Amanda perched carefully on the branch, holding her arms out to either side to maintain her balance. The branch was wobbly, and her balance wasn't perfect, but as long as nothing shook the tree, she should be fine.
Near the end of the branch sat a large nest. Sitting peacefully atop the nest was a plump Hels. The mystical creature was extremely valuable. They were hard to find, hard to catch, and tended to flit off without any warning. Just sneaking up this close to one had been an ordeal. Each step across the branch had to be taken with absolute care.
The bird's head turned to the side and Amanda froze. One of its eyes was staring right at her. She held as still as possible, bracing her feet against the branch and holding her breath. One wrong move and the prized bird would spook.
She channeled her telekinesis, ready to wrap the unseen force around the bird. Keeping a grip on it would be tough. The bird was too heavy for her to hold it down with her telekinesis alone, but she might be able to keep a grip on it long enough to get in close and grab it. She had a large cloth sack in one hand, ready to snatch up the bird. She knew any number of buyers that would pay quite handsomely for a Hels. She just needed a few more moments to catch it.
The bird's head turned back away from her. Amanda let out the breath she'd been holding. She inched one foot forward, then the other. She was almost within reach. She readied her telekinetic power, the energy already spreading around the bird, ready to close in and grab it in tendrils of pure magical force.
Just as she started to close the magical net, something jarred the tree with a loud rumbling crack. Amanda wobbled, her balance disrupted. The bird spooked and pulled away. She tried to grab for it, but it was gone in an instant. A second rumbling burst rocked the tree again, and Amanda lost her balance, falling off the branch.
Her telekinesis still ready after failing to catch the bird, she latched it onto the branch and around her hand. A web of invisible magical energy gripped her around the wrist, the other end of the web tying around the branch. She dangled there, her hand a few inches below the branch, nothing but invisible energy between her hand and the branch holding her up.
"Ahhh!" she screamed, flailing from the end of her telekinetic ties. She could already feel her magical grip slipping. Her power wasn't strong enough to hold up her own weight.
"Help!" she cried out. She didn't know if anyone else was nearby, but she was dangling too far above the ground to land safely, and she didn't have the strength to pull herself up. Gravity's lethal pull was upon her, and she was helpless against it.
Near the end of the branch sat a large nest. Sitting peacefully atop the nest was a plump Hels. The mystical creature was extremely valuable. They were hard to find, hard to catch, and tended to flit off without any warning. Just sneaking up this close to one had been an ordeal. Each step across the branch had to be taken with absolute care.
The bird's head turned to the side and Amanda froze. One of its eyes was staring right at her. She held as still as possible, bracing her feet against the branch and holding her breath. One wrong move and the prized bird would spook.
She channeled her telekinesis, ready to wrap the unseen force around the bird. Keeping a grip on it would be tough. The bird was too heavy for her to hold it down with her telekinesis alone, but she might be able to keep a grip on it long enough to get in close and grab it. She had a large cloth sack in one hand, ready to snatch up the bird. She knew any number of buyers that would pay quite handsomely for a Hels. She just needed a few more moments to catch it.
The bird's head turned back away from her. Amanda let out the breath she'd been holding. She inched one foot forward, then the other. She was almost within reach. She readied her telekinetic power, the energy already spreading around the bird, ready to close in and grab it in tendrils of pure magical force.
Just as she started to close the magical net, something jarred the tree with a loud rumbling crack. Amanda wobbled, her balance disrupted. The bird spooked and pulled away. She tried to grab for it, but it was gone in an instant. A second rumbling burst rocked the tree again, and Amanda lost her balance, falling off the branch.
Her telekinesis still ready after failing to catch the bird, she latched it onto the branch and around her hand. A web of invisible magical energy gripped her around the wrist, the other end of the web tying around the branch. She dangled there, her hand a few inches below the branch, nothing but invisible energy between her hand and the branch holding her up.
"Ahhh!" she screamed, flailing from the end of her telekinetic ties. She could already feel her magical grip slipping. Her power wasn't strong enough to hold up her own weight.
"Help!" she cried out. She didn't know if anyone else was nearby, but she was dangling too far above the ground to land safely, and she didn't have the strength to pull herself up. Gravity's lethal pull was upon her, and she was helpless against it.
