The Box

For the third day in a row, Cafer brought Alaron above ground into the land of magic. He told the other gnomes it was to make sure the boy was safe, but really, Cafer found being in his cave to be more and more suffocating. The former councilman also did not think it a good idea to leave the prince in the company of the gnomes for too long. The abrasive personality of gnomes made Alaron nearly lose his temper with each interaction. Cafer was walking a very fine line.

Today they ambled through a field that was close--but not too close-- to the elves' land. "A rabbit with horns!" Alaron exclaimed. He used a magic spell to pin the creature so he could get a closer look.

"It is a jackalope," Cafer informed him as they walked over to it. "And you should probably let it go." The gnome flicked his gaze around the field. These creatures could travel in packs, and the thought of a hundred small, horned creatures running at him was undesirable.

Alaron touched the creature gently. Its fur was so