"Frog-features!" Twinkles yelled suddenly.
Zac looked to where the scared girl was pointing. Sure enough, there she was, hopping over to them, her powerful legs working hard.
What else could Zac do? He knew she had seen them. Zac ran. He was hoping he could make the outskirts of the town before she caught up. Because Gretel was not wearing her cloak, he didn't think she'd follow them.
Then she teleported right in front of him. Zac had briefly forgotten about that as he almost slammed into her.
"You can't escape me!" she bellowed.
"Watch me!" Zac yelled, turning into water.
Ripples turned into water along with him, but they had forgotten about Twinkles. Now not close enough to Taylor's rock Gretel knew she was there, and knew exactly where to look for the telepath.
"Well, well." She smirked. "Breakfast."
Gretel lashed out her tongue towards Twinkles.
*Nooo!* Ripples and Twinkles yelled telepathically together.
Suddenly Gretel seemed to choke.
"Hi there Goblin." Came a smooth, snide voice.
Zella had grabbed hold of Gretel's tongue and was holding it firm. Zac and Ripples went back to their usual selves.
"Aww Twinky, me sorry!" Ripples said to Twinkles, giving her a huge hug.
"Zella?" Zac questioned.
"Looks like I came just in time huh?" Zella replied, then turned her attention back to Gretel. "What's your problem huh? Why don't you pick on someone your own age?"
Gretel made noises as if she was trying to say something. But we all know how hard it is to talk when someone's holding your tongue.
"Quit complaining. You brought it on yourself."
And since Gretel was unable to make any sort of understandable retort, Zella hauled Gretel over to the nearest tree with unusual strength, and tied her tongue around the tree in thick knots.
A smile grew on Zac's face as he watched.
"I hope you're not a dryad dude." Zella said to the tree. "But I'm guessing from your lack of objection that you're not. Now, Goblin, as I understand it, you aren't going to be able to teleport anywhere without taking this tree with you. Which should be an interesting feat. And as much as I would love to hang around and watch, I have work to do. We'll met again."
Gretel strained to say something, but it only came out as gobbledygook.
TO BE CONTINUED...