The trees thin and finally we break out into full sunlight. I stare with a mixture of awe and trepidation at the wide vista of rocky heathland. Almost straight ahead is a mountain range, with jagged peaks disappearing into the distance.

At the screech of an eagle, wheeling in an almost cloudless sky above, Fluffy leaps between my legs and chitters. I bend down and gently reassure him.

Leaf looks longingly back at the safety of the forest and then up at me, imploring, "Will ye not come back with us?"

Though it is temping, I shake my head. "I'm afraid that this is where we must part company."

The pixie nods in resignation and clambers off his mount. "I have a gift for ye. 'Tis a rope of friendship." He slides a thin ring onto my little finger. "May it aid ye on ye adventures."

Too soon, he remounts and with a final backward glance, the blue creature bounds off back under the cover of the trees. Watching them, I swallow down a lump in my throat, having grown fond of them in our short time together. Once again, I'm utterly alone.

Turning back, I scan the horizon; it is devoid of any signs of civilisation. My mind goes to home, it has been four days now and I need to find a way of getting a message to my friends.

At first the terrain is easy going, but it becomes increasingly uneven. As the sun arcs across the sky, it gets hotter and there is little in the way of shade to protect me from its merciless rays. On and on I trudge and with my water supplies depleted, my head starts to pound.

Just when I am close to collapsing, a faint sound teases my ears. Finding a spurt of energy, I hurry towards it, scrambling over boulders. Relief washes through me at the sight of a small babbling brook and I fall to my knees beside it.

Hands cupped, I scoop up the crystal-clear water, which is the sweetest that I have ever tasted. Although, I guess I'm not an expert having grown up with the chlorinate tang of London's finest. Once sated, I splash the cooling liquid over my heated skin.

Lacing my trainers together, I sling them over my shoulder and follow the course of the river, due North, towards one of the nearest peaks.

.......

After walking for hours, I finally reach the source of the stream, a spring bubbling up from the very base of the mountain. According to the pixie elder's tale, this is where he saw a giant, however, I'm too exhausted to worry about that just now.

A welcome patch of shade beckons. I sink to the ground and rest my back against a smooth expanse of rock, almost falling asleep when a strange sound vibrates through me. The once clear water beside me starts to turn cloudy. Scrambling to my feet, I glance around on the look out for foes.

Come on Elle, don't be a wuss. Think about Kate and the others. I need to find a way home.

Since the noise seems to be coming from within the mountain itself, I grab a large stone and bang it against the rock face, eliciting an echoing booming. Standing completely still and barely daring to breathe, I wait to see if anything will happen.

There is a grinding sound and a section of the mountain slides sideways to reveal a five-foot dark hole. Cautiously I poke my head in and shout out, but am met with silence. I have a choice; either go in, which is really not appealing or go back to the forest, which is equally unattractive.

Taking the plunge, literally, I clamber inside and soon wonder if I have just been incredibly stupid when the rock slides back behind me. It blocks out the light and more importantly my exit. Ahead I can just make out what seems to be a dim light. Scrunching up my body to avoid hitting my head on the low ceiling, I use my hands as guides and slowly inch my way forward.

The tunnel finally spits me out into a cavern lit with several lanterns. Its only inhabitant is a very short man who is hunched over a trough carved in the rock. There is a constant flow of water and he seems to be washing stones.

He turns when I call out a hello and scowls up at me through his bushy beard. He makes some garbled sounds and I stare at him blankly. Was that language? His look however, I can translate. It says stupid person, wasting my time.

He grabs one of the lanterns and its light causes the contents of the trough to sparkle. Then he stomps off down a winding tunnel without looking back. I hurry on behind, having to stoop in several places to avoid braining myself. It was obviously made for people considerably shorter than me.

The passage broadens out into a large cavern. About a dozen bearded men are sat around a low wooden table, having a very loud conversation in what I assume is the same guttural language. My reluctant guide has to shout to make himself heard.

A dozen faces turn and stare at me. I fidget under the weight of their gazes. "Hello. I am Elle."

One speaks in a heavy accent, "I am Garvi. We do not often get ... visitors."

A little embarrassed, I respond, "I'm lost. Do you know of others like me, that are er, bigger?" Oh, real smooth Elle.

Garvi strokes his beard and the others continue to stare at me like I'm some strange creature. I flounder before remembering the things I foraged in forest on the way here. "Perhaps I could help cook?"

"Dwinod!" Garvi shouts.

Another extremely short man saunters over. He has a dirty blond beard, which is not as long as the others, and is wearing an apron, which may once have been white.

Garvi gestures to me. "Dwinod, you speak the common tongue. Our guest has volunteered to help with dinner."

Dwinod gives me an almost smile and leads me to a very basic cooking area. A large cauldron is bubbling over an open fire. Taking a ladle, I sip at the contents. Yuck!

I take a peek inside the store cupboard and find it pretty depressing.

"We are running low on everything," Dwinod say and scratches his head.

"Well Dwinod, I will have to improvise." I smile and like a magician pull out mushrooms and garlic scented leaves from my bag.

He grins back. "Please call me Dwin. Your eyes are pretty, just like perfect emeralds."

"Thank you." I set about chopping and idly look about the place, noting that there only seems to be men here. "Are there many of you living here?"

"No. This is just a small outpost of the Kingdom under the Mountains. I come from the capital city. It is a vast and beautiful place." His eyes take on a misty appearance. "I came here to seek my fortune. There are treasures to be uncovered within the depths of this mountain."

"So, are you all miners?"

Dwin looks as if I have just said something extremely dumb. "We are dwarves."

.....

After a second helping of stew, washed down with a tankard of ale, Garvi sits back, pats his stomach and then compliments me, "Very fine, lass."

The dwarves all toast their tankards to me, then one pulls out a fiddle, another picks up a drum and a third a pipe-like instrument. They start up a tune, which has me tapping my foot and soon all the dwarves start singing a rowdy song.

I laugh and tell Dwin, it is nothing like my singing and he insists that I sing for them. I'm a bit out of practice, but give it a go and select an aria which suits my soprano voice.

Garvi withdraws a handkerchief and mops his brow, but I spot him sneakily wiping away a tear from his eyes.

"On the morrow, Dwin and I will depart to take our goods to market." He shudders and his face pales under his beard. "Why not travel with us and we might be able to find your kin."

I beam and thank him, before trying to smother a massive yawn with my hand. Dwin leads me over to a series of doors, opening one to reveal a chamber carved out of the bedrock. It has three cot-like beds. Dwin looks at me and then the beds, before pushing them together.

After Dwin bids goodnight and shuts the door, I grimace. The room has a cell like feel with no windows and only holes lining the top of wall to allow for air circulation. I run my finger across the wall and leave a trail in the dust. Still what is it they say? Beggars can't be choosers.

I delve into my trusty bag and pull out a package. Thank god for wet wipes. Best as I'm able, I clean the grime from my skin before getting into bed. I have to lay diagonally across the beds, which is not ideal, but certainly more comfortable than sleeping on the ground. Tired after four long days of walking, I crash out.

I awake shivering. Dust and smoke pour through the holes in the wall, swirling together to form a shadowy figure. It is the presence that has haunted my nightmares for as long as I can remember.

I can feel the evil radiating from it and sit rigid in fear as it turns a featureless face towards me.

"I have waited so very long, Elissa. Your precious Light will not defeat me this time." A masculine voice echoes ominously in my head.

Heart pounding, I awake for real this time, the terror of the nightmare still clinging to me. The muffled sound of dwarves singing helps to bring a sense of normality; well as normal as staying under the mountain in the company of dwarves can be.

.......