Pixie-Led

[Clockwork Crow]

Clockwork had always been more of an optimist between the two ‘sisters,’ choosing to only see the good in the world, no matter what. However, doing such a thing could always be dangerous.
Cicadas crooned their screeching songs in the trees high above, the early morning sun already beginning to beat down on Clockwork’s silver and gray fur, much to her dismay. Thus, the wolf-dog eagerly retreated into the shadows the forest made, ignoring the presence of the wisps altogether, just as Griseldis had told everyone to. Perhaps that had been where she’d gone wrong, as even when she hadn’t followed them… Clockwork still got lost. No matter how many times she turned around, how she marked her trail, she always wound up back in the same clearing. And it was swarming with wisps. She paced, a worried frown creasing her muzzle, utterly oblivious of the ring formed by the cool grass beneath her paws.
“Okay, I’ve tried to leave this clearing from every possible direction, but I keep getting turned around or something? How could I get this lost? The forest isn’t even that dense…” Talking to herself. That was what she had started to do. As, what else could she do. She swiped her hair out of her face with a paw, taking a deep breath. “Okay,” she murmured, sitting down. “Think - what can you do that you haven’t done?” She quieted, pausing to think. “Nothing aside pray to Lupus that someone will find me before nightfall. Oh, I do not like that thought!”
Eventually, the telltale scent of cream and thyme came down on the wind, causing Clockwork to perk up, calling out a name, “Notker! Are you there?”
The hafling, although rather confused by just how deep in the forest Clockwork was, had cautiously approached, coming over the hill, the uncertainty leaving his expression after a moment as he trotted to her. “Okay, good, it really is you. There’s so much magic over here, I thought I was being tricked, girlie.”
Clockwork looked at him indignantly due to the nickname, but it wasn’t likely anyone else would be coming around. “I got lost,” she said, sighing. “No matter how many times I leave this clearing, or in what way, I keep coming back here! I’m hungry, and I’m tired and I really want to go home!” she complained, head drooping.
Notker, however, burst out laughing. “Pff- wha- you’re, you’re joking right? Oh, by the Faes, Clock! You’re being pixie-led!”
“Pixie-led?” she questioned, tilting her head in confusion.
It took him a moment, but Notker eventually regained his composure, pretending to wipe a tear from his eye. “Yeah,” he said, still snickering a bit, “Pixie-led. It’s the oldest trick in the book. I take it you didn’t see the fairy-ring?”
“What fairy-ring?”
“The one you’re standing in, girlie,” he teased, pointing at it with a paw.
“Oh,” she could feel her face heating up beneath her pelt, embarrassed, as Notker burst out laughing once more.
“Okay, okay, okay, I’m good- pfft- I just- I can’t believe- you didn’t notice!” he shook his head, a wide grin on his muzzle. “Okay, c’mon, let’s get you back home.”
“Okay.”