As
the ladies trotted in single file through the woodlands, the constant
fluttering of fantail wings rustling the leaves above them was lending to the air of impending doom. Bridie
had always found the company of the faeries in their bird form to be comforting
but now, with her heightened state of vigilance, she found them anything but
reassuring.
“Those
faeries are starting to creep me out,” Liffey said, putting words to Bridie’s
feelings. “Do they have to flutter around in the leaves above our heads like
that?”
One
of the little birds suddenly flitted right in front of Liffey’s face.
Transforming into her faerie form she pointed out they were doing the queen’s
bidding. She made sure to also point out it was they who had discovered the
wolves and reported them to the queen.
“It
is not that we do not want you with us, it is just the constant fluttering,”
Liffey said agitatedly. “How are we supposed to hear if there is danger
stalking us. Or for that matter, goddess forbid, the rush of butterfly wings if
all we can hear is you lot fluttering?”
The
faeries all dropped below the leaf line of the trees but continued to flutter
above the hounds’ heads. Liffey looked at Bridie and rolled her eyes but was
not willing to put further voice to her irritation.
