Chapter 6 - Off With Their Heads

Loop blinked fiercely as the harsh sunlight burned her eyes. Swiftkill shook her head and looked around nervously. "Look..."

It was the forest...or, at least, what was left of it. The sunlight was tinged red, and everywhere the trees were burned and blackened with soot. Even the Pond was dried up, and the ground was charred and littered with what looked to be boulders. Hesitantly, the two does approached one. A ray of sunlight hit it as they got closer, and Loop gasped.

It was Quamar's body, charred nearly beyond recognition. Swiftkill looked around wildly, and identified others in a shaky voice. "Walter...21...Trois...what happened?" Loop bit her lip, and tried to sound more confident then she felt upon answering. "Nothing happened. It's an illusion. Theyre'''trying to trick us." She blinked back the tears coming to her eyes and glanced around, looking for a way out. Immediately her eyes went to the Twin Gods statues.

They were gone. All that remained were sear marks and a crumbling stone base. Loop let out a breath and backed up, her ears back in fear. "There's no way this is home," she whispered. "We have to get out, now." Swiftkill nodded and guided her friend's eyes away, towards the crying idol. "Look."

It, at least, was normal, but defecit of the water it usually poured from it's eyes. At the very least, Lieka had been able to pinpoint their escape route. Swiftkill sighed and darted towards it, with Loop following.

But they didn't get very far. Four huge vines shot from the ground and wrapped themselves around Loop, dragging her away. Swiftkill screamed and pounded at the black plants, but within moments the older doe was gone. Swift scrabbled at the ground with her hooves in desperation, but was forced to jump away as more vines appeared. Dashing madly for the Idol, one caught hold of her hoof. Still, the adrenaline in her body was pumping so hard that the doe mad a last, desperate leap -

And fell through onto a body.

The little fawn squirmed under Swiftkill. "Where'd you come from!?" she exclaimed. Swiftkill ignored the question, her expression frantic. "There's no time for that now, Xylia! Where's Aeros and Vipin?"

"Talking in the Oak, I think, but -"

She had already dashed away.

~

This chapter's crappy and rushed because I have to leave, but I hope you like. ^^ One more to go!