a place to stay for the night.
"You're welcome to sleep here," she said. "It's not much, but it's warm and dry. And I have a few blankets that should keep you comfortable. The next village is pretty far from here. And you shouldn’t sleep out in the open. There are some dangerous creatures that come out at night.”
"We will gladly take you up on your offer," Finn said. He shuddered at the woman’s warning. What kinds of dangerous creatures, he wondered. He was unfamiliar with this land and had no idea what they might face. He looked at Luna, she agreed.
"Unfortunately, the hut is small and you will have to share the bed." the old woman offered.
As Luna and Finn settled down for the night they evaluated the bed. It was small and narrow, barely big enough for one person, let alone two.
Luna and Finn looked at each other, unsure of what to do. They couldn't imagine sleeping on the hard ground, but they also didn't want to intrude on each other's personal space.
Finally, Finn spoke up. "I don't mind sharing the bed," he said. "We can take turns sleeping on the floor if it's too uncomfortable."
Luna smiled, feeling grateful for Finn's generosity. They climbed into the bed together, lying side by side. At first, they were tense and uncomfortable, unsure of how to position their bodies to avoid touching each other.
But as they settled in, they realized that the bed was too small for them to keep their distance. Their bodies were pressed close together, and they could feel each other's warmth and breath.
At first, Luna felt self-conscious and uneasy. But as the night wore on, she began to relax. She realized that there was something comforting about sharing a small space with someone she trusted. It made her feel safe and protected, even in the midst of the unknown. She drifted off into a deep sleep, her arms wrapped around Finn.
Finn on the other hand was wide awake. Something was suspicious about the old woman and the hut that happened to be in the middle of nowhere. What was it though? Were they being tricked? He replayed the evening back in his mind but nothing jumped out at him. He didn't want to tell Luna, she was sleeping so peacefully. Finn didn't sleep all night.
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The next morning, Luna woke up snuggled close to Finn. He was looking right at her.
"Good morning" Luna said awkwardly.
"Good morning," said Finn. Finn sat up and pulled away from Luna. She seemed sad when he broke their embrace, but he couldn't push the thoughts from last night from his mind. They had to get going. Finn did not feel comfortable lingering here even thought the old woman seemed to have good intentions.
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They thanked the old woman and set off across the Whispering Plains, feeling grateful for the kindness and generosity they had encountered on their travels.
As they walked, Finn tried to figure out what was going on. He turned around to look at the hut once more. He stopped in his tracks. The hut was gone. The spot where it had been was now just an empty stretch of grassland. Maybe they had walked further than he thought? That must be it.
Finn felt a twinge of unease in his gut. He still couldn't shake the feeling that something was off about the whole situation.
"Luna," he said, turning to her. "Did you notice anything strange about that old woman?"
Luna thought back to the previous evening. "No, not really," she said. "Why do you ask?"
Finn hesitated for a moment before speaking. "I don't know. It's just that something about her and that hut felt...off. "
Luna looked at him, concern etched on her face. "What do you think it means?"
Finn shook his head. "I'm not sure. But I think we need to be careful. We don't know what's out here on the plains."
As they continued walking in the direction of the nearest village, Finn couldn't shake the feeling that they were being watched. He scanned the horizon, looking for any signs of danger.
Later on that day, they saw movement in the distance. A figure was running towards them, waving its arms frantically.
"Luna, look!" he cried, pointing towards the figure.
Luna turned and saw the figure too. They both quickened their pace, running towards the person.
As they got closer, they could see that it was a young boy. He looked panicked and out of breath.
"What's wrong?" Luna asked, kneeling down to the boy's level.
"It's my village," he gasped out. "It's been attacked by fire drakes. Everyone is in danger. We have to run away! They will kill us all!” The little boy was hysterical, tears streaking down his face.
Finn and Luna exchanged a look. Fire drakes were dangerous creatures, feared by all who lived in the Enchanted World. Finn remembered reading about them in the atlas they took from the library. Fire Drakes were flying, fire breathing dragons with tough scales protecting their skin. They were impenetrable with normal weapons. How could they fight back with that?
"We have to help," Luna said firmly. "Take us to your village." Luna considered her newfound magic. How could she use it to help in this situation? What if there was no water near this village? Could she use the dragon’s own fire against them? Her mind raced with possibilities.
The boy nodded, leading them across the plains towards his village. As they ran, Finn thought about the old woman and her disappearing hut. He still couldn't shake the feeling that something sinister was going on. And what did this have to do with their quest? Should they go back and investigate?
But for now, they had to focus on the task at hand. They had to save the village from the fire drakes.