The Talking Gargoyle Part 6

A Chapter by CLCurrie

The debate wasn’t along on what to do now, Ariana wanted to teach the ex-father what happened when you sent an assassin after them, while Raven won out with taking Lona to the Healer first. He won mostly because they were not sure the ex-father was the who sent the assassin in the first place. The best thing was to take care of Lona first and make sure she was safe.

Ariana liked the idea and at the same time wanted to punch that old squirrel in the face.

The Keeper of the Traven told them where to find the Healer but to also informed them the Healer was odd and then they were out the door. Both of them kept their eyes on the shadows and roofs of the town as they headed south a few blocks from the Traven.

“Are you sure this is the place?” Ariana asked staring at the clocks in the window of the tiny shop. For all of Bree’s poorest, it was known for the paw made clocks it had that never seem to break down. The city was known throughout the Realm for their craft of clocks and legend said Father Time himself once lived in the city.

“It’s what the Keeper said,” Raven told her scratching his head.

“Only one way to find out, right?” Lona asked from behind Ariana.

“The little one is right,” Raven said jumping down from his war buck. He helped Lona down with all of them walking into the small shop. The bell above the door blew to warning someone, anyone had entered the place.

“Give me one moment,” a young voiced shouted from the back.

“Okay,” Raven yelled back watching Ariana and Lona look around the shop with awe. Raven rushed over to Ariana and tapped on her the back to whisper, “No stealing.”

“I won’t,” she hissed back waving him away.

“You better not,” he said hearing the footsteps of the bright red chipmunk coming out of the back. She smiled at them with glowing black magical markings running along her cheek. “Hi, how can I help you?” She asked them.

“Well,” Raven said stepping to face her, but Lona was pulled between them by Ariana holding out the child’s arms to show the creaking in the markings.

“We were told you are a Healer,” Ariana said, “and we need your help.”

Raven sighed burying his face into his paw and said, “What she said.”

The chipmunk stared up at them all and then slowly with shock looked down at the odd sickness bearing down on Lona’s arm. “Can you help?” Ariana asked.

“Ariana,” Raven called her through his teeth.

She glanced back at him and then like a raindrop falling from the sky she realized what she had done. She let go of Lona who was trying her best to catch her breath and stepped back a little. “Sorry.”

“No, no,” the chipmunk said with a smile, “you are fine, and I can see what I can do.”

“Thank you,” Raven said staring hard at Ariana while she shrugged a little.

“Follow me,” the master of the shop said waving for them to follow her into the back. “By the way, my name is Emma Strongcheeks.”

“Nice to meet you,” they all said as they were shown to a small room full of positions and other healing tools. Emma ordered Lona on to the small table and to hold her arm out. Before she started to study the wounds or the sickness, at this point they were not sure, she ordered Raven and Ariana out of the room.

Ariana went to protest, but Raven pushed her out before she could get a word off.

“What is wrong with you?” He asked closing the door behind them.

“What do you mean?” She asked him back frowning and crossing her arms.

“You are acting like an overprotective mother,” Raven said.

“I am?” She asked.

He cocked his eye brown, and she nodded at him. “I guess, I am,” she agreed. “I’m just you know, worried about her.”

“Well, we are doing all we can,” Raven said.

By the time Emma had come out of the back-room, Ariana was sitting on the floor staring into her shop thinking hard about stealing something from it, but she had no idea what she would do with a clock. It wasn’t like she had a house to live in or anything and the real question was how to get a clock out of the shop. And was there a spell stopping a thief from taking any clocks, Ariana didn’t know, but she wanted to test it.

Raven was leaning against the wall by her side staring hard at the door. He suddenly, found himself starting to get worried about Lona the longer Emma took to find out what was wrong.

The chipmunk stood in front of them both with a heavy frown wore on her face.

“Oh, no,” Raven said.

“How bad is it?” Ariana asked the Healer.

“I wish I could tell you,” Emma said. “I have never seen this before, and I have no idea what is going on with her.”

“What?” Ariana asked. “Really?”

Emma nodded in her own disappointed and said, “This sickness is new, and there is no magic that can heal it. No magic that I know of that is.”

“Come on,” Ariana said, “there is nothing you can do?”

“I wish, I could.”

Ariana hissed rushing into the room where Lona was sitting not sure what to do. Raven let the door closed behind her still looking down at Emma.

“I’m sorry,” the Healer said.

He grinned and said, “It is not your fault.”

“My magic is not strong enough to heal her,” she said.