Maleficent(30)

            Several soldiers, armed in iron and carrying iron weapons, stood guard near the cargo. Two more had made their way to the edge of the forest and were using a two-handed saw to cut down a tree. They were clearly going to use the fresh wood to repair their wagon.

            As the metal blade sliced into the tree’s trunk, Maleficent cringed. Anger filled her and she raised her staff, ready to put a stop to the humans’ destructive work. But a warning caw from Diaval made her pause. Turning, she saw that Aurora was approaching.

            Two of the soldiers had left the group, spotting Aurora close by. The first one called out to her. “Hey, you. What are you doing?”

            “You don’t belong out here,” the other said.

            Then they started shouting over each other.

            “How did you get out here?”

            “Why are you out here in the middle of the forest?”

            Aurora started walking in their direction, her eyes curious and trusting.

            Maleficent quickly formed a plan in her mind. The soldiers outnumbered her. And they did have iron weapons. But she had magic. And Diaval. Looking at him, she narrowed her eyes. She was going to need something a bit scarier than a raven to help her frighten off the soldiers. Raising her staff, she softly said, “Bring them to me.”

            With a small cry, Diaval fell to his knees. And then, in front of Maleficent’s eyes, he transformed into an enormous wolf. His fur was thick and black and long; sharp talons extended from huge paws. He was a terrifying creature. The only things that were not frightening were the wolf’s eyes, which still retained Diaval’s kindness. He bounded off.

            The soldiers stopped in their tracks as soon as they heard a loud, echoing howl. Instantly, they turned around and headed back to the other men.

            At the same time, Maleficent approached Aurora from behind. She pulled a yellow flower from her robe and blew on it. Pollen flew off the flower, got caught in the gentle breeze, and began to move toward Aurora.

            “Sleep,” Maleficent said softly.

            Taking the shape of a small cloud, the pollen continued to float toward Aurora. Reaching her, the yellow dust swirled around, and her eyes began to close. A moment later, Aurora’s body went limp and she gently dropped to the ground. But Aurora was still too visible for Maleficent’s liking. Lifting her staff, Maleficent raised the princess’s sleeping body slowly into the air. The girl floated higher and higher until she hovered safely above the soldiers’ line of sight.

            That taken care of, Maleficent turned her attention back to the soldiers. She watched as Diaval galloped closer and closer to them. Terrified of the mass of fur and muscle fast approaching, the soldiers drew their swords. And then, just as swiftly, they started running in the opposite direction. Diaval trailed behind like a menacing sheepdog.

            Too late, the soldiers realized they were racing straight toward a tall, horned creature. They skidded to a stop just as Maleficent raised her staff once more, lifting the soldiers into the air this time. Weapons began to rain down on her as she made them float in the air. She twisted her staff, and the soldiers bumped into one another in the air, then fell to the ground in an unconscious heap.

            She grinned, satisfied that the crisis had been averted. But the smile faded on her lips as she looked down at an iron helmet lying near her feet. She studied it and then carefully reached out a finger. The tip touched the iron and Maleficent felt a searing heat. She snatched her hand away and held it to her chest. So that little problem hasn’t gone away, she thought. And if she faced more soldiers in another battle, it could become a much bigger problem.

            Her thoughts were interrupted by the return of Diaval. Waving her hand, she transformed him back into a human. His cheeks were flushed and he shuffled from foot to foot, clearly agitated.