As Dax approached, he saw Pip doing something unbelievable. He had managed to catch fish using a kind of magic Dax didn’t even know existed. Pip shouted, “Hey, look what I can do!” As his attention shifted from the fish to Dax, Pip’s magic unraveled, and he cried out, “Look out!” A fish smacked Dax right in the middle of the forehead, and he ended up stunned on the ground. Pip asked worriedly, “Are you alright?”
Dax replied, “What do you think? I just got fish slapped!”
As he regained consciousness, Dax noticed one of the fish flopping back into the stream and shouted, “Quick! Catch that one!”
On their way back to the camp, Pip kept apologizing to Dax:
“Sorry, Dax. I’m really, really sorry. I thought I had it all under control. But the moment I saw you, I lost focus. I guess that’s why the fish ended up in your face.”
Dax said, “Don’t you worry! I’m a big chap. At least you caught us something to eat. Coni will definitely be glad when he sees all this fish. Where is he anyway?”
Pip replied, “He went into the forest for firewood! Even I heard him say that. Honestly, you’re useless until you wake up properly.”
When they got back to the camp, the fire was already going strong, and the boys were happy to immediately start preparing the fish for roasting. Together, they scaled and gutted the fish, doing everything needed to get them ready.
Once the fish were grilled, Coni said, “I saw you guys down by the creek. What were those bluish threads? What were you doing, Pip?”
Dax and Pip burst into laughter at the same time. Pip said, “That was a bit funny!”
While chewing on his fish, Dax added, “Yeah, but these fish ain't laughing!”
All three of them had a good laugh and a hearty meal. Along the way, Pip told Coni everything that had happened.
Coni said, “That magic you didn’t know you had. Have you figured out how you’re doing it yet? Back with the goblins, we were lucky. But things like that can’t happen again while we’re traveling. If you hadn’t slowed them down, we’d have been in serious trouble.”
Pip pulled back a little and said, “I really don’t know how I’m doing that magic. If only…”
Coni interrupted him, “Don’t be upset. I didn’t mean it badly. Before we head out again, we need to help you understand at least a little of it. If you did it once, I believe you can do it again.”
Pip’s face lit up, and Dax gave him a gentle look, as if to say the boys could count on him too.