Joris
Molly and Lucas tried to set up a rabbit trap. The two discussed so loudly that Joris was firmly convinced that all the rabbits had already sought the distance.
Besides, he wasn't sure if he wanted to eat a rabbit from the fairy forest. The rabbits here had small antlers on their heads. He had even seen one with wings. But he was hungry.
His brother sat tired next to him and yawned.
"Charlie? Why are you so tired? Couldn't you sleep?", asked Joris, looking at the dark circles under Charlie's eyes. He looked like a grumpy panda.
"I could have slept, but I was busy...", Charlie murmured, leaning against Joris. The two were sitting by one of the trees. Joris was mending one of his socks.
"Busy?" He frowned. "With what? Climbing a tree? We are in the middle of nowhere. What's interesting here?"
"Sirens", Charlie murmured, yawning.
"Sirens? Have you let yourself be lured to the water? Should I be worried?"
"No... I met a siren. Nanno. He's so pretty... I could stare at him all day long."
"Aha..." Joris put on the freshly repaired sock and then his shoe again. "They're just pretty to attract us. Probably this siren is waiting for you to jump into the water."
"I risk that. And you? Your nymph?"
Joris smiled. "The most beautiful woman I have ever seen. I want to look for her. The last time I saw her was briefly at the waterfall. Maybe she'll be there again?"
"No way!", shouted Molly to the two. Lucas grinned.
"Why not?", asked Charlie. "Nymphs are not dangerous, are they?"
"And if you get lost? We'll all stay together!" Molly snorted. "No one goes to the river alone and no one leaves the camp."
"Do you want to stay here? Maybe we'll find the way out", Joris said. "Then we can move on and maybe make it to the steppe. At some point, we have to move on if we want to get out of here."
"He's right", Lucas agreed. "Maybe Joris will find the way. Or he can ask the nymph about it? Or we all follow the river, but you don't want that..."
Molly snorted. "We've already talked about that! In this river lives all sorts of things that consider us their food. Who knows who will try to eat us if we follow the river? Why did you run after that light?"
"Molly? Lucas? I'll go with him", Charlie announced, rubbing his eyes. "We stay together. Nothing happens to us. Do you know where the waterfall is? Joris?"
"We have to follow the creek that flows into the river." Joris helped his brother to his feet. "Let's not waste any time!"
Molly sighed and shook her head.
The two quietly followed the river. Joris did not want to scare away the nymph. After all, she had been very shy. Charlie followed him tiredly, looking for signs of a nymph or a path out of the forest. The two felt watched, but they could not see anyone.
The water of the stream splashed softly, and they saw a few colorful, small fish in it. A yellow frog hopped past them, and a few unusually large dragonflies buzzed through the air. Somewhere a bird was singing.
They found a bush of sweet berries and ate a few. But the feeling of being watched did not go away. Charlie frowned.
"Do you think they're fairies again? Or an animal?", he whispered.
Joris shrugged. "Or it's the nymph. Let's move on."
It was not far from the small waterfall. Joris got nervous. And if she wasn't there? Where else, could he find her? Without getting lost in the forest. But fate was kind to him: as hoped, a beautiful, ghostly figure sat on the shore of the water.
"Oh", Charlie said when he saw the nymph.
The beauty looked startled and blinked. Then she became invisible.
"Wait!", shouted Joris quickly. "Come back. Please! We don't want to harm you!"
Slowly the figure reappeared. First, they saw two gray eyes, then the beautiful nymph stood in front of them at a great distance. No. She floated in front of them. Her dress and light hair hovered around her, just like the last time Joris had seen her. She looked at the two brothers skeptically.
"No harm?", she asked quietly. Her voice was a little deeper than expected. "You two are human. What are you doing here?"
Joris stared at her sheepishly. Now that he saw her, he didn't know what to say. Charlie rolled his eyes.
"We're looking for the way to the steppe", he replied in Jori's place, smiling. "We got lost. Thanks to a willow-o-wisp. This is my brother Joris. My name is Charlie."
"Hm", she said. "Willow-o-wisps have their own magic. Alone, you are no longer able to find the right way..."
"Even if we followed the river?". asked Charlie curiously. "Doesn't this river flow through the steppe?"
"Part of the river does. But the magic of the willow-o-wisp will prevent you from finding the right way... And before that, sirens or a Kelpie will try to eat you", said the figure.
Charlie nodded. "We have already made the experience... Could you tell us..."
"Are you a nymph? You are so beautiful!", Joris blurted out. "Uh... So... Uh. You're a nymph, aren't you?"
"Sylph", said the figure. "I'm not a nymph."
"A sylph?" Charlie smiled and gave Joris an amused jolt.
The figure nodded. "You shouldn't be here. At this waterfall. For some, this place is special."
"Special? In what way?" Charlie looked around. "It's very nice here. But it's just a waterfall. A beautiful waterfall."
That made the Sylph smile. "Yes, it's beautiful here. You should go."
"Will you tell us your name?", asked Joris, blushing. " Will we see you again? I'd love to meet you!"
"Ehlin", she said, amused. Then the sylph disappeared.
"She's adorable", Joris murmured. "Isn't she?"
"A sylph... I've never heard of that. I wanted to ask him or her for directions...", Charlie murmured. "Let's go."
"Why? No one else is here. Him? No."
But there was still someone at the waterfall. As Charlie reminded his brother of the warning, a group of scolding fairies flew toward them. They pulled their hair and clothes to chase them away from the waterfall.
"Fine, we're leaving. We´re sorry!" Charlie let himself be pulled away from the waterfall.
Joris, on the other hand, tried to shake off the fairies, but he followed his brother. He wondered what the little creatures had against them.
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