Our tiny heroes!

Hilda leaped through the air and into the crack between the stones, slipping her tiny tuckus into the dark hole and falling into a naked tangle with Tina. The seagull, for its part, jammed its beak into the crevice, trying to reach the two women. As it squawked and scratched and pecked at the stones, unable to reach into their hidey-hole, Tina and Hilda clutched each other and prayed the opening wouldn't widen.

After a few agonizing minutes of failing to reach its prey, the seagull turned around and squawked at another seagull that was trying to make off with the crab it had plundered. Our seagull couldn't have that, so it abandoned our heroes to engage with another of its own kind.

The tiny heroines couldn't see what was happening outside, so when the commotion outside stopped, they simply waited in terror, neither wanting to venture outside their little hovel. It was a nice hovel, all things considered; nothing trying to eat them in there, that was for sure. It was cold, sure, but anyplace was bound to be cold when you had no clothes on. These rational thoughts sped through their minds as mother and daughter shivered in each other's embrace, waiting for something to happen that would assure them all was well.

As the sun went down and their scant light faded away, though, the two knights realized that they may have been a bit too cautious. Being tiny during the day was bound to be far less difficult than being tiny at night. One could only imagine what kinds of predators were out skulking about in the dead of night, so just think of what two could picture. "Sh-should we... g-g-go outs-side?" Tina said through chattering teeth, looking out into the night.

Hilda followed her gaze, shaking with fear, and took a single step towards the opening of their cave. Almost as soon as her foot hit the ground, the hoot of an owl echoed from outside, and the terrified former knight jumped back into the arms of her equally-terrified daughter. "Maybe we should call it a night and get a start in the morning. When it's safer, you know."

"Yes, quite right." Tina agreed, nodding frantically.

Mother and daughter slowly released their grip on one another and laid down on the dirt to sleep, or at least try to. As Hilda closed her eyes, her mind pelted her with images of Tina in the mouth of that bird, with herself on the ground, unable to stop it. Visions of her and Tina facing a grisly demise sent her into fits until she finally shot up, naked body covered in sweat despite the cold.

A question lingered on the tip of her tongue, she just didn't want to ask it: Why was she so afraid? Sure, she was naked in the wilderness and only six inches tall, but she'd faced similar odds before and survived. That was a long time ago, though. Did she really have what it took to make it home under such odds?

Looking over at her daughter, tossing and turning in what was probably her own nightmare, the knight couldn't bear to think of what might happen to her. As she looked around their little hole, it dawned on her that this wasn't such a bad place to be. They had protection and even some food in the form of an acorn and some small berries stowed away in the corner. Maybe they could make the best of things right here, as they were. They'd live out their days as tiny ladies, safe from the big, scary outside world. It was sad, but Hunk would be able to take care of himself. He didn't need her.

Hilda's eyes went wide at her realization. What was she saying? Leave the love of her life behind to live out the rest of her life in between a couple of rocks? Where was the fiery spirit that had led her to become a knight all those years ago? She may have put on a few years (and pounds, if she were being honest), but she was still a knight of the realm, a protector of justice. She couldn't let a small setback like this get the better of her!

Getting to her knees, Hilda shook Tina awake. Tina was startled, evidently still in the middle of her nightmare. "It's okay, sweetheart. It was just a dream, you're safe now."

Tina clutched her chest, its heaving motion slowing down as her mother calmed her nerves. "Tha... thank you, momma. I was... scared. But I'm okay, now."

"Yeah, so am I." Hilda stood up, extending a hand to Tina. "Which is why we're going back out there."

Tina's eyes widened, and her jaw started shaking. "Ri-right now? At n-n-night?"

"No time like the present. It's not like there's a safe time to be out there when we're this small."

"But momma, what if we get eaten? I'm not ready to die."

Hilda put her hand on Tina's shoulder. "You're a knight, Tina. Remember what I told you knights do when they get scared."

Tina looked at her mother's face, the confidence in her smile serving as her answer. "They put on a bright face and soldier on with that fear locked in their heart. They carry it until their mission is done, and only then do they let it go."

"That's right. And our mission isn't done." Hilda pulled Tina to her feet. "We have to save your father, and to do that, we have to get big again. Besides, she looked down at herself, "I'd much rather put some clothes on than remain like this my whole life, wouldn't you?"

Tina chuckled at her mother's attempt at a joke. "Yeah, you're right. I signed up for this, so I guess it's what we've gotta do."

Hilda smiled, taking one last look around the crevice. She picked up the acorn she had noticed earlier and, using her needle, severed the shell from the hat. As Tina looked on in confusion, Hilda donned the shell like a helmet and grabbed hold of the stem of the hat, wielding it like a shield. "A knight should be armed for battle, wouldn't you say?" Both women shared a nod and grasped each other's hands tightly as they walked out into the night, ready to face whatever lay ahead of them.