Chapter eleven. A visit to the Ignat

In the evening of the same day, taking their Pets, Kolya and Ira moved to the dense forest that began at the foot of the mountains on the opposite side from the lake and now was green with a hazy haze in the distance. The forest was about a kilometer away. Along the way, the children chatted about school and other small things and reached the edge of it unnoticed, just as they entered the canopy of branches, a robed figure emerged from the trees about fifty meters away and started toward the school. They paused to see who it might be, and by the way she walked and the strands of her blond hair, they had no problem identifying her as Arina.
"What was she doing in the woods?"Ira said thoughtfully.
-I don't know, - said Kolya, he was very interested in the evening traveler, but he didn't want to show it to Irina, knowing her reaction to Arina.
Friends followed her path, and realizing that she was now going to the castle, went on.
The deeper they went into the forest, the darker it became, but the path indicated by Ignat led steadily into the thicket, not even going to end. At last they could make out the outline of a log cabin standing in a clearing, and they quickened their pace. Ignat was sitting on the doorstep, making something.
He greeted Ira and Kolya with a joyful exclamation.
"Oh, Hello," he shouted, " I've been waiting for you at last, the deer roast is almost ready, come in, come in."
After a long walk through the gloomy forest, the children were happy to enter the brightly lit hut.
Inside the hut was furnished with makeshift furniture, the friends sat down on a bench at the table, the badger sat next to them and curled up, immediately falling asleep, and Ira's kite perched on a pole near the ceiling, cleaning its feathers as usual.
Ignat brought a huge VAT of stewed venison to the table, put a piece of oddly smelling meat the size of an adult chicken on each of the guests ' plates, and sat down opposite them.
-Well, tell me what's interesting in school, I don't have time to go there, until all the animals are looked after, until everyone is cured, not a second of free time,- and he sighed.
- Uncle Ignat, tell me, what breed does the badger belong to, what kind of cat is it?
-Snow leopard then?- with surprise said Ignat, - this is no cat, this is a purebred purebred snow leopard, just a tiny one yet, but it will still grow up, it will be about your waist.
- Bars!?Kolya and Ira asked in surprise.
"Of course!"I thought you knew," said Ignat.
Why didn't Sasha come? Sick?
- Love he fell ill, - snorted Irka, - remained with Vasilisa lessons to do, in eyes it look, Yes languidly sigh.
"There it is," said Ignat, " well, this is a young, green business.
- I wanted to ask, did you see Arina from our course just walking through the woods here? - asked Ira.
"Why not, I saw her gathering herbs and roots for a potion," said Ignat.
"It's all very strange," Ira said thoughtfully.
- Yes, here on the edge of the forest often students go, especially senior courses, they are looking for grass, then some stones, then insects, - waved his hand Forester.
-You the main ones don't go over there to the white mountain, near the cave there is some dangerous fucking lives.
"Dead people?"- with horror in voice breathed out Irka, she after night conducted on the tree as something their disliked.
"No, a couple of werewolves, a giant and so on," Ignat replied indifferently and smiled.
Ira was not happy about the news about werewolves, and even more so about the giant, and she immediately said that she would not set foot near this white mountain.
Then the conversation flowed into a calmer channel, the children described in detail how their week had passed, told about Quidditch, and Nella who fell from a broom, about the unexpected youth of the potions teacher, and about the amazing fighting technique of Vasilisa Petrovna, they mentioned the house Kuzma and his love for his sister Kolya and other small impressions.
The Forester was eating his third Cup of meat and smiling,
it was obvious that he was very happy to have the company of good friends.
When Ira and Kolya had eaten their fill, and their animals could not cram in any more meat, Ignat said:
-You come to me at least once a week, and then I'm bored here alone, and bring the animals, I always have a treat for them.
The children promised to come back in a week's time and went back to the castle.
-Perhaps it is too late for late walks, I will transgress you closer to the school, you can not go inside, there are protective spells imposed, but there will be quite close, - said the Forester.
- The children picked up the animals, Ignat touched their shoulders, everything around them turned black, squeezed, and in a second they were already standing not far from the school gates.
The Ranger said good-bye to them and disappeared, and the friends went to their bedroom.
On the way they met Kuzma, who was cleaning the portrait frame.
- Hello, Kuzya! How are you doing!?- said Ira.
-Oh, thank you, I'm happy, - said the brownie, - did you go for a walk?
"Yes," said Kolya, " we went to visit Ignat, who is a friend of my father's, and ours, too.
"Oh, that's wonderful, it's been a long time since I've visited him," said Kuzma.he made a finger-licking gesture.
"It's true," the children agreed, " his cooking is fantastic.
"I can see that the badger is full," Kuzma said, smiling, and stroked the round, glossy, spotted cat behind the ear.
The badger gave a deep, happy rumble. The children went to their room after saying goodbye to Kuzma, and very soon reached their corridor, and from there their bedroom.
When they entered, they were all sound asleep, and they lay down in their beds, and in a moment they were in the arms of Morpheus.