The roundest of the mossy green creatures snapped out of their daze. "There she is," they said. "Finally gnome."
They elbowed the taller, but equally sturdy, snoring, mossy green creature next to them awake. "Pip, go wake up Pop. It's time."

Half asleep, Pip dropped herself down the chair and shuffled towards the smallest, mossy green creature that laid unconscious on the floor. "Pop," she said as she kicked him. "Pop, wake up. We gotta look all cute and pitiful."

Morgana raised an eyebrow. She had no idea how they were planning to pull of being cute, but she sure would have pitied them if they hadn't trashed her kitchen.

Pop groaned. Pip pulled him up by his shirt and slapped him in the face.

Pop immediately opened his eyes and held his hands up in surrender. "I'm awake."

"Good." Pip let go of him and angrily signed him to take in his position.

The roundest of the creatures had climbed down their chair and now stood in front of table.
They took off their hat and stood with their knees pointed towards each other and their shoulders drooping.

Pop rushed to stand next to them. He drooped his shoulders and made himself even smaller than he already was.

Pip shuffled into position. She stood next to Pop, drooped her shoulders, bended her knees and pointed her feet towards each other.

The three creatures made their eyes as big as they could and their trembling lip as small as possible. They looked up at the fuming Morgana.

The roundest creature spoke. "Honorable, great Witch of the West, please excuse our intrusion. We mean no harm. I'm Pap. This is Pip and that's Pop. We're in dire need of your assistance.
Our Kingdom is under attack. The fairies are too strong and we alone can't win this war. Please grant us your protection, oh Noble one, and help us defeat the fairies."

Morgana glanced at Sophocles who vehemently shook his tiny bat head.
A smile crossed her lips. "I'll help you, but on one condition."

"We'll do anything, oh Fair one."

*

Morgana rode to battle on a chunky unicorn as Sophocles hid in her inner pocket and held on to dear life.

Swords clattered and creatures screeched. A dragon flew over the battlefield and aimed its fire at everyone on its path.

Morgana pulled up an energy shield as the dragon's flames toasted friend and foe around her. The smell of barbecue lingered in the air.

Sophocles shrunk farther in her pocket. His tiny legs trembled and his tiny hands clenched onto the pocket lining. He screamed from the top of his lungs. "This is not only a bad idea; it's the worst you've ever had!"

"You didn't have to tag along, you know." Morgana laughed maniacally as she guided her chunky unicorn across the battlefield. "I've never felt more alive!"

The unicorn slithered through the fighting masses as Morgana talked to Sophocles. "Be a good bat and tell me where the strongest fairy is hiding."
She lowered her head. Fire burned in her eyes. "I'm going to show them not to mess with me."

Sophocles looked at Morgana. He gulped.
Trembling, Sophocles emitted a high pitched sound and pricked his big bat ears. He pointed his tiny finger. "There. In the temple on the hill. They're hiding behind some fallen beams."

Morgana pushed away some fairies, held up her shield as the dragon's fire burned everyone surrounding them to crisps and guided her unicorn away from the raviging battlefield.

*

The unicorn's hooves trampled the remnants of green grass amidst a trail of ash as it climbed up the hill. The sky was a pale blue and what was left of the temple a soft yellow with streaks of scorch marks.

Morgana descended her unicorn and ordered it to hide out of sight of the dragon. She then threaded carefully to the loosely hinged, wooden door and walked inside.

Her footsteps echoed through the temple as she made her way passed fallen debris.

Morgana stopped and listened. Sophocles peeped out of Morgana's pocket.

Drip. Drop. Water dripped into a puddle.

Morgana turned around.

A cry was stifled.

There.

Morgana shot towards the fallen beams. She jumped over them and cornered the enemy. She grabbed the fairy by her dress and pushed her against the wall. "Who are you?" Morgana said. "State your name and rang."

Tears fell on the ground as the fairy begged for mercy.

"I won't ask you again. State your name and rang."

Sophocles crawled out of Morgana's pocket and flew in between them. He  turned his back protectively to the fairy.
"Morgana, calm down. Can't you see she's no soldier. Look at her! She'd pee her pants if she'd be wearing some."

"You said she's the strongest fairy. That must mean she's a general or even their queen, doesn't it?"
Morgana glared at the fairy. "Which one are you?"

"Stop it, Morgana. You're losing it. You asked for the strongest fairy. It's her, but she's no soldier."

A mad sneer crossed Morgana's lips. "Then she's the queen!"

"Open your eyes, Morgana. Does she look like their queen?"

Morgana stopped and looked at the fairy. Her face was dirty, her hair in tangles and her clothes nothing but rags. The barefoot fairy counted as many blisters and cuts on her hands and feet as on her wings.

Morgana shook the fairy and huffed. "Who. Are. You?"

"I--I'm the keeper of the temple."

"But you're a fairy! This is gnome territory."

The fairy shook her head. "This is Aeradelle, the Fairy Kingdom."

"Don't lie to me."

The fairy gestured at the huge, marble statute of a fairy.

Morgana's eyes narrowed. Fire lurked in her eyes. She dropped the fairy and stormed out off the temple.

"Pap, you lied to me! This is the Fairy Kingdom."

Pap smirked. "And what are you going to do about that?"

Morgana called upon the dragon. Her eyes burned with rage. "Watch me."

***
Total amount of words: 1 000