AS--The Brownie

I slowly pulled an arrow out of my quiver and put it into my bow, just in case. My eyes traced the ground for sights of a trap. I stopped when I saw that there was a trap that would send you flinging up into the air. Looking towards the sky, I saw a figure in what looked like a net hanging from the trees. It had to be Damien.

"Who're you, missy?"

* * *

I turned around swiftly, my bow pointing into the face of the old man before me. His gray beard trailed all the way down to the ground, full of twigs, leaves, dirt, and mud. He was about three feet tall and dressed in raggedy brown and green clothes. He had large brown eyes set deep in his tanned, wrinkled skin.

"Well, who are you?" he questioned.

"Who're you?" I countered.

He laughed. "I'm a brownie. Isn't that obvious? The name's Sebastian. But you can call me Seb." He put out his hand for a handshake. I didn't shake it. "Don't want to be friendly? Fine. I can't control you."

"What're you doing here?" I demanded.

"I live here," he answered. He scratched his head. "Say... do you know a kid a little taller than you who's kind of handsome with brown hair?"

"Damien,"  I whispered, realizing it had to be him.

"Is that his name?" Seb smiled in a friendly way. "Well, I just want to tell you that your friend went and got captured by that pirate they left behind. He's got to be dangerous. Sky Pirates are only abandoned by their shipmates if they can't be controlled."

I took off running through the forest.

"Hey, where're you going?" Seb yelled after him.

"To save my friend!" I shouted back.

I just hoped that I wasn't too late.