Julia

  It was not enough. But at least the situation seemed to have calmed down somewhat. Some elves sought versation with Fiete, but they still kept a great distance from Josefine. In the meahe group was still on the road. The forest became denser and denser and sometimes this made it difficult tress.

  "You're not doing anything wrong, Julia." Fiete ruffled her short hair. "Keeping your distance from us is pletely natural. We are not humans or elves. We are not like your wolf family. We don’t have two forms. No. We have a true form. The rest is a disguise. An illusion. Your brother is right when he calls us big reptiles. We are dragons."

  "But you belong to us now", Julia protested.

  "No." He pressed a kiss to her hair. "We belong to you and your brother. Not to the elves. Out of pure courtesy, we will hem. There's not muost of them anyway. Of course, I have to keep an eye on Josefine."

  Josefine, who was carried piggyback by Peter, looked at her uncle. "I do elves! July wouldn't like that!"

  "I know, little one." Fiete grabbed his niece from Peter's bad threw her over his back. The girl squealed.

  "Uncle! What are you doing?"

  "I'll stop you from eating anyone." Fiete started to jump while Josefine kicked her legs.

  "Juli! Help me!", cried the girl ughing.

  Some elves watched the spectacle with amusement. Leo frowned.

  "Julia? Josefine needs you", he finally announced. "She's being kidnapped by a dragon!"

  Julia stood in front of Fiete with her arms crossed. "Let the princess go, evil dragon!"

  Fiete looked at her irritated at first, but then he joined in the game. "No! She’s my lunch! I could cook a soup out of her."

  "Fet it!", hissed Josefine. "Let me down."

  "You wohe princess!" Julia tried to sound threatening. With moderate success. "Release her!"

  "All right!" Grinning, he gave his o Julia’s arms. With a lot of momentum, the two girls fell screaming on the forest floor. Several elves ughed while Fiete helped them ba their feet. In the meantime, a few children had e running and also wao be carried by the dragon.

  "It looks like you've gained popurity!", announced Peter, while a few adults tried to pull the children away from Fiete.

  "That wasn’t my point!" Fiete heless waved to the children, who now pio the adults, who expio them that it was better not to py with dragons.

  "I don't know. The elves have so many prejudices", Finn said after a while. Marko nodded.

  "I'm not surprised." Peter watched some of the children who were now being carried by the teenagers. "They were mostly isoted. Of course, there are problems."

  "Some are very old", Leopold added. "They have outdated views and some g to them. Still. But that will subside. And in some cases, it's wiser to be careful."

  He meant the dragons. Yes. Julia also khat they were dangerous. But she had gotteo Fiete and Josefine by now. She trusted them. And the same was true for her friends. Her family. They also trusted the dragons. But what about the other elves...

  Maybe I'm worried for no reason... Head stop thinking... But I don't want the same thing to happen to them as it did to me... No... Not again.

  It would be difficult to find a new home if there were already problems. But maybe problems were simply unavoidable. You grow with problems...

  Perhaps she should leave these problems to adults. They were the adults and Julia was a child. It should not be her job to solve all problems. But she would not remain silent if something had to be said.

  First, they had to reach the steppe. And then? No. She had seen it. They would find a home. heless...

  How would the taurs react? Would they enter any? taurs were dangerous. She didn't know much more about them. Dangerous nomads who could subject others to their will. But dragons were also dangerous. Very much so.

  Maybe we will make friends among the taurs... Or not? What is...

  Julia's head was buzzing. So much had happened and she couldn't rest. Fear, worry, despair, and the cold of autumn did not make it easy for her. Wet twigs and leaves whipped her fad roots made her stumble. Sometimes the ground was slippery, or they had to climb over branches or trunks. And she couldn't cim that this improved the overall mood. heless, everyone helped each other. The help of the dragons was also accepted. An elf had slipped a Fiete help her to her feet. An elf child got caught in some branches while trying to fly over a tree trunk. Josefine rushed to the child's aid. The elves could fly in a pinch, unlike Julia, Finn, and Marko. She often helped Marko to get Finn safely over hurdles.

  "Hey!" Leopold put his arm around her. "What are you thinking about?"

  "Everything."

  "That doesn't sound good."

  "Leo? I'm scared." Julia leaned against him. "What if something happens? If we don't reach the steppe?"

  "We will reach the steppe, Julia. We find a new home. Far from your mother and the uprisings."

  "And then? My mother will tio rule. Elves and wolves will suffer. What if there is war? I'm a princess, I... Am I not also responsible?" Shouldn't I be in the castle? No. Mom would send me back to the academy and who knows what she pnned for me afterward. Certainly, nothing I want.

  "That's what I ohought. That the entire royal family is responsible. That you sit in your pretty castle, go wherever you want, and enjoy all the beautiful things while the rest of us suffer. Of course, that wasn't true, but the eldest told me so. That was a long time ago. I was a child."

  "In a way, that was true. But not quite. He influenced you. But, Leo? Don't I have a responsibility to make things better?"

  "You're sixteen. So, no."

  "I 't agree with that!", said Fiete. "She ied responsibility. But she's too young for that now."

  "Juli has already done a lot!", Finn replied, who had only listened so far. "She resisted her mother, she was always good to us and she tried to save the elves. That's enough. I think it's good that she's here with us. Even if..." Finn looked at Leopold and a soft growl escaped him. "Even if it was never her or our choice. She has done enough. She is wonderful and we love her! Please leave her aloh this responsibility! That doesn't help." And with a g Marko, he added. "Otherwise Marko will bite you! It!" Marko snorted in surprise and Fiete raised an eyebrow.

  "How cute!", he murmured. Leopold ughed cheerfully and earned a venomous look from Marko. Julia smiled too.

  Suddenly, the group stopped. The twons and wolves she air skeptically. Things went uphill in front of them. It was steep but passable. The elves could fly and the rest could get up with difficulty. But they heard voices. The group fell silent. Hanno and another elf flew up and carefully saw where the voices were ing from. They hid behind bushes. Then they flew bad instructed the group to remain quiet.

  "What is it?", Flora wao know. She looked nervous and looked over Hanno's shoulder.

  "Soldiers", replied the elf who had apanied Hanno. "A whole group. We are close to the border and they seem to be patrolling here. They must have a camp somewhere close. They are slowly getting closer. Presumably, they heard us."

  "Behind the trees! Fast. And keep quiet!", murmured Hanno, pointing to a sheltered spot they could reach quickly. The group rushed there fast and tried to keep the children calm at the same time, who excitedly asked what was wrong. They all hid behind the trees and waited.

  "Who's there?", they heard someone shout. "Show yourselves!"

  The group moved a little clether. A baby whimpered softly.

  "Show yourselves!"

  No one moved. Then Julia saw how Fiete kissed Josefine on the cheek. Then he pushed his o Julia, who immediately ed her arms around her. Fiete ruffled Peter's hair, then stood up and came out from behind the trees.

  "What", Peter murmured in surprise and looked after the dragon. "What is he up to? That's dangerous."

  "Not for a dragon", Julia reassured him, resting her on Josefine's head, who looked at the soldiers and hissed angrily. Leo looked at her worriedly.

  "Only I am here!", shouted Fiete to the soldier, or the soldiers.

  "That 't be. We also heard children! You have three seds to show yourself! Here is the border to the steppe. The passage is prohibited. Anyone who tries to flee is arrested ao justice. Children e to an orphail they are older or find a job directly as bonded servants!"

  "Ah. No. I don't think so!", tradicted Fiete. At the same time, the baby began to cry and could not be calmed.

  "In that case, it is up to us to sign the fugitives to death!"

  Then several things happe the same time. Julia heard several soldiers ing down the slope, at the same time she saw how Fiete became a very rge dragon, pushing some trees aside. "W... What?", stammered Peter, startled. "Run to the fairy forest! It borders this forest. It's not far. I'll follow you ter!" It was strao hear a mighty dragon speak ahe group obeyed. As fast as they carried their feet, they ran. The smaller children were carried. Julia held Josefine by the hand and pulled her with her. She heard the dragon roar. And again screams were heard. She felt sick. And then, after what felt like ay, they arrived at derees where moss and mushrooms grew. Strange blue tendrils climbed up the trees between the mushrooms. They stopped in front of the trees. This was the fairy forest. Magic was in the air. They could all feel it. Fn magic.

  "And now?", asked Gisele.

  "We're going into the woods", Hanno announced.

  "What for?", said someone else. "The dragon has elimihe soldiers!"

  "No. He just shoos them away. I 't smell blood. Just some fire... But not enough to kill them all", Josefine whispered.

  "Let's go to the fairy forest!", decided Julia. The elves looked at her restlessly, but no one protested. "No soldiers will follow us into the fairy forest. No one goes into this forest voluntarily... But if we stay together, nothing will happen to us. I hope so. We have to risk it. And from there we also get to the steppe, right? It's only a short stretch that we have to go. Isn't it?"

  "Probably", Hanno agreed. "The fairy forests are dangerous. And it will soon be dark. But we ’t rest here. Even with twons, I don't want to risk the soldiers chasing us. Children apany us. They've seen too many bad things. And who knows how many soldiers there are?"

  Julia hugged Josefiightly and looked at Leopold, Finn, Marko, aer. Nothing must happen to you. And Josefine must not smell blood.