Ogres and Mom: Case Files of an Urban Witch™ Book Six by Carr Martha & Anderle Michael

Author:Carr, Martha & Anderle, Michael [Carr, Martha & Anderle, Michael]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: sort3
Publisher: LMBPN Publishing
Published: 2021-07-11T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter Twenty-Four

Heather led the Underfoot Brigade deeper into the earth, out of the concrete tunnels that lay under L.A. and into the deeper places she and the Tolderai had dug. The entire Brigade had insisted on coming along, not wanting to miss out on this field trip. She had been surprised by that. Given the voluntary nature of their schooling, there were usually a few Underfoots missing from any lesson she ran, but apparently the Tolderai’s forest caves had a special appeal.

“This isn’t the way we went before,” Twylan said.

“No, we’re going to a different cave,” Heather said. “We have a growing number of forest caves, spread around under the city. This is the best one for today’s lesson.”

Up ahead, a light was glowing. The Underfoots kept their torches and light spells on, but that more distant light with all its promise of seeing something special drew their attention. They moved faster, eager to get there, and chattered excitedly to each other.

The tunnel opened into a wide cavern. The first of the Underfoots stopped inside, only to be pushed aside by the others as they spilled out of the tunnel. Soon, everyone was standing and staring around.

“It’s amazing,” Twylan said.

The forest was so much more impressive than the last one, like nothing else she had ever seen. The cavern itself was at least fifty feet high, creating plenty of space for the trees to grow. Instead of building an artificial ceiling to hold the roof up, the Tolderai had grown one, using magic to weave roots and vines into a dome that was perfectly solid and yet still bustled with life. Flowers and leaves hung from it, birds flew between them, and insects buzzed between the branches.

The trees themselves were a mixture of different types, most of them with green leaves, though some had the red of maples or shades that were closer to silver or yellow. They stirred in a breeze that blew in from root-lined ventilation tunnels high in the walls. Although they had only been growing down here in the dark for a short time, some already bore fruit. As Twylan watched, a squirrel bounced along a branch, shaking the pears that hung from it, and leapt to the next tree over.

Between the trees, the undergrowth varied. Some patches were thickly overgrown, with stands of ferns and tangles of vines. Others had short grass, patches of moss, or leafed plants that exuded sweet scents from underfoot. A series of magical lights suspended in root cages that glowed with the warm, welcoming light of a summer sun illuminated everything.

“Today, we’re going to be talking about ecosystems,” Heather said. “But I want you all to pay attention to that part, so first, you have half an hour to explore. Be back here in thirty minutes sharp, or this will be the only time we come to the caves.”

That was enough to get everyone’s attention. They looked at watches and phones and a few set alerts, determined to follow the rules if the rules would bring them back here.

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