Chapter Six

Armand and his friends leave the unhealthy part of the forest behind with many questions about it in their minds.

    I took one step.

    That was it! I couldn’t do it! No way could I leave Quetzal behind.

    I sighed. “No. Sorry Miss Feather, Mr. Thunder. I can’t do it. I can’t walk away and leave Quetzal behind.”

    Miss Feather made a distressed sound but didn’t say anything.

    Mr. Thunder let out a rush of air. “As much as I want to get out of here I can’t leave him either. Sad.”

    “Pitiful.” Replied Miss Feather. “He’s still standing there staring in the window.”

    “Let’s go over there and get him and hope he doesn’t put up a struggle.”

    We stood there a moment or two staring at the strange house and watching Quetzal staring in the window.

    It was all a frightening sight.

    Then I started walking. Miss Feather and Mr. Thunder fell in step behind me.

    “This is not good, not good. Quetzal is not behaving naturally.” Mr. Thunder muttered.

    He’s not, I thought. Something is really wrong with him.

    Miss Feather wrapped her arms around herself, self protection, I thought. I felt like doing that too as we approached the strange, very out of place structure.

    Quetzal turned his head to look at us as we neared him. He had a distant, almost vacant look in his eyes.

    “Hey Quetzal.” I greeted him. We came to a stop about 10 feet from the house. I didn’t want us to get any closer until we knew how our friend was going to act.

    “Hey Armand.” Quetzal said, his voice sounding normal. Then he looked at Miss Feather and Mr. Thunder. “You all here to take in the view?”

    “The view?” I asked. “What view?”

    “In the window. The view in the window.” Quetzal said as if we should all understand something so plain and so obvious.

    “This is bad.” muttered Mr. Thunder.

    “Let’s just get him and get out of here.” said Miss Feather.

    “I agree.” I walked the rest of the way toward Quetzal who just stood there watching me. With my face turned away from the window so I couldn’t look in, either on purpose or accidentally, I took Quetzal by the arm. “Come on.” I said.

     “Aren’t you going to look Armand?” he asked coming along willingly with me. I was so relieved and grateful.

    “Nope. Not now.” I said.

    “Hi you two.” Quetzal said as we reached Miss Feather and Mr. Thunder.

    “Hi.” replied Miss Feather.

    “Hey Quetzal. Ready to go?” Mr. Thunder asked.

    “Yup. Let’s go.” Quetzal said like nothing at all strange had just occurred.

    “Then let’s get out of here.” I said.

     We hurried through the eerie haunted forest, Quetzal acting as if nothing odd with him had ever happened. There was no evidence of deer anywhere.

    This forest was just a place that felt unpleasant, I couldn’t wait to be out of it.

    “What did you see in that structure?” Mr. Thunder finally asked.

    I looked at Quetzal wondering what he would say.

    “You need to look Mr. Thunder.”

    “What do you mean Quetzal?” Mr. Thunder asked.

    “Well….” He said. “You just need to look. It’s hard to describe.”

    “Come on Quetzal.” Mr. Thunder said. “You can tell us something.”

    Quetzal slowed his pace. There was a coldness about him. “You just need to see it.” He said.

    I felt an even stronger need to leave behind this forest. There was nothing good about it and I felt a little fearful about Quetzal, something was wrong with him.

    “Let it go.” I said to Mr. Thunder. “It’s not important right now.”

    “Alright.” He said.

    I glanced at Miss Feather. She had a concerned expression on her face.

    “Hey.” Quetzal said suddenly. “How about that hunt?”

    “What?” I said and so did Mr. Thunder.

    “I scent deer.” Quetzal said.

    We all stopped walking. The scent of deer came drifting by us on the breeze.

    “I scent deer too.” Miss Feather said. “We’re out of that haunted section of the forest.”

    Several coyote were nearby, hunting no doubt, I thought. It seemed we had left that chilling section of forest behind.

    “We are.” I said. The forest did feel alive again, vibrant and breathing.

    “How about that hunt?” said Quetzal again. “Let’s shape shift and get that hunt in. That’s why we were out here.”

    Miss Feather glared at Quetzal. “You’re acting like nothing even happened!” She put her hands on her hips.

    I put my arm around her. “Not now Miss Feather. Let’s wait to confront him.”

    Quetzal just glanced at her with an odd little smile. “What’s up Miss Feather?”

    Miss Feather turned away, an unhappy look on her face. “Are we even going to mention this to your Wolf Father?” she asked me.

    Good question. I wasn’t so sure now that I wanted to do that. That odd structure was something bad. It had done something weird to Quetzal.

    “I don’t know.” I said. “I’m thinking it’s not a good idea now.”

    “I agree. Better to keep away from that place.” Mr. Thunder said.

    “How about that hunt.” Quetzal said. “That was the reason why we’re out here.”

    “We’ve been out too long Quetzal. We’ll have to do our hunt some other time.” I turned. “Let’s get back to our Villages.”

    I started walking, my arm still around Miss Feather who walked along side me.

    Quetzal and Mr. Thunder fell in behind us.

    The scent of deer was heavy on the air but none of us were interested in it now, except maybe Quetzal.

    I was thinking about the house and wondering what Quetzal had been mesmerized by as he gazed through the window. What was inside that structure?

    I was certain the rest of my friend’s thoughts were on that structure too, except Quetzal, that was. I couldn’t even guess what he might be thinking about right now.

    

Reviews

[Theresa]

I'm happy they didn't leave Quetzal behind. The last chapter I was thinking how could they leave their friend in a bizarre place in that state. Still dying to know what it is that hesaw in that window. I'm also wondering if they will go back to check it out or go to Mr. Black first. Another great chapter with the suspene still there roping me in.

[Black Cat Fever]

At least they didn't leave Quetzal behind but I don't blame them for considering doing just that. There's a great mystery developing in this. The tension and interest level is building nicely.

[Star Wolf]

All very suspenseful. Can't help but want to know about that house and want is in there!

[trish420]

Such suspense! Definitely a strong chapter, I want to know what Questzal saw SOOO bad ;-)

Bizarre... I wonder what that structure might have been. Possibly something from before wolf people even arrived in that world. I can only guess.
Great work so far! Carry on.