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On Narma as the three elves flew on swift whisks away from the Portal and towards the Dark Forest, Kip and Belinda were astonished by Pip's overview of the what had happened on Earth in the brief time since they had last visited Harry and his young nephew. The Horde Sisters were dead but so also was their dear friend Harry Simple! George and Mary were dragon Chosen! Witch Greble was ravaging Earth! They were particularly distressed to learn that Pip carried critically damaged Mary in his pouch.
Pip was equally astonished to hear the account that his cousins provided him of recent occurrences on Narma including their discovery of Farnmouth.
"We were making our rounds three days ago when we were surprised to discover a great frog living in the ruins of the Great Library near the Dark Forest," said Kip.
"That's where I saw my Uncle Farnmouth destroyed by the Witch Greble!" noted Pip.
"The frog identified himself to be Farnmouth," said Belinda.
"As you know, even on Narma sentient frogs are rare," added Belinda.
Pip nearly lost his grip of the whisk that carried him. "A frog claims to be my Uncle?"
"He is undoubtedly your Uncle." said Kip. "However because the Witch turned him into a frog so that he could no longer do magic, he has been unable to restore himself."
"Poor Uncle!" lamented Pip.
"Yet he is otherwise quite well," added Belinda. "He told us some astonishing things, including his discovery that other than the dragon Horde Sisters, at least in the vicinity of Narma, the Horde has apparently disappeared."
"Many on Narma have in recent years happily noted the recent absence of most of the Horde," said Pip, "but such things have happened several times in the past. Eventually the Horde returns to destroy what life has recovered in their absence. Study of that cycle of destruction and recovery has long been a research interest of Uncle. He feels that the Horde lets us recover on purpose such that there are more of us to kill when they do return."
"My own interpretation is that the Dark One for some unknown reason wants to weaken life on Narma but to still let it survive," said Belinda.
"Perhaps we elves are raised like livestock to feed the Horde," said Pip. "Some breeding stock needs to be kept alive."
"In any case now that we know that the Sisters are destroyed it is even more likely that there is no Horde near Narma," said Kip.
"Not that we can be totally certain of that," added Belinda. "We will study the question further with Farnmouth when we reach him in only three days."
"We don't have three days!" said Pip. "I am a mage! I will teleport us all to where Uncle waits for us. There I will use my mage powers to restore Uncle and then seek the dragon Jewel for her restoration of her Chosen One Mary."
"Teleporting is forbidden on Narma, young Pip!" admonished Kip. "We must follow protocol! Such an exercise of magic powers could draw the Horde back to us!"
"Even scrying such a distance could be detected from afar!" added Belinda, "especially by any nearby Horde dragons that scry endlessly for such activity."
"All the more reason to do it," said Pip, "for I indeed seek a nearby dragon!"
A high flying warf was set to attack three whisks carrying elves that flew far below her when they all suddenly disappeared from her sight. Disappointed, she turned her search towards less elusive prey.
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White Dragon's Chosen Page 56
