Unconquered Sun

by Philipp Bogachev

  The puppy looked back and saw that he on a neck lies in muddy swill, and on him the Kitten sits and holds it by paws.

  - I … they … from a bog …

  - E-e-e-h! The security guard - too to me, and still a dog is called … - annoyingly the Kitten waved a pad. - Because of you all here was smeared again! Let's go, and tent for a long time it is impossible to leave that. Places here bad …

  - And - and-and … you slept too, the Kitten, I saw! - the Puppy tried to justify himself, removing from marsh swill on the land and trying to shake off.

  - You live on light so much, the Puppy, and both you had no mind, and is not present! - the Kitten slapped it on a back. - If there is no - so borrow the neighbor, perhaps … We, cats, never completely sleep, garden you are the head! Always we will sometimes slightly open a peephole. And so, so I slightly opened a peephole and I look - you suddenly got up and popersya directly to the bog - as though someone conducted you there … - the Kitten scaredly shrank.

  - And who? Well … who conducted me …

  - And the wood goblin knows it! Bad it is the bog, an interior I feel …

  And as if in reply the bog again, this time disappointedly utrobno bulknut, and calmed down.

  After the story of the Puppy the Kitten lost any dream and the Puppy at all too. And now they already guarded frankly, without dream. But nothing remarkable occurred any more.

  And as soon as the first beams of the pre-dawn sun seemed, the Fairy as usual wakened and left tent well rested, vigorous, become cheerful. Animals could take a nap with a clear conscience now - if the Fairy woke up, then they in perfect security now.

  3.

  At breakfast, having heard the story of the Puppy about a nightmare, the Fairy frowned.

  - That is and - and - ak, ponya-I-I-yatno … Again they fell back into the old ways! Ooh, get they to me - I povydergat all hair! - also squeezed a cam so that bones turned white.

  - Ch-what? Ch-what, hostess? - Animals began to worry.

  - That-what? Usual tricks of dryads! They have so a good time, enticing travelers into whirlpools. They cannot influence me, and here you... - gloomy the Fairy told. - But another is even worse. If they did it, so first, they already watch us, and secondly, they somewhere nearby. Perhaps, prepare an ambush. To hide there is no sense any more. We are revealed. It is necessary to return on a footpath and already to go openly - let there will be an open fight, than game cat and mouse … Let's go, Zveryatki, we collect things and we come back to a footpath, and the it is rather - the better!

  The footpath was quickly - did not pass also hour. As if itself jumped as a snake, towards to travelers and now travel went much easier and quicker.

  Yes, it became much simpler to travel now. The backwoods were replaced by the ordinary wood, and the footpath conducted them on the firm earth which is generously covered with a soft cover from last year's leaves and needles. Animals considerably became cheerful and began to whistle different dance tunes of a melody, but the Fairy still remained alarmed. It continually touched by the Analyzer hand on a rim which continually flashed disturbing green light, and turned around around.

  - They here, everywhere, prepare an ambush … - the Fairy whispered, having mentally probed the next time to the district. - So, Zveryatki, if something happens - hide for my back, densely nestle on the earth - I will cover you. In the wood not to run. It is clear?

  Animals right there stopped whistling melodies, scaredly nodded and now followed strictly the Fairy, in single file, as the scared ducklings for mother duck.

  Really, soon the danger which hung over them became obvious and to the mind which is not equipped with the Analyzer.

  First, the players of the wood began to be changed again. Deciduous trees were gradually replaced coniferous, besides high, old, spreading, hiding the sun. The hubbub of crows and daws stopped. The wood became mertvyashche silent. The footpath became dark, something reminding thickets at the Limit.

  Secondly, the footpath gradually began to sheer. Instead of the direction on the northeast, necessary to travelers (and specified on the card which issued in mind of the Fairy Analizator) or at least just on the East, it began to take away promptly to the South, and to go obviously to a hollow.

  But the most important - leaves and branches of trees began to move, very quietly to fluctuate without any wind, to exchange words as if with each other in some unclear language. And the space between trees began to become covered by flakes of dense whitish fog.

  "What can be fog at midday?!" - it is disturbing Animals thought about themselves.

  - But, the Hostess, - the scared Puppy whispered by the shivering voice, - why they prepare for us an ambush, well, these dryads? We are the, and-av … More precisely, they are the former fairies!

  The fairy patted the Puppy on a plush head and sadly smiled:

  - Well, first, the Wood around the Reserved Thicket and a Thicket, is much more ancient than dryads. He many thousands of years lives life, as well as the creatures living here. And, secondly, dryads do not consider themselves as fairies for a long time - they and lost wings - and fierce hatred hate us. And therefore to give to lonely travelers from Skies a dressing-down - for them great pleasure.

  - But for what they so do not love us, I do not understand? - the Puppy was not appeased. - What we bad made by it?

  - You - nothing, and I - too and the Kitten hardly him crossed the road, - the Fairy smiled, - but Triune Knowledge and their policy in Tselestiya, frankly speaking, to not everyone to taste.

  But the Fairy did not manage to tell about WHAT to dryads was not to taste because travel of friends suddenly ended. It is simple and banal, as one would expect. Behind the next turn of a footpath travelers encountered a blockage. Several huge thick fir-trees lay across the road, without giving the chance to go further. From where this blockage was formed? Absolutely not clearly. There are no hurricanes in the inhabited Tselestiya's part long ago, and no sane woodcutter, even the impudent dwarf, will be put here - to whom hunting to fall into clutches forest witches?

  Yes, the blockage was really big, even the Fairy should try to clear away a way. In principle, it without effort could fly over it, but how to be with Animals?

  The fairy reflected and missed time because during only a few moments the fog curling on footpath roadsides, suddenly, as if driven by some nonsensory wind, filled everything around. Animals and the Fairy literally rolled in a continuous impenetrable haze, without seeing anything and at arm's length.

  - Animals, stick to my back, they prepare blow! - the Fairy shouted, but fog was such dense that even the sound did not pass through it. The fairy herself also hardly heard herself.

  - Huo - about - ozyayk - and - and-and! You are gde-e-e-e?

  - To - about - about - teno - about - about - ok!

  - Shche - e - eno - about - about - ok!

  Animals cried, but also they did not see each other any more and did not hear. And from fog some shadows sharply approached them …

  And then the Fairy struck.

  She did not see where beats. Only caught sources of magic radiation by means of the Analyzer and beat them over open sights. The strong branching lightnings, fiery spheres, heavy stones - these spells were simple, were quickly said - the account went on moments, and therefore there was no time to think out something exotic. The most zealous shadows, stridently having screamed, failed back in whitish darkness. Fog gradually dissipated.

  4.

  - Foo-at-at-at! It seems, beat off on the first time … - the Fairy wiped a forehead, having wearily leaned the elbows about a trunk of the tumbled-down tree. - Well, we will look who it was?

  On a footpath several struck enemies rolled.

  I see! The charred and broken off bodies of the wooden beings who are bearing a faint resemblance to people. The giants which grew with a moss and bark, in three average human growth. Long clumsy fingers, big toothy mouths, green spiteful eyes, mossy green beards and wide-brimmed hats from the bound wood branches c
overed with dense leaves …

  "The closest accomplices of dryads, - the Fairy remembered chapter of the textbook on comparative magic geography of Tselestiya, - dreona which people call usually "wood goblins". Can direct troubles, are very dangerous. Got into their paws break off on pieces and turn into nutritious humus. They are followed by inhabitants of bogs - marsh Chmara - in a human way "frights" …"

  "Well, we already got acquainted with these last time … So, and where Animals?" - the Fairy bethought. Animals were not anywhere …

  "Oh, the Creator, missed! Missed!"

  And at this time branches and leaves of trees again without any wind began to move, meanly mischievously giggling.

  The Fairy what now to do, where to look for Animals as suddenly something changed around did not manage to recover and think up. In air shrill whistle, behind it a sharp loud laughter and a wild shouting was distributed, and right there everything began to move around. Such impression that the wood surrounding a footpath suddenly became empty. The beings hiding in it, having thrown the Fairy, were distracted by something else. Even the fog curling at roots of trees was gone somewhere, and trees ceased "to giggle". The wood became lifeless and calmed down.

  And after this the Fairy heard shout of horror and loud whether crying, whether groan. Judging by a sound, shouts were human.

  "Proklyatye! Also people wormed way here! Not to be available them! Well, why they are put here! Dangerously! - the Fairy thought with disappointment. - I should look for and rescue Animals here, and here also people!"

  But there is nothing to do. The code of basic laws of the country of fairies, "The provision on Guardianship" and other regulations accurately say that people - the most favourite creation of the Creator are a priority subject of guardianship. And if the choice costs between rescue of the person and an animal or anyone another, it is necessary to choose the person, even with threat for life of the fairy.

  And therefore the Fairy by effort of will forced itself to forget temporarily about Animals (as once about Prinze), threw all the precious baggage to the mercy of fate and, buzzing as an angry bee, departed on sounds about the help.

  Under the mental order of the Fairy Analizator wrote down samples of sounds and helped to define their location on the card, and also calculated the shortest trajectory of flight.

  Speed of flight of the fairy could be gathered big (the truth, for a while, they not eagles after all! - are tired quickly). And therefore the Fairy reached the scene soon.

  It was the small clearing in the middle of a dense coniferous forest on which there were fire traces. In a grass were around here and there pieces of fried meat, bread, a kettle and the axe are scattered.

  "Obviously someone from people settled down for lunch here. She would like to know who! Unless people do not know that they cannot go to these woods? Here everything will be settled, - the Fairy thought, - it is necessary to submit the report "upward" establishing protecting barriers by analogy with the Limit and here. Though it is strange why their Knowledge still did not take care of it?"

  But to think of it was once. The dangerous pursuit was coming. The fairy right there departed further, on even hot scent of attackers.

  The couple of minutes of fast flight, and the Fairy already saw them.

  Well, of course, who else it could be? Ahead distinctly five female figures with black as pitch the hair fluttering downwind in the black leather fitting overalls, astride brooms were seen. They flew the line that gave the chance to the Fairy to see that to two central brooms special belts by hands and for legs attached two persons, apparently young men (they had no beards).

  "Now I understand, - the Fairy thought, - why dryads of "night hunters", and their people - "witches" call.

  Seeing that the distance is reduced, the Fairy began to prepare blow to equestrians with edge that people in the center did not suffer. For now in the head spell formulas were mentally weaved, it, very much trying not to lose speeds, at the top of the voice cried:

  - A name of Triune Knowledge, I order you to stop! Kidnapping of the people who are under the care of Community is equated to kidnapping of associates! It involves punishment in the form of a lulling to slip for five hundred years with the subsequent compulsory re-education!

  Of course, the Fairy did not count that these smart alecks will obey. It was just necessary that they reduced speed. The fairy already exhausted. The back muscles which were responsible for work of wings desperately hurt, and to dryads though that - they on brooms!

  Only the wild laughter and indecent curses was the response to threats of the Fairy. However the speed of flight of thieves of people really considerably decreased as they were forced to spend part of the forces for magic protection. It allowed the Fairy to reduce distance considerably.

  But also dryads did not doze. Three free brooms rose behind, covering two central with production, from attack. And therefore the blow of the Fairy - two big branchy lightnings which had to break brooms and had send impudent thieves directly to a bog over which they flew by for nothing.

  "And, missed the mark!" - from disappointment the Fairy has a snack a sponge, having marveled to speed of reaction of dryads.

  But now the turn to receive to the Fairy came. All three flying in the tail of the thief threw something in air and eyes of the Fairy powdered with some muck, like ashes or sand. Black witches mischievously zakarkat as pack of crows, and the Fairy screamed from pain, promptly losing speed. It was necessary to switch urgently to magic sight via the Analyzer which as a big blue eye scanned space and defined sources of magic force. Thanks to it the Fairy could beat unmistakably them and blindly.

  Now she decided that she will be enough to joke. It is necessary to be sure of the aim especially as dryads increased a gap and were ready to disappear absolutely from a field of vision. And it struck.

  The mental signal to the sun, and part of sunbeams fancifully intertwined among themselves and formed the elastic, but strong golden network seen only for the Fairy. Still slightly - and the network appeared directly on the way of thieves which from all speed in it flew as flies in a web.

  "Oops! Got! - the Fairy exulted. - What I am a molodchinka! Not without reason studied at School on one five!"

  And unlucky thieves, having crashed at full speed into a network, in it also got stuck. One more wave a magic wand - and the ends of a network were closed. Dryads appeared in a trap, densely shrouded in invisible solar fibers as fish in a seine. Still a wave, and one of threads it appeared in a hand of the Fairy. As the successful fisher, that, landing on the next progalinka in the wood, pulled for herself and all the wonderful "catch".

  5.

  - Well as, we will speak or to play "silence", and?! - imperiously and strictly the Fairy said, having frowned a forehead. Already nearly half an hour it went around a network with captives as a tigress on a cage.

  - And what with you to tell, tow-haired? - at last, the impudent and sharp "croaking" female voice was distributed. - All one, you will hand over us to "STING" and business the end.

  - And, maybe, I will also not hand over from where you know? - suddenly the Fairy stopped and stridently looked in black as night of an eye of speaking. - Answer what put? You kidnap people, - having bent the first finger on a hand the Fairy began to list, - on the order will stop fairies of the 3rd rank do not answer, attack me - and more than once - - too kidnap my plush friends … And, well, answer until I here you fried in a network as fish! - and the Fairy expressively lifted up a stick which blue stone right there began to radiate strong heat.

  - Oh-oh-oh-oh! It is not necessary to fry, it is not necessary, madam fairy, we here at what! - voices of two kidnapped young men were heard. - And the Fairy understood that she went too far, but showed no sign.

  - So, quickly, to untie people, to hand over brooms, magic objects - too. Quickly! And that I do not joke! One moment - and the network will be heated so that all of you will fry in it as fish on a frying pan! - The fairy terribly waved a stick. At
the very same time golden threads began to be heated quickly as a metal wire on fire.

  The squeezed hissing of black equestrians and groans of the people who got with them into scrape was heard.

  - Stop, the fairy, all! We give up! - the witch speaking earlier, probably, main in a gang screamed.

  The fairy reduced temperature of threads, having kept a little bit warmth to remind that she at any time can return heat. And itself thought that captives it now just by the way - will be what to exchange kidnapped persons of Animals for!

  Through network cells in its party the belts connecting people, then all five flying brooms, then - magic wooden sticks, magic wooden hoops were thrown out. The fairy brought together them and put in one small group, and then imperatively shouted:

  - So, into the account "three" I order to a network to disappear - do not take in head to throw out focuses! Each other to tie hands by these belts - the Fairy a leg pushed to a network belts which connected people. - So, connected? There now and well. If you take in head to skoldovat something, I have already all on call … - and really, directly over a network suddenly there was directly from air the size from an average bear a cloudlet on which there were lightning discharges. - You will joke - I will roast!

  - So, I consider - "time", "two", "three"! - The fairy waved a stick and the network disappeared also suddenly, as well as appeared. On the earth covered with a dense layer of dead needles five unlucky swarty "hunters" and two absolutely young, years on fifteen both, not less unlucky "hunters" remained to lie with the connected belts hands.

  The fairy did not doze. She quickly grabbed by a collar of both boys and, having strengthened force of the thin handles a spell, rejected them from dryads aside. Those head over heels flew to a thick pine and, having hit the heads against a trunk, screamed. The Fairy kept the eyes glued from witches who and without sticks and magic rims were dangerous.

  - Quickly! To rise! To a trunk, here, quickly! - it for fidelity gave a signal to "cloudlet" and that issued couple of easy categories in back places of captives to motivate them to execute commands more willingly. Those screamed and ran up to a trunk.