The Doors of the Valley, Chapter Two: Exploring....... And a New Friend

 AUTHOR'S BORING NOTES: Hello Reader. This is the second part of the story. And I hope you are enjoying it so far. I hope you enjoy this chapter too. I also would like to apologize in advance for any awkward word choice, grammatical or spelling errors in my story on this chapter and the next chapter. Warning: This chapter is quite long. speaking of length, This story might be  longer than the Lucinda story before this. But I hope you enjoy just the same. Now, enough with my Rambling, Let's Begin!

Chapter Two

Exploring…. And a New Friend

 

“What did you do that for?” said Billy. Referring to when Mary pulled him into the valley.

“I don’t know” Replied Mary. “I Just Did”

“Well, no use arguing now” Said Billy Sensibly “It’s already happened.”

Mary nodded in agreement before flopping down on a stool shaped rock a few steps away from her. Billy Sat down on a fallen tree beside Mary. Mary looked about and saw how peaceful the valley was.

She sighed and said “We wished something would happen. And now something has happened! And we can’t get home” She looked depressed for a second before her face lit up again. “While we’re here, we might as well do some exploring!”

 Before Billy could reply, Mary had tugged him off the log he was sitting on and dragged him to the edge of a stream.

The stream had snow white pebbles lining the bottom. And was a fresh, blueish colour, with just a hint of green. Ferns lined the banks of the stream and other various plants grew in, on top of, and beside the water. The stream was very beautiful.

Mary Bent down and tasted the water, while Billy crouched down beside some ferns examining the plants that grew there. The water in the stream was fresh, drinkable water. Nice and cool too.

Mary was about to tell Billy all about the water when Billy called out to her. “Hi! Mary! Come here! I’ve found something!”

Mary rushed over to Billy as fast as she could. “What is it Billy?” Asked Mary anxiously.

“I found some Berries” said Billy Pointing to some berries that grew on a very weedy looking plant.

The berries looked a lot like Bilberries, except they were a light shade of purple, and the leaves had a reddish tint. The plant was thin, weedy, and rambling, and it grew everywhere.

Mary took one and bit half of it. It was chewy and the inside was a pure white. It tasted very sweet but also a bit sour at the same time, out of the berry oozed some clear juice and it was unlike any plant that Mary and Billy had ever tasted before.

When Mary got to the part where the pits or the seeds were supposed to be, she found small, diamond-like crystals that were, in fact, edible. Mary offered some to Billy, who ate them and said they were delicious. 

They decided to call them Crystal berries, named after the edible crystals found inside. When they had eaten until they were full, they sat for a bit and talked. Then, Mary found some big leaves in which they wrapped a couple dozen of the Crystal berries, and continued exploring.  

“I think we should follow the stream” Said Mary thoughtfully “That way, if we do get lost, we can find our way back by following the stream back.”

Billy nodded his approval and together, they walked downstream until they came to a beginning of a small forest. They walked in with ought many a-fear but a slight doubt was lingering at the back of her head.

After a few minutes of walking, Mary was beginning to wonder if they were the only living creatures in that forest, except for the birds, bees, and bugs and stuff.

 They began to feel very hot, so they decided to have another drink in the stream. The doubt in Mary’s mind was growing larger by the second. While stooping down to drink, Mary heard a soft S P L O O S H. Mary turned around quickly.

“What’s the matter?” asked Billy anxiously,

“I thought I heard...,” said Mary “Never mind.”

Billy shrugged and began to eat some Crystal Berries, when he felt something cool and soft brush against his neck.

“Wha-?” exclaimed Billy as he sat up quickly.

“What is it?” said Mary, not really paying attention.

“Something touched me!” said Billy in an unusually large voice.

Mary was about to reply when they heard a soft giggle, like the gurgling of the stream.  

“Who said that?” said Mary sharply

“I did silly!” said the same voice, it was a tinkling sort of voice, like light rain on a roof. Then, in about a second or so, they could see a figure standing in a sunlit clearing a few steps away.

It was a little girl, about a year older than Billy and Mary. The girl had straight hair that was a curious shade of Jade green, the colour of water weeds. She fore a greenish-blue dress of floaty material, and she had a heavy tan from the sun, and her eyes were a piercing blue. 

She gave the tinkling laugh again.  “You humans look so funny when you’re surprised!”

Billy shrank behind Mary, trying not to be seen. The girl saw this and grinned, flashing pearly white teeth at them.

“You shouldn’t be afraid of me! I shan’t Bite you!” She said

“But we don’t know what you are!” Said Mary sensibly “How do we know you’re not a demon or something?”  

The girl looked thoughtful for a second. “Fair point” The girl said shortly. “But I’m a Cutoa. We are guardians of the water. If you think I’m a demon then...”

she stepped out of the clearing, away from the sunlight, and she immediately vanished into thin air.

“Where are you?" Said Mary, afraid that the girl would attack them or something.

“I’m still here” said the girls voice “I’m just invisible”

Mary felt a poke on her left arm, though she could see nothing.  “Hey!” Mary exclaimed. “Stop it!”

Once again, they heard the laughter of the girl.  In a few seconds they saw her again in the clearing.

“I get it” said Billy in a quiet voice “You can only be visible in direct sunlight, can’t you?”

“Yup!” said the girl “Oh, my name’s Brook by the way. And for your information” here she shot Mary a look “I am not a demon. I am a water guardian. Otherwise known as a Cutoa.”

Seeing that Brook was apparently not a threat, Billy came forward and introduced him and Mary. He invited Brook to sit down with them in the clearing, so they could plan what to do next.

Mary however, was not as welcoming. Her instincts were telling her not to Trust Brook. Mary felt Brook was not telling them something. And Mary wouldn’t rest until she had found out everything about Brook, and anything Brook might be hiding. 

Mary refused to join in the planning and Merry-making, though she listened intently at the plans.  Mary would get to the bottom of this, whatever this is.