He ran. Temate ran. He doesn’t often run, he just feels awkward doing it, but he ran. When Toni fell back from the small ruin, Temate saw a light. Only for two seconds, once when it came out, and once as it flew passed him. Then he was running, he didn’t even realize he was or why until the forest was already growing thicker and then, he growled…

  “Can’t stop. Can’t slow. Danger.” It wasn’t that he was responding to anything. Sure there was distant shouting, something soft pressing into his back. However the tree’s. They were closing in. Grasping, sshing, cwing, trying to drag him back but he had to catch the light! It wasn’t some proper reasoning, it was instinct, impulse.

  And he hated it.

  Too often. Too often he would act on impulse, some instinct taking over, and he’d find himself knee deep in something he had to dig himself out of. A joy ride as a kid where the cops chased him. A schoolyard brawl after asking a kid why he was sad his mother died. A mugging when he felt drawn down an alley in a bad neighborhood. A toxic retionship after- no that sted too long to be purely impulsive.

  Now here Temate was, barreling through trees that were actively trying to cw him down, trip him up. He was too big for that though. Too strong. The spare bag was heavy and thick and blocked the worst of it. His kuia’s poncho was shielding him from the worst of the branches that made it around the bag. Then it tore and its contents fell out, so he wrapped it around his hand to protect it, reaching to the side of his bag.

  Water. Each bag had been packed with a survival kit just in case. First aid kit, survival knife, firestarters, bug spray, sunscreen, compass, whistle, folding shovel. Anything recommended online he could fit into these bags. However some things were only on or attached to some bags. The spare bag he’d been carrying was the lightest, no extras. His bag was the heaviest. Fully stocked, a hammock tent – his own love of hammocks making him splurge for that – and a water brick with water. Heavy. Sturdy.

  Temate grabbed the water brick, clumsily due to the scraps of bag guarding his hand, and ripped it off his bag to repce the bag as a shield. It worked wonders, the growing branches weren’t particurly thick, growing as they were. And the water brick was. HDPE, high density polyethylene. A modern miracle, pstic as thick and sturdy as iron, difficult to cut even with a power tool, if you don’t do it right.

  So the water brick held, especially against tree branches whacking into it, much of the impact coming from Temate’s charge. It was a lot smaller than the bag, leaving much of his torso open but that wasn’t a problem. Sure he’d been working out tely, his roommate Jean had seen to that, dragging him to the gym. He’d even started up martial arts csses again, not that those helped against trees of all things. He still had a belly though, and that was a good thing in this case. Any branches that managed to puncture the thick yers of clothing he wore damaged fat and tissue, not anything important.

  Temate didn’t take many hits either. Shortly after he grabbed the water brick shield Temate’s barrelling rush halted as he found it. The light. Temate stopped suddenly, feeling a soft thud into his back and some quiet noise behind him. Someone was talking to him quietly but Temate was focused. They’d hit another clearing, and there?

  The light was floating, held aloft by twisting, spiraling, roots and branches and it… wasn’t a light! There, a small androgynous human, no taller than a foot, glowed. They were held aloft by vines in the twilight sun. Wait twilight? Not important, what was important was that the twisting mass of pnt matter wasn’t a random cluster, but a living thing which shifted to face Temate. A mask of thick dark bark with two eyes like saucers of moonlight glowing from their center. The lunar eyes examined Temate, no menace but a cold calcution. Then it lunged.

  Fight or flight. That was the instinct Temate felt in the moment, and Toni who was behind him. Their instincts were different. Temate couldn’t run, he’d grown used to that but Toni had learned to only fight as a st resort and moved to run back. She stopped as the hostile woodnds they’d fled from reached out towards her, changing direction to hide behind a lone tree at the edge of the clearing. Temate stood. Temate fought.

  Temate always fought, he was cool-headed and decisive, strengths he was proud of. Developed as a response to getting in impulsive trouble constantly, as he’d already mentioned. The mass lunged at Temate reaching out to him, a thick brown root or vine extending ahead of it like a pseudopod. Temate widened his stance and lifted the machete in his right hand up to his neck, holding it perpendicur, sharp edge out.

  The root shed passed Temate turning and attempting to wrap around his neck. As it began to tighten Temate’s hand moved. Using the tensing of the root to aid him Temate swung the machete cleaving the thick mass in two. The same motion carved through a second root coming in low to trip him. He was right, it was holding the fairy even now, by the neck. A smart first move for a creature with such fluid attacks, but predictable.

  A second short step stopped just short of a thick root sliding up out of the ground to trip him. He’d seen the small motion, heard the slight split of the earth. A spinning third step as the mass came in range and the water brick bashed the creature's head. A quick ssh of the machete followed across the creature's chest opening it. There was something glimmering in the center. Temate pulled his arm back to strike at it and roared.

  It was not a roar of victory, but one of pain. A thick root, the one Temate had stepped around to avoid being tripped, smmed into the back of his head hard. The water brick dropped, the jab with the machete carried forward and missed. The mass's chest had begun growing back, getting lodged around the bde while pushing it off target. A second root unched itself from the ground and this time grabbed Temate’s neck. It lifted him off the ground! That shocked him more than anything else.

  Temate brought his hands up to his neck, sliding them as best he could between the root and his skin barely maintaining air flow. His eyes searched the surroundings. Clues. Clues. Autumn leaves on the tree’s, leaves constantly falling. A thick floor perfectly bnketed in those leaves. Cool breeze, the smell of… pumpkin spice? No, focus. Thick tree’s, twilight light also strange, it was midday while they were in the clearing. Toni hiding behind a tree with a handgun. Wait wh-

  BANG

  One shot. Wood splintered, Temate fell as the root holding him splintered. Toni’s body was shaking but she breathed, steadying her torso and arms. She was a good shot, dad had taught her well. Short range. Easy, and the target Temate had aimed for was glowing. The creature lunged at her, facing Toni directly.

  BANG

  Second shot. Wood splintered and this time the machete fell revealing the glowing center of the creature. Breathe. In. Out. In.

  BANG

  Out. Third shot, right through the glowing 'heart' of the creature.

  A screech. not emanating from the creature, but from the menacing woods around them as the trees shed about. The mass colpsed, the forest began a frenzied dance. The tree Toni was hiding behind spun, a branch smmed into her face and flung her towards the edge of a clearing. The gun she held hit the ground. A root wrapped around her neck and began dragging her towards the woods. The thudding of her heart was all she could hear, and the thudding of something approaching her.

  Toni tried to call for help and the root squeezed the breath from her. She looked up, vision blurry with tears of pain as she yanked at the root. Temate, he was charging towards her. Suddenly the thudding of his footsteps mixed with her heartbeat. His arm came up, machete gleaming in the twilight. His arm came down severing the root as he took a knee next to her. His free hand slid around her torso and he lifted her like a sack under his arms.

  Temate turned to rush towards the center of the clearing. A branch caught his neck, a vine his machete arm. He snarled and tossed Toni, he’d apologize for the bruises ter, following the motion to bring his now free arm up to his other arm. He grabbed the vine and pulled, freeing his machete to cleave down at a root wrapping around his leg. The branch on his neck pulled and he tensed. Throwing his body weight forward he snapped the branch with raw strength and fell.

  Temate tumbled, rolling forward with the momentum and turning, machete raised as he stood. Ready to fight against the… Nothing. The forest wasn’t moving anymore. The trees in the clearing had stopped and the mass was motionless on the ground where Toni had shot it. Temate took a slow breath to steady his heart and began slowly examining his surroundings. Red orange leaves everywhere, the cool breeze which smelled of pumpkin spice, twilight. All good, Toni had retrieved her gun and was… deconstructing it? She was quick, trained well clearly. Military or police child probably. Temate was missing something, he frowned.

  “Whatchya lookin for mate?” A thick accent, Temate didn’t know accents well but it was definitely some type of gaelic. Scottish maybe?

  “You, actually.” Temate turned to face the small humanoid sitting on his shoulder who’s smile turned into a frown.

  “That’s it? That’s all the reaction I bloody get?” the fairy flitted up in front of Temate’s face, the frown rapidly turning into a smile. “Ah whataver I’ll get a reaction from ya soon. Pipuck Shimmermoon at ya service!” Pipuck held their hand out to Temate who pressed a finger into it.

  “Tema- uh TT, nice to meet you Pipuck” No names, fairies and names bad combination.

  “Pshaw! All that names nonsense is not my style, 'onest to Lights! But I respect the caution. Good carve work with the 'edgeling by the by.” Pipuck pointed a thumb over their shoulder at the rapidly decaying pile of roots and vines.

  Temate shook his head “That was T…” shit we use the same nickname, but he was pointing over at Toni, now reassembling her gun. She’s really quick, damn. She’s calmed down too. Good

  “T and TT? Ooooh, lovers in the twilight 'mmmmmm” Pipuck wiggled their eyebrows and leaned right up to Temate’s eyes. He blinked at the little fairy.

  “No. We just met.”

  “Psssssh you're no fun y’know? OI LITTLE LASS” Pipuck blinked over to Toni, like a fsh of final twilight as the sun set, or a flicker of moonlight through blowing trees. One second they were there, the next they were with Toni who didn’t stabilize her reactions as well as Temate. She shrieked as Pipuck appeared before her, falling back and pointing her gun at the fairy.

  “Stop! I will shoot!” Toni shouted at the little fairy who just ughed doing a little bckflip and blinking over next to her ear.

  “You’re cute, I can see why 'e likes ya ss.” Pipuck whispered into Toni’s ear.

  “GAH!” Toni shouted, quickly shoulder rolling away into a kneeling stance and pointing the gun at Pipuck. “Don’t DO that for Christ’s sake!”

  “Ooooh Jesus Christ? Ya still talk 'bout that little grifter eh? 'e still talkin bout bein' the son o’ god and what not?” Pipuck blinked again, this time over to Temate who held a hand up to Toni.

  “T rex, I think they’re harmless, just a bit of a shit.” Temate turned to look at Pipuck who looked aghast at the comment.

  “I’ll ‘ave you know I’m one of the greatest shites of all time y’hear?” Pipuck crossed their arms and puffed out their cheeks. Temate smiled at the cute indignation and then they heard a horn. Fog began to roll into the clearing. Temate grabbed his waterbrick shield as Toni stepped in close to him, the two standing back to back. Pipuck ughed at them.

  “Tha’s not gonna be ‘nough for the 'unt you two. If ya wanna live I ‘ave a suggestion.” Pipuck floated halfway between the two’s head heights, almost a head above Toni and center of chest for Temate. They floated in front of both of them, at the same time, Temate gred down.

  Toni spoke softly, her voice shaking like the leaves still ever falling in the clearing. “H-hunt? as in the Wild Hunt? The vicious stalkers and killers of the fairy folk?

  “The very same!” Pipuck nodded, pride clear on their face.

  “What do we do? We can’t fight that, we barely survived that pnt thing! We-”

  “'edgeling.” Pipuck cut Toni off, “it’s called a 'edgelinh wardens at the edges of the fair folks forests, keep rotters like you lot out!” Pipuck pointed at the two of them.

  “Pn.” Temate growled, “what is it?”

  “Simple!” The Pipuck in front of Toni said, fshing around to merge with the one in front of Temate before flying close and poking his nose. “Ye bow and beg audience with Tuiteam Righ.”

  “Who is that and why are we asking for an audience with them?” Toni asked, “for all we know you’re leading us into another tr-”

  “Not WE little ss,” Pipuck blinked around to kick Toni in the cheek

  “Ow!” She swatted at them, Pipuck ignored her fshing back to Temate

  “YE begs audience with the Righ. For ye uneducated fallen kids of the world it transtes to ‘Fall King’... eh roughly.” Pipuck crossed their arms and waved one hand in noncommittal circles.

  Another horn sounded, closer, louder, followed by a few more. The fog thickened and Temate perked his ears up to listen for hoof beats or marching but… Nothing.

  “Temate, this side!” Toni whispered behind him and he whirled around, water brick up, machete out. Toni stepped back, taking a position at his hip gun leveled.

  Standing in the fog was a horse, long sleek orange body with a white winter mane. However in pce of its head was a human torso, armored in thick orange red pte, holding a massive give. The weapon glowed, its bde appearing to emanate like someone took firelight and forged it into a bde. Glowing brighter still was the creature's head, not set upon its neck ,which also emanated a soft orange glow, but instead held in its off hand. A bright flickering orange light seemed to flow like liquid from the eyes, mouth and base of a pumpkin.

  “What on earth is that? It's horrifying. I can barely control my breath.” Toni whispered.

  “Some mix of dulhan and centaur.” Temate whispered back.

  Pipuck whispered conspiratorially to the two. “Neither and both aye, we call them the Ridire. Now go on.” They pushed Temate forward, or at least tried to. He was too big for the little fairy to push but they did make his head shake.

  “Right.” Temate coughed and stepped forward. Lowering his bde and makeshift shield. For some reason he knew this would work. It was like the Ridire was waiting for him to speak. Two others stepped out, each with different etchings on their armor and patterned horse hides but all bearing the gleaming gives. All waiting.

  “I beg audience with Tuiteam Righ. For I and they.” Temate put on his best ‘diplomat npc’ attitude, adding a bit of 'fairy flourish' at the end. He bowed low and waited. Humming whispers of communication, silence and suddenly the creature was in front of him. That made Temate tense, it moved silently and the deep fog made it hard to see.

  “Come.” A hand grabbed his bag and lifted him, him, into the air. For the first time Temate let out a sound of surprise, a grunt. Suddenly he was on the Ridire’s back and looking around.

  “Ya really are no fun eh? Lifted by the Ridire, ridin their backs to meet with the Fall King and ye just grunt?” Pipuck glimmered into the crook of his poncho humming happily. Temate smiled down at him.

  “Gotta stay calm, I let myself lose control and bad things tend to happen.” Temate spoke softly. To his side a shriek than a ugh, what sounded to be a mix of joy but also hysterics.

  “Hahahahahaha this is so weird I can’t even! I’ve gone horseback riding before but I-aaaaaaah!” Toni shrieked as the Ridire who picked her up, a bck and white spotted hide with a bck mane, began to run. And they ran fast. The wind whistled an eerie, haunting tune and the ndscape blurred. Suddenly they were flying, dashing through the woods.