Star gathered up several armfuls of Maid’s Moss. She picked up Stew’s trailing reins and clucked softly, encouraging the mare to approach the fierce river. At first, Star would immerse a small amount of the moss, hold it underwater for a moment, and bring it up dripping and trebled in size. She used larger and larger chunks until she had a pier that extended a few feet into the water. Tentatively, Star stepped forward onto her make-shift bridge. It was a bit spongy, but it supported her weight.
She looked back at Stew and the horse tugged lightly against her grip. “Oh, don’t be a goat!” she scolded lightly, “I need to know if you can cross on my bridge or if you have to swim across.”
The mare’s eyes widened, as if she understood the threat and took two steps forward onto the bridge. It held!
Gleefully, Star gathered up more and more moss, dropping armfuls into the river. Because of the porous nature of the moss, the current swept right through it and didn’t carry her building materials away. Star spent the entire morning building her bridge and by midday she leapt the last few feet to the bank.
Star felt exultant at her own creativity. She smiled as she munched on a roll and let Stew forage. Her smile disappeared quickly when she focused on the image of Andy and Bella secreted away in the corner of her mind. The two of them shivered with cold and fear. Hastily, Star gathered her things and called Stew towards her. The image stayed with her as she traveled. She passed through meadows and over smaller streams. They were coming up to the foothills that marked the entrance to the mountain passes. Star felt she was gaining on the ogres, now that she had Stew, and together they fairly flew through the areas where the trees grew sparse.
Without warning, the picture in her mind disappeared. She drew up the reins and repeated the tracking charm. She saw nothing. Frustrated and out of range to ripple with Aunt Thyme, Star knew she must continue on—with or without help from the charm. She urged Stew on, murmuring the charm over and over under her breath, though she knew it was hopeless. The ogres must have taken Andy and Bella past the border of an area protected by some sort of enchantment.
