Fatima's Diary

reflections for the lost

33. Four Giants and their Pet

Keeping close to the treetops, it was easy to spot how pathetically far Whit had managed to swing himself. I am still amazed that he didn't fall and impale himself on a smaller tree. His petulance and stubbornness broke my calm and I raised my voice to him. Sometimes his ego bothers me so. But enough of him.

I quickly outdistanced him and silently flew up to the edge of the campsite, keeping care to stay downwind. I could hear eight voices talking and laughing in a guttural tongue. A large fire revealed only four huge, giant bodies, covered with fur and some makeshift cloth. I was startled when I realized that each body had two distinctly separate heads on unusually broad shoulders!

One was petting a large bear, as a human master might pet his dog. Beside the fire was a human boy, his hands and feet tethered to a long pole. An unused spit lay across the fire. It was clear the boy's breaths were numbered on one hand.

I quickly winged back to my companions, passing Whit on my way back while he was still on his way to the giant's camp. I told everyone the layout of the camp, and drew in the earth the locations of everything. It was quickly decided, much to my chagrin, that Whit would have a Spell of Flight cast upon him by Labrinnon, and I would have a Spell of Invisibility cast upon me. Whit and I were to fly into the camp, grab the boy who was tied to the wooden pole, and quickly beat a hasty retreat back in the direction of the party, who would lie in ambush. Whit and I flew around and picked up the boy, and I spoke in a calming and clear voice to the obviously bewildered and completely terrified child. I hushed him and spoke words of rescue and reassurance. His terror melted into excitement and he began to cry. Whit and I set him down well out of harm's way, into the watch of T'marrack who was with the horses.