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Chapter4 Pt2: Battle of Ice MountainShe awoke the next morning with the feelings lingering on, though it was Lana on watch, and not Tom. The young fox looked around nervously at the form of Sandra, the lidless eyes that stared around ceaselessly.
No wonder spiders have such a horrible reputation, Stacey thought. They are really a 'sleepless' menace.
She felt absurdly glad that Sandra had proven to be on their side, though tension remained with the group. Nothing she could do about that, she thought. It would be counter-productive: everyone would learn to trust Sandra or not. In the short term, it would keep them on alert in case she actually did try anything.
They broke camp and started the long slog up the mountain. The bright sunshine had driven all the rest of Cassandra's ilk to their cursed home, but the webs and deep tears in the dome had convinced them not to linger.
For several hours they followed the stream bed up towards the glistening peaks. They were balked only once by the sheer cliff face of a dry waterfall
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Chapter 3: The Dark ForestStacey watched concernedly as Lana struggled up the rough slop. It was now seven days past her rescue and a full fortnight since they left the mountain holds. Stacey wondered what was happening in their absence; if the great works they had talked about were starting. She wished she could be part of that, but her task was too vitally important to set aside.
Besides, it's not as if I'd be much help beyond talking to the plants. Serena can command them better than I can, and she can calm people down and keep fights breaking out. No, she decided. It's far better that I am here instead of her, though I do begrudge my comfortable bed in my own faerie house!
For a moment she thought of her snug little home in the dwarven fortress; green and healthy, with acorn tops for tables and soft leaves and twigs for chairs and couches, and the finest petals for pillows.
She thought, too, of her friends and how much she missed them. She hoped that it wouldn't be too much longer before they could finish u