Star looked frantically about for someplace to hide or something with which she could defend herself. The trees in this area of the forest were too thin. There was not even a rock large enough for her to dive behind. Desperately, she grabbed a fallen branch and held the bludgeon menacingly back over one shoulder. As the thing neared her, it slowed and Star could hear it breathing heavily and snorting. “Who’s there?” she called out with the note of falseness in her pretend bravery ringing in her ears, knowing that it was futile to hope that she would remain undetected. “Stop right there…Don’t come any closer.” Adrenalin coursed through her body and Star was biting her lip to hold back a scream when the thing finally became visible. “Stew!” Star called joyfully, dropping her club. The horse whinnied softly and ambled over. She could hear him whooshing while she stroked his damp coat. “How did you find me?” As she ran her hands over the mare, she noticed that the animal was laden down with a saddle and a pair of bags filled with supplies. Stew had not been merely wandering in the woods, she’d been sent here to find Star! Star undid the ropes holding closed the bag nearest her. Inside, she found a small basin. There was also a small cache of apples and dried meat. She tore off a strip of the meat and gnawed it hungrily. Her meager store of supplied had been running dangerously low and she would soon have had to begin foraging, loosing precious time. Still eating, she brought the basin to the river and filled it with water. She stirred the water with her fingertips, murmuring the charm around a mouthful of food. “So Stew’s found you,” came Aunt Thyme’s voice when the water stilled again. Her aunt’s face looked at her with concern and pride from the surface of the water, albeit the image was much foggier than when they had practiced this charm between their two houses. “I put a focus charm on her so that she would seek you out. Don’t try to ride her yet–she will probably think she’s a dog for a few more days (one of the side effects of the charm, you know),” Aunt Thyme whispered conspiratorially. “Once your father recovered from the shock,” she continued, “he wanted to go after you and the Bella and Andy, but I convinced him it would only put you in more danger. Have you found them?” she asked. “No,” Star said and then explained about the force driving the ogres and the false trail that led to the meadow. Star was overwhelmed with the daunting task ahead of her. “Maybe you should have sent father,” she replied despondently. “I was arrogant to think I could do this myself. I wish I hadn’t talked you out of coming.” “Child,” replied Aunt Thyme, “if you needed me, I would have come; but you don’t–you have to be the one to see this through.” “Have you seen something?” Star asked eagerly. Her mother’s family had diviner somewhere back in their family tree and Thyme sometimes got a foretelling. Unfortunately, when she used her future knowledge it always seemed to effect the future with horrible consequences. “You know I can’t tell you that,” Aunt Thyme said regretfully. “I can give you a tracking charm, though. With the charm and Stew, you can probably catch up to the ogres in no time. I don’t think we’ll be able to ripple like this much longer. The distance is so great that the ripples nearly fade away by the time they reach me. That’s why I look for foggy to you.” “I know, Aunt Thyme,” Star said, “but thank you for sending the basin anyway.” Aunt Thyme told Star about the tracking charm and then disappeared.
