I leave my hood off as we ride lazily towards the grove. Sean has an arm gently wrapped around my stomach as he ponies with the bay behind us. Laden with a few supplies I purchased or traded for during the festival. My toad is safely in a pocket, garr-oming happily or at least as far I know, it sounds happy. His breath is warm against my ear and its stirring feelings better to be done on the ground and not the back of a horse. He lips brush my ear now. I turn a bit to see him sideways and blush deeply, he answers by burying his face into my hair breathing deeply of the herbal scent of my hair. I can’t help smiling.

We near our destination before a feeling of flight washes over me. As if someone is watching us or worse yet following us. I look behind us. Sean looks at me quizzically as he doesn’t see anything behind us and generally he’s the one looking over his shoulder, “What’s wrong? I don’t see anyone.”

”Neither do I,” I answer with a whisper, “I think that’s the problem.” I kick Rhayn into a trot. Something doesn’t feel right and my vibes start to affect to Sean. I head for where the trees are thickest. The tall grasses have obscured my view. A pile of rotten logs has just become a jump for the horses. Up and over we go, Sean groans breathlessly in pain losing his seat a bit and letting go of the bay. I whistle and call her name. She heads towards us before shying with a snort. A group of children explode up from the undergrowth like a bevy of game birds flushed by a hunter’s dog. Those aren’t human children.

A large, black hound yelps to get out of the way of the skittering bay. I see from the corner of my eye Sean with an arrow already notched and ready to fly. ”NO,” I scream and give his arm a painful jar. The arrow sticks deep into the ground harmlessly between the legs of a red haired lad. Never had I have seen a paler color on a full blooded human before. He may faint yet. Dismounting I yell at the sidhe children more to make myself feel better as they are not at fault. Sidhe children are rare and precious. The girl seems to have a bit of tears welling up in their eyes and even the hound has a look of “I’m sorry,” with her ears back and tail between her legs. Even without the scolding they can feel the age of the one doing the scolding, who is much older than they are, which equates into a respect and a bit of fear.

Somehow Sean has gotten tangled up in his brat and fights to get some control over Rhyan, while I am on the ground. Speaking in another language I reach into my pouch and gather them close. I hand them a bag of candied borage flowers. I know it’s a poor substitute, but I don’t have any suitable gifts with me. The tears dissolve, the hound wags her tail, “Be careful in the woods dear ones.” I say before giving them a blessing. I retrieve the bay’s reins from Sean, who has quite a bewildered look to him. I'm just glad he doesn't have another arrow aimed at them. The children look sad as I go. We mount separately this time, Sean leading the way. Trouble isn’t far.

I know we caused a short commotion, but something tells me that noise I’m hearing now isn’t from us. A girl is heard screaming just as enter the appointed place where a dead man lays. Some rides are seen just a few lengths away. I look to Sean for guidance as his father and brothers, I guess, were supposed to met us here.