Chapter 4

Tina sat there in front of the fire with the warm tea and the blanket around her, and it's like reality hit her. This is real, I'm trapped in this place. And there's a talking squirrel and a mean being with cat ears and tail, and she didn't understand what's happening. It all became too much, and she began to cry. "It must be a dream. I must be dreaming."

Lynx leaned forward and pinched her.

"Ouch, why did you do that!?"

"To see if you were dreaming, and you're not. If you had been, you would have woken up by now".

Ratatosk jumped up next to them. "Why are you so mean?" You've changed so much."

Lynx went quiet for a moment and then said, "You would have changed too, if you'd been a collar on her coat."

"But you escaped her! You escaped, you are our hero!"

Lynx didn't reply, but Tina heard fair murmur, "Yes, I escaped.."

But Ratatosk was too excited to stop. "Now we have a chance! She is our savior! She's our hero! With the two of you, we can try again!"

But Lynx just looked at her and said, "There will be no second chance."

Tina looked between them, not understanding what's happening. "But you promised to help me..?", she said.

Lynx didn't reply, and the comfort Tina had felt earlier was slowly changing to fear. What would she do if Lynx wouldn't help her? She was stuck here, in some strange world with some strange beings, and didn't even know how to go home. And some Witch Queen was hunting her, and she didn't know what to do about that either.

Tears fell down her cheeks again, and Ratatosk jumped up on the chair next to her. "You've made her cry now!", she cried at Lynx.

"Shh!" Lynx hushed at them and Tina fell quiet.

"They're coming closer, they're sensing her".

Tina was just about to ask who, when she heard the wolves howling in the distance again. She wrapped the blanket closer around her, and even Ratatosk went quiet.

"They won't find us tonight", Lynx said. "Their senses are not that good. But we need to leave in the morning. This is not a safe place any longer." Fay turned to Tina. "I will help you."

Ratatosk began jumping up and down. "Yes! I believed in you! I knew you were good! You are our hero! Together we'll stand a chance."

But Lynx just turned away from the window and said, "We should go to bed. There's a long way in front of us tomorrow."

And fay left to prepare for the night.