DemiGod blues PT2

Theodore nodded once and curled up in her arms. His ears could hear the wolf man howling off into the night, and worse yet, watch shouting orders to each other.
"I hear more." Celeste whispered while huddle down in the grass next to Sye and Pete. Pete's chubby outline blocked out the moon from Theodore's sight, but the sounds of the searching men were all to clear to his tiny ears.
Jimmy winced as he sat. His shirt off in the cold to keep down the swelling bruise across his chest. three deep scratches clotted with thick blood, and drops had dried long his stomach. His one arm propped him up as he spoke.
"Demmit, blazin. We ain't goin ta be able ta handle em all. Ee'n if Cle here can do more a that light stuff." His whisper was hoarse and tired.
"We can't handle one." Sye said bluntly adjusting his boots.
"I'm scared Spaz." Laurel swung the wounded dragonet who sat meatloaf position in her arms. The wounded wing bound poorly in a ripping from Jimmy's
shirt.
Theodore drooped his ears. He had led them out here and now he could do little do defend them save get wounded again. Worse yet the woldman was still out there Theodore could feel him.
Feel him. Theodore ears shot up.
"What ees it Spaz." Pete leaned in, his stomach bulging closer.
He pointed to the ground and Laurel set him gently down. Her half elven face mixed with curiousity and fear. He held his hands out to Celeste.
"me?" She looked unsuure.
"C'mon Celese Laurel saw you do that light thing. Mebbe e can can use tat stuff for summin." Jimmy Smirked at her and shrugged his armless shoulder. An odd sight for the normally grim boy.
Celeste blushed and held out her hands timidly to his. They connected and a door opene up inside her. A stirring of something long locked away by calls of `freak' and `witch', magic coursed from within he essence to Theodore.
Theodore's eyes closed and he concentrated on the people he knew. he concentrate on help. His tail twitched, his wings fluttered, and he gritted his teeth together with the pain, letting the magic come first, the childeren come first in his mind.
Kianne. that was who he had mustered when he finally opened his eyes several minutes later. The other children were mumbling and whispering about themselves, Celeste looked embarrassed and frightened now as well.
" So what ya done Spaz?" Sye held his hands up. "They're gonna find us sooner or later."
Celeste spoke. her accent broken by memories and parts of her life sheltered behind that barrier with her young spark of magic. "he got help. She's a day or so away."
Jimmy twisted his mouth into a grimace and looked from Theodore to Celeste. "Ya ain't gonna sprout no scales are ya?" he whispered then held a laugh.
Celeste smile weakly. She was still part of the group despite. the magic.
"We best move." Pete got to his hands and knees and crawled forward slowly. the grass around him barely rustled as he passed, despite his bulk.
"Yes." Sye followed as Laurel lifted Theodore onto her back.
Celeste smiled at Jimmy a moment and followed on with the others. he crouched and moved like a cat in the night. His days as an apprentice to the thieves guild had cost him an arm, but taught him the value of well placed feet.

Morning light shown through the grass an underbrush in the tuft of forest the group had taken refuge in. Tired and hungry they stopped for a bite of whatever Theodore's tired mind could pull form his bag. His wing ached, and his mind was drifting back and forth over his current predicament.
Help was coming but at least a day away. the only saving grace was the at for some reason the reinforcement he was sure would come had not arrived yet. The guard, unable to search the whole of the plain, had instead passed by them to take position on a hilltop some ways away. Form that vantage they would see the group when they approached close enough. Or the next group would find them in a game of tong and tongue like old Gayfheitz used to play with the hatchings, caught and wrapped up like packages.
The dread silence had once again griped the group. Fear silenced children like nothing else, it was a cold gripping silence of sighs and looks. Even Little Laurel could not smile as Theodore was trounced soundly in a game of tic tac toe.
Jimmy nursed his ribs, and found Celeste willing to clean and dress the wounds with what little they had available for homespun cure.
blinking once more he concentrated on the hilltop and drew his eyes in to focus on te men there. Ten in all counting the wolf man, who like Jimmy nursed his chest. magic apparently did not agree with his condition.
They would have to find a way past soon, and he was unsure if Kianne would arrive in time for the detraction he needed. He grimaced with a shot of pain from his wing. Ned be he would distract them himself and allow the children to follow his instructions to the haven they sought.

The better part of a day passed in this introspection. Jimmy had wandered off to get a lay of the land an hour or so earlier, and the others sat and played `what can Ipull from Spaz's magic bag'.
"Trouble." was all Jimmy said as he crept back into the wall of bushes and undergrowth they had dragged together for protection. Theodore had heard him approaching, but Sye and pet almost wet their breeches.
"Don't do that." Sye swatted Jimmy's calf from his seated position.
"Shh, ya willy. There's a pair a watch creepin' through the stand." Jimmy booted the thin boy gently.
"Watch?" Celeste roused form her nap.
Theodore grimaced. he was still in no shape to fight and Kianne was still hours away. It would have to be up to the kids.
He waved his hands about, and Laurel, who often ws the first to notice pointed to him.
"Idea Spaz." Jimmy knelt by the tiny dragon.
Theodore nodded and pointed to Jimmy and Celeste and marked two spots in the ground. Drawing a rough oval he wrote grove on it and began a plan. When he was done the kids were gathered about smiling, Laurel giggled as quietly as she could.
Jimmy reached into Theodore's bag and said "Rope" and proceeded to pull out a long cord of silk rope. "Ees got ta be kiddin. What ain't int there?" Jim put his head in and looked about."Demmit, s'all dark!"
Celeste put he rhand to her head and smirked. Sye laughed, and Pete tugged a big log over from the other side of the makeshift enclosure.
Theodore put his ears back and extended his claws. If his timing was right, Kianne would arrive in time to make an assault from behind, and the kids would have everyone but the wolfman handled.
The wolf man was his. he was deadly, he was big, and he could kill the others. Theodore growled and the ground vibrated around him.
"Eees getting fussed up." Laurel giggled louder as the watch in the stand called out to them.
"E better." Jimmy huffed and readied the rope and several other items they had wrangled from Theodore's bag. "Cause we are at war."
War. The word echoed in Theodore's mind. A war for freedom, a war for the right to play in the sunshine. A sad state of affairs for the enemy to say the least. Theodore liked to play in the sunshine.

The remaining watch took a few minutes to make it from their perch to the stand of trees, and a minute or so more before they charged into the thicket, and straight into the fishing net of Sye and Pete. Pete hunkered down and ran back into them wit Sye wrapping the net up hopelessly in the trees and branches. The guards set to hacking at it with their swords but found it to be made of an odd metal material. the only pieces that were true rope had already been ties to two large oaks nearby.
Theodore hopped form his perch to the ground as the children backed away from the area knowing what was coming next. His claws extended and his heart matched the rhythm of Kianne's horse pounding down from the forest side.
The wolf man made a single leap over the knotted guard. His mouth was full bared ...his teeth glinting in the sunlight.
"This ends now." He pointed the ripped sleeve of a fine frilled shirt to Theodore and then charged toward the children.
Theodore fought his instinct to pounce right away. His wing prevented any such sudden combat moves, instead he waited until the Wolf man had almost passed him by and allowed his weight and his claws to drag into a hamstring.
The wolf man halted and kicked dragged Theodore with a howl of pain. Standing limp legged to one side he watched the dragonet plummet into the brush with a squawk.
Theodore lay caught in branches and bramble. His wing on fire now. Smiling to himself he heard a whoop enter the clearing and the sound of hoof beats.
"Hey mister mean man leave my Dragonelle alone!!" Was followed by the whistling of a sling bullet.
The resulting soft Thud was met by a breif muffled laugh from the wolf man. Still settled in his belief that much of this realm did not have access to magical weapons, he was again surprised by the sudden pain from the wound.
Kianne had been given those by a dwarf who knew one too many things about magic and smithing for an under dweller. they were a gift to keep her safe, and she had used them time and time again at practice without ever realizing the same five bullets somehow made it back to their pouch.
Righting himself as Kianne charged by slowing her horse to a halt, Theodore whistled to her.
"Dragonelle!! How'd you do that trick and disappear like that at the tavern?" She asked grinning and whistling her hoopak around like a baton.
The wolf man overcome with rage lashed out toward kianne and the horse side stepped quick enough to throw his limp leg off balance. Crashing to the ground he snarled. " Children, Fae, Lizards!!! I will not have this done this way!!"
Theodore watched as the wolf man stood, Kianne circling. "Mr. you better run before I try Dio's tricks on you." Kiannes stuck out her tongue. "An maybe you should get a bath too. You smell like old dog."
the wolf laughed and surged forward once again. This time ignoring his leg, ignoring his pain. It was a strike born of primality and adrenaline.
It would have reached Kianne. Knocked her clear off her horse as she staired wide eyed and hands up, no fright just a sense of wonderment at the sudden burst of strength. the strike never made it. Theodore's rage bubbled and welled, pushing the elastic barriers between worlds, tearing at the fabric of his world for a hint of any magic.
The magic swelled into him like an onrushing river. Something on the other side payed it through like fishing string. Tugging it into him Theodore wove his dance with the quickness of lightning. His own pain numbed by the sweetness of the magic.
The lightning bolt slammed hard into the back of the wolf man. Stray sparks fizzled ad shook over the body as it fell near Kiannes sidestepping horse. her hair stood on hend in a few places as she again stuck out her tongue to the wolfman. 'Told ya ya better run way."
Theodore collapsed foreward with the effort letting the sweet magic drain back into the air and sky. His head punded, his wing spoke with new effort., but it was over. they could go on to the tower he had found months earlier. With some repairs it would be a home.
Kianne hopped down from her horse and poked the wolfman with her hoopack a few times. "Eeew burt doggy hair." her nose wrinkled.

The smoke wafted up from the corpse, and several watch gave up their complaining and attempts at cutting for a moment to scrunch their nose and wish they had hands to hold it with.
The children ran among the trapped watch tying a few more bits of rope while Kianne watched.
"Aww Dragonelle's got freinds!!" She defeaned him and came up to lift him from the gorund. "You need to get cleaned up before go. "
Theodore squawked and struggled but eventually gave up. Kianne had more energy than he did now, and Laurel had come to help. Together the pair dressed his wing in cuts of pink ribbon and white linen from one of Kianne's soft saddle blankets. It wasn't the neatest of patches but it was the gaudiest.
Theodore sighed as the two giggled.
"there now e look just like a may parade doll." Laurel hugged Kianne.
"Yeah. Wunner if we could blow him up with som of Mr. Elts gas stuff and make him float.
"Could we?" laurel looked at Theodore who was already scampering off down the road.
"Hey where E goin in such a rush. We won." Jimmy turned Celeste in a Celebratory dance that mocked what they had seen the adults do at the spring theatre festival.
"Ees off to the tower." Sye held a hand to his forehead. "ya know where we wer eaded."
Pete looked up from a small pile of coin he had slipped form different watch pockets. "Yeah. I got a bit a money ta fix it up." he stood with effort and followed Theodore off.
"Then we are travelin." Kianne took hold of Princesses reigns and helped Laurel up.
"C'n we sing a traveling song. ninety nine bottles of ale on the wall...ninety nine...." Kianne added a third to the procession.
Celeste looked at Jimmy, and her to Sye. "Shees more kid than us."
Sye shrugged and skipped off behind Kianne the two oldest following behind. Celeste letting a pair of colored lights flow and weave around the group.
Toward the back of the thicket. A guard rolled his head to the path and mananged to spit out his sock."Blighter kids weren't worth the trouble, demon, reward, or no. I ain't goin back after em for nothin. They fried that Mitweil fella."
His companion could only grunt his approval to the statement.
"I wonder what the good Lord and Lady Diablique are gonna make of all this. he was after all their houseman." the gaurd watched the last child clear over his range of sight and disappear off into the trees. The path strangely free of tracks.
Working a hand free. "I'll follow em, mebbe they'll be a reward for just the location." he struggled to get a rope end of the knot.
Staring off into the path as he did so he noticed a lone figure approach from the direction of the children. A young dark haired woman of extraordinary beauty. He drew ina breath.
"Miss..Miss..canuh ya help a law man." he pleaded
She approached quietly smiling.
"No sir. I cannot help you here, but I can help you home. " her eyes took on an eery glow.
The watch felt his pants wet as the magic swirled about them. the young woman smiled serenely as she worked. A large owl landing nearby to observe.
The group of watch reappeared in the city square, still bound and set. Embarrassed the young watch looked about and hoped no one noticed the darkened patch on his trousers. Words rang in his mind as he thought of the wood.
"Best forget them. Or next time the lake for you." The woman's voice a mix of ice and serenity. "Theodore and his children are beyond your reach, so be it known to all that would challenge him."

Epilogue:
Twilight settled on the ruins of an old outpost tower. Jimmy and Sye had tried to force the door, but Kianne opened it with a wiggle and a twist of a long hairpin.

Inside it was dry and dusty, the walls having held back the tide and fall of many seasons of disuse. Even the shutters, paint faded, stil bore a hold on their solid rusted hinges.
The stair led up from the door, the downstairs being a combination of kitchen and gathering room, with a large fireplace. Upstairs Laurel and Sye found simple soldiery bunks and a collection of crude tables and chairs. In the basement Pete rung up a new sword for Jimmy, a little rusy and pitted it had set in an oilcloth, forgotten by some border guard long gone.
Theodore wound his way to the top of the tower and out a hatch to sit in the setting sunlight. The forest below gave way to plains a few miles south, a brilliant green canopy edged with the gold of the new growth forest around him.
He smiled when he felt a presence with him there.
"you have done well little Demigod. I am proud of you." Seline's hand was cool and warm at the same time as she stroked his back.
Theodore purred a low rumbling purr that shook the tower.
"Easy little one. i cannot stay. I came to tell you goodbye. you have frown up beyond my hopes and dreams little one. One day you will sit with the gods in council with The One and make your voice heard in the chaos of this and many other realities. For now, guard these children well, and those that will follow. Let their laughter strengthen your mirth, and their reverence for this place your nature." She smiled. "And teach the young sorceress as I have taught you. responsibility before pleasure...good before want."
Theodore purred and nodded. He felt his wing warm and flex as her essence drifted back to his home world. it blended with the laughter of the children playing below, Kianne chasing them about with as much glee as they chased back.
The sun washed into several shades of red and orange. reflecting golden hues off of the clouds. Theodore took wing and dove through the cooling evening air to join the chase. His soul mimicking his body's launch into flight.