The circle closed as the body shot past them toward the legs. The first chants were so soft they were inaudible. Gradually, as the chants got louder and the shrieking got quieter, the apparition paused as it realised it was not alone. It was just then that the moon came out from behind a cloud, and both the circle and the apparition got a better glimpse of one another. However, it was unsettled weather and the clouds quickly covered over again. The circle continued its regulated, pulsating chant and the apparition stood still.
Asparagus struggled to keep chanting as his brain reeled. He had not yet placed that shriek, yet the slight sight of the apparition in moonlight had triggered another memory. He desperately tried to piece these fragments together. Meanwhile, the chanting continued at a regular pace. The clouds moved enigmatically, sometimes swiftly revealing glimpses only to cover over them immediately. Suddenly, the moon was uncovered in a clear sky. Peeled eyes from all directions strove to make out forms in the better light.
They all jumped as Asparagus yelled out:
“Prunella!”
It went quiet. Nobody moved except Asparagus, who strode toward the body. He could hardly resist shaking her with his horns. He could not believe that all this trouble had been caused by Prunella.
“What do you think you are playing at?” he demanded, then paused. Although he knew this was Prunella, the legs were still over there, separately. He hesitated. The legs quickly galloped up to them in the moonlight, unsure what was happening, and quickly showed themselves to belong to Cinnamon, Prunella’s little brother. Asparagus shook his head in dismay and disbelief.