Gemgriddle raced along the forest floor, trying his hardest to keep up with Petal. She was the only one of Master's pixies left, her wings fluttered while she looked behind them.

"Hurry Gem, Hurry!" Her voice barely reaching his ears. He struggled with the sack in his hands while hopping over an exposed tree branch. His panted for air while his eyes watered. He dare not turn around and simply tucked his head down and tried to push more speed into his little legs.

He could follow Petal because she was leaking. A faint trickle of pixie dust flickered in the moonlight shimmering through the trees. But just so he could follow her, so could they. Howling noises seemed to shake the very trees and his sharp ears could hear the man sounds beneath the howls.

Petal suddenly darted to the left, zipping between some shrubs and approaching several large boulders that were seemingly out of place amongst the trees. There was a small crevice between two of them and she hovered a moment to point. Gem nodded and ducked into the crack. It was a tight fit for him, he was nearly a foot tall and his cheek brushed against the coarse stone.

He instantly felt safer. Being out in the open was completely against his nature and added to the fear, he was trembling. Oh please, master, come save us. He closed his eyes and imagined his nice comfy burrow beneath the Master's bed. It was dark and safe. Petal pushed against him from behind, breaking his wishful thinking.

"Go, go further."

Together they slid against the rock, Gem felt a stirring of air and less pressure against his body, the crack was opening up. He took a step and tripped, falling into a small opening. It was a round area that offered enough space for the two of them to sit down and rest. A soft whisper of air blew through, indicating that there was another crack letting in the freshness. Gem gulped and Petal's shoulders shook.

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"Oh, Master, what happened? Gem, what do we do?" Petal hugged herself.

"I don't know, Petal. Why were those men hurting the Master? Why did he send us away?" Gem cried. He hugged the sack he held, it was nearly the entire size of his chest, enough for him to hold it on his lap and lean against it.

His Master was an aged wizard that lived alone in the forest. He had been there for a long, long time and was friends with many of the smaller Fey that lived in the area. Petal and her sisters were pixies that worked as his helpers. Gemgriddle was a Killmoulis that lived in the house. He didn't remember where he came from, he had just always been there. The master left him little treats and when Gemgriddle was lonely, he would play with the Pixies. They played the best hide and seek.

In the late afternoon, visitors came. Gem didn't know how many there were. Everything was fine until suddenly it wasn't. There were loud noises, flashing lights. He had peeked his head up to peer between the slats of wood he was behind. He saw a huge man grab Coral from the air and in one swipe... he tore her wings off! He laughed and threw her against the wall. Gem huddled down and plugged his ears. He was so scared. But then he heard the Master calling for them. Only he and Petal answered. The master was locked in the top room of his tower. His clothes were scorched and torn. His beard a tangled mess.

He took an object from his work table, quickly wrapped it and placed it in the sack. He handed it to Gem and then pushed Gem and Petal to the window. He told them to get away. He told them to go Cullfield. Then he pushed them out! Gem remembered falling, he was about to scream when Petal grabbed his hand. Her wings beating furiously while she slowed him enough that the landing in the shrubs didn't hurt.

Gem was about to speak when he caught a scent on the air. He sat up sharply and looked at Petal while touching his nose. He watched her lift her head and inhale, she looked at him with wide eyes and nodded. Gem gulped.

"Come out, come out, little ones. We just want our property returned to us." A laughing voice spoke from outside.

"We promise not to hurt you!" Another voice said.

Gem shivered. He knew they were lying. They sat, neither making a sound. Several minutes passed until they heard chanting. Gem struggled to hear it clearly but he couldn't because the ground started shifting and smaller rocks tumbled down on his head. Petal fell to her side and with a large crack, darkness descended.