Up to the Stonies, Part One (SPOILER ALERT)

This is a fanfic I just whipped up. Hope ya'll enjoy! This is about the time when Janner was in the Fork! Factory! and Tink was in the Strander cage.

Up to the Stonies

               Leeli poked her head out of the trapdoor of the Strander Burrow. She thought she had heard steps. All she saw was a fazzle dove. She sighed. The last few days had been only worry for her. Janner and Tink had been out in Dugtown alone for five days. Would they ever come back? Would she ever see her brothers again?

               “Git back inside, Leeli.” Podo called to her.

               “It is simply not safe anymore. We have to get up the mountain. In the words on Floppin Gridnod, ‘Stranders crawl about in these tunnels, and the lizards are on the move’!” Oskar said. Nia nodded solemnly.

               “We can’t leave them behind.” Nia said. “But we can’t stay. We must go.” Her chin lifted high in the way Leeli had seen so many times. Nia was strong and elegant; mighty and tender. Leeli admired her mother. She squeezed her whistleharp. The idea of leaving the boys behind felt like arrows piercing into her body, but she knew it was the right thing to do. Podo nodded.

               “We need to git going. But let’s leave those boys a note. I know those boys are gonna make it back here, and they’re gonna want to know which to go.” Podo said. Nia nodded. She found paper in her pack and began writing. She handed the note to Podo, who wrote. Oskar jotted down a quick note, then grabbed the First Book.

               “I’d better take this with us. Someone might find it.” he said.

               “Let’s leave the boy’s packs behind. They’re gonna want some meat to bring with ‘em.” Podo said. He climbed out of the burrow. A quick hand motion signaled that it was okay to come out. Leeli struggled to climb the ladder, so Podo lifted her out. She bit her lip. It seemed to be years ago since she had complained about Janner and Tink helping her into town for Dragon Day. She still hated it, and it had only been a few months ago.

               The trip to the Ice Prairies was cold and hard. Leeli had only a thin jacket, and she couldn’t walk well in the snow that had appeared as they got closer. They had wrapped in blankets to keep warm. At one point, Leeli slipped suddenly and fell. Podo lifted her onto his shoulders.

               “We need to go a little faster, Leeli.” he said.

               “We go.” Nia said. “Up to the Stonies.”