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 Posted: Sun Jun 12, 2016 4:09 pm
"The search parties usually only come when a child has been lost," Reese mused. "I don't hurt children. I lead them right back out of the forest."
He looked to Dari, frowning slightly. "From outside. A woman tried to adopt me once. I couldn't get away. I took them from her garden. I didn't like her, but I liked her flowers."
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Posted: Sun Jun 12, 2016 4:15 pm
"They don't already have people living in the houses, do they?" Toby asked. Had he been terribly misinformed? That would be much, much more difficult.
"...adopt you?" Lori asked, a brow slowly arching, "Adopt a... guardian spirit? How did you get free?"
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Posted: Sun Jun 12, 2016 4:23 pm
"No," Reese shook his head. "When people get lost, they check rivers and forests in nearby areas. I don't know why."
Reese sighed and rolled his eyes. "I know. But I was smaller then, than I am now. And she took me to her place. I don't have any magic outside the woods. I started getting sick, and I ran here."
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Posted: Sun Jun 12, 2016 4:30 pm
"Oh. Yeah. I've never understood why people check forests, like there's still this abundance of evil child-stealing spirits." Toby shrugged and shook his head.
"Well, I'm glad you were able to get away," Lori replied, "Well-meaning humans can be very detrimental."
Dari lifted his hand and watched a small red beetle move over it. He was smiling.
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Posted: Sun Jun 12, 2016 4:39 pm
"Maybe they remember when there were. At least at a subconscious level." Reese shrugged. "They won't acknowledge it, anyway." He glanced at Lori and nodded. "I think they're almost as bad as the others," he said. "She almost killed me with kindness."
Maia looked over to Dari and smiled. "You have a lady bug," she observed. "Are you going to make a wish?"
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Posted: Sun Jun 12, 2016 4:43 pm
"Ignorance is dangerous. That's why we do what we do," Toby said, "Trust me, though. Kidnappers with ill intent are much, much worse."
Dari shook his head. "Aren't you supposed to blow it off of your finger? I don't want to scare it." He got close, viewing it in all of its colors and dimensions. He could see it was ready to fly before it actually did, so he closed his eyes, made a wish, and then watched it buzz away. He was still smiling.
"So," Lori said, "Is there anything else you want to show us? Or anything you want us to know? You can come stay with us at the hotel any time." He'd live for a few days anyway.
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Posted: Sun Jun 12, 2016 4:53 pm
"I'll take your word for it," Reese said. "I'd prefer not to learn from experience."
'What'd you wish for?" Maia asked.
A bird landed on Reese's shoulder. It chirped twice and fell silent as the guardian turned to address Lori. "What would you like to see?" He asked.
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Posted: Sun Jun 12, 2016 5:30 pm
"I can't tell you," Dari replied. "It won't come true." He'd never actually believed in that superstitious stuff, but he may very well have a lucky ring, so why not?
Lori smiled at the bird and then turned back to Reese.
"Any areas you want especially protected, any areas the developers have destroyed... anything inside the woods. We'll be checking out the development later."
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Posted: Sun Jun 12, 2016 5:46 pm
The bird chirped cheerfully at Lori when it noticed the elf. It puffed out its chest.
Reese stood carefully and offered Lori his hand. "Yeah. Come on. They've started moving further into the forest." He looked to the bird and it moved to Lori's shoulder instead. Reese led them to an area that'd been cleared out apart from the stumps. "Soon they'll clear these out too."
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Posted: Sun Jun 12, 2016 5:53 pm
Lori grinned. It was still nice when animals liked him. He stood with Reese and took his hand, then greeted the bird with a soft "hello" as they walked. He frowned, though, when he saw how far into the forest the humans had moved.
"Do they have clearance to go this far?" he asked.
Dari pulled a map from his bag, did some brief math, and shook his head. "No."
"Hah!" Toby exclaimed, "Caught! ********>
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Posted: Sun Jun 12, 2016 6:05 pm
The bird chirped a greeting in response, then trilled a tune. "He likes you," Reese said, and looked to the carnage. He sighed.
Maia studied the area. She was frowning. "I get the feeling they weren't using the trees," she said. Were they clearing the area for new homes?
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Posted: Sun Jun 12, 2016 6:10 pm
Lori smiled to the bird again and shrugged. "I have animal magnetism. Plus you told him to." Then he turned to Maia. "No, the site's full of pre-cut wood," Lori said, "They're probably selling it, or else chipping it and wasting it."
"So this isn't legal. We can stop this right now, and this can be our cover for our presence," Toby said, "It's awful but it works."
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Posted: Sun Jun 12, 2016 6:17 pm
Maia shook her head and tsked. She couldn't believe people would cut trees down purely to waste them.
Reese seemed to perk up at Toby's words. "Can we?" He asked. "Let's go now."
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Posted: Sun Jun 12, 2016 6:21 pm
"No no. Us. The three of us," Toby said, motioning between the men. "Maia will stay with you, and we'll come back and tell you how it went. Having someone who looks like a kid with us will just make them doubt us."
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Posted: Sun Jun 12, 2016 6:39 pm
Reese frowned. "But..." he began. He wanted to go too. It was his forest. He was the most invested in it. But Toby was right. "Fine," he agreed at last. "You go stop them."
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