Zale checked both directions before he pointed. 🌿
THE BOOK OF TAD
PAGE 23
THE GRASS BEYOND 🫧
To the left, the ridge climbed into knotted roots. Smaller pebbles sloped towards open water on the right.
“Right side,” Zale said. “Does the thread agree?”
Glint watched the root hairs. “It follows that edge.”
“Right side,” Zale repeated, more cheerfully.
TurboTAD nodded. “Lead us around. Glint, keep it in sight.”
Zale took them along the ridge’s lower curve. When the water divided, Glint paused to check, then waved them on. TurboTAD stayed close.
A few lengths later, the roots lifted away. The pebbles ended at a shallow bowl of silver-green water grass beneath broad daylight.
Glint hovered above the blades. A narrow line leaned towards the ridge, pale grains travelling through it.
“It’s not coming from the pebbles,” he said. “It’s crossing this water towards them.”
Zale looked across the bowl. “Far side. Behind the thick grass.”
“Can you keep us on it?” TurboTAD asked.
“I can get us there. Keeping it is Glint’s hobby.”
“A quiet hobby.”
TurboTAD smiled. “Good. Let’s go.”
They crossed, Zale opening a path while Glint checked the bending grass.
At the far side, plants parted around a low drop between two broad roots. Fine hairs leaned out towards the bowl; a haze of pale grit drifted with the water through the descending gap.
TurboTAD looked down. “Together.”
Zale went first. Glint followed. TurboTAD left the grass bowl behind them.