passing.
“That’s what you’re here to find out, kid.” Tony tapped the rock using a gnarly twig he pulled from his pocket, and the rock opened up forming a tunnel for them to walk through. “Let’s go. Bella, keep watch,” Tony said as Thomas, Henri, and Bolswaithe entered the tunnel.
Thomas felt like he was on the inside of a mole’s tunnel. The tunnel had been dug out by hand, or claw, and half-chewed roots sprouted from between the scrape marks on the walls. Rope lights ran along the sides and center of the ceiling.
After a short trek, they arrived at a circular door guarded by two creatures in armor. Thomas could see two slender furry legs ending in hooves under their metal armor. Their helmets, however, were completely closed and antlers protruded from the back of them. They had slender arms with four fingers instead of five, and they carried a lance with ribbons tied under the blade.
Tony spoke in a strange language, and the guard on the left responded in a shrilly voice. Tony pointed at Thomas and then at Henri as he spoke and he seemed to be slightly angry.
The Fauns answered with a couple of short words, snorts, and crossed their lances over the door. Tony nodded and turned to Thomas.
“We can go in,” he said looking at Bolswaithe and Thomas, “but Henri has to wait out here. They claim that half-breeds will pollute their flux well.”
Henri cracked his knuckles and took a deep breath. Whatever half-breed meant had really angered him.
“I’ll be here,” Henri said and crouched on the ground, transforming into the smaller immobile statue that he usually adopted when he was at the entrance of the mansion.
The Fauns uncrossed their lances and the inner door opened revealing a cave full of small clay buildings and fluorescent vegetation. Their tunnel entrance was located on a ledge above the main floor of the cave. A couple of hanging bridges led from their ledge to another on the far side of the cave and a waterfall opened directly from a tunnel on the opposite wall forming a river that crossed through the city and ended in a lake surrounded by little clay houses. The city was illuminated from the ceiling by hanging circles of fluorescent lights and reflectors that hung in concentric circles from the roof.
It was the largest cave Thomas had seen, but it was still small compared to the library.
“Welcome to Hussahassalin, underground dwelling of the Hassa clan Fauns.” Tony led them into the city.
Fauns filled the city streets. Without their armor and helmets they resembled white-tailed deer. Most of them jumped to and fro, but the fauns with the largest antlers walked slowly and deliberately, their heads high. They had painted designs on their cheeks and colored rocks adorning their antlers. Some wore elaborate clothing like in movies about the old courts in France and England, but most of them wore simple vests and coats. As they walked through town, fauns would stop and exchange words to one another, and throw curious looks at them, their little white tails wiggling as they spoke in their sibilant tongue.
“They might look cute,” Tony whispered, “but these guys can really mess you up if they want to.”
They entered the largest building at the center of the city unopposed by the guards stationed there. A faun wearing a purple and green vest approached them and exchanged words with Tony. The faun took a closer look at Thomas, sniffing him and jumped away.
“He’s Sunassoo, the chief’s chamberlain. Let’s follow him and remember that these guys love big words,” Tony said.
Sunassoo entered a large hall. Standing by a wooden throne was an older faun with large antlers adorned with crisscrossing chains of gold.
“Man friend, Chief Husseha.” Tony bowed and Bolswaithe and Thomas followed his example. “I bring before you, Thomas, sign reader, and Bolswaithe, dutiful protector. Envoys sent to help you by Fae friend, Chief Franco.”
The chief nodded curtly. “Peace to you,
“That’s what you’re here to find out, kid.” Tony tapped the rock using a gnarly twig he pulled from his pocket, and the rock opened up forming a tunnel for them to walk through. “Let’s go. Bella, keep watch,” Tony said as Thomas, Henri, and Bolswaithe entered the tunnel.
Thomas felt like he was on the inside of a mole’s tunnel. The tunnel had been dug out by hand, or claw, and half-chewed roots sprouted from between the scrape marks on the walls. Rope lights ran along the sides and center of the ceiling.
After a short trek, they arrived at a circular door guarded by two creatures in armor. Thomas could see two slender furry legs ending in hooves under their metal armor. Their helmets, however, were completely closed and antlers protruded from the back of them. They had slender arms with four fingers instead of five, and they carried a lance with ribbons tied under the blade.
Tony spoke in a strange language, and the guard on the left responded in a shrilly voice. Tony pointed at Thomas and then at Henri as he spoke and he seemed to be slightly angry.
The Fauns answered with a couple of short words, snorts, and crossed their lances over the door. Tony nodded and turned to Thomas.
“We can go in,” he said looking at Bolswaithe and Thomas, “but Henri has to wait out here. They claim that half-breeds will pollute their flux well.”
Henri cracked his knuckles and took a deep breath. Whatever half-breed meant had really angered him.
“I’ll be here,” Henri said and crouched on the ground, transforming into the smaller immobile statue that he usually adopted when he was at the entrance of the mansion.
The Fauns uncrossed their lances and the inner door opened revealing a cave full of small clay buildings and fluorescent vegetation. Their tunnel entrance was located on a ledge above the main floor of the cave. A couple of hanging bridges led from their ledge to another on the far side of the cave and a waterfall opened directly from a tunnel on the opposite wall forming a river that crossed through the city and ended in a lake surrounded by little clay houses. The city was illuminated from the ceiling by hanging circles of fluorescent lights and reflectors that hung in concentric circles from the roof.
It was the largest cave Thomas had seen, but it was still small compared to the library.
“Welcome to Hussahassalin, underground dwelling of the Hassa clan Fauns.” Tony led them into the city.
Fauns filled the city streets. Without their armor and helmets they resembled white-tailed deer. Most of them jumped to and fro, but the fauns with the largest antlers walked slowly and deliberately, their heads high. They had painted designs on their cheeks and colored rocks adorning their antlers. Some wore elaborate clothing like in movies about the old courts in France and England, but most of them wore simple vests and coats. As they walked through town, fauns would stop and exchange words to one another, and throw curious looks at them, their little white tails wiggling as they spoke in their sibilant tongue.
“They might look cute,” Tony whispered, “but these guys can really mess you up if they want to.”
They entered the largest building at the center of the city unopposed by the guards stationed there. A faun wearing a purple and green vest approached them and exchanged words with Tony. The faun took a closer look at Thomas, sniffing him and jumped away.
“He’s Sunassoo, the chief’s chamberlain. Let’s follow him and remember that these guys love big words,” Tony said.
Sunassoo entered a large hall. Standing by a wooden throne was an older faun with large antlers adorned with crisscrossing chains of gold.
“Man friend, Chief Husseha.” Tony bowed and Bolswaithe and Thomas followed his example. “I bring before you, Thomas, sign reader, and Bolswaithe, dutiful protector. Envoys sent to help you by Fae friend, Chief Franco.”
The chief nodded curtly. “Peace to you,
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