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"I want to say that the pig was trying to keep the wolf away with these," Ametrine remarked, staring down at the wooden pieces. "But honestly, I have no idea what they might signify. The horseshoe, I know, is good luck. Beyond that?" Beyond that, she was somewhat mystified. "Was it like an amulet? Maybe the pig thought the pouch would keep him-- I assume it's a him?-- safe?" Or maybe the bits had a different significance. What could this possibly mean?

Really, it was rather beyond her. Or maybe... maybe the charms had no meaning, and were a waste of her time. After all, wouldn't they be better suited doing something else? Something like, for instance, finding a path? "Do you have any ideas, Lyra?" God help her, she needed another set of eyes, another mind thinking. Perhaps this pig had been so confident in the charms that he (or she, she was possible, wasn't it?) had neglected to take the necessary precautions to stay alive.

"Can you hear the door at all?"

They listened, turning themselves around, and finally the sound of the creaking door came again. It seemed to be right behind them, and when they turned to look, nothing had changed, except that -- everything had changed. The trees blocking the path were definitely closer to them now than they had been before.

Another creak sounded behind them, and they turned again -- the trees were still and silent, but what remained of the path ahead was narrower than before -- but it was still there, for now.

Again there was a creak behind them, as of a shifting door, daring them to turn again to see it.

Sailor Lyra spun just in time to see a tree lurched over her, its branches pointed inches away from her face. It was as steady and motionless as if it had grown there all along.

Creaaak

She spun around to look. Only to find...nothing there. Another creak- she spun again this time eying the tree's behind them. One final creak and spin is what settled it. Looking up she gulped at the large tree that SO was not there 2 minutes ago. She was... almost scared to take her eyes off it, for fear if she even blinked it would grab her.

That was when she felt the rough tug that forced her to take her eyes off the giant ent. She squeaked a little at the roughness of the tugging... normally in senshi garb something like that would feel like nothing- why did the the touch seem to hurt? Stupid Lyra....

"I think we have stumbled into the forest of no return..." She gulped a little. Hoping it was not true- the movie she was referring to playing back in her mind. Babes in Toyland was not exactly her favorite movie of all time. How did they get out again?

She did not dare look around, to stare at them. She felt as if the more she looked over her shoulder... the faster they would move. "I think the creaking might be those trees moving. The trees are made of wood and how the heck would we know what a walking tree sounded like!" The path was small but she allowed the other girl to guide her down the pathway- glad that she was not left behind to whatever fate the trees had in mind.

"What do you want!?" Ametrine yelled at the trees, as though they would respond. "Because if it's us dead, then I sure as hell won't be sticking around." It was crazy to think of fighting trees. Absolutely crazy. But there she was, gearing up for a big old fight because the trees were following them, and faster than Ametrine could run. She turned and faced the trees full on, eyes blazing. No, she was not going to just give in and let them do what they wished with her. In another time, she might have been growling at the $@%#ed things. Which, again, was ridiculous.

But Ametrine didn't like being preyed upon, did not like being made to fear. And she was done with it. "So help me, I will burn you down if you harm us." Threatening moving trees was always a good idea. "I may not have a way now, but I will find away." Maybe it was bravado. Maybe she actually believed that she could. Either was, Lyra was going to have to pull her away from the trees now, because when the lieutenant was set her in ways, she was set in them, and it was going to be hard to budge her without anything short of physical force.

Fine. She could work with that. Stupid bloody forest. "... They asked for it," she said, just a touch sulkily. Ametrine hadn't told the trees to follow them, after all. That was all on the trees. Still, Lyra's notion wasn't a bad one, and she was willing to go along with it. She glared balefully at the trees, daring them to make a move, daring them to take a step out of line. Maybe she couldn't burn them down, but she was betting that tearing their branches off would be uncomfortable for them. Sure, they'd probably still win in the end, but she was not going down without a fight! And besides, there was the chance that somewhere she'd be able to find materials to make a fire with.

If she did, those trees were toast. ... If they misbehaved, anyway. If they went back to being well behaved trees, now, maybe they'd get off scot free. Really, the strain of the situation was definitely getting to her, and she couldn't quite keep it together without some outburst. No doubt at some other time she would look back on this, and wonder at her own barmy behavior. Yelling at trees, really. Ridiculous. More ridiculous than the situation itself. "I'm watching you," she informed them, as though that would make all of the difference.

Finally after what seemed to be a eternity of inching down the pathway, they found what they were looking for. Lyra was glad the strategy worked otherwise they might end up like the little pigs down the road...

"Ame! I see bricks!" She exclaimed- hoping she was smart enough to not look around. "If you want to see we could quickly flip places? " Finally! the brick house was in sight, she only hoped that after this uh... adventure, the last pig was alive and well...friendly.

Finally they reached the door. "Hey!.... the door matches the little things inside the pouch!" She said upon looking at the door. Were the little trinkets a key? Whirling around she put Ame facing the door and herself facing backwards to look out for trees.

Look as they might, there didn't seem to be any places to fit the little wooden carvings from the pouch. The handle to the door was hot to the touch, causing Ametrine to draw her hand back -- but not hot enough to burn her on such brief contact. It was probably fortunate, however; within just seconds, the little wooden shutter swung back, revealing two black eyes and a small, pink face.

"Who are you?" snorted the face. "You wear no colors. Prove your allegiance to me -- who do you serve?"

"Colors? What do you mean I wear no colors?" Ametrine's tone took on a testy note, and she decided that maybe blustering right back at the pig would keep him from thinking too hard about what she was saying. "Can't you see, I wear purple?" Purple, like the ribbon. She was wearing purple. That was true. "Why don't you prove to me who you serve?" Perhaps by opening the door?

Now was probably not the time to inform the pig that they had found what might well be his brothers lying dead along the path. No, that was definitely not the way to go. She kept her eyes sharp, watching the pig-- she assumed it was a pig-- steadily. They had been looking for a pig, had expected to see a pig, so that was what she made of the pink face.