Bobo, Part 2

The second half of the sequel to "faerie Sight" Notes: a "Sunnyuh" is a Korean Fairy, much like a female elf Ananse is an African Trickster - a Spider

"The deer", Billy replied.

But it hadn't sounded like a deer. Now even Billy was beginning to get nervous.

An ugly head poked out from between two bushes! It was dark and hairy. Round pupils in glowing yellow eyes stared out above a slit nose. A grinning mouth showed shark-like teeth. The two boys had never felt such terror. They could not scream, only stare with gaping mouths. Their bare legs got wet as they lost control of their bladders.

"Run!', Jimmy finally managed to croak out.

An evil titter of laughter followed them as they ran through the brush like the Devil himself was chasing them. Eventually the terrified boys stumbled onto the bridle path and fled back towards the safety of the crowded beach.

Michael, Misty, and Bobo had gotten out of the water and were sunning themselves on a blanket laid on the sandy beach. Tanya was throwing a beach ball with the three eight year old girls. Ranger Tom was walking the beach looking for the missing boys.

"Monster!" "Monster!", came the terrified cries of the boys as they ran onto the beach.

"I didn't do it. They can't see me", Bobo told Michael.

"I know you didn't, Bobo", Michael said as he got up to see what the boys were screaming about.

Maybe just another of their silly pranks?

When the counselors reached the boys, Michael realized this was no prank. He'd never seen two more terrified children in his life. Sobbing and gasping for breath, they threw themselves into Michael and Tom's arms, stammering out a wild tale of an encounter in the woods.

"In the woods --- near the rookery", Jimmy sputtered out.

"Yellow eyes-- shark teeth -- it -- it wanted to eat us", Billy said, shaking like a leaf.

"You probably just saw a beaver or a muskrat."

Tom Clancy tried to assure the boys in spite of his own doubts.

After all this is the nature park where strange things happen and an ethereal mare shod in silver shoes with a golden bridle is boarded at the stable.

"Not a beaver or a muskrat -- a monster!", a frightened angry Jimmy insisted.

"And they call me crazy", Misty could not resist saying to some of the other horse camp children as they all gathered around the trembling boys.

She had a feeling, however, that Jimmy and Billy were telling the truth. Bobo had said that something scary from Faerie was in the woods.

"Do you know anything about this, Mr. Smith?", Ranger Clancy pointedly asked Michael.

Michael's gray eyes registered his concern.

"No, I'm as much in the dark as you. But I think we should discourage the campers from wandering off alone into the woods."

"I'll talk to them at lunch", the park ranger said.

The camp had provided box lunches and a cooler of cold sodas for the campers so they did not have to be bused back to the dorm for lunch. They ate on the tables in the picnic grove located between the stable pasture and the woods. Billy and Jimmy kept glancing at the woods as if expecting something scary to come rushing out of it. While they ate Ranger Clancy lectured the campers on the dangers of going alone into the woods.

After lunch was free time. Most of the campers went back to the beach to rest and watch the sailboats gliding across the lake, or over to the stable to look after their horses. A few, Misty and Bobo among them, remained in the picnic grove.

"Let's sneak out tonight and find out what is hiding in the woods", Bobo whispered to Misty.

"Are you crazy? It's too far to walk from the dorm to the woods. And if we got caught we'd be in big trouble."

"We won't get caught. Everyone will be asleep. Maybe there's another Spriggan in the woods. Let's find out", Bobo insisted.

"Maybe the elves will check out the woods tonight. I'm sure Michael will tell Deirdre Danann about Billy and Jimmy seeing a monster", Misty replied.

"If I sense any of the Sidhe we'll go back to the dorm. And I can protect you from whatever is in the woods. I can inflate myself to ten times my usual size."

Misty remembered when Og the Spriggan had inflated himself and saved her from Jenny Greenteeth.

"Well -- maybe", Misty said.

She knew she should say no to Bobo's crazy plan but she was curious too. It would be neat to be the ones who found out what was scaring the kids in the Bridle Path Woods.

After free time the horses were bridled and saddled for the trail ride. A subdued Jimmy and Billy rode close behind Ranger Clancy on his big bay. The two boys felt safer near the husky park cop but still started at the sound of every chattering squirrel or tapping woodpecker. Their nervousness was transmitted to the normally placid Easy Rider and Sugar causing the brown gelding and the red roan mare to act skittish.

"Try to keep your mounts under better control", Tom Clancy said when this happened for the third time.

"Yes Sir", the boys said nervously.

Tom Clancy realized why the horses were acting up.

The trail ride was uneventful until they approached Snapping Turtle Creek not far from where it flowed out of the dam that created Crystal Lake.

"Look up into the trees near the creek. We have at least three pairs of wood ducks nesting in the trees of this area", Michael was telling those riders near him when Blue Shadow neighed loudly and came to a complete stop.

A startled Tanya rode up beside Blue Shadow as the riders behind the intern reined in their own suddenly nervous mounts.

"What is it with Blue Shadow?", Tanya asked.

Then she gasped as she saw the two hikers walking towards them on the bridle path.

One hiker was the new intern, Eric, now dressed in a proper park uniform. The other was a tall slender man with green eyes and white hair pulled back into a long ponytail. He wore comfortable jeans with a black belt and silver buckle, and an electric blue knit shirt with a black dragon emblem over the breast pocket.

"Lord Niall!', Michael and Tanya said in unison.

The tall white-haired man looked at the intern, his eyes glowing with such anger or hate that the riders behind Michael shivered. Their horses whinnied nervously. Then the stranger man's eyes slid to the punk teenager and his face was instantly transformed by a look of pleasure and a genuine smile.

"Tanya! How nice to see you. You look well -- a bit plumper than when last I saw you", the man said in a resonant voice that held an undertone of distant bells in it.

"Do you mean I look fat?"

"No, I mean you look healthy. --- You look well, too, Michael Smith. Don't glare. I have business these days in Crystal City and it's no business but my own if I choose to relax by hiking in these fair woods while discussing philosophy with Mr. Johanson here."

"I'm sure that is an interesting discussion", Michael said. "Be assured I will mention having seen you to the Dananns."

"I'm sure you will. But the Dananns already know I am coming here", the man replied with a smile that was anything but friendly.

However, he gave Tanya Swift another genuine smile before he and young Eric wandered on down the trail. Their passage caused some of the horses to neigh and shift their feet nervously.

"I did not realize you knew Michael or Deirdre Danann, Mr. McCay", Eric said as they passed the riders who were again moving down the trail in the opposite direction from the hikers. "Why did they call you 'Lord Niall'?"

"In the old country I am entitled to that honorific. It means nothing in this land of democracy", Lord Niall Mac Aedh replied.

Michael and Tanya rode side by side. Misty and Bobo followed close behind.

"So, how do you know Lord Niall?", they both asked at the same time.

"He kidnapped me and held me hostage for two and a half days -- didn't feed me either", Tanya whispered.

"That sounds like Lord Niall. But I never thought I'd see him smile at anyone human the way he smiled at you. How did you achieve that?"

"Oh - I wept when he told me how his parents died. It was a sad tale. Lord Niall is -- consumed with hate, but -- sometimes --- I feel kinda of sorry for him."

"Feel sorry for that Faerie slimeball! I'm afraid I can't share your pity. He tried to rape my girlfriend and kill me in a very unequal dual", Michael said vehemently.

"Rape! -- Yeah, I guess he might. He hates so much. -- But you are alive and well, Michael. How did you survive the dual?"

"A lot of luck and Lord Niall's own arrogance working against him."

"It took more than luck to defeat a Sidh lord in a dual", Tanya said with open admiration.

"That was the mean Sidh who tried to kill Michael. Maybe he's what scared Jimmy and Billy", Misty whispered to Bobo.

"Maybe. -- but I don't think so. The Sidhe don't hurt children, not even the Mac Aedhs. I bet he knows what else is in this wood, though", Bobo whispered back.

"He wouldn't tell us. He's too mean", Misty replied.

Once the horses had been returned to the stable, groomed, and turned out into the pasture, and the stable had been cleaned, the campers were bused back to the dorm for showers and dinner. This meal was fairly quiet. The "Terrible Twosome" were subdued and well behaved.

After dinner they were once more herded to the couches and chairs clustered around the big fireplace where a blazing fire had been set. Michael brought down one of his acoustic guitars.

"Tonight we are going to sing campfire songs", he announced to another chorus of groans.

"The obligatory camp song sing along", Sheldon said.

"That's not even a campfire. It's a fireplace", another boy wise cracked.

"Shut up or they might make us go out in the woods for a real campfire, complete with mosquitoes", Janice Applegate warned.

"I don't want to go to the woods at night. There's monsters out there", Jimmy wailed.

Some of the children laughed.

"Oh, shut up. I hope you get attacked by a monster and it eats you", Billy said.

But for all the complaining when Michael started singing the lively camp tunes the children sang along. He started with one about a bumblebee.

"I'm bringing home a baby bumblebee

Won't my mama be so proud of me

Cause I'm bringing home a baby bumblebee

Ouch -- He stung me ------"

He continued with a song about a horse, followed by a lovely Polish round song, with each horsemanship skill level group taking one part of the round.

"Horsey, horsey on your way

We've been together for many a day

So let your tail go swish --------"

"Oh, how lovely is the evening

Is the evening

When the bells are sweetly ringing

Sweetly ringing

Ding dong, ding dong."

When he introduced the Kookaburra song there was more groaning.

"We sing the Kookaburra song at every camp I've ever gone to", one of the older girls said.

"That's because it's a fun song", Michael replied.

After the Kookaburra song the lyrical "Ash Tree" song pleased the girls, but the boys thought it was a sissy song.

"Down yonder green valley

Where streamlets meander

When twilight is fading

I pensively roam.

Or at the bright noontide

In solitude wander

Amid the dark shades of

The lonely ash grove. -----"

Michael John decided to try a more adult song with the campers.

"This one is not really a camp song. It's one of the songs I sing with Celtic Bards, the band I play in. It's about an Irish man who dies, then comes back to life at his wake when someone throws whiskey on him."

"Why do they throw whiskey on him?"

"What's a wake?"

"A wake is a big party with lots of booze and dancing that the Irish give for a person who has died. The corpse is laid out on a bed in style and thus, in a sense, attends the party. I'll teach you the chorus so you can sing along with it."

"A corpse at a party!"

"Spooky -- like Halloween."

However the children soon found themselves clapping to the upbeat Irish ditty and singing along on the chorus. They especially liked the part where the wake turned into an Irish donnybrook.

"Whack fol the dah now dance to yer partner

Round the flure yer trotters shake

Bend an ear to the truth I tell ye

We had lots of fun at Finnegan's wake.-----"

With this song Michael ended the singalong and the children were allowed to get ready for bed.

Deirdre stopped by to pick up Tanya and take her home. Michael and Tanya drew Deirdre into a corner to tell her about the day's bizarre events.

"I knew Lord Niall was hiking here at the park after he concludes his business at the Smithe and Smithe Wine Cellar in Crystal City. But I did not realize he had made contact with Eric Johanson. What could he want with our newest intern?", Deirdre said.

"I don't trust Eric. He's glib and charming, but he's a fanatic on environmental issues. A fanatical human and an unseelie Sidh lord doesn't seem like a good combination to me", Michael said.

"Nor to me", Deirdre admitted. "Still I can't see Lord Niall being responsible for scaring the two boys. Even an unseelie Sidh like Lord Niall wouldn't hurt children."

"Billy and Jimmy were frightened, not hurt. Lord Niall did not think kidnapping me was the same as hurting me. He might not think scaring is the same as hurting either", Tanya suggested.

"There is that possibility", Deirdre admitted. "But why? What is he up to? We need to keep a close eye on our unseelie wine importer, a very close eye indeed."

Had the Dananns not been sidetracked by the issue of Lord Niall, and had they not assumed he played some part in the frightening of Jimmy and Billy, they might have immediately investigated the Bridle Path Woods. As it was they decided Lord Niall Mac Aedh was the one they needed to investigate and put off checking out the "haunted wood" until the next day.

"Would it be OK if I work late tonight?", Tyrone asked as Gloria prepared to leave for the night. "There's a big pile of paperwork that hasn't yet been entered into our computer files. The camp has kept me so busy I haven't had time to do it. My anatomy class held its final exam last night, so I'm free of school work now till September, which gives me some time to catch up here."

"Sure, if you don't mind doing it. I can't guarantee you'll get time and a half for it, but I'll see that you get some compensation. I don't have time for the paperwork this week either."

Gloria was a horsewoman, not a computer person. She preferred to let the college student handle the computer stuff whenever he was available to do it.

"Make sure you stay away from the 'Woods' ghoulie'", Gloria said with a laugh as she exited the stable.

Gloria did not believe in things that go bump in the night. She did believe in hyperactive boys with overactive imaginations.

"Shep will be here to protect me", Tyrone said with a responding laugh.

The dog wagged his tail vigorously in response to hearing his name called.

Misty's roommates fell asleep minutes after their exhausted heads hit their pillows. Misty's nervousness about her and Bobo's plans kept her awake even though she too was bone weary tired.

It took awhile for Michael to fall into a deep sleep. When he finally was snoring loudly the Spriggan child crept out of the room without making a sound. Misty was not quite as quiet as Bobo, but her roommates did not wake up. She wore jeans, sneakers, a dark shirt and a thin gray sweater. Several of the stairs creaked as the youngsters crept downstairs but everyone was fast asleep. No one woke.

A full moon was rising. It's light made it easier for Misty to see her way as they walked around the barn. A couple of sheep went "baa-aa" and the donkey brayed as they passed by.

They walked along the park road, past the driveway to Head Ranger Parker's home and past the moonlit beach.

"Isn't that pretty?", Misty whispered.

The beauty of the August night and the excitement of the illicit adventure made Misty and Bobo forget both fear and fatigue. The gentle summertime night made it hard for Misty to believe there was really anything scary in the Bridle Path Woods.

Where the park road passed by the horse pasture a secondary road branched off, terminating in the canoe rental place near the entrance to the bridle path. As Misty and Bobo approached this fork Blue Shadow came over to the fence and whinnied. The children stood by the fence to pet the blue roan whose mane seemed to float like a silver cloud in the bright moonlight.

"It's OK, Blue Shadow. We're just going to check out the woods", Misty said.

Bobo said something to the horse in the Faerie tongue. Blue Shadow responded by giving her head a shake and giving another loud whinny.

"I don't think she wants us to go into the woods", Bobo said.

"Maybe we should listen to her", Misty said.

"Are you turning scardy-cat when we've come this far?"

"I'm not a scardy-cat. Let's go, Bobo."

They turned onto the side road and headed towards the lake and the bridle path. Blue Shadow turned and headed towards the stable.

When the Faerie horse reached the stable she stood outside its big door and whinnied loudly. Inside the cramped office Tyrone was concentrating on entering data into the stable's outdated computer. Shep had been lying on the floor by his side. When he heard the roan call the dog jumped up and ran out the office's open door, heading for the stable entrance.

"That's right. Desert me to go play with your equine girlfriend", Tyrone called out with a laugh as the shepherd dog trotted out to join the Faerie horse.

The horse and the dog ran full tilt at the fence that enclosed the horse pasture. The horse sailed easily over the high fence. The dog crawled underneath it.

Shaded by overhanging trees, the bridle path was dark. No moonlight penetrated here. Both children felt scared; neither was willing to admit it to the other. They entered the woods, walking down the middle of the broad path.

"Hoo hoodoo hooo hoo", came the call of a great horned owl. Crickets, tree frogs, and katydids chirped and buzzed loudly in the trees.

"It's spookier at night", Misty said.

"Yeah. And there is something in the woods. I can feel it."

Bobo wrapped his fluffy tail about his hairy body.

"Something dangerous?", Misty asked.

"Maybe. It feels kind of mean and nasty."

"Maybe we should go back", Misty said in a scared whisper.

One moment the nervous youngsters stood on the broad bridle path by themselves. The next moment they were surrounded! Ugly dark goblins, twisted bodies, sharp beaks or grinning mouths full of sharp teeth, glowing yellow eyes, and long rat tails �" that is what surrounded them.. A dwarfish looking creature wore a leather tunic and red cap, and carried a wicked ax.

"Bogles! Redcap!', Bobo cried.

Misty was so scared she could only whimper. Her knees shook and her hands trembled.

Bobo inflated to ten times his normal size. He grabbed a nearby bogle and threw it. The squealing bogle landed on top of two others who fell to the ground.

The redcap's laugh sent shivers down Misty's spine. He brandished his huge ax. One of the bogles let loose a black shafted arrow that caught Bobo in his hip. With a cry of pain the Spriggan child fell to the ground, deflating to his normal size, his invisibility spell evaporating. He lay there crying and writhing in pain.

"Bobo!", Misty cried out, throwing herself protectively on top of her Faerie friend.

The redcap lifted his huge ax, preparing to strike.

"You're mine now", he croaked.

A torpedo of fur, snarls, and biting teeth launched itself at the evil dwarf, fastening on his brawny arm. The goblin fell back and dropped the ax. As the redcap struggled with the attacking dog, a vision of equine fury lashed into the bogles. Blue Shadow's hide shone with an inner light. Her eyes blazed like candles; her mane and tail were writhing silver flames. Sparks flew off of her silver horseshoes when she struck two Bogles who fell dead. The rest fled.

The mare then turned and attacked the Redcap who was trying to choke the attacking dog. Over and over the flashing hooves came down on the goblin until the Redcap lay still on the bridle path.

"Oh, it hurts. It hurts so bad", Bobo cried, yellow tears streaming down his furry face.

"We've got to get him some help. He's hurt bad", Misty whispered to the horse and the dog who had saved their lives.

Blue Shadow gave a soft whinny and knelt like she always did for Michael to mount her.

"You'll let us ride?", Misty whispered.

It was difficult for Misty to lift her friend but she managed to lay him over the blue roan's whithers. Then she climbed on the mare's bare back. The horse stood up and galloped towards the stable, moving like a stormy wind, yet Misty and Bobo had no trouble staying on her silky back. Shep ran after but was soon left far behind.

Tyrone was startled by the loud whinny outside the stable door. The whinny was taken up by all the horses in the pasture. He thought he could hear Shep barking in the distance.

"What the hell!"

He got up to investigate.

Tyrone stared in amazement at the sight of Misty sitting on the blue roan mare who had come into the stable. Something furry with a bushy tail lay over the horse's whithers. He saw the black arrow shaft that protruded from the wounded animal.

"What are you doing out here after hours, Misty Donahue? And what have you found -- someone's escaped pet monkey that got shot by a poacher?"

"He's not a monkey. -- He's Bobo", Misty sobbed.

"Well let's take a look at Bobo and see if we can help him", Tyrone said.

As he lifted the furry creature off of the horse, Tyrone stared in at its owl-like eyes, beaked nose, and monkey-like body. He'd never seen anything like it.

"What is this creature?", he asked Misty who had slipped off of Blue Shadow's back.

"He's a Spriggan. He's my friend. He inflated himself to save me from the bogles but they shot him."

"Hurts -- hurts bad", the shaking creature in Tyrone's arms whimpered.

Tyrone was so startled he almost dropped the wounded child.

"You're not an animal at all, are you?", he said. "Animal or not we've got to get that arrow out of you. It's awfully deep. I may need to take him to a hospital of some kind where they will have anesthetic available."

Misty suddenly thought of something.

"Mr. Jones, are the surgical instruments in hospitals made of steel?", she asked.

"Yes, of course. Why?"

"Bobo's allergic to iron and steel. They're poison to him."

"This arrow has to come out, Misty. What can I do?"

"The elves could help but Miss Danann went home already."

"Miss Danann is an elf?", Tyrone said, his eyes widening.

At this point he was ready to believe almost anything.

"I know! Mrs. Parker is a Korean fairy. She can help. And Michael has an elf-silver knife the elves gave him", Misty cried.

"Tell you what. Let's get this Bobo or Spriggan or whatever into my car. I'll call the Parkers and tell them what's going on as we drive over there. I hope you're right that they can help because I'm feeling pretty helpless, Misty."

By now Shep had returned to the stable. He followed Tyrone who carried Bobo and Misty out to Tyrone's beat up old Toyota.

"You stay here and guard the horses, Shep", Tyrone ordered. The dog wagged his tail in response. "What is that on your mouth, Shep? Blood?"

"He attacked the redcap and saved our lives. Then Blue Shadow killed the redcap and two bogles -- on the bridle path in the woods", Misty said as she climbed into the car's front seat.

"Great. We have one wounded Bobo and three probably bizarre bodies in the woods", Tyrone said as he deposited the moaning and shivering Bobo in Misty's lap then cranked up the engine on his cranky old heap of a car.

As they sped down the road toward Head Ranger Chris Parker's home, Tyrone dialed the ranger's house while driving with one hand.

"Chris -- Tyrone. I've got Misty Donahue and something called a Bobo who is badly wounded. We're headed your way. Misty says your wife and Michael's silver knife can help the little fellow."

There was a moment of silence on the other end then Misty heard the muted sound of Chris Parker's response.

"Yeah. -- The furry little creature has an arrow in his hip. -- It's gone in deep too. Oh -- and Misty says there is a dead -- what was that? -- Yes, a redcap and two dead bogles -- in the woods."

The sound of a reply was again heard over the cell phone.

"This all makes sense to you, Sir? That's the scariest thing I've heard yet", Tyrone replied.

He turned off the cell phone and concentrated on driving as quickly as possible to the ranger's house.

Tyrone turned the little car into the invasive honeysuckle that all but hid the entrance to the Parker's driveway then drove on up to the rambling frame house. Once parked he got out then gently lifted Bobo off of Misty's lap. Michael, looking disheveled as if he had hastily dressed, Chris Parker, holding two year old John Joon Ho "JJ" in his arms, and the beautiful Sunnyuh Parker waited for them on the porch. As Tyrone carried the wounded Faerie child towards them Misty jumped out of the Toyota and followed.

"Oh. -- The poor baby", Sunny Parker said. "Come, bring him into the living room. I've put a spare sheet over my serving table. You can use that as an examination table."

The Parkers' living room contained comfortable couches and chairs, large pillows thrown on blankets laid over a thick carpet and the low lacquer serving table that was now transformed into a medical bed. Tyrone carefully laid the furry child on this table. Sunny put her hands on the shaking, whimpering child. A look of relief came across his strange face.

"Feels better", he said with a sigh.

"I am controlling the pain and I've stabilized him. But we must get the arrow out before I can heal him. -- Michael, give Tyrone the elvish knife. -- Tyrone, do you think you can perform the necessary surgery on him if I help direct you?"

"I've performed minor surgery on the horses. I can try. -- I have to try. We'll need an anesthetic."

"I can put him under magically, and also control the bleeding. The rest will be up to you", the Sunnyuh replied.

"Let's do it", Tyrone said.

He washed up in their bathroom and sterilized Michael's knife with alcohol and a hot flame. As he returned to the living room, Tyrone studied the sharp blade and the dark wood shaft.

"What is this blade made of? It doesn't look like silver", he asked as he prepared to cut the arrow from the now sleeping child.

"Elf-silver -- actually an alloy of titanium forged and tempered with magic", Sunny explained.

As Tyrone and Sunny began the surgical procedure Chris Parker, still holding J.J., led Michael and Misty into the large kitchen. They sat at a lacquer table drinking cold sodas. Little J.J. amused himself by magically making some plastic blocks that had been left on the table dance in the air. Misty sipped her cream soda with tears slipping down her cheeks. Michael put his arm consolingly about her shaking shoulders.

"Will he be all right?", Misty asked.

"We'll have to wait and see. I hope so", Michael replied. "What were you two doing in those woods?"

"We -- we wanted to find out what scared Jimmy and Billy. We didn't think it would be anything that dangerous."

"You didn't think", Ranger Parker said. "I've called the Dananns. They are on their way over here."

"I'm in trouble, aren't I?", Misty said softly.

"Big trouble", Chris Parker agreed.

"Misty in big trouble", J.J. Parker happily echoed his father's words.

Once Tyrone had extracted the arrow, Sunny gave him a bag full of an aromatic powder.

"Put this in the wound, Tyrone. It's a Faerie herbal mixture that promotes healing and prevents infection."

"If you say so, lady", Tyrone said.

He looked anxiously at the contents, sniffed them, then did as Sunny had told him to do.

The Sunnyuh put her graceful hands over the incisions and wound and began to chant in a tongue that sounded Asian but was not Korean, Chinese, or Japanese. Tyrone suspected it was not any human tongue. To Tyrone's amazement, the wounds began to close up on their own. When Sunny finished there was only a livid scar on the tender flesh of the child's hip where Tyrone had shaved away the brown fur prior to beginning the surgical extraction.

"I could use you in my vet practice someday", he said.

Sunny laughed.

"There are not enough Faerie folk to cure all this world's wounds and illnesses, Tyrone. I'm afraid you must do that on your own."

"Makes sense, I guess", Tyrone replied.

"Little Bobo is now out of the deep sleep I sent him into for the surgery and in a normal sleep. Let's lay him on the couch until the Dananns arrive. They will probably want to talk to him", Sunny said.

They lifted the sleeping Spriggan onto the couch then joined the others in the kitchen.

"How is he?", Misty asked, jumping up from her chair and knocking over her cream soda.

"He'll be fine. He's sleeping now", Sunny assured her as Misty hastily cleaned up the mess she'd made.

A short while later Cormac Danann, his elder son, Coran, and his daughter, Deirdre, arrived at the Parker home. Sunny let them in. They stopped first to check on the sleeping Spriggan child.

"What do Spriggan parents think, letting a child come to the Human World all alone?", Lord Cormac said.

"It's their nature, Father. It's not that they don't love their children. They just don't seem to understand the need to protect them from danger", Deirdre replied.

The three Sidhe turned towards the kitchen where Misty and the adults awaited. They dropped their human-seeming glamours, letting both their inhuman beauty and their annoyance at the behavior of the little girl show. Fine silky hair flared out about pointed ears; green cat-eyes glowed. Misty took one look at their angry faces and jumped up, cringing against Michael. Tyrone let out a soft gasp.

"Is the Spriggan child up to talking?", Lord Cormac asked Sunny in a soft voice that belied the anger in his face.

"Yes, but go easy on him, Lord Cormac. He's had quite a shock", Sunny pleaded.

Sunny went out, soon returning with the sleepy-eyed Bobo in her arms. Bobo woke up in a hurry and shivered when he saw the angry faces of the Sidhe.

"Oh--oh. We're in trouble", he squeaked.

Holding the Spriggan protectively in her lap, Sunny sat down beside Misty who clung to Michael.

The sight of Michael and Sunny trying to protect the two young culprits made the elves' anger abate somewhat. Their hair returned to their shoulders and the angry glow in their eyes dimmed. But their expressions remained grim.

"Do you two realize how much trouble you have caused?", Lord Cormac said. "Bobo nearly died. You could both have been killed. There are bogle and redcap bodies in the woods where humans might find them. And yet one more human now knows we exist."

He glanced towards Tyrone Jones as he made the last statement, his green eyes again taking on a vivid glow.

"Though I must say, Mr. Jones, you do seem to be taking all of this well. Many humans would be climbing the wall by now."

"Well", Tyrone replied. "Tom Clancy and I have had our suspicions about some of the things happening around here. And this is not my first brush with the supernatural."

"Oh?", Lord Cormac said, his pale eyebrows rising in an eloquent question mark.

"There is a lady who attends my church -- Chandra Johnson. -- She sings in the choir -- best gospel singer in the Central City area -- fine Christian woman. -- But her older sister in New Orleans is a Voodoo priestess who's had a strange experience or two with the Loa. And their uncle, Kweku Ananse, is a tribal deity in Africa. Some call him the Spider."

"I've met Kweku Ananse", Lord Cormac replied.

"Have you? So have I! When I was little I thought Chandra Johnson's stories about her relatives were just fairy tales. Then her uncle, this big ebony African man wearing bright tribal clothes, visited her. One day I saw him change from a big black man into a huge black hairy spider. I was so scared I fainted. When I came to Mr. Ananse was a man once more, apologizing for having scared me. I discovered that this big man who could become a spider was the nicest man I've ever known."

"Really? I'd heard Ananse was a sly trickster who sometimes fibs and often boasts", Deirdre said.

"Perhaps so", Tyrone admitted. "But he has a heart of gold. He's the one who encouraged me to stick with my studies and turn my love of animals into a career in veterinarian medicine. These days he has opened an orphanage in Africa for those orphaned by warfare, famine, ebola and aides."

"I'd heard that", Lord Cormac said. "The orphanage is actually in an African section of Faerie, but it can be reached by the desperate throughout Africa, from remote villages or big city slums."

"That you have connected with Faerie before makes me feel better about you having discovered who we are", Lord Cormac told Tyrone. "But, - children - this was just luck on your part. Your escapade could have alerted the whole park to our existence. And you were disobedient, deliberately breaking camp rules. Such disobedience cannot go unpunished."

"Bobo tried to save me from the bogles. Please don't be too mean to him", Misty pleaded.

"That means Bobo was brave, but it does not change the fact that he was disobedient", Coran said.

"Bobo, you are going home -- as soon as the Sunnyuh says you can travel. My son and I will take you back to your village", Lord Cormac pronounced Bobo's punishment.

"I'm sorry, Sir. I really am", Bobo said, a yellow tear sliding down his cheek.

"And you are going home, too, Misty Donahue", Chris Parker said. "We will call your parents early tomorrow morning and have them come and get you."

"Yes, Sir. -- Are they ever going to be mad", Misty said, hanging her head.

She made no protest; she knew the punishment was fair.

"What is more, Misty, we are taking away your magic herbal tea. Michael will give you no more. Being able to see past Faerie spells is a privilege and a serious responsibility. Until you have proven yourself responsible you will not be allowed to do so", Lord Cormac added the second half of her punishment.

This punishment dismayed Misty.

"But -- but -- what if something scary comes into my bedroom and I can't see it?", she wailed.

The experience with the bogles and redcap had shown her how dangerous Faerie could be. And both Og and Bobo had already opened portals into her bedroom.

"That is a genuine concern, Father. We do not know how that redcap and those bogles got here. The Firefly Island gate is warded against such as they. They may have been able to open a temporary gate. The Spriggans have learned how to do that, after all. And Misty has been touched enough by Faerie to be a magnet to its denizens", Deirdre said.

"Yes, it seems evil things in Faerie are getting more powerful every day", Lord Cormac said. "We have the humans with their pollution and wildlife destruction to thank for that."

"I have an idea", Coran said. "I know a Hob, an excellent house fairy, who is looking for a home. The elderly couple he was dwelling with died and their children are all skeptical atheists. I think this Hob would like the Donahue home now that they are happy in their marriage. He can protect Misty."

Misty thought about her parents dancing to their favorite music every night after she went to bed.

"I think a Hob would like our home", she whispered.

"Very well", Lord Cormac agreed. "We will try to provide you with a House Hob to protect you, Misty. But you won't be able to see him unless he decides to let you, which he will not do if you don't behave yourself."

"Yes, Sir. I'll try to be good, Sir."

"So, Coran and I will take this very lucky Spriggan child back to his parents. Tyrone, can you help my daughter dispose of those ugly bodies in the woods?"

"I guess I could do that. I'm curious to see what bogles and a redcap look like."

"You will probably wish you didn't know", Deirdre told him.

"Come on, Misty. I'll take you back to the dorm for tonight. Tomorrow we'll call your parents and Horse Camp will be over for you this year", Michael said to the little girl.

Misty left, holding tight to Michael's hand.

Coran picked up Bobo and Sunny went out with him and Lord Cormac to row them to Firefly Island. Deirdre and Tyrone left in his rustbucket to drive back to the Bridle Path Woods and search for goblin bodies. Chris Parker took his young son upstairs to put him to bed.

In the pasture by the stable the mixed collie-German shepherd dog and the brave Faerie mare trotted together around the perimeter of the pasture's fence, protecting the grazing horses and ponies from whatever danger might lie outside the fence in the moonlit night. The eyes of both animals seemed to glow softly in the light of the full moon. The two animals had already developed a close rapport, but now they moved together as if their minds were somehow linked. Shep the dog had tasted the blood of a creature from Faerie. He would never be quite the same dog again.