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"No idea. Maybe? It's a weird thing to say."
"No, they stink!" the first voice called from behind them.
It clearly seemed to be aimed at Macey and Jared.
"Are you the kludde?" she shouted, even though she really wanted to tell them that it was impolite to imply that they were smelly. But while the kludde didn't seem to care about first impressions, Macey did. They were in the kludde's territory now, and while Jared didn't seem to see them as much of a threat, the kelpie wasn't so sure about that.
"They positively reek," the second voice snickered, ignoring Macey's question. It sounded so close that Macey stretched out her hands and walked towards the sound, but there was nothing but mist in front of her.
"Come out so we can smell you!" she called in a burst of annoyance. "Then we can tell you if you stink as well."
Laughter sounded form all around her. There had to be at least ten or so people around them, but Macey couldn't see a single one.
"Glad that didn't make them angry," Jared whispered under his breath.
"Me too," Macey replied softly, her heart beating a little faster. She lifted her voice to speak to the unseen strangers. "We're here to talk to the kludde about changes you may have noticed. We're fighting the evil that is..."
"Maybe she fights it with her smell," one voice interrupted her with a giggle and a chorus of laughter surrounded them once more.
"There was an earthquake not far from here today," Macey tried again. "Things are happening, bad things. If you haven't noticed anything, then tell us and we'll leave. We only want to help."
This time, there wasn't any laughter.
"Get Teacher," someone to her left whispered and the sound of running feet followed.
"Teacher?" Jared asked quietly so only Macey could hear. "Is that their leader, perhaps?"
"Maybe. Let's wait and find out."
They didn't have to wait long, for a minute later, a figure materialised in the mist a dozen yards or so before them.
"What is going on?" a booming voice asked.
Macey was just about to repeat her story when one of the younger voices replied, "Strangers are here, Teacher. We played with them but then one of them mentioned something about an earthquake and evil things, and..."
"What do you mean, played with them? You're supposed to do your homework! Back to the classroom, now!"
There was shuffling all around them, indicating the kludde's departure. It was strange how Macey could see the Meer through the mist, but not the people they'd been talking to. Where they invisible?
"I apologise for my students," the deep voice said, suddenly right in front of them. But there was nothing. Absolutely nothing.
"Are you a ghost?" Macey blurted before she could stop herself.
"I am whatever I want to be," the Teacher replied. A second later, a horse stood on the marshy ground, so close Macey could feel its warm breath on her cheeks.
"Or maybe a dog?"
The horse changed into a large Rottweiler faster than the eye could see.
"Or a tree?"
A tree grew from the ground - no, it materialised, sprang into existence. Macey rubbed her eyes. Was this really happening? When she shifted, it took time and energy, and a dose of pain. This person took fractions of a second to shift from a dog to a flipping tree!
The tree rustled its branches - yes, it was moving like it had full control over every single leaf crowning its majestic limbs - and bent down a little as if to look at the two intruders.
"Gnomes got your tongue?" he asked in amusement when neither Macey nor Jared said anything. "I'm the Teacher, and I am indeed a kludde. Now, tell me, why have you entered our domain? The children said something about earthquakes?"
Macey looked up at the tree, wondering where exactly to look. It seemed impolite not to look the kludde in the eye when talking to him, but there were no eyes, nor a face in general. She ended up looking at the spot where the lowest branch left the main trunk.
