[quote]"The Lady of the Pond," he breathed, wearily -- and he looked back into the darkness from which they'd come.[/quote]

This was the point where Anise realized just how weary Peck was. He may very well be used to exerting himself, but even then he was still human. There would be a point where he would have to rest. She watched him resolve himself to action regardless of his fatigue which caused a slightly worried expression to grow on her face. While she had rested, he had forced himself to work. At the time they had no choice, but now at least they could rest.

[quote]"C'mon, then." He walked past her, trudging through the brush. "I don't know how much help I can be to you -- I'm just a rider without his gryphon -- but I won't let you down."[/quote]

Anise bit her lip as he walked past her. She knew he would do his best to keep his promise, but she still worried. Finally, she forced herself to smile and followed after him. "Thank you."

As trudged through the forest, Anise finally had some time to realize the beauty of this place. As fearsome as it was there was so much to see. The fireflies were a wonder that she had never seen before in Riverforde as the weather wasn't particularly good for them. She had heard about them from stories that she had dictated to her. The statues hiding beneath the vines and moss had an air of mystery to them. The flowers that grew near the gnarled trees were quite pretty. She now fully understood that if she hadn't been pulled into this world, her life would not be nearly as filled with wonder as it is now.

"This forest... in spite of the dangers," she said to no one in particular. "It's quite lovely."

As they made it to the lake a pair of Kith started calling out to them and throwing objects quite rudely. She was fairly sure she had seen the mouse mask before, but couldn't pinpoint where considering how much had happened in the last day or so. She noticed Peck's remarkable restraint and felt sad that neither the Kith nor Pirates wanted to get along with each other.

[quote]"We can summon the Lady by drawing circles in the water and calling to her," he told Anise.[/quote]

Anise nodded and knelt at the water's edge. She felt fairly certain that the Lady of the Pond would be able to hear everything that she said. She noticed both of her hands were full: one with the Flight Lantern and the other with the Spirit Egg. If she were to draw circles in the water she would have to free one hand of one of these items. An idea then popped into her head. Since she was able to send dirt flying into the Witch's face to stun her for a moment with both abilities she had from these Eggs then she could cause the Spirit Egg to float without much difficulty around her head.

She smiled for a moment about her idea and then concentrated on the Spirit Egg asking it to fly around her using the power of the Lantern of Flight. She gazed in wonder for a moment when she witnessed it pick itself up and begin to zip around her, but always remaining within arms reach of her.

Feeling proud of her accomplishment she reached out and drew circles in the water. "Lady of the Pond, it is I, Anise the new Lady of Light. I understand what you said about the previous Lady of Light. I know that she was killed, and that you were on opposing sides. Even so, I can't imagine that it was easy for any of you to lose a sister." She cleared her throat as her emotions grew high. "I would... We would like to have a conversation. Your mother is quite upset at everything that has happened while she has been sealed away. You can see for yourself that everything is withering away and that the whole balance of the forest is a mess. Don't you think that's sad? Don't you think it is all sad? Don't we all have a responsibility to make everything right?"

She had two goals to accomplish in this meeting. First was for the Dragon to have an honest heart-to-heart with her children. Second was to  get the Spirits to collectively work to help repair the state the forest was in. All of them. She connected to the Spirit Egg and gently thought. [i]I will let you speak through me to your child, but I ask you to restrain from using me to harm her, please. I understand that you are maddeningly upset at your children, but these are your irreplaceable children.[/i]