“Hey yo! Emery! How’s your dad doing ay?” Tobi yelled down from the tree he was currently up in, before bounding his way onto the next tree’s branches. Speak of the devil. 

“He’s fine! I mean I did kinda leave abruptly but otherwise.. haha..!” I said back, only quitely for I knew he was still able to hear me, and I wasn’t about to waste my voice. 

“Damn, sorry a bit of a touchy subject, huh? Anyways, by the way we’re going we’ll arrive at Potions and Ashes at approximately.. tomorrow morning! Yes haha!” His shrill laughter echoed througout the forest, it being impossible to not smile at the sound of it. 

“How did he hear that…?” Seth whispered to me, in absolute awe at the elf’s hearing, but before I could respond I was cut short by Tobi yelling an answer back down. 

“I’m an elf, Seth! Though I suppose you’ve never seen the likes of us elves before, have ya?” Tobi thought out loud, “Well anyways, us elves have a great sense of hearing, which is actually how I managed to find you guys so quickly!! Of course, Emery is my pal so he knew this already and thats why he didn’t shout up! That answer your question, ay human?”

“I suppose it does..” Seth said, at a loss for words.

We carried on walking for a while before in front of us landed gracefully, Tobi. 

“Hey Emery, theres patrol up ahead. I’d suggest you and Seth hide in that bush over there, I’ll cover ya..” Tobi trailed off, as he shooed us into the bush.

As I kneeled down, I pulled Seth down with me to conceal us as best as I could, while leaving Tobi to cover for us. As much as he was one of my best (and only) friends, a wicked part of me wished to believe he would give us up at any sight of reward. My grasp on the magic staff became ever tighter than before. 

…footsteps..

“Oh, Tobi, fancy seeing you here.” The first patrol said. It was a wizard, bearing a weathered old staff. 

“How ya doing on this fine, fine day, gentlemen?” Tobi chuckled. I had to hand it to him, Tobi was great under pressure. 

“We’re looking for a young wizard, goes by the name of Emery Hubbard? He’s suspected to be in the forest.” The second patrol informed, also a wizard, but not carring any means of magical staff or equipment, besides the pair of magic cancelling handcuffs attached to it’s belt. 

“Ah, Emery is a good friend of mine, but alas! I can not hear his light footsteps anywhere in this forest! I believe he has already left the forest, if he even entered at all.” Tobi said, remaining cool in the face of danger, that was one of his many talents. He would brag about this moment later on. 

“Ah okay Tobi, well, we had best be off to devise a new plan then! Thanks for your intel!” The patrol men saluted and marched off. 

“Aha, there is no problemo friends! Have a good one!” Tobi cried out after them, and then took a step back from the bush, arms crossed, with a smug look on his face and I pulled Seth and myself out of our hiding spot. 

“How did I do?”