The Call (Free Short Story)
"Leave the young ones here while you prepare," Peter said.
The two squirrels and Mort ran off, already talking hurriedly in hushed voices.
Left behind, Troy and Beenie glanced at each other, and then up at Peter. Peter had settled himself back down on the grass, and his head was drooping downward.
"Are you...all right?" Beenie asked, taking a cautious step forward.
"I am old," Peter said. "Nothing more."
"What are we going to do?" Troy asked, after a long pause.
"You will do nothing," Peter said. "You have done enough. The network has been warned, and events have been set in motion. You will be sent to safety with the other young ones when the time comes."
"But..." Beenie said. She was interrupted when Troy accidentally-on-purpose slapped his tail in her face.
"Sorry Beenie," he said. Then, under his breath "Don't argue with him!"
Beenie scowled at him, but kept her mouth shut.
"How is the rest of the network going to be contacted?" Troy asked.
"I will contact them," Peter said. "Much of my power was lost when the gnomes arrived, but some of it still remains."
Then, before Beenie or Troy could ask another question, the unicorn began to hum. It was a quiet sound, almost so quiet it couldn't be heard. But Beenie knew it was there, because she could feel it vibrating her ears. The sound was magnified by Peter's horn, and as Beenie listened, the sound grew in intensity, though it got no louder. Soon, she could hear words in it, but words she could not understand.
Just as the sound reached the point where Beenie was reaching up to cover her ears, it began to fade. Peter went limp, and his slender head rested on the grass, his eyes closed. When he spoke, he was breathless, as though he had run a long way.
"The network knows, and are on their way," he said. "The young ones will be brought here until it is time. Then you will be taken to the catacombs, where you will be safe. You will not leave the catacombs until you are sent for. Is that understood?"
Beenie nodded mutely, and so did Troy.
Then Peter flicked an ear, listening.
"They are coming," he said.
The two squirrels and Mort ran off, already talking hurriedly in hushed voices.
Left behind, Troy and Beenie glanced at each other, and then up at Peter. Peter had settled himself back down on the grass, and his head was drooping downward.
"Are you...all right?" Beenie asked, taking a cautious step forward.
"I am old," Peter said. "Nothing more."
"What are we going to do?" Troy asked, after a long pause.
"You will do nothing," Peter said. "You have done enough. The network has been warned, and events have been set in motion. You will be sent to safety with the other young ones when the time comes."
"But..." Beenie said. She was interrupted when Troy accidentally-on-purpose slapped his tail in her face.
"Sorry Beenie," he said. Then, under his breath "Don't argue with him!"
Beenie scowled at him, but kept her mouth shut.
"How is the rest of the network going to be contacted?" Troy asked.
"I will contact them," Peter said. "Much of my power was lost when the gnomes arrived, but some of it still remains."
Then, before Beenie or Troy could ask another question, the unicorn began to hum. It was a quiet sound, almost so quiet it couldn't be heard. But Beenie knew it was there, because she could feel it vibrating her ears. The sound was magnified by Peter's horn, and as Beenie listened, the sound grew in intensity, though it got no louder. Soon, she could hear words in it, but words she could not understand.
Just as the sound reached the point where Beenie was reaching up to cover her ears, it began to fade. Peter went limp, and his slender head rested on the grass, his eyes closed. When he spoke, he was breathless, as though he had run a long way.
"The network knows, and are on their way," he said. "The young ones will be brought here until it is time. Then you will be taken to the catacombs, where you will be safe. You will not leave the catacombs until you are sent for. Is that understood?"
Beenie nodded mutely, and so did Troy.
Then Peter flicked an ear, listening.
"They are coming," he said.
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