"In Love and With the World at Their Feet"
©1999 David J Rust

Winter jumped with a yelp, shaking his head and scattering cold droplets of water across the lab. His yellow, lupine eyes narrowed as he spun towards the source of the wet distraction. There, just outside the window, was a flash of red fur ducking swiftly out of sight.

"Quin..." he muttered to himself, in a low tone. Several large drops ran down his shaggy, white muzzle as he licked his sharp canine teeth and inhaled the retreating fox’s distinctive scent.

Suppressing any outward expression of relief at being interrupted from the drudgery of cleaning Master Bairnan's glassware, the humanoid wolf adopted a feral smile and looked around. There was no sign of either the elder alchemist or any of the three homonculi that he kept around the school. Throughout the halls and chambers of the building, there wasn't a sound to indicate that any one -servants or teachers- were nearby enough to take notice of him. A surge of summer giddiness swept through his body as Winter quickly set two full racks of finished potions on the window sill to cool and went dashing after his fellow apprentice.

Warm and clear skies shone down over Winter's mad dash from the buildings of the alchemical school, the wind rushing comfortably through his fur and against his cotton shirt. A whipporwhill sang it's signature tune from a nearby copse of trees as the snow-white wolf stopped, closed his eyes and raised his muzzle to the air. He inhaled deeply, filtering particles drifting in the air, sorting them and forming a mental picture of his surroundings.

Dust ... pollen ... sweat ... excitement ... fox...

Winter's eyes flicked open. Quin was nearby; possibly heading towards the well on the other side of Tester's Hill. He bent his ears towards the horizon. It would take too long to go around the base, but he could just make out a thin, winding path of flattened grass and heather that could have been forged by Quin's passage. A rush of wind sang softly through the long grasses as he listened for signs of his prey. The motions of tiny mice and birds in the undergrowth melded with that of the wind in a soft counter-point. Far beyond those sounds, perhaps almost a mile away, he could just hear the crash of surf on the rocky beaches that surrounded the island. A smile crept over his muzzle as he started to make his way up the bumpy, rolling slope. Between the near and far noises, he could just make out Quin's steady pace down the other side of the hill.

A flock of blackbirds, their eyes sparkling with mischief as they evacuated a patch of raspberries that grew at the summit, scattered overhead as Winter approached. Crouching, he crawled carefully between two of the berry-laden bushes and scanned the base of the hill. Quin's scent hung on the breeze more clearly now and he could just make out flashes of fur amidst the sumac near the bottom. He popped a few of the sweet, dark berries in his mouth and tensed his muscles. His heart raced with the excitement of the chase as he slowly began making his way down the grassy slope, crawling on hand and knee towards his target.

The day was glorious in it's bright energy! Everywhere Winter looked, listened or smelt, there were signs of life. Even his antipathy towards insects was forgotten in favor of good cheer when a particularly large bumblebee hovered near his nose. A brief shudder and puff of breath sent the bug fluttering away as he neared his prey and crept into the sumac.

Silence descended as the wind died down. A hush overtook the watching birds, squirrels and assorted fauna as -step by step- Winter crept closer...

A ring of grey paving stones at the bottom of the far side of Tester's hill marked the boundary of the old well. It was the oldest structure on the island, having been dug when garrisons were first stationed here over two centuries ago. Since then, the old fortresses and barracks had fallen and the island come into the hands of the alchemists' guild and its chief instructor, Bairnan. Even after all these years, the old well still stood at the base of the Hill, providing water for Asthalan's seasonal inhabitants.

The squeak of the well's rusted, iron wheel sounded steadily as Winter watched his fellow apprentice draw up a bucket of water. Propped up against the well was the weapon that had made Winter's earlier soaking possible. It was a simple, wooden, hand-pumped water gun ... the type that he and Quin had made several times together in previous summers. It brought back fond memories and the wolf had to suppress a chuckle lest he be discovered.

Tensing his muscles, Winter watched as Quin withdrew a bucket of water and steadied it on the rim of the well. Tail swishing in an almost cat-like fashion, Winter counted to ten as Quin picked up his gun and immersed it's tip in the bucket, starting to refill it.

"Avast and hold, villain!" Winter shouted with an echoing howl as he leapt from his hiding place and pounced firmly upon the wide-eyed fox! With strong and swift motions, he batted the gun out of Quin's paws and knocked the smaller apprentice onto his rear. His feet finding easy purchase on the grass around the well's paving stone circle, Winter landed and watched the shocked and now-prone Quin try to get his bearings as the precariously-balanced bucket tipped and spilled it's contents. In seconds, the fox's shoulders and head were drenched to the skin.

"Ak-tthhhpppp!" Quin sputtered, flailing his arms about as the bucket covered his eyes. His normally fluffy red fur was drenched and matted; his light, white shirt plastered to his lean chest with the sudden dousing. "W...winter!"

The wolf grinned and stood up fully. His strong, well-muscled body was easily a foot taller than that of his friend, making him the clear victor in most physical contests.

"Yes...?" he replied casually.

Quin's tail drooped as he meekly lifted the edge of the bucket so he could peek out. He grimaced at his defeat and shook his head. "Serves me right..." he said. "I should never have tried to run into the wind."

Winter stepped forward and offered a hand to his now-soaked companion. "Yeah, well, don't take it too bad. You're faster than me; more agile too." His stark, white fur stood out in contrast to the fiery blaze that covered Quin's hide as Winter gripped the fox's wrist and helped him to a standing position. "Besides, I should almost thank you for giving me an excuse to get outside..."

"Even if you had to get wet in the process...?"

"Don't push it." Winter chuckled and lifted the bucket from his friend's head. "Besides, we both know that in a stand-up water fight, you'd lose."

Quin raised an eyebrow and adopted an amused look. "Oh really? You think so?" He playfully pushed his palms against Winter's chest, shoving him back a couple steps. "What happened to 'faster' and 'more agile'?"

Winter squinted, looking up at the cloudless sky in mock dismissal. "That's only raw talent, foxie; for sheer skill, you can't beat a wolf!" He wagged his tail and winked.

For years, both Winter and Quin had been recognized as being very mature for their young age of sixteen. Often, they acted more responsibly than adults twice their age. Still, on this intra-semester summer day with no young students to watch, a bit of rambunctiousness took over. The sly grin that crept across Quin's face in response to his friend's jest was just what Winter had been hoping to see.

He tossed the water gun back to Quin, turned and started back towards the school. "Just you wait," he said over his shoulder, "and I'll prove it to you."

"Only if I don't douse you first!" shouted Quin defiantly.

Winter took off running, with Quin in quick pursuit. The two pelted through the long stalks of sumac and up the grassy, rock-strewn slope. Scattered shots from Quin's almost-empty gun missed Winter at every turn, allowing the dodging and weaving wolf more chance to increase his lead.

The two young men didn’t mind the long summers here even though they were far from the village faires and bazaars of the mainland. Rather, they had each other to keep themselves company and their studies under Master Bairnan to occupy the bulk of their time. On the side, they also cared for the test animals, taught the younger students and practiced skills like horseback riding and hunting. Still, now that it was summer and most of Master Bairnan's charges had returned home to work in the farms and markets of their kin, the hot, dry days on Asthalan Island were relatively calm and uncomplicated. The two had lived here for the past six years and had literally grown up together.

Cresting the hilltop, Winter dashed back to the complex; it's large, stone blocks cut with deep-set runes and sigils that protected the place from spring monsoons. He reached the main door well ahead of Quin and ran inside, pelting downstairs to his cool, basement room.

He glanced back the way he'd come with a cocky smirk. Perhaps Quin was slowing down; normally he'd have caught up by now. Quickly, he pulled a worn, cedar chest from under his bed and started digging through piles of keepsakes and mementos until he found his own water gun from last year. He heard Quin's feet upon the stairs and muttered an oath.

Quickly, Winter clambered up on top of the dresser and tried to squeeze through the window. Not being as small as he once was, the fit was tight and binding. Soon, a shock of cold water on his legs and pants spurred him onwards as Quin fired and caught him square in the tail. With a yelp that contrasted Quin's laughter, Winter pulled himself through the window, rolling to one side. He jumped to his feet and dashed around the main building towards the water barrel that stood along the laboratory-side of the school.

A quick glance behind reassured him that Quin hadn't followed out the window, so -after peeking into the lab to see if Master Bairnan had come looking for him- he filled his water gun from the barrel and continued towards the main door.

The sun etched its way through a few sparse clouds as Winter breathed deep, even breaths and tried to catch Quin's scent. Here, amidst the compound's buildings, alleys wound themselves in and around in an outdoor grid of ceiling-less halls and narrow passages. The scent of livestock, mingled with dust, blew between the buildings now that the wind had shifted to the North. Winter shook his head in frustration. It was nearly impossible to pick up the fox's scent. Still, he crouched low and continued around the building.

He adjusted his loose, soaked shorts and pulled them up a bit as he crouched near another corner. A brief scent of fox drifted across his nostrils from somewhere to his right. Spinning around, he aimed his gun and fired, spraying into the compound's flock of chickens and hitting a rooster square in the chest.

Winter blinked in surprise as the stunned fowl clucked and ran away. Quin's scent was nearby, but the courtyard was empty save for the livestock...

Suddenly, with a cry of triumph from Quin, a spray of water jetted from an open window several floors above to rain down atop Winter's head. The fox chuckled and ducked back inside, leaving Winter to growl and fire two frantic shots up into the air, only to have them splash harmlessly against the school's walls and splatter small droplets back down. Damp from both Quin's successful shot and his own badly-aimed misses, Winter dashed towards the front door of the school. He rounded the corner just in time to see Quin running out.

Winter took aim and fired! Quin, quicker on his feet than the wolf on his trigger-finger, backpedaled and leapt back into the school. Winter snarled as his shot missed. Quickly, he sprinted indoors after his friend.

The ornate, stuffy halls of the school flew by as his pursuit carried him through room after room. Rich, ancient tapestries fluttered in his passage and furniture bumped and quivered in his wake. Just as Winter darted past the grand study, he caught sight of Quin's red tail disappearing around a corner and down to the servants quarters. The wolf brandished his gun and followed.

Soon, he found himself in one of the now-empty and tarp-draped dormitories. The beds were dusty with a stillness that came from having no students in residence and the white sheets that covered them and all the other furniture lent an air of solemnity to the impromptu game. Cautiously, Winter stalked his prey between the rows of bunk beds, peering under each. The scent of Quin was strong in the still air. A flash of red caught his eye near the far end of the beds as the sprightly fox dove from his hiding place and fired a missing shot down the center aisle.

Winter ducked behind a bunk bed and returned fire, catching the fox on the thigh. Still, Quin didn't let it slow him down and soon had the window open and was disappearing out through it. Winter followed, quickly clambering up to the sill. A water blast caught him square in the face! He sputtered and continued climbing, using his off-hand to fire a shot in the direction of Quin to discourage any further fire. The water in his nostrils was a bit stagnant and smelled halfway of lemons, but the white wolf was more interested in returning the dousing he'd taken.

Firing shots back and forth, the two dashed after each other across the grassy fields that lay between the Alchemist's compound and Tester's Hill. Soon, their frantic chase led them around it's base, through some sparse trees, and further into the woods that grew deeper on the far side of the hill.

Time sped by as the game carried them to all the way to the rocky shore on the far side of the island. Three piers stood empty, reaching from the dockhouse out to the narrow bay. Winter laughed as he rounded a stand of trees near the rocks known collectively as "Lover's Boulder". In that instant, he readied his weapon as he caught a glimpse of Quin rounding the stones. Spinning to follow, Winter slipped, his wet paws failing to find purchase on the slick grasses, and fell hard on his rear.

Winter's shorts slipped down around his ankles, making his landing more embarrassing than painful. Startled, he looked from his overly-loose pants and then up to Quin as the fox triumphantly appeared overhead, having climbed to the top of the eight-foot-high cluster of rocks.

Smiling, Quin aimed his water gun down at the sprawling wolf.

"Drop ... your ... weapon!" shouted the fox in a mock, commanding tone.

Winter gulped and, after a few moments, complied.

"You are hereby charged with words and deeds denigrating the vulpine species... How do you plead?"

The sweet-smelling water dripped from the nozzle of Quin's gun as it pointed down at Winter's prone body. The fox seemed to smile a bit more as he took in his half-nude friend's predicament.

"Innocent," replied Winter and, with that, rolled to one side trying to grab his discarded weapon.

"Plea rejected!" shouted back Quin merrily and proceeded to douse Winter with shot after shot.

The wolf retaliated and soon both of the furry apprentices were laughing and soaked to the skin, sitting together at the bottom of the boulder. Wrapping his strong arms around the fox, Winter smiled and rested his head against the friend's chest. "I think this is one of the most perfect days I can remember..."

Quin nodded and stroked the wolf's shoulders. "That just about covers it," he said, gazing warmly into Winter's soft eyes. "I don't see how it could be any better..."

His words faded on the summer breeze as the two looked at the other's face and soaked body. Their playful giddiness faded in the wake of their proximity and Quin's smile faded to an expression of shyness. Both felt a trifle nervous as the silence persisted. Still, as they looked into each other's eyes, slowly -ever so slowly- Winter leaned close and kissed Quin on the end of his muzzle.

Quin's eyes grew wider as he shivered with a sudden flush of warmth. "What was that for?" he asked with a shy quiver in his voice.

"I don't know... But -well- did ... did you like it?"

Quin swallowed and looked around as if expecting Master Bairnan to be watching them from the bushes. Seeing nothing but himself and Winter, he nodded. "Y...yeah; I think I did..."

Gently this time, his arms twitching with nervousness, Quin moved closer. He wrapped his arms around Winter's chest -beneath the wolf's strong arms- and pressed his lips against his best friend's muzzle. A flock of seagulls soared up, calling to the now-cloudy sky as the two kissed yet again. Their wet chests pressed firmly against each other, the young apprentices slowly began the soft, clumsy groping and cuddling in which two, inexperienced teens typically engage when their hormones get the better of them.

Both their clothing was very baggy and wet as they slipped out of their shirts and shorts, very soon exploring each other's bodies in cautious, tentative gestures. The sun slipped lower in the sky as the afternoon went on; grey clouds rolling in gently.

Winter looked deeply into Quin's eyes. His voice quivered nervously. "Do you think this is wrong?"

Quin, his eyes sparkling, smiled confidently. "If it's 'wrong'," he said evenly, "then being 'right' is way over-rated..." With that, he kissed his lover again.

Gradually, he got up and extended his paw to help Winter to stand. His eyes laughed with excitement, love and lust, as Winter accepted the paw. An unusual sensation came over the rising wolf as he looked into Quin's eyes. A confused silence descended as he stared briefly at Quin's chin. Confused, he glanced around and down at his feet to see if he was standing in a ditch or depression. Finding nothing amiss with his stance, he looked again ... glancing up into his friend's eyes.

"Quin... What ...what's wrong with you? You look ... taller!"

Quin's expression shifted to half-uncertainty; his look of happiness mingling with that of a person unsure if a joke was being told to him. He glanced around for a few seconds and then back at Winter. "What do you mean?" he asked.

"You're taller! I mean look at us; I'm looking up at you!"

Quin furrowed his brow and looked down at his friend. A strange -almost thrilling- shudder ran through him. He adopted a confused look and glanced around himself again, this time more carefully. His eyes stopped as they looked up at the large boulder behind him. It was easily twice his height. He swallowed and looked back down at Winter. "Uh, I don't think I'm taller. In fact, uh, I seem to be shorter; and," he swallowed, "so do you..."

Winter jumped, startled as an enormous squirrel -appearing to be at least a foot long- bounded near them and then scurried away over the rocks. Both stared after it and then at each other.

"What's happened to us?" Winter managed to choke out as he leaned over to pick up his clothing. Sure enough, his shirt was voluminous and was now more like a poncho than a tight-fitting piece of clothing. "I can't be more than four feet tall!"

"Or smaller" muttered Quin, gauging his own height against the boulder. "I'd say that I'm barely four foot now, which would make you just over three-and-a-half..."

"But how...?"

Quin pondered. "I don't think it matters how at the moment, we'd better get back to the school and find Master Bairnan. I'm sure he can fix this."

Winter shook his head. "No way; he'll kill us! I mean, look at us!" He spread his arms wide, for emphasis. A small part of his ego shivered more at the idea of their Master discovering their tryst than the height he'd been shrunk to, but still... He was supposed to have been working in the lab this afternoon. Not chasing around with Quin!

"I don't think we have a choice, Win. Neither you or I could cook up a growth potion or anything like that. Besides, he'll know just by looking at us even if we did fix ourselves..."

Winter nodded, dejected and shook his head. "Well, this sure started out to be a good day..." he said, sadly, hugging Quin tightly for a moment.

The two gathered up their clothes and water guns, and started back towards the school. The trek was longer than either of them remembered but soon, when they'd reached the well-side of Tester's Hill, they saw the reason why. The old stone circle, where they'd been only a few hours before, was now colossal. The well's normally waist-high rim was higher than Winter's head!

Quin looked confused and tried to think back to his self-measuring against the boulders. "This can't be right..." he said, muttering.

The breeze rustled amongst the sumac and heather on the nearby hill as reality dawned on Winter. "We're still shrinking Quin! Gods, I must be half my old height now!" The wolf's annoyed and embarrassed tone was evident in his snarl as he looked up at his much taller friend.

Quin nodded and bent down to hug Winter comfortingly. "Well, let's climb the hill and get back quickly, before we lose any more height..." he said, with more confidence than he felt.

Winter nodded, and accepted the embrace grudgingly. "Ok," he muttered, pulling back from Quin, "but it's humiliating to be this short!"

Struggling with the effort of climbing a hill that now appeared at least twice as tall as normal, the two made their way up the slope. Now only the size of small children, they reached it's top after a half hour of struggling. Panting, they looked down the other side. They could see the compound spreading out in the grassy fields that dotted this central part of Asthalan Island. However, it was the angry, dark grey clouds on the horizon that swiftly caught their attention.

"Oh gods," swore Quin, "that's all we need now: a storm."

Grimly, Winter nodded. "By the looks of those clouds, it could hit soon..."

The two started down the hill as fast as they could, trying to take care amongst the huge hillocks and stones that lay scattered amidst the grass. Fueled by desperation, their caution quickly fell prey to their fears; the rapid descent soon sending them tumbling down the hill to it's base.

Bruised and aching at the bottom, the two tried to catch their breath.

Winter rose first and stumbled over to his friend. Straining, the shrunken wolf pulled at Quin's arm, trying to help him to rise. "C'mon... Get up; we're almost there..."

Quin nodded. Holding his head, he sat up. "I will... Just give me room, Winter..." Slowly, he rose; nearly knocking his friend over as he stumbled to one side briefly. The two stood in the shadow of Tester's Hill and looked across the grassy field to the doors of the alchemist's compound.

Winter stared up at his friend, the disparity in their heights now painfully obvious. The once-smaller fox now loomed over the white wolf like a father over his son. Hiding his wounded ego, Winter dragged himself to his feet. With only a curt nod between them, they quickly jogged across the remaining, grassy distance to the main door.

It was locked.

The thick door only shook slightly as their repeated knocking against the rough-grain surface added to the physical pain they already had suffered.

"Master Bairnan must have closed things up before the storm; doesn't he know we're out here?"

Winter shook his head. "He might, but we weren't supposed to be out here, remember? Even if he did know we were out of the complex, he still might lock us out to teach us a lesson..."

"During a storm?"

Winter shook his head uncertainly. "I don't know, Quin... But we'd better find a way in."

Towering, stone buildings loomed to the left and right as the two quickly began to search the compound for any open door or window. Warm, salty breezes blew through their fur with the haunting foreboding of the powerful storm to come. Each could smell the ozone in the air and feel the familiar, warm pricking of their fur. Desperate glances at the darkening sky only lent the two apprentices more desperation as they checked each potential entrance that they encountered.

Coming around the corner where the lab was, Winter looked up at the sides of the water-barrel at the windowsill he'd left open earlier. The window was closed. He glanced back at Quin, a sharp epithet on his lips, and stopped.

In the short time they'd been searching the outside of the school buildings, the small fox had become even bigger. "Q...quin," he stammered, "I ... I think your not getting as small as I am..."

Quin nodded, his voice cracking nervously as he looked down at his lover's face. "I'd noticed that back on top of the hill." he said, kneeling. "I don't know why, but you're shrinking faster than me. I ... I didn't want to scare you."

Winter looked up at Quin, his head just below the kneeling fox's chin. Worse, the water barrel next to them both was easily a foot taller than Quin. The expression on Winter's face sent cold pangs of concern through Quin's heart. Unsure of how he would take the gesture, Quin gently laid his arms over the wolf's shoulders, pulling him in close.

"We'll make it; I promise..."

"Sheesh... You sound like Master Bairnan talking to some kid..." Winter snapped, struggling against the hug.

"I ... I didn't mean it like that, Win... It's just you look so ... so..."

"Short? Is that it?" Winter pulled out of the embrace and turned his head in embarrassment. "Well, I'm still the man I used to be; it's just some weird spell that's changed things..."

The petulance in his voice reminded Quin more of the temperament of a young boy than the fellow apprentice he'd grown to befriend and love, but how much of that perception was due to Winter's new height relative to his own? Nodding, the fox backed off and looked up at the skies.

"I'm sorry... I didn't mean to treat you like a baby or something," he said quietly. "I was just concerned about you. That's all..."

The silence between them seemed to expand into a yawning chasm, filled by the growing winds of the approaching storm. Winter looked up at Quin, his eyes searching the soul of the man he'd made love to only a short time before. For a second, he almost apologized for his reaction.

His pride kept his mouth shut though, and -instead- he turned and looked up at the now-closed window. "Here, hoist me up to the sill. Master Bairnan must have collected the potions I'd put out and then closed the window. Maybe I can pry it open."

Quin nodded. Careful not to seem like he was being condescending, he knelt and gave Winter a boost. The small wolf reached up and got a grip on the sill and, straining with effort, pulled himself up. Facing the window, he dug his claws into it's base and strained upwards. The proportionately larger wood grain of the window was easy to grip for Winter's sharp claws. Still, as he tugged and pried, he realized that the window was locked firmly.

"It won't budge." he muttered, a defeated tone creeping into his voice as he looked through the glass at the familiar interior. A strong scent wafted past, carried on the growing gusts of wind. It smelled like a stronger version of that odd, lemony-sweet water from their duel earlier. The strength of it was intense here and -suddenly- Winter got a sinking feeling.

Nervous, he sniffed himself cautiously. He could still detect the faint remains of the unusual scent all over his fur. Still, there was a stronger source somewhere nearby. Looking down, he gazed into the water barrel.

The clouds reflected darkly in the calm surface of the water, but beneath that Winter could just make out the rack of potions he'd set out on the window-sill, now lying on the bottom. His mind reeled as the truth dawned on him.

"Oh gods... Quin!" he squeaked, his voice becoming shrill -half out of fear, half out of the shortening of his vocal chords- "The water! The potions I'd been cooling for Master Bairnan; they fell in!"

Quin sniffed the air, smelling the same thing that Winter had detected. "We must've filled our guns with it...!" The fox shook his head in realization. "They must be having some kinda weird reduction effect on us! That would explain why you're shrinking faster; I shot you more ... and first..."

"Oh gods, Quin... W...we've got to get inside, fast!" Being careful not to fall in, Winter jumped back down to the ground next to his friend.

As quickly as they could, the two finished checking the remaining windows and doors. Their efforts proved fruitless as the shrinking pair quickly realized that the school had been locked up tightly. A crack of thunder shook the sky as a flickering stroke of lightning crackled in the air overhead. Desperate, Quin's sharp eyes scanned the courtyard for any form of shelter that hadn't been locked down. On the far side of the school stood the old, ramshackle building that he and Winter were going to be repairing in another week or two...

"The stable! Winter, we can ride this out in the stable!"

Not waiting for an answer, Quin took Winter's small paw in his own and dashed across the packed-earth yard. Thick, heavy drops of rain slowly began to fall, dampening the two apprentices further. The stable's huge, barn doors were firmly shut but the lock on them had been broken for months. Straining together, the shrunken teens pulled the door open just enough to squeeze through.

Panting, the two collapsed in a pile of hay near the door. The smell of horses and other livestock filled the air. Nearby, a giant water bucket caught a few stray drops that had begun seeping in through the roof; a crash and boom outside heralding the skies opening and releasing their torrents of rain down upon Asalan Island. Winter stood up, looking into the bucket. His reflection looked normal to him, but his body was only about twice as tall as the bucket itself.

"This has gotta be a chaos effect," he concluded quietly to Quin, "we could go on shrinking like this until we vanished... Or, worse, it could stop and then some other change could set in..."

Quin nodded and hugged Winter from behind. This time, the wolf didn't pull away. Loud thunder boomed overhead as the torrential rains pounded the wooden roof. The horses, shielded from the storm outside, nickered and shifted back and forth on their hooves, nervous-but-safe from the elements.

"Well, we can't do anything about it now," said Quin, glancing towards the door. "We'll just have to wait until the storm blows over and hope that we still can do something once it's gone." Winter shivered in his lover's arms, not even looking up as the crashes of thunder and gusts of wind pummeled the building. Nodding to himself, Quin guided his friend over to the straw and cuddled up with him. The driving rain outside gradually settled into a steady thrumming sound against the roof high, high overhead. Gradually, cowed by their circumstance and warm in each other's arms, Winter and Quin fell asleep.

------------------------

The cobwebs of slumber gradually drifted from Winter's mind. In the hazy, half-awake world following sleep, the white wolf tried to piece together the events leading up to his unconsciousness. He sighed, fondly remembering the warmth of Quin's body and feeling his fur pressed warmly against his own. The scent of fox was strong in his nostrils and he smiled to himself, rubbing his muzzle against his lover. Overwhelming the scents though, were the strong smells of hay, horses and recently fallen rain.

He rolled over and kneaded his paws against what felt like Quin's chest. Suddenly, the world turned upside down as a gigantic snort and rush of wind shook Winter and tossed him into the air! He yowled as he landed, opening his eyes and looking up at a giant horse's muzzle chomping contentedly at the hay in which he and Quin had been lying.

He stared as the giant, flat teeth ground the stalks repeatedly. Frantically, he looked about for Quin. A shadow fell over him. "Winter? You all right?" The wolf craned his neck up and stared in shock.

Quin stood there. Winter's head craned back as he looked up and Up and UP at his once-shorter friend. The fox who had been under his nose the whole time, loomed over him at least three times as tall as he was! He looked rapidly from the giant horse -it's head now risen back up to its normal height like a towering cliff- back to the huge fox, still leaning over and asking him how he was...

Winter was smaller than a squirrel! Frantic terror filled his breast as he tried to scramble away from the giant fox. Quin, carefully but earnestly, reached forward and held Winter until the wolf calmed down. "Shhh... Shhh... I know... I woke up only a few minutes ago myself..."

After helping him up, Quin led Winter to the stable door and looked outside. The courtyard was wet and muddy; the towering mountains of the school buildings cast their shadows over it like barren hills in the light of early dawn.

"Winter, we have to get over there..." said Quin calmly, pointing at the rear entrance of the main building.

Winter shivered, shaking his head. "We'll never make it," he squeaked, no longer caring about the strained sound in his voice. "It's too far... Too big..."

"We can make it, Win. Trust me!"

"Trust you?" the wolf repeated, in a shocked voice. "You were the one who was squirting me with a shrinking potion! This is all your fault!"

Quin sighed and put a lone paw on Winter's shoulder. "Win, we don't have time for this. We can't go around blaming each other. The only way we're going to survive is by getting to the main building and finding a way to get inside and locate Master Bairnan." He paused and knelt, looking down into Winter's eyes. "And, once we're back to normal, I'll take full responsibility for this. Ok?"

Winter looked up at his friend, his heart still racing, but slowing down as his lack of control over their situation settled in on him. He nodded weakly and glanced about their immediate vicinity. He walked a few steps to one side.

With a grunt and a swift jerk, he pulled a fallen horseshoe nail and a thin brad from a crack in the floor. "It wasn't all your fault Quin," he said, handing the nail to the fox. "I...I'm sorry I'm being such a bastard..." He trailed off and looked up at Quin hopefully. "Can we try to find Master Bairnan, now?"

Winter brandished the brad in his paws and started for the door. He paused at the entry and looked back. With a smile, Quin nodded and followed. Gradually, the two, shrunken teens set out on their journey.

The distance looked like it was about a half mile, but huge rivers of run-off from the gutters and the ever-present, giant pools of soft mud marred the way. Chickens also were in the yard, forcing Winter and Quin to occasionally take shelter behind clumps of earth and stone. While not small enough to be confused for insects, one peck from a giant beak could pierce them like a spear.

Each time they were forced to stop and conceal themselves, they could almost feel themselves getting smaller. Desperate, they continued and -soon, wiping their brows in the shadow of a muddy, discarded horseshoe- Winter noticed the degree of their shrinking. He looked up. In the hour they'd been traveling, Quin had become at least four times taller than he was.

"I can't go on, Quin..." he said, simply. "I'm shorter than an inch tall now; this is hopeless..." Sitting down on a pebble, he dropped the giant brad. "Even if we get in under the door, Master Bairnan will never even see us!"

"We'll make it, Winter. We can't assume that we're gonna fail..." Quin tried to reassure his friend and held him comfortingly like a small child. "I know it seems impossible; but we'll make it. Please, believe me." Cupping Winter's chin in his paw, Quin turned the diminutive wolf's face up to meet his own. Gently, they kissed.

"I'd like to, Quin. But you've been saying that since yesterday... I just don't know anymore..."

"Do you trust me?"

Winter looked away and swallowed. His giant companion looked sadly down at him, his face full of pain and fear.

"Don't do that," said Quin, turning Winter's head back to face him. "Answer my question... Do you trust me?"

The small, white wolf nodded. "You know I do, Quin..."

"Then trust me when I say that we really will make it..."

The simple statement, laced with the care in Quin's voice, lent a small amount of energy to Winter's limbs once more. His ego seemed to cry out at the circumstances; so helpless, so at-the-mercy of his friend's good will and care... It almost felt like he was more Quin's pet than equal... He looked up and nodded, feeling his options dwindle faster than his body.

Taking the nod as assent, Quin led the way as they continued.

After another half hour, they managed to reach the path that ran near the rear door of the school. Mud caked the brick and stones, filling the cracks as the two apprentices clambered over and between them. Slowly, they made their way towards the door.

Winter dropped the brad he'd been carrying and Quin brandished it instead. Holding it like a gladius, he walked ahead of Winter cautiously. The distant buzz of summer insects out in the after-storm air, worried them both.

A loud, low shudder suddenly cracked through the air...! Like the side of a mountain sliding off it's moorings to come crashing down in an avalanche, the giant door above and ahead of them opened.

Far, far above, as they tiny apprentices gazed upwards in awe, Master Bairnan stepped out into the morning air. His giant, slender, unicorn's features were now gigantic and ungainly from the perspective of the tiny creatures at his hooves. The once graceful, elder alchemist now looked more like some mythological titan -heavy and loutish- rather than an elderly, blue-eyed, harmless equinoid. Slowly, his eyes scanned the courtyard, peering intently across the puddles of mud and water.

The two tiny apprentices leapt and cried out, waving their paws in the air. However, instead of looking down, Master Bairnan bellowed their names, drowning out their cries. He paused, listening and looked concerned. Scowling, he shook his giant head and stepped forward.

His huge hoof, shrouded in a mane of thick, clydesdale-like fetlocks, swept downwards. Quin quickly leapt aside, his long tail getting caught as the edge of the alchemist's hoof came down squarely atop Winter! The tiny wolf's cry of terror sounded more like a howl than a shriek of pain, but even that didn't reach their Master's ears as it was abruptly cut off by the hoof coming down firmly on the brick path.

Quin shrieked in shock and alarm, crying out with Winter's name as the unaware unicorn continued in his stride. The giant hoof receded, its fetlocks caked in a light haze of mud and water as Quin ignored the pain in his tail and dashed towards where his friend had been. Looking down, he gasped. Winter lay packed tightly into the mud between two bricks, his tiny body looking bent and broken, but still alive!

The tiny wolf had shrunk so small now, that he didn't even come up to the fox's knees now. Scooping hard dirt and mud with his paws, Quin frantically began to dig Winter free. "Hang on Win! Hang on!"

As he pulled his friend loose, Quin could see that Winter's white coat was blackened by the dank mud and his eyes were wide and staring. The tiny wolf only shivered and licked his muzzle repeatedly, his sore and bruised body gingerly favoring one arm and wincing when his left side was touched. Desperate, Quin knelt down to comfort him. Minutes passed as Quin attempted to get some response from his companion, to no avail.

The mountainous door had long-since swung shut in the wake of Master Bairnan's exodus leaving them still exposed on the flagstone path. Quin continued to try and get Winter's attention. Again and again, he shook the tiny wolf and tried to elicit any reaction from his staring eyes. He listened to his friend's rasping, ragged breaths and looked about helplessly.

Winter needed a physician; but Quin couldn't leave him out here alone. Quin looked down softly, remembering the loving, strong arms that had embraced him the day before and throughout the long, rainy night. He shivered as he realized consciously the ramifications of his feelings for the tiny, injured man and licked his lips nervously. Leaning his relatively gigantic, red muzzle down, he carefully whispered the only thing he could think of to say into Winter's ear.

"I love you..." he said, quietly.

It was a simple statement and truthful. As Quin crouched, looking down at his diminished lover, the tiny wolf's face twitched.

Winter's eyes slowly focussed and met Quin's. Gradually a tear slid from one of them as he swallowed and rasped in his tiny, cracked voice, "...i...love you...too, quin..."

Relief flooding his senses, Quin stood up, hefting Winter's tiny, doll-like body with him! He hugged the tiny wolf to his chest and rubbed his muzzle against him with a smile. Winter winced and gasped in pain. His arm ached as if broken and his giant lover's embrace was causing shooting pains in both his elbow and ribs.

"Oh gods... You're alive!"

Winter gasped. "Yeah... B..but I won't be if y...you squish me..."

Quin looked down with a wince of empathy and quickly put Winter down atop a small pebble. Gradually, he assessed Winter's injuries.

"Well, your one arm's broken and I think some ribs too..." said Quin, peering closely. "But I think your other arm is only bruised really bad. If we can get you inside, a healing balm should do the trick..."

"At my size, you'd better use an eyedropper to apply it..." coughed Winter, in a dry tone.

Helping Winter up, the two faced the door. A small crack under it was almost big enough for Winter to squeeze through now, but it wasn't anywhere near big enough for Quin.

"Okay... Look Quin, I can fit in there. Why don't I try to squeeze in and make it to Master Bairnan's lab? I mean he's got to have something there that could make me bigger, and then I could come back for you..."

Quin shook his head, unconvinced. "You're too small as it is; that's miles for you and you're obviously injured. What about spiders or other bugs?"

Winter shivered. The brad that he'd been carrying earlier was now waist-high on Quin, several times the wolf's own height. He looked at his own small claws and sighed. "Well," he said trying to muster his confidence, "I...I'll have to be faster and more nimble."

Quin shook his head and leaned against the waist-high nail like a cane. "You're still weak Winter. I mean, I know you're brave, but..."

"But nothing! Y...you can't treat me different just because I...I..."

"Just because you are?" Quin bent down to pick up Winter.

"Winter, you're the size of a bug ... a small one. Soon, I will be too. You can't defend yourself."

Winter bristled and was about to reply when a loud, low drone echoed through the thick air. The two looked around and then up, Winter blanching as an enormous dragonfly soared downwards towards the two of them. Winter yelped out a sharp warning, leaping from Quin's paws into the soft mud below. He glanced back to watch as Quin hefted his make-shift sword and brandished it before him.

"Quin! Get away! Y...you can't fight that thing!"

The giant, multi-faceted eyes of the dragonfly flickered eerily at the shrunken fox, catching the reflected light from the tiny weapon in a thousand, mirrored pools.

"Winter! Get inside!" Quin snapped back.

Winter was buffeted backwards as the dragonfly's wings beat up a storm of air. Managing to stand, Winter felt a flood of adrenaline overwhelm his pains. He growled and watched as his giant defender stabbed and slashed, trying to fend off the giant predator. The enormous insect coiled it's multi-segmented body forward under itself as it hovered, trying to attack Quin from different sides.

It's cruel mandibles glistened with it's appetite while it's forelegs, sharp-looking and ominous, stabbed repeatedly at Quin. Winter shook his head and snarled, unwilling to let himself be defended any longer. With a tiny, strained howl, the miniature wolf leapt into the fray, gathering up a huge handful of mud and slinging it at the base of the insect's waist.

The mud broke and splattered aside, but some of it caked against an undulating row of spiracles that lined the dragonfly's thorax. The giant creature buzzed confusedly, startled by both the shriek from its tiny prey and the sudden interference with its breathing.

Quin lunged forward with his nail and stabbed deep into the near eye of the titan insect. Winter didn't let up his attack, lobbing more and more handfuls of mud against the winged predator. Hoping beyond hope, he prayed that he wouldn't collapse before the beast could be driven away or slain by Quin's make-shift sword.

A vibrating squeal rippled through the air as the insect recoiled from the puncture, slashing out with it's forelegs in defense. With a piercing jab, one, huge, spear-shaped claw punctured Quin's shoulder, eliciting a cry of pain from the shrunken fox. Falling back, he dropped the nail he'd used as a weapon and put his paw to his wounded shoulder.

Injured and breathing raggedly through it's mud-caked body, the dragonfly pulled back. It craned its head to the left and right, watching the odd motions of its victim. Gradually, it lifted into the air, apparantly deciding to seek other prey. It slowly rose and flew off across the mud-caked yard into the distance. Exhausted, Quin collapsed into the mud of the bricks and lay there panting.

"Quin! Quin!" Winter squeaked frantically and ran up to his giant lover. He looked up from mid-calf as Quin cradled his arm and winced in pain. "Are you all right?"

Quin nodded, feeling the blood flow from his torn shoulder. "I...I will be..." he moaned. "L...let's ... let's get ... get inside..."

"Quin... You're still too big!" said Winter quietly. "You can't fit under the door."

"Th...then you go inside..." he gasped, feeling the warmth of his blood flowing freely down his shoulder. The world seemed to swim before his eyes and Quin shook his head, trying to fend off unconsiousness.

"Quin! Don't fall asleep... Don't fall asleep!"

At that moment, an earthquake-like rumble shook the stones beneath them and sent shudders through the cliff-like walls overhead. Slowly, steadily, the giant door swung outwards again. Winter ducked reflexively and Quin rolled over on his back, staring upwards. A giant hoof swung into view, slamming to the ground only a short distance away, with a resounding boom of impact! Master Bairnan had come back through the building and now stood, looking down at the two, tiny teens, one eyebrow raised in austere surprise.

A slow smile crossed his face as the two yelled and waved their hands trying to get his attention. He nodded, not speaking, and knelt down. Gingerly, he picked up the two apprentices between his fingers. One giant eye peered at Winter and Quin intently and soon they were swept off at a vast pace back into the school.

Winter looked down at Quin and smiled. The fox sat nearby rubbing the bandage on his shoulder. While they were still only about half their original sizes, the remedy that Master Bairnan had crafted for them was restoring them nicely.

Quin stood up and smiled in return. "Hello again, Love..." he said in a surreptitious whisper, putting his paw on Winter's. He glanced meekly towards their Master, who was working intently at a nearby bench.

"He hasn't said a word," Winter whispered.

Quin nodded. "I know; I've never seen him this quiet."

Master Bairnan's right ear flicked and he turned, fixing the two with a steady gaze. "You two want something?" he asked slowly, raising an eyebrow.

Winter shook his head sheepishly and stammered, "I...I'm sorry about abandoning the potions, Master. I...I shouldn't have gone outside without seeing to them first."

"No, don't blame him; I'm the one who started this whole mess..." stammered Quin, looking up at their Master and holding Winter's paw protectively.

Master Bairnan's expression softened slightly as he watched the protective body language of his two charges. He stifled a smile and -instead- nodded gravely. He walked closer and looked down at his two apprentices, his white tail swishing back and forth as he did so. "It's commendable that you both take responsibility for this mishap," he began. "And truthfully, there is no punishment apart from what you have already endured that would be appropriate."

He looked at the two again, smiling openly at their clasped hands. "You'll have to work extra hard for the rest of this summer to repay me for my lost potions, you realize..."

The two nodded, breathing a bit easier.

"But apart from that, I think we can call this incident 'concluded'."

The two sighed in relief as the huge unicorn drew himself up to his full height and started to make his way out of the lab.

"Uh, Master...?" interrupted Winter shyly. Bairnan stopped. "How...how did you know to find us? I mean, you didn't see us the first time you came outside..."

The unicorn stayed where he was in the doorway. "Well," he said without turning around, "after I knew that your fundamental essences had been reduced, I knew what to look for. I know many spells that can locate objects once I am made aware of the attributes that they possess."

"Well, I understand that," piped up Quin, "But how did you figure out that our -uh- essences had been reduced?"

The tall unicorn turned around slowly. A smile spread over his face as he chuckled at his two shrunken-but-growing students. Silently, he withdraw his hand from one of the pockets and held it close for them to see. "You might say I found some evidence..."

In his palm -startled, muddy, but intact- was a small, grapefruit-sized rooster.

The End