was looking out at a town in the sky, many gangways led to cosy looking dwellings; some made within the trunks of the trees. Following the line of dwellings, Eve noticed stairs that wound themselves around the tree trunks, looking up she saw yet more illuminated windows and many more mice going about their business.
“Amazing,” she breathed.
“This is where you will be staying; your friend will be brought here as well.” Her escort announced at the door one of the dwellings on the higher levels. It was mostly built into the tree trunk, but they had added a cheerfully rounded extension in which the front door sat pride of place.
“, thank-you, this is a truly lovely house,” Eve remarked turning to her escort.
“They are not called houses here in Olia, these are called burrows,” came the gruff reply. Keeping her thoughts to herself, Eve had a feeling that offending these creatures would be a very bad idea. She twisted the carved doorknob and entered her accommodation very aware that she had no idea how long she might be there.
“Eve! Oh, thank the Goddess you are alright!” Caleb almost sobbed as he rushed through the front door a short while later. Holding each other close, Caleb looked down into Eve’s face. Smiling up into his blue eyes, that always reminded Eve of the sea, she reassured him.
“I’m fine Cal; the owl riders have been very good to me.” Moving out of the embrace, Eve went through to the kitchen; Caleb followed, shaking his head at how completely calm she seemed.
“Girls,” he muttered under his breath, with a slight smile playing at the corners of his lips.
After some sandwiches and tea, Eve gave Caleb a tour of the house. She had taken the bedroom which didn’t have a view but a beautiful stained glass, irregularly shaped window that had been made to fit a split in the trees bark, there were other ‘windows’ for lack of a better name. Eve liked to think of them as light veins. These were very thin splits and cracks in the trees bark that the mice had glazed to keep draughts out and allow as much light as possible into the room. She wondered how the veins would look when the sun came up.
All the furniture was built into the tree, the owl riders had excellent design skills, and the rooms were cosy and light but also totally functional. Caleb’s room had a large window that overlooked the gangway network and the other burrows on this level. Heading back down the spiral staircase to collect his bag, Caleb was surprised to see two of the riders standing outside the open front door.
“May we come in?” The taller of the two asked.
“It’s your house, I mean burrow,” Caleb replied. On entering the burrow, the riders wiped their paws and stood by the front window. Unsure what to do, Caleb began to flounder, then Eve appeared on the bottom stairs.
“Hello again, how may we help you?” She inquired.
“We have come to escort you both to our leader’s home for the talk I mentioned on your arrival here.” Opening the front door, the rider made the common gesture for ladies first. Sighing, Eve made her way to the door, slipping on her shoes she waited for the riders and Caleb to exit.
“This way please,” the rider guided them through several levels before arriving at their leader’s burrow. Knocking on the door, the company waited for admittance. A small female opened the door, like the males of her kind, her paws were more like hands and she wore similar attire as her male counterparts. “Erica, we are here to see Maximus,” explained the taller rider. He definitely seemed to out-rank his companion Eve thought.
Opening the door wider, Erica allowed the party to enter.
“You will find him in his study, remember to knock this time Jericho, I have only just finished cleaning up the glass from the last projectile that was nearly embedded in your skull,” she pleaded. Chuckling the tall rider called Jericho nodded in agreement. Taking one last look at the visitors,
“Amazing,” she breathed.
“This is where you will be staying; your friend will be brought here as well.” Her escort announced at the door one of the dwellings on the higher levels. It was mostly built into the tree trunk, but they had added a cheerfully rounded extension in which the front door sat pride of place.
“, thank-you, this is a truly lovely house,” Eve remarked turning to her escort.
“They are not called houses here in Olia, these are called burrows,” came the gruff reply. Keeping her thoughts to herself, Eve had a feeling that offending these creatures would be a very bad idea. She twisted the carved doorknob and entered her accommodation very aware that she had no idea how long she might be there.
“Eve! Oh, thank the Goddess you are alright!” Caleb almost sobbed as he rushed through the front door a short while later. Holding each other close, Caleb looked down into Eve’s face. Smiling up into his blue eyes, that always reminded Eve of the sea, she reassured him.
“I’m fine Cal; the owl riders have been very good to me.” Moving out of the embrace, Eve went through to the kitchen; Caleb followed, shaking his head at how completely calm she seemed.
“Girls,” he muttered under his breath, with a slight smile playing at the corners of his lips.
After some sandwiches and tea, Eve gave Caleb a tour of the house. She had taken the bedroom which didn’t have a view but a beautiful stained glass, irregularly shaped window that had been made to fit a split in the trees bark, there were other ‘windows’ for lack of a better name. Eve liked to think of them as light veins. These were very thin splits and cracks in the trees bark that the mice had glazed to keep draughts out and allow as much light as possible into the room. She wondered how the veins would look when the sun came up.
All the furniture was built into the tree, the owl riders had excellent design skills, and the rooms were cosy and light but also totally functional. Caleb’s room had a large window that overlooked the gangway network and the other burrows on this level. Heading back down the spiral staircase to collect his bag, Caleb was surprised to see two of the riders standing outside the open front door.
“May we come in?” The taller of the two asked.
“It’s your house, I mean burrow,” Caleb replied. On entering the burrow, the riders wiped their paws and stood by the front window. Unsure what to do, Caleb began to flounder, then Eve appeared on the bottom stairs.
“Hello again, how may we help you?” She inquired.
“We have come to escort you both to our leader’s home for the talk I mentioned on your arrival here.” Opening the front door, the rider made the common gesture for ladies first. Sighing, Eve made her way to the door, slipping on her shoes she waited for the riders and Caleb to exit.
“This way please,” the rider guided them through several levels before arriving at their leader’s burrow. Knocking on the door, the company waited for admittance. A small female opened the door, like the males of her kind, her paws were more like hands and she wore similar attire as her male counterparts. “Erica, we are here to see Maximus,” explained the taller rider. He definitely seemed to out-rank his companion Eve thought.
Opening the door wider, Erica allowed the party to enter.
“You will find him in his study, remember to knock this time Jericho, I have only just finished cleaning up the glass from the last projectile that was nearly embedded in your skull,” she pleaded. Chuckling the tall rider called Jericho nodded in agreement. Taking one last look at the visitors,
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