“What did Rose mean about this being a play for something else?” asked Autumn as they walked swiftly to the bridge. They had gone straight down the path to the Rune Tree and turned right, heading for the stile. The four leaders walked in front, followed by Rose and her parents. Autumn walked behind them next to Skoo, and the runners walked at the rear. The people of the Larchwood had faded away as they started walking, though Autumn was sure she kept catching sight of them in the trees, flickering in and out of her vision.
Skoo looked at her. “There are only four of them with Erland. The Wildfolk must know that it would be easy to stop them, which means that they are likely planning something else.”
“So it’s a trap?”
Skoo hesitated before answering. “It might be,” he said.
“What are the runners for?” asked Autumn, glancing over her shoulder as they walked. There were twelve of them in total, three from each of the four families.
“Communications,” said Skoo, scanning the path in front. They were reaching the stile. “Everyone knows what their roles are, what they need to do, but there are several plans depending on what happens. The runners will let the families know if things need to change.”
There were two people of the Greenwood stood at the stile. They moved aside to let them pass. As they crossed over the boundary, Autumn felt a slight shiver run down her spine. The air seemed to flicker again and, in the fading light, she saw for a moment dozens of other Greenwood people, stood waiting.
At that moment, there was a cry from the path up ahead, in the direction of the bridge. Autumn couldn’t make out if it sounded like an animal or a bird. The leader of the Brushwood people, held up his fist and paused. They all stopped, silent. Autumn shook her head. The whispering and thrumming seemed louder than ever.
The cry came again and the leader of the Brushwood turned to face them. “We have him,” he said.
Autumn’s mum put her hand to her chest and let out a deep sigh of relief. She turned to face Autumn.
“Erland’s safe, now, Autumn,” she said, smiling. “Don’t worry.”
“It is not over,” said the leader quietly.
Autumn’s mum nodded sadly. “I know,” she said.
In silence, they set off down the path to the bridge at a fast walking pace. The path was long and nearly straight, so they saw Erland and the six members of the Brushwood family from quite a distance. Autumn’s parents burst into a run when they saw him, and Autumn and Skoo ran after them.
Erland ran to meet them and threw his arms round his mum, who scooped him up. He buried his head into her shoulder as she squeezed him tightly. Their dad put one arm round them both, still holding his staff, and pulled Autumn into the embrace with his other arm.
After what seemed like forever and no time at all, he sighed and let go. He stood straight and glanced at Rose and the four leaders. They had caught up with them and were stood to one side waiting quietly, eyes fixed on the bridge a short distance in front.
“They escaped over the bridge,” said one of the members of the Brushwood family who had returned with Erland. “We didn’t try to stop them.”
“No,” sighed Rose. “That was the right thing.”
“Is it over?” asked Autumn. “Can we go home now?”
Rose, her parents, and the leaders looked at her. Rose looked sad, and her dad shook his head.
There was a rustling noise from across the bridge, the sound of footsteps. Many footsteps.
Their mum was still holding tightly to Erland. Their dad put his arm around Autumn’s shoulder.
“No,” he said, quietly. “I don’t think we can go home, yet.”
