Fairies

Elves

Pixies

River-Fay

Gnomes

Wood-Gnomes

Leprechauns

Hobs

Brownies

Goblins

Hobgoblins

Sprites

Imps

The night-rider’s
bat mount swooped down and landed on a branch. The Fay’s brow
was sweat-beaded; his face anxious. Where could they have gone? How
could a human, a big, blundering human, disappear so quickly?
A blast shook the forest. Suddenly, Huskberry knew only that he was
soaring through the air, without use of his wings. Everything seemed
slow and unreal. The entrails of his mount flew beside him, along
with the bat: a broken, hollow corpse. Blood flecked his body; and
then, he landed lightly on the forest floor. Huskberry tested his
wings. He was not hurt – though he turned away from the grisly
scene he knew was beside him.

Then Huskberry heard
them: voices. “Will you shu’ up, Bill! I blasted the
stupid beast into oblivion – ‘e’s dead now!”

“I’d say
y’re the one to shu’ up, Tom: you’re the one ‘o
killed the first sentry an’ got us in this mess. Now, thanks to
you, we’ve got to kill every bloomin’ sentry we see or
they’ll gang up an’ kill us all!”

Goblins! If he had
been oblivious before, he was certain now. Huskberry glanced down at
the short sword at his side anxiously. But now he knew, painfully and
clearly, what he must do. He would have to fly by himself, all the
way to the nearest outpost – and who knows how many more the
goblins might kill before he got there? Huskberry tested his wings.
Reaching into a pouch at his belt made of a small, folded leaf, he
pulled out a handful of pixie dust and sprinkled it lightly on his
wings. He would need it. Huskberry’s wings twitched again and
he was in the air, his wings a blur of light.