Writing Challenge Winner: Misty by Bekah Abbot

Bekah Abbot is a fifteen-year old writer who participated and completed the summer 2024 Hero’s Journey Writing Challenge. Her short story, “Misty”, tells the magical tale of sisters, friends, and mysterious creatures.

Read Bekah’s epic short story below:

May stood on the deck of the Waterwing with her sister, sad, but not without hope. She wasn’t crying, but she felt as overcast as the sky overhead. Slowly it darkened, then it started raining. Mrs. Daya who was looking after them, came and shoveled them indoors. The rain quickly turned to a raging storm. May tried to calm her sister, but she didn’t feel calm either. The waters tossed and shook the Waterwing as she rolled along on into the mist.  

“Oh, May, why did father send us on this dreadful watercraft?”  

May couldn’t help but smile at her sister’s romantic speech.  

“He already told you, Misty. He didn’t think he should leave us at home alone.”  

Misty saw the sense in that, and decided that it was a good time to curl up gloomily and bemoan her fate. Secretly Misty had always wanted an adventure, but she didn’t think that drowning in the “briny blue” counted. Wave after wave came crashing down on the deck, but nothing but the moaning of the boards reached them, until the boat jerked suddenly. Water started coming in under the door. Misty and May jumped up in terror as the Waterwing was thrown against a big rock. Misty was knocked out of her senses. May tried to wake her from her delirium, but the sea swelled up for another attack. Darkness took over as the Waterwing was swallowed up into the depths.  

“What’s that down in the sand?” Nathaniel wondered as he rode down to the beach. 

As he got closer, he thought he could distinguish a human figure! He dismounted and ran toward it, to find a girl lying in the sand. Nathaniel panicked. What was he supposed to do? Was she even alive? Yes, she was still breathing, though slowly and painfully. He lifted her onto his horse and brought her to his dad’s clinic. His dad was a doctor, he would know what to do.  

“She’ll be fine,” His dad said after careful scrutiny, “but it’s a good thing you found her when you did, she couldn’t have lasted too long it that condition.”  

Nathaniel was relieved.  

“Who’s this?” Nathaniel’s sister Lilly asked, as she came in the clinic door. 

The situation being explained to her, she insisted on bringing her to their house and taking care of her until she woke. Their dad was pleased by this proposal, and helped to get her home.  

“Where am I?” May opened her eyes to find herself in a strange room. The curtains were open, and through the window May could see the sunrise. The bright sunlight poured into the room and lit it up like magic. Someone knocked on the door softly. 

“Hello? Are you awake yet?” it sounded like a girl’s voice. 

“Yes. Please come in!” 

The door opened, and in came a tall girl with thick brown hair. It seemed to May that she brought joy into the room with her. 

“I’m so glad to see that you’re feeling better! Oh, allow me to introduce myself. I’m Lilly Valor.” 

“It’s nice to meet you Lilly, I’m May Hawthorne. Only… where am I?… and why?” 

Lilly laughed   “Oh, fate brought you here. And by fate, of course, I mean my twin brother Nathaniel.” 

May was too confused for words. “Can you remember anything? Nathaniel said you were unconscious on the beach.” 

“Not very well, and what I do remember I can’t be sure is true.” 

“Well tell me what you can remember.” 

“I was on a boat,” May had to think long and hard about the rest, “It hit a big rock pillar, and people were flung overboard. That’s as much as I can remember.” 

“Do you know the name of the boat?” 

“I can’t remember.” 

They went on like this for a while, but May had lost most of her memories. After a while Nathaniel came up to the door. 

“Oh, hi Nathaniel!” Lilly said. “This is May. May, meet my brother Nathaniel.” 

May smiled through her pain. She really liked Lilly, and she thought that she would like Nathaniel too. Nathaniel was tall like his sister, in fact he looked a lot like her, except that his hair was red and his eyes blue.  

“I trust you’re feeling better?” 

“I guess I wouldn’t know. You can’t really tell how you’re feeling when you’re unconscious.” 

Nathaniel smiled. 

“Well, you do look better. You were in bad shape last night, but as long as you don’t give up your spirit, im sure you’ll be just fine!” 

Later that night, Lilly came into May’s room with a necklace that her younger brother Braden had found down on the beach.  

“Is this your locket?” Lilly asked her. “Braden found it not far from where you came ashore.” 

May took the locket and opened it. The picture inside was ruined. The water had made a big mess of it, but she could just make out herself and another younger girl. 

“Misty?” May whispered under her breath. “This is my sister!” 

“You have a sister?” 

“Yes, and she’s probably scared half to death by now! Lilly, I have to find her!” 

“You’re still too weak to go anywhere on your own. I’m coming with you.” 

“No need for you to go anywhere yet.” They turned to find Nathaniel at the door. “I’ll go talk to the police about it.” 

“Thank you, Nathaniel, but I must look for her.” May said. 

When Nathaniel got back May, Lilly, and Braden were ready to go.  

“The Police will search the city, and on the beaches,” Braden reasoned, “so the only other way to go is into the forest! Besides, what better place to seek adventure than Coalrose Forest? You know some say that the forest is home to all sorts of paranormal creatures!”  

“But we’re not looking for ‘adventure’ Braden, we’re looking for May’s sister.” 

“It’s pretty much the same thing though, right?” 

“Makes sense to me,” May said, “who votes we take Coalrose Forest?” 

The company agreed, and on they strode into the dark woodlands beyond. 

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 

Misty’s heart pounded in her chest as she stumbled through the dense foliage, the towering trees casting long shadows in the fading light. The island was vast and unfamiliar, each rustle of leaves and distant call of birds reminding her just how alone she was. She paused to catch her breath, her eyes scanning the surroundings for any sign of her sister. 

“May!” she called out, her voice trembling with a mix of fear and determination. “May, where are you?” 

The only response was the whisper of the wind through the trees. Misty wiped a tear from her cheek, refusing to let despair take hold. She had to find her sister. She had to be brave. 

The path ahead was treacherous, with roots and rocks threatening to trip her at every step. But Misty pressed on, her mind focused on one thing: finding May. She knew her sister would never give up on her, and she wouldn’t give up either. 

Suddenly, she heard a faint sound, almost like a whisper. She stopped, straining to listen. There it was again, a soft, distant cry. Her heart leapt with hope. 

“May!” she shouted, her voice stronger now. “I’m coming!” 

With renewed energy, Misty followed the sound, her steps quickening despite the obstacles. She wouldn’t stop until she found her sister, no matter what.  

“Misty?” She could hear her sister’s voice calling out to her! 

Misty stumbled along, blind with excitement. Could it really be May? She tripped, but got up and kept going.  

Misty’s relief at hearing her sister’s voice was short-lived. As she hurried through the underbrush, she suddenly found herself face-to-face with a creature out of a nightmare. A giant wolf, its fur as dark as midnight and eyes glowing with an eerie intelligence, stood blocking her path. 

“Well, well, what do we have here?” The wolf’s voice rumbled, deep and resonant, sending shivers down Misty’s spine. 

Misty froze, her heart pounding in her chest. She had heard stories of talking animals, but never had she imagined encountering one, especially not in such a dire situation. She took a step back, but the wolf moved forward, its massive paws silent on the forest floor. 

“Who… who are you?” Misty managed to stammer, her voice barely above a whisper. 

The wolf chuckled. “I am Aldebaran the cruel. And you, little one, seem to be lost.” 

Foxes, wolves, and wild cats emerged from the woods around her, slowly coming toward her. 

Before Misty could react, Aldebaran’s powerful jaws closed gently around her, lifting her off the ground. She wanted to scream, to struggle, but something in the wolf’s eyes told her that resistance was futile.  

“Chain her up with the others.” Were Aldebaran’s commands, as he effortlessly tossed her to a fox. The fox pulled and shoved Misty to his slave line, where he tethered her. Desperation was all that was left for the moment. Misty sank down against a tree and cried.  

“Don’t cry,” The boy in front of her held out his hand to help her up. “You’re Misty, right?” 

“How do you know my name?”  

“You look just like your sister, May. We were all looking for you until I got kidnapped. Of course, everyone else is still looking for you. They’ll find us soon though, I’m sure of it!” 

Aldebaran issued orders to his captains. “Onward! The girl’s sister is too close by for us to stop here.” 

The chain was pulled into action. Misty struggled to keep up. The manacles rubbed against Misty’s wrists, and the pain was too much for her. she started crying again.  

“Don’t give up hope, Misty.” Braden said. “You must have hope, and you must have endurance.” 

“Quiet, you rat!” a cat growled at him. “Do you know what happens to prisoner who misbehave?” 

Misty didn’t want to know. She walked on and tried to ignore the pain. Hope and endurance, she thought. She clung to the hope that May would find her, and endurance would be a lot easier with a friend to endure with her.  

“I know I heard Misty’s voice,” May said, “but why can’t we find her?” 

Nathaniel wasn’t listening. He was still in a state of shock from finding that Braden was missing.  

“I hope Braden and Misty are together somewhere.” Lilly said softly.  

“What was it that Braden said? Home to the paranormal?”  

All of them were freaked out now. Who knows what lives in the forest? What if Braden had been kidnapped? What if both of them had been kidnapped? May’s mind raced as she contemplated the situation, but then what was that??? 

“LOOK!” May screamed. She pointed to a huge dog print in the dirt.  

“There was a big dog here not long ago,” Lilly mused, “And it looks like it was dragging something with it.” 

The three of them looked at each other. None of them said anything, but they were thinking the same thoughts. Braden must have been taken by a massive dog. They followed the tracks, shouting to Misty and Braden, but there wasn’t any answer. The tracks were hard to see in some places, and following them was difficult.  

“haven’t we been here already?” Lilly asked. “it feels like we’ve been going in circles.” 

“No, look!” Nathaniel pointed to the path ahead. “The tracks are changing!” 

The wolf prints were lost beneath those of humans and smaller dogs. May crouched down, examining the faint footprints in the soft earth.  

“They must have gone this way,” she said, her voice filled with determination.  

“We need to hurry,” Nathaniel said, glancing around nervously. “The sun’s setting, and we don’t know what else is out here.” 

Lilly adjusted her backpack and pulled out a small flashlight. “Let’s stick together and keep our eyes open. Misty can’t be far.” 

As they pressed on, the forest seemed to close in around them, the sounds of the night growing louder. Every rustle and snap of a twig made their hearts race, but they didn’t waver. They had to find Misty and Braden. 

Suddenly, Lilly stopped, holding up her hand. “Listen,” she said. The others fell silent, straining to hear. There, faint but unmistakable, was the sound of a distant cry. 

“That’s her!” May exclaimed, her eyes wide with hope. “We have to move faster.” 

With renewed urgency, they quickened their pace, following the sound through the dense underbrush. The trail became more difficult to follow, but May’s determination never wavered.  

After what felt like an eternity, they emerged into a small clearing. There, in the center, stood a massive wolf, its eyes glowing in the dim light.  

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 

“What did you do with Braden and Misty?” May demanded of Aldebaran.  

“there’s nothing you can do to help them.” He growled. “They aren’t here anymore.” 

“Tell us where you’ve taken them.” Lilly tried. 

“I can’t go any further, so they were passed along to a griffin by the name of Ruby Eyes. She’s as tough as a hydra, and as smart as a sphinx so I wouldn’t even think about following if I were you.” 

“Can’t go any further?” May said under her breath to Lilly and Nathaniel. 

They looked up to see a cloud of smoke swallow the wolf. Their vision went out for a few seconds, and they coughed uncontrollably, but finally the smoke cleared. Aldebaran was gone without a trace. 

“I don’t get it.” May said. “Why did he act like that? Why didn’t he kill us? He even gave us a clue!” 

“I don’t think that he knew he was helping us,” Nathaniel said, “but he helped all the same. We just have to find where he couldn’t go.” 

“But we’re surrounded in trees, he could have gone anywhere!” May said. “There must be something we’re missing.” 

The trio looked around for anything that could help, scouring the clearing and the woods nearby, until Nathaniel found something. 

“Look!” he shouted to May and Lilly.  

“It’s just a log.” Lilly said.  

“No, look,” May said, “see how it has these ancient runes on it? I bet we could fit in it, but the wolf was much too big.” 

“I’m willing to try anything at this point, no matter how foolish it may be.” Nathaniel said. 

Its bark was etched with mysterious symbols, and as they crawled inside, the world around them blurred. Suddenly, they found themselves transformed into tiny mice, whiskers twitching and paws trembling. The new dimension was a place of wonder and danger. May, Lilly and Nathaniel scurried through the grass, their tiny paws sinking into the earth. The hollow log had transported them to a place unlike any they’d ever seen—a world where blades of grass towered like ancient oaks, and petals unfurled into delicate canopies above their heads. 

“We’re mice,” May whispered, her voice a mere squeak. “How is this even possible?” 

Nathaniel’s whiskers twitched as he surveyed their surroundings. “The log,” he said, “it’s a gateway. But why mice?” 

They had no answers, only questions. The forest hummed with secrets—the rustle of leaves, the distant chittering of unseen creatures. Their mission was clear: find Misty and Braden. 

As they ventured deeper, the flora grew stranger. Blades of grass whispered secrets, and dewdrops held reflections of distant constellations. May and Lilly marveled at a spiderweb spun between two towering ferns—it was a silver bridge leading to who knew where. 

“Look!” Nathaniel pointed. “Footprints!” 

Tiny tracks led toward a grove of luminescent mushrooms. May’s heart raced. “They’re here!” she said. “Our siblings!” 

They followed the tracks through the mushrooms, and into a jungle of grass blades. The markings were recent, but they never seemed to end. Just as they thought they would go on forever, the paw prints stopped.  

“What now?” Lilly asked.  

“I’ll tell you what now.” The voice was loud and cold, but they couldn’t see where it came from. “you’re going to have to deal with me now.” An albino ocelot emerged from the grasses, towering over them. She swished her tail mischievously. “I am Falcor Ruby Eyes, feared by all creatures. There is no hope for those who resist me.” 

“Ruby Eyes, as in the terrifying gryphon that the wolf warned us about?” Nathaniel asked. 

“I am a gryphon in your dimension, but we’re in mine now.”  

“But if you’re Ruby Eyes, then you must have Misty and Braden!” Lilly said. 

“My job’s not to learn the prisoners’ names, my job is to get rid of you three.”  

Ruby Eyes thought over her options for how to take care of them.  

“I could eat you, but I wouldn’t want to debase myself by eating a filthy human. . . I could lock you in your own dimension, but where’s the fun in that?” 

May and Lilly were starting to feel sick. Nathaniel held his sister’s paw tightly in his, trying his best to be brave. 

“Maybe I’ll just tie you up and leave you here to starve.” Falcor finally made up her mind.  

She knocked them to the ground with her tail, stunning them. The next thing they knew, they were chained to a big boulder overlooking the sea.  

Misty and Braden meanwhile were headed in a very different direction. They too had gone through the log gate, but Falcor Ruby Eyes faked the paw prints that May, Nathaniel, and Lilly had followed. Ruby Eye’s hoard of ferrets, weasels, and stoats were under strict orders not to let anyone know where they were headed. They rambled through the woods and down into a field.  

“We’re stopping here for the night.” Ruby Eyes announced. “Feed the prisoners and get them some water.” 

The vermin hurried off to do her bidding. Dinner consisted of a few leaves, and a little muddy water. It wasn’t much, but they were glad to get anything at all. Braden and Misty ate their leaves with fortitude, knowing that their siblings were out there looking for them. 

“Braden?” Misty asked quietly, so as not to get in trouble. 

“Yeah?”  

“What if May can’t find us? I know she’ll keep looking for us no matter what, but looking is no help if she doesn’t find us, right?” 

“Don’t worry Misty. She has Nathaniel and Lilly with her. If it makes you feel better, I think I have a good plan to get us out of here.” 

“A plan is still a plan, whether or not it’s a good one.” Misty said. “What are you thinking?” 

“If we can once get out of these manacles, we can go anywhere!” 

“But how can we get out?” 

Braden held up a small dagger he had taken from a stoat. 

“With this!” 

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 

“What are we going to do?” Lilly moaned. “We’ve been stuck here for hours!” Lilly was starting to cry. 

“Lilly, you’re seventeen. You don’t need to cry.” Nathaniel chided her. 

“You’re not helping, Nathaniel.” May said. “We need to think positively. Without positivity we can’t think straight.” 

“Positivity?” Lilly said. “Let’s see. We’re chained to a rock…” 

“Lilly!” May shouted. 

“I’m sorry, let’s try again. We weren’t eaten by an evil red eyed ocelot-griffin,” 

“That’s better I guess.”  

“STOP! LOOK!” Nathaniel said. “there’s a shrew coming towards us!” 

The little rodent weaved between the surroundings, slowly making it’s way to the rock. It looked like it was limping slightly. When it got to the boulder, it stopped and pulled a few tools out of a bag it carried at its waist. 

“Don’t worry,” He said, “I can get you out of here. Try to hold still.” 

I didn’t take long for the shrew to cut the chains. Lilly stretched her arms and her back, it felt so good to be free again. It was starting to get dark again, and May was tired from, well, everything.  

“Why don’t we go down to my house?” the shrew said. “We can all get some much needed sleep.” 

This sounded like a great idea to May, and Lilly and Nathaniel couldn’t think of anything better. 

“We can’t very well out smart an ocelot-griffin without any sleep.” Lilly said to Nathaniel. 

“Or on an empty stomach.” The shrew said. 

That settled it. The three of them followed the shrew a short way to his house; a small door set in a tree. As they arrived, the shrew’s wife and three daughters came out to meet them. For dinner the shrew’s wife made ‘shrew bread’, which was kind of like dinner rolls, and a soup made from potato, carrot, and mushroom. They only needed a bit of each. They hadn’t slept in a bed of any sort since leaving to find Misty, so that night was the best for all of them. They planned to set out again the next morning, but before they leaft, Mrs. shrew brought them some provisions. 

“I know you three haven’t had much to eat for the last few days,” she said, “so I packed you some food for the road.” 

Mr. shrew came out of the house now. 

“Hold on!” He ran toward them frantically. “I have something here that might help you!” He pulled out a ball of string from his pocket and handed it to Nathaniel. Nathaniel was pretty confused. “it’s a gate.” The shrew said.  

“Like the log we came through to get here?” Lilly asked. The shrew nodded. “But how does it work? It doesn’t have an opening like the log did.”  

“No two gates are the same. With this one you have to loop it around itself to create the opening.” 

Nathaniel accepted the gift gratefully. Now they were off again! They were soon on Ruby’s trail once more, and it was pretty easy going most of the way. After a while, May thought she could see the group of vermin on the horizon. Then she could smell them. As they approached, May noticed that neither Braden, Misty, or Ruby Eyes was there.  

“Let’s stay hidden and watch until they get back.” Lilly said. 

Misty’s tiny heart raced as she and Braden darted through the tangled underbrush, their paws barely making a sound. The moon hung low in the sky, casting eerie shadows on the forest floor. Behind them, the menacing figure of Ruby Eyes, the albino ocelot, loomed like a ghost. 

Ruby Eyes had been relentless in her pursuit. Her crimson eyes glowed with malice, and her sleek white fur seemed to blend seamlessly with the moonlight.  

Misty’s whiskers quivered as she glanced back.  They had managed to slip away once, but Ruby Eyes was relentless. Braden and Misty knew they couldn’t outrun her forever. 

“Keep going,” Braden urged, his voice barely audible. “We can’t let her catch us.” 

Misty nodded, her eyes wide with fear. They zigzagged through the forest, leaping over small sticks, and ducking beneath fallen leaves. The scent of damp earth and pine needles filled the air. But no matter how fast they ran, Ruby Eyes was always close behind. 

Suddenly, Misty stumbled, her tiny paw caught in a tangle of roots. Braden skidded to a halt, his eyes wide with panic. He rushed to Misty’s side, trying to help her up in time. Ruby Eyes emerged from the shadows, her fangs gleaming. 

“You thought you could escape me?” Ruby Eyes hissed, her voice like shards of ice. “Foolish humans.” 

Misty’s heart sank. She had hoped they could find safety, perhaps a hidden burrow where Ruby Eyes couldn’t reach them. But now they were trapped. 

The ferrets, weasels, and stoats closed in. Misty and Braden huddled together, their fur bristling. Ruby Eyes circled them, her tail flicking with anticipation. 

“Any last words?” Ruby Eyes taunted. 

But just as she lunged, a rustling sound echoed through the forest. A massive owl swooped down at Falcor; talons extended. 

“Enough, cat.” The owl’s voice boomed. “You know your orders are to bring them to Lord Rigel alive.” 

Ruby Eyes snarled, but the owl’s gaze held her in check.  

“Noserot, Foulclaw, re-chain the mice.” She snapped at a ferret and a stoat. Then she turned to the owl. “Stay out of this, Feather bag. I can handle a couple of ten-year-olds.” 

“Yes, but can you handle Lord Rigel?” They glared at each other for a second. “I didn’t think so.” 

“Let’s get out of here.” Ruby Eyes commanded indignantly.  

Misty and Braden were dragged all the way back to the slave line. By the time they got there they were both bruised and scratched painfully. The line was immediately pulled into action. 

“Look, they’re back!” Nathaniel said. “Let’s follow behind them.”  

Lilly pulled out the leftover shrew bread and some sunflower seeds to snack on.  

“We’ll need to be careful,” May said, “if we get caught, we’ll be a completely lost cause.” 

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 

Ruby Eyes and her crew of vermin were headed for her lair, an old (and mostly ruined) castle fortress. On arriving, the ocelot issued orders to the ferrets, stoats, and weasels, sending them here and there, wherever she wanted or needed them. None of them noticed May, Nathaniel, and Lilly watching their every move. 

“We need a good, solid plan before we do anything rash.” Nathaniel whispered.  

“We have got to work together.” May said. “This will be really hard even if we can find a weakness.” 

“But we’re mice,” Nathaniel said, “she’s six times taller than we are! Besides, I don’t think ocelot-griffins have any weaknesses.”  

“Don’t be silly, you guys.” Lilly put in. “the answer’s in her name!” 

“Which one? Falcor? Ruby Eyes?” Nathaniel asked. 

“Ruby Eyes! Don’t you see it?” they didn’t. “Why do they call her that? Because she has red eyes. Why does she have red eyes? Because she’s an albino!” 

“And…” May said. 

“An albino animal’s weakness is her eyes!” 

May and Nathaniel looked at her with admiration.  

“What?” Lilly asked. “Didn’t either of you pay attention in your zoology classes?”  

Braden and Misty were scared. Their chains were tied up to a post in what could hardly be called a castle courtyard. The cold was beginning to be unbearable.  

“Braden?” Misty asked. 

“Yeah?” 

“Do you still think that May and your brother and sister are looking for us?” 

“I don’t think, Misty, I know they are.” 

“But do you think they’ll find us?” 

Braden didn’t know what to say. He really wanted to think they would, but he hadn’t seen any of them in such a long time! Maybe they were completely lost! But he couldn’t say that to Misty.  

“I think… everything is going to be okay.” Braden said. “They won’t give up until they find us, and until then, at least we’re together.” 

Misty smiled. She was very glad to have a friend with her. She didn’t think she could have survived this without Braden.  

It was getting dark again. The days and nights in this dimension were off somehow, with some days longer, some shorter, the sun and moon were always discordant. Most of the vermin went inside the castle to get some sleep, but a few were stationed outside and on the walls. One weasel brought the prisoners some old, smelly blankets. ‘Tomorrow, we leave bright and early’ he had said. They were starting to wonder when this would ever end. Still, no one knew where they were going. Misty and Braden had overheard something about a ‘Lord Rigel’, but who that was was a mystery to them. Soon most of the posted guards were asleep, and Braden and Misty were not far behind.  

May, Lilly, and Nathaniel on the other hand were alert, looking for their chance to get back their siblings. The plan was simple, but it would be difficult. They still had the chain that Falcor used to tie them to the rock. That was the best that they had in the way of weapons. Nathaniel looked in a hole in the outer wall. 

“Ruby Eyes is standing right there!” he whispered, stifling a scream. 

“Looks like this will be harder than we thought.” May said. 

“It can still work.” Lilly said. 

With Falcor guarding Misty and Braden herself, May needed to rethink her plan. With Lilly and Nathaniel helping though, it didn’t take long. 

Misty and Braden were roused for their sleep by some movement in a cluster of ferns nearby. Misty started trembling.  

“Braden, what do you think that is?” 

She was getting really nervous. Then a stone came hurling out of the ferns and struck Ruby Eyes on the shoulder. She turned to see who was there. Lilly emerged from the foliage and rushed at Falcor. May and Nathaniel appeared on either side of the wildcat, Nathaniel with the chain, and May with the flashlight. Lilly sent pebbles and gravel flying in Falcor’s face. Ruby knew that they had found her weakness, but she couldn’t keep the blinding light and the gravel out of her eyes. All of a sudden, she couldn’t see a thing. The sharp pain of a heavy chain hurled at her fore paws. She tried to scream to alert the guards, but she had lost her voice entirely. The big ocelot fell unconscious to the ground. May rushed to her sister and hugged her like a bear. Nathaniel and Lilly cried when they saw Braden again. Nathaniel pulled the post that Misty and Braden were chained to out of the ground, freeing them. They still had to be quiet, so as not to wake the surrounding vermin. May and Lilly tied the string in a loop and held it up for Misty and Braden to go through. They knew better than to question it. Then Nathaniel went through, and finally May and Lilly ducked under, letting the gate close behind them. 

They found themselves back on the beach. May was relieved when she looked down to see actual human hands! Now they were back, they could shout, cry, scream, and talk, and joy filled the air as they celebrated being together again!  

A few days later, Mr. Hawthorne arrived on board a ship called Pearl Queen.  

“I heard that Waterwing was blown off course and landed here, so I came to look for you.” 

‘Somebody twisted the truth’ May thought, but she was glad to see him again.  

“Mom’s feeling better,” he said, “the doctor says she’ll be able to come home soon.” 

May smiled. Mrs. Hawthorne had been in the hospital far away for a long time. When they had sent for Dad, they were afraid something terrible had happened to her. That was why he sent Misty and May to stay at their aunt’s house (where they never arrived).  

May And Misty were going home the next day, which meant they had to say goodbye to the Valors.  

“You will write to us, won’t you?” Lilly asked May. 

“Of course.” She said. “And you’ll come and visit now and then?” 

“Yes, we’ll try.” Lilly answered. “Oh, I almost forgot!” She gave May the locket she had left in her room. 

May opened it. Lilly had put in a new picture of all of them together. May smiled and put it on. 

“I love it.” She said. 

The End