Bittersweet & Feolan

"Whispers" is the prologue to this story

 Dawn

Bittersweet sat high in the top of the Elder Oak and watched, as the cruel morning mist crept up from its lair in the river valley. The mist was advancing slowly towards the ancient woodland hoping to wreak havoc as usual. Its tendril like fingers trying to push their way into the wood, looking for any small gap in the defences: it had a mission to destroy the wood and all the fey in it.

Far below and asleep lay Feolan, a huge grey wolf who was guarding the Elder Oak and its precious visitor.

An icy finger of mist snaked toward Feolan, hoping to ensnare the great wolf and bring him to a swift end, but Feolan could smell the mist and woke. Feolan inhaled deeply, he knew the mist was close and getting closer, slowly he turned his head to find the mist. His deep blue sapphire eyes scanned the clearing and fixed on the finger of mist approaching him , a low growl grew from inside the great wolf until the ground started to shake while the mist retreated until with a sidestep into infinity , it was gone.

Feolan resumed his slumbers, job done while high in the tree top Bittersweet had been watching. Leaning out as far as she could she could look directly down onto Feolan.  Taking careful aim she launched the spitball. Down and down it flew, gathering speed until it landed in Feolans ear.

Even Bittersweet was terrified at Feolans response, jumping to his full height Feolan glared at the woods then slowly raised his eyes to the tree tops and to Bittersweet, who was trembling with both fear and laughter. 

'Two bounds and I could rip the wings from your back, for you are an evil Fey and do not deserve me to guard you' 

Bittersweet and Feolan were an odd couple forced together by circumstance, barely able to stand each others company at some times but at other times caring deeply  for each other.

Bittersweet leapt from the canopy and with a twitch of her gossamer wings she let herself spiral down like a sycamore seed, towards Feolan, who was waiting and snarling as he watched her float down to him. As Bittersweet came within range Feolan leapt upwards snatching at the small Fey with his huge mouth. He caught Bittersweet between is teeth and landed on the ground without a sound. Growling softly he placed the Fey on the woodland floor, standing over her breathing slowly, hatred in his eyes for a moment, soon replaced by sorrow as he remembered her story and his place in it.

'One day my fey friend you will go too far and I will eat you' 

‘No you will not, for I will make you ill for years if you do and anyway you love me too much ' she laughed

With a shake of his great head Feolan strode off to the edge of the glade they were in and slumped down under a beech tree.

'What are we to do today O little one? More searching I suppose'  Feolan spoke the words in a tired way as though he were exhausted, as the searching was tiresome and boring, not something the great wolf relished.

Feolan

Feolan had once been Fey himself, a Prince of Fey, tall for a Fey with black hair and built for war, strong in body and spirit; he had wings of the deepest blue almost black and with his stature commanded respect wherever he walked.

Then came an unfortunate meeting with Ragnor, the Goblin King.

Feolan had been ranging the Bramblewood looking for a lost soul when his army was surrounded and captured by the devious Goblin. All the captured Fey were taken to the Goblin city of Gorlok to be transformed into WarWolves, the goblins favoured mode of transport. Days of potions and majicks were used to bring about the transformation, one that could never be reversed.

Feolan, being once a Fey Prince was a treasured captive to be used in war only by Ragnor.

Years of warring among the woodlands as Ragnors WoodWolf had taken a toll on Feolan, he was becoming morose and dangerous and Ragnor knew this.

One dull day whilst foraging the woodland for Fey Feolan took his chance and charged at a thicket of bramble, Ragnor clung to him suddenly scared for his life. Feolan drove his body into the thicket not worried about the damage the thorns were doing to him, his only vision was to tear Ragnor from his back.

The goblin struggled to hold on as Feolan forced his way forward, and it was eventually all too much for Ragnor to bear. He released his grip and fell to the floor. Immediately Feolan felt the lightness on his back he turned and savagely attacked the goblin, tearing him apart with his teeth and claws. Dripping in goblin blood and fearful of the terrible infections it could bring Feolan raced for the river to cleanse himself and to reach a safer place in the Great Wood.

After days of rest and tending his wounds the scarred and weary wolf made his way back to his old home, fearful of the reception he might encounter from the Fey.

It was a wood sprite that first spotted the great grey wolf prowling the Great Wood. Panic overtook the sprite as it ran to tell the Fey of the approaching danger it started yelling and screaming ‘Wolf! Wolf!’

Fey guards rushed to protect the city but were surprised to see the wolf lying apparently asleep but with eyes wide and watching. The guards were equally dumbfounded when it spoke to them in their own tongue.

 'Have no fear for I once was as you are now, my name is Feolan and I have come home'

Many months later Feolan had become accepted as a lost soul, a Fey who had been changed but who still retained all the Fey values at heart and it was then he was introduced to Bittersweet, a beautiful  sylph with golden hair long enough to cover her completely. Bittersweet needed a guard to take her ranging into the Bramblewood and beyond to the Dark Wood to search for a Find. Feolan felt honoured to be so trusted and took the task willingly, something he would regret one day.

The Search

Feolan was becoming uncomfortable with his own feelings as beneath the beech tree he watched Bittersweet and was constantly having to move to cover his emotions lest Bittersweet should see and be horrified. He had to admit that she was beautiful but was so out of bounds that he was disgusted with himself for the way he sometimes saw her.

'Shall we get on with the day?' He finally said, rising and trotting off into the wood, hoping that he was far enough in front for Bittersweet not to notice anything.

'And for what are we looking? A nice she wolf perhaps?' giggled Bittersweet

'Do you see all, you evil sylph ' growled Feolan, who if it had been possible would have been blushing red.

'Always, always' came the answer, as Bittersweet flicked her wings and flew to the canopy laughing copiously.

Together they searched; Bittersweet flitting around in the tree tops and branches while Feolan grumbled about in the undergrowth, tangling with the brambles and thickets.

Hours passed with no hint of a finding as they had done now for so many moons and seasons, it was as if the search was impossible to resolve, the finding not to be achieved. They had searched for so long that at times it seemed that they had forgotten the search itself and were just happy trolling through the woods in each others company, laughing, teasing, annoying each other but oblivious to their task. It was the search that drove them and all the rest was but a distraction from the misery of not finding.

Nymphs and satyrs were questioned, trolls searched and hobgoblins sent scurrying home to their masters but no still no finding, until  late in the evening as the sun made to close its eyes for the day Feolan sighted a thread in an ancient thorn tree. A golden thread, snaking up into the canopy.

The Finding

'Bittersweet, LOOK' shouted the great wolf ' What is that? Have we …?'

The tiny Fey spun around and flew at the thread; even Feolan could feel her heart racing as she approached it. With the utmost care and delicacy Bittersweet followed the thread up the tree around which it had been bound, careful to avoid the huge thorns that this tree seemed to sprout at her passing. It was as though it was protecting something or trying to stop anyone from prying.

'What do you see?' Feolan shouted 'Have we….?'

'Be quiet, fool wolf there may be traps or guards' spat Bittersweet, angry that the old wolf could be so childlike in his eagerness to know.

Into the canopy of this evil tree Bittersweet made her way slowly and carefully keeping the thread in sight all the while, until she could see a smudge of an object around which the thread was tightly bound.

The smudge turned into feet, and then legs. The bundle in the heart of the thorn tree was a child, a human child.

'Oh this is a good day and a bad day all in one' thought Bittersweet 'Is this our Find? How can I release it? Why can't wolves climb trees?’

Bittersweet hovered and looked at the child, its eyes both frightened and relieved in the same moment.

'Child, are you named?'

'Murmmmmmmmm' was all that the child could manage through its bindings.

'How am I going to get you down' The fey thought.

'Feolan, I need your brain, your thoughts, tell me how we are going to get this child down for I know you will have a solution'

'Why do I always get the problems to solve, does this Sylph not have a brain to use --- stupid question on my part, of course she does , she asks others to solve her problems'

'Feolan can you jump into the tree? I need your teeth'

'Into the jaws of all hell my sweet Fey, do you not see the thorns?

'Oh they will not hurt you as your thick coat will protect you surely'

'And I will be a fool to try'

'Oh so I must do this alone then with no help from a strong, powerful great wolf such as you'

Feolan knew he was beaten and would never win an argument with Bittersweet.

'Out of the way then I will try'

With a long run and a huge bound Feolan launched himself at the thorn tree, and landed impaled on at least a dozen thorns.

'Is that as high as you can get, old wolf' teased Bittersweet, knowing that Feolan would never give up until he had reached the Find but a little encouragement never went amiss she thought.

Feolan snarled at the Fey and despite the wounds to his pads and legs, leapt once more and again and again until he reached Bittersweet and the Find.

'There not so difficult was it, now just chew those bindings off'

'Oh and that is so easy. Those are Mist bindings'

'And….'

'OK I will try'

'Just bite them off and hurry I fear it is late and the Mist will return'

Feolan was not afraid but had to take great care not to damage the Find, it would be unacceptable to have spent all this time only to damage it in the Finding. He gnawed at the strong bindings for what seemed like hours but was just a few minutes until with a suddenness that took his breath, the Find fell from the tree.

'FEOLAN' screamed Bittersweet

With one bound Feolan leapt into free air, neither knowing or caring where he was to land, his only focus was the small smudge of Human flying earthwards with no soft landing. Stretching his body out to its extreme he was in reach of the child but only with a claw, no use to stop its descent.  The golden bindings trailed behind the child like a comets tail until they tangled with the thorns on the tree, slowing the descent abruptly. Feolan crashed into the child, managing to grasp it before they both fell earthwards once more. The earth shook as Feolan and his bounty landed. Feolan shook as the tremor ran through his old body and made him release his grip. The child shook as it hit the ground, then it screamed.

Bittersweet had watched all this from the canopy, now flying swiftly to earth not knowing whom to go to first, her beloved Feolan lying still on the ground or the screaming child. Her Fey values guided her, the Find is what they had looked for and is our goal and must be first despite any feelings for others. Quickly she went to the child and gave it comfort to stop the noise.

Slowly  the child quietened and calmed as Bittersweet once more asked the question that might end their quest, 'What is your name?'

'Maran' the child trembled

'Then we have found you and you are safe, we will take you home'

Bittersweet flew to Feolan and stroked his fur fearful he might be no more, she kissed his nose and felt a faint breath. Relieved he was still alive she took to tending his wounds for it was late and they must leave this place before the Mist returned.

The Mist Returns

Feolan was badly shaken and bruised by his leap of faith with many cuts and tears in his old hide but he knew the urgency in Bittersweets voice as she shouted at him to  'Hurry up'. The Mist was due. It was the Mist that was responsible for all their trouble, for the search and the finding and of course the child Maran.

Many young children were taken by the Mist many never to return home, Maran was a lucky one for she would see her home soon if they hurried.

Across the valley Feolan could see the Mist forming in the evening light, 'We must go quicker, it is coming '

Faster and faster they walked then ran (Bittersweet keeping pace flying faster than ever before) as the Mist thrust its long cold fingers into the wood after them. It wanted its prize returned. Their breath rasped out of their bodies with a pain that is known only to the scared, Feolan grabbed  Maran and growled at Bittersweet ' For our lives ,for our lives RUN'. He knew the way to the chasm for he had been here many times, it was a barrier that the Mist could not cross. Reaching it the great wolf sprang into the void below him seeming to have no care for what was in front as what followed was surely worse. The chasm was wide and deep, Feolan floated through the air carrying Maran with Bittersweet in close attendance. He knew he was in the hands of his spirit now, was it his time or not?

Grass and rocks all made way as several hundred pounds of wolf landed, tumbled, rolled and finally stopped moving safe on the Fey side of the chasm.  Feolan stood up walked over to Maran who was crying again, to find her quite unhurt.

'Shall we deliver this child and then go home' He said to Bittersweet.

'The sooner the better, I fear this constant noise she makes is most disturbing'

The three made their way to edge of the Great wood to the Homing Place, where NightFey were waiting to escort Maran across the Dream Plain to her home.

Bittersweet and Feolan watched her go.

 'Well another Find is gone, what is next? Another? 'asked Feolan.

'Maybe ' said Bittersweet, but in her heart she knew the next quest would be more fearful and dangerous, perhaps too dangerous, but that was for another day.

'Come Feolan let us rest and be glad we have made our Find’

With the words floating on air, they disappeared into the wood like a whisper does in the wind.

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