#wss366 (4/4)

Barely twelve minutes later, Pierre caught back up, "Absolutely nothing to report, sir. They say she didn't even break for a latrine."

Marc said loud enough for all of the soldiers, "There are several talking creatures here. Intelligence perhaps? Maybe assessing if we were a threat. Still, the Unicorn in a tree is the strange."

Meanwhile, a poorly balanced box in Peter's room with a Matchbox van perched on it, had fallen over.

#wss366 #classical (1/5)

After breakfast, Chip sat and watched as Peter did his music practice. After several rounds of warm up scales, Peter and Mindy played a classical piece that Chip didn't know, but he did recognize it as a waltz. Peter pecked out base notes as Mindy played the faster treble notes.

As the auditor and his team walked through the Gathering Wood, they started to see monsters dancing to music none of them could hear.

#wss366 (2/5)

All the monsters that appeared through the foliage were clearly keeping the same time. Even as they came to the clearing with the treant, still littered with bits of spider carapace, the treant was even swaying to the unheard music.

Marc, the auditor, decided to try to ignore it, "Escuse.. Excuse me? I have a question."

To the unseen beat, Greandle half sung back, "Who are you? You are not - Min-er-vie. What do you - want to know - why ask me?"

#wss366 (3/5)

Marc was not enjoying this, but at least it was communication, "I am Marc, and I work with Minervie. She said I could ask you how you got your name."

Graendle stopped swaying in the middle of the question. "Oh ho ho. She was quite firm when she asked me, but it's her fault."

Marc smiled, "I knew it, SHE named you."

Graendle shook root to tip, "Ha, then you don't know the witch at all."

#wss366 (4/5)

Marc turned red, "Now you are trying to protect her!"

Graendle started swaying again, "If I tell you that she named me, will you get rid of her?"

Marc took the opportunity, "Yes!"

Graendle, shivered up and down, "No, he won't let me lie to you for my convenience."

"Who is this HE?"

"The one who named me. You, though, just want to hurt the witch. And I'm not allowed to help you hurt the witch."

#wss366 (5/5)

Marc was in a rage, "Bordel de merde. Nom de dieu. Qu'est-ce que tu dis?"

Pierre jumped in, "He is asking, what are you saying?"

Graendle replied in a low rumble, "Ah, you sound more reasonable. Are you here to hurt the witch, too?"

Pierre looked conflicted, "I don't think so? My job is to make sure Marc here does not get attacked, and ..."

Graendle replied, "Ah ho ho, I do this for Chip now... When he comes to visit."

Marc yelled, "Qui.. Who is Chip?"

#wss366 (1/4)

"Miss Mindy?" Chip asked, nervously.

"Yes dear?" Mindy responded.

"Someone is in the wood, talking to Graendle, and I think they want to hurt grandma," Chip said in a meek voice.

Mindy nodded, "Let's call her."

Peter jumped in, "What's going on? How do you know someone is in the wood?"

Mindy stopped him, "Peter, write down your questions for later. Now is NOT the time."

She picked up the receiver and dialed Minervie's four digits.

#wss366 (2/4)

Minervie answered the phone, "Hello?"

Mindy started, "Minervie, are you okay? Chip thinks someone wants to hurt you, and that they were just talking to Graendle."

Minervie waved one of the soldiers over and suggested he listen, "Mindy. Slow down, and say that again please?"

"Chip thinks someone who wants to hurt you was just talking to Graendle in the woods," Mindy repeated slowly.

#wss366 (3/4)

Minervie said calmly, "Thank you Mindy. I am okay for now, though I have some wizards with me now, so I can't chat."

"I'm coming over!" Mindy was worried.

"Mindy, Mind the boys." and she hung up. "Please repeat what you heard for everyone here. I don't want secrets."

The wizard named Jaz said, "Yes, that makes sense. Someone named Mindy said someone named Chip thinks someone who wants to hurt Minervie is in the forest and talking to the named monster."

#wss366 #compass (4/4)

Meanwhile in the Gathering Wood, a wizard named Mack said, "This is serious, check your compass."

Pierre pulled his compass from his robe, and saw it was spinning wildly, "Confirmed, magic storm."

Graendle had a root sprouted out of the ground behind Marc, and through that said directly to him, "Are you a threat to Chip now?"

#wss366 #gun (1/4)

In the Gathering Wood, not having internalized the magic storm, or the implied threat in Graendle's question, Marc yelled again, "Who is Chip?"

At Minervie's home, Minervie looked around at the wizards who were in her home, looking each of them in the eye for a moment. She then said, "I understand you are hired guns, but I have a feeling your group may be in danger. I'm sure at least some of you are talented enough to feel that a magic storm just ignited."

#wss366 (2/4)

Jaz said, "Are we going to the woods, then?"

Minervie went to the front closet and started pulling on a coat and said, "I would not tell you what to do. I am going a few doors down to see Mindy who just called me. If you need to follow me, then follow. If you need to help in the wood, do so. If you need to stay here, then decide now, as the front door is trapped." With that she put on her hat, and opened the front door.

#wss366 (3/4)

The four men followed her out the front door, given their last order was to watch Minervie, that's what they decided to do.

With a quick leap, Minervie was on Mindy's front walk. The wizards clamored to keep up. When the first of them reached the walk, Minervie was knocking on Mindy's door. They all four stood around her by the time Mindy opened the door.

Minervie called loudly, "Chip, I'm here."

#wss366 (4/4)

Mindy stepped aside to allow Chip to more easily reach Minervie. Chip rushed up and hugged her leg through her long skirt, "Grandma!"

Mindy looked at the unexpected guests, "Come in, come in before my whole house becomes and ice-box."

Minervie, on the other hand, sat on the floor, just inside the entrance, and said, "Chip, you need to settle down and tell me everything." Four wizards stood around leaning in to hear. Mindy finally managed to edge by and get the door closed.

#wss366 (1/6)

In the gathering wood, Graendle literally lifted Pierre by root around his chest and set him down in the branches of a tree that was about 15 meters away. Even as an old Treant, Graendle didn't LOOK that big. "This should be far enough," resonated from the branch that set Pierre down.

Through the leaves of the tree he was in, he saw the silver horned unicorn from before racing into the clearning.

#wss366 (1/3)

Minervie picked up the phone, "Hello?"

Phone: "William Item Dispatch."

Minervie: "Mike Item Nan Easy Roger Victor Item Easy."

Phone: "It's been three months. We have questions."

Minervie: "So ask."

Phone: "We need to talk to the Treant."

Minervie: "When?"

Phone: "Within an hour, a team is on the way."

Minervie: "I'll be here."

#wss366 #brace (2/3)

Minervie hung up the phone, and called, "Chip?"

Chip came runnig down the hall from his room, "Is Peter coming over?"

"No Chip, sorry. Nothing so pleasant. Brace yourself. Dispatch called and they want to interview the old treant," Minervie responded.

"When?" Chip started, but then there was an authorative knock at the door.

Minervie didn't answer Chip, and swiftly made it to the door, opening it wide.

"Hello, how can I help?" Minervie asked.

#wss366 (3/3)

Minervie noticed the team was at least twice as large as last time, and this time, three of them had radios.

"William Item Item." said the woman in front.

"Dispatch called a few minutes ago. You came to me, so I assume I don't need to spell my name for you?"

"No, Minervie."

"I only have room in here for 6, shall we all head to the back?"

"That's fine."

"Chip, come along," Minervie called.

Chip clomped toward the open door as the most defiance he was willing to show.

#wss366 (1/4)

The investigators followed Minervie and Chip around the side of their home, through the side gate, and into the back yard.

Chip, seeing the number of adults who were present, asked, "Gramma, is Graendle in trouble?"

The lead woman spoke first, "No. He is a witness to an incident we need to know about."

Minervie nodded, "I suspect the trouble is around a unicorn."

They reached the backyard, and the investigators formed a circle around Minervie and Chip.

#wss366 #shining (2/4)

It was late morning, and the sun started shining into the yard above the neighbor's backyard oak.

The lead investigator got down to sit on her heels, to be closer to eye level with Chip, "My name is Cathy, and I'm just here to ask questions."

Chip looked around, "Why are there so many people with you?"

Cathy kept her eyes on Chip, "Last time someone talked to the treant, they got ... hurt. The team is here to prevent anyone from getting hurt."

#wss366 (3/4)

Chip looked up at Minervie, but Minervie was watching beyond the back gate into the Gathering Wood.

Cathy asked, with as soothing a voice as she could, "Chip? Are you able to call the treant to the back gate?"

Chip looked back at Cathy, "I ...". There was a pause while Chip stared at the ground between them. After about 20 seconds, Chip nodded, and then said, "Graendle doesn't want to leave his place, he said he's been rooted for too many moons."

#wss366 (4/4)

Cathy wasn't able to keep the disappointment off her face completely. "Okay Chip, can you ask if he knows of where any unicorn might be?"

Chip looked up, and said, "There is no unicorn in the Gathering Wood," with no hesitation.

Minervie turned toward Cathy and made a disapproving grunt, but Chip thought it might be directed at him. He looked to Minervie and plaintively said, "The unicorn didn't even last a whole day."

#wss366 (1/4)

Cathy stared up at Minervie, and Minervie said, "Chip? What you mean about the unicorn, could you explain?"

"The unicorn appeared in the wood, and left the same day," Chip explained like it was obvious.

"Did the treant tell you this?" Minervie prompted.

"I don't remember who told me." Chip said.

Cathy said, "I think we should go visit this Graendle."

A man leaned in and said something quietly to Cathy.

#wss366 (2/4)

Cathy then said, "Minervie, I think it might help if we brought Chip along, but I'm not going to force it."

Minervie looked at Chip, and Chip immediately chimed in, "I want to see Graendle again."

Cathy said, "Chip, do you mind if someone carries you?"

Chip looked to Minervie, and Minervie interjected, "I will carry him. I may be old, but I'm not weak." She lifted Chip onto her left hip.

#wss366 #pace (3/4)

They set off at a brisk pace and into the Gathering Wood. Chip giggled, "I didn't think a unicorn would actually be in a tree."

Both Minervie and Cathy stopped dead at this. Minervie asked, "Chip, could you explain what is funny?"

Chip looked up and said, "When I was playing with Peter, I pretended there was a unicorn in a tree, but Greandle told me that it really happened."

Cathy said, "If it is okay with your grandmother, maybe we can play pretend later."

#wss366 #union (4/4)

Minervie said, "I am not sure if that is appropriate."

One of the security group that was with them, Jaz, jumped in, "I am in union with Miss Minervie, I was with Minervie during the ... incident, I do not like the idea of you playing pretend."

Chip looked relieved, "I'd rather play with Peter."

#wss366 (1/3)

The party made its way toward Graendle the treant. There were no sightings of anything that wasn't already part of the observed creatures. There was a minor confrontation with a particularly territorial juvenile black hart, but Minervie bound it quite expertly.

Cathy tried multiple times to talk to Chip and spark his imagination, but Chip would just reply with, "That's silly," and "Why would that exist?"

#wss366 #mug (2/3)

Eventually Jaz spoke up, "Lead, I know what you think you are doing, we all know what you think you are doing, an I don't like it. If your cajoling succeeds, what then? Who gets hurt because of it?"

She turned on him, and saw the whole group were staring back with concern. The fear of mutiny was on her for the first time.

Seing her flush, Jaz flashed a smug mug and continued, "The way I hear it, Marc didn't listen to the team's concerns."

#wss366 (3/3)

Jaz left the rest unfinished, but a quarter of the team had been in the woods that day three months ago. Most of them were absolutely prepared to back Jaz up if their lead did not stop being reckless.

Cathy turned back to Minervie, and said, "How far?"

A deep groaning response came from a few hundred yards away, "Very close now," the grand old Treant responded.

Minervie said, "There you have it."

#wss366 (1/5)

The group, led by Cathy and Minervie stepped out into the clearing. Chip waved at Graendle from Minervie's hip.

Graendle, voice like an old mill in a wind storm, spoke, "I recognize some of you, and others are new."

Cathy responded, "I'm Cathy, and I have questions you might be able to answer."

Graendle creeked more slowly, with less screetch and more groan, "Cathy, then, what are your questions?"

#wss366 (2/5)

"Three month... moons ago... when some of these people were here the last, could you tell me what happened?" Cathy asked, starting with the most pressing question.

Graendle responded, "The angry man was yelling loudly, asking me questions, but then not listening to my answers. Then he started yelling, 'Who is Chip?' That is when a magic storm started."

#wss366 #odd (3/5)

Graendle continued, "All of the other people ran off, one of them who wasn't yelling, but was too close, I set into a tree on the edge of the clearing, as I did that the yelling man kept yelling. That is when the unicorn ran through, and then magic storm dissapated."

Cindy nodded thoughtfully, "Did you cause the magic storm?"

Graendle responded, "It feels odd to talk and not be yelled at. But, no, I did not cause it. I don't even have that much magic."

#wss366 (4/5)

Cathy turned her head toward Minervie and Chip, "What about..."

Graendle interrupted, "It was not Chip, I can feel his magic, but I do not know about the witch. It could have been anybody, or it could have been natural, storms do happen here sometimes."

Cathy had turned back to Graendle, during his response, but turned back again, "Chip? How much of what Graendle said actually the truth?"

#wss366 (5/5)

Chip looked confused, "I've never known Graendle to lie. He even told me when the yelling man wanted his help to hurt Gramma."

Minervie grunted in surprise. Chip looked up, and back to to Cindy, "He even told me he wanted to help, and I told him no."

Now Minervie turned an angry gaze toward the treant.

#wss366 (1/4)

Graendle rumbled deeply to the team, "The witch and I have never been friendly, and that isn't about to start now."

Cathy spoke up, "Back on topic, treant, what do you know of the Unicorn?"

Greandle's upper branches quivered, "It appeared, though I was not there to see it, on the same day as the last visit. I have heard from the wood, that it appeared in a tree, and the tree broke under it."

#wss366 #hedge (2/4)

Cathy said cautiously, "What do you mean, appeared in a tree?"

Graendle groaned, "I cannot explain what I have not seen, only that I am told it appeared. It did not land. It did not climb."

Cathy nodded, "Where is it now?"

Greandle said, "This I saw, it was about 30 minutes later, after Chip stopped asking me questions, the Unicorn stopped existing." A branch stretched to a place North, a hedge between trees, "The magic ceased suddenly, as if it had never been."

#wss366 (3/4)

Cathy was thinking, and Minervie spoke up, "Treant, did anything else happen at the same time?"

Greandle got squeaky, "Witch, a whole lot happened while the Unicorn existed. A group came in, led by the yelling man. The unicorn appeared as they literally passed by the tree it was in. I met the yelling man, and there was a magic storm. The group spent some minutes trying to, ah, they took the yelling man away. As the last of them left the South gate, the Unicorn was gone."

#wss366 (4/4)

Cathy snapped out of her reverie, and said, "Are you saying the unicorn was created by the group?"

Greandle responded, "I said no such thing. I was asked for other happenings, and those are the happenings I know of. Magic in my wood is rarely simple."

#wss366 (1/3)

Cathy had run out of questions, and Graendle, the treant, had nothing more to add. Nobody was yelling, and nothing was out of the ordinary. Cathy said, "Treant, it was good to meet you, and thank you for taking the time to answer my questions."

Graendle said, "I answered because Chip is worried. Worried that if I don't answer, then you make that witch's life harder, and that would make his life harder."

With that, the group started leaving the treant's clearing.

#wss366 #kid (2/3)

Cathy said to Minervie, "The treant is surprisingly sensitive to the kid."

Chip spoke up, "I'm not a kangaroo."

Minervie reassured, "No, you are not. She is talking about you, but not just about you, it is adult speak. Keep your questions for later, and I will explain."

Chip mumbled, "But I can never remember."

Cathy noticed a horned rabbit watching the group go by, "Minervie, do you see that?"