This is a continuation of B is for Birthday. It was followed by F is for Follow. You may want to read them first if you haven’t already.
H is for Hunted
Barry and the fox went deeper into the forest following only a route that the fox knew. It was made a little difficult for Barry as he was not a fox and for parts of the route he had to crouch low. This was even more complicated since he was also carrying the fox.
After about an hour of traveling, they stopped for a rest. It was then that they heard the sound. Clearly something or someone was following them. The fox asked to be put down and he limped off, through the brush, after telling Barry to remain completely still and silent. A short time later the fox returned.
“It’s one of his guards,” the fox whispered.
“Whose guards? And why is he following us?” was Barry’s reply.
“Hyde, the evil magician of Selat. He is having me followed because he suspects that I’m going to tell the King that I know where he holds his victims. No one in the kingdom knows this secret. But I found a hedgehog that knew. The hedgehog gave me a message to give to the king, which is why I’m going there. The magician must want me not to get there. The fire that led you here was no accident. Hyde must have started it to drive you into the forest, where it is easy to get lost and captured. I was lucky to find you first.”
“So what do we do?”
“I can no longer lead you through the forest. You’ll have to find your way to the king yourself. But I can give you directions. I will also give you the message to give to the king. I trust that you will be successful. Let the one who is following us, follow me; I’ll go in a different direction and try to lose him. Give me a 10-minute start and then move as quickly and quietly as you can. Good luck.”
After giving Barry the directions to the king’s palace, the fox took off, silently at first, but then making enough noise in his travels to ensure that he would be followed.
Barry waited for more than ten minutes until he could no longer hear anyone in the forest and then he went on, following the directions that the fox had given him. He stopped periodically and listened for any sound of followers. He finally came to a clearing; there in front of him stood the palace of the king. Also standing in front of him was a guard from the palace pointing a weapon right at him.
“Don’t you read signs!” threatened the guard.
to be continued in K is for King
Yikes! I wonder what’s going to happen.