Author's Note: I'm sorry it took so long to update. My delay was caused by a mixture of school, work, and common writer's block. I hope you enjoy!

Disclaimer: I don't own Slayers or The Brothers Grimm's "Fowler's Fowl." Enjoy the story! - Love, Mya G. .

Chapter 3: Then There Were Two

It was that time of year when everything in nature was in peace. The fragile, yet at the same time harsh, look of winter had melted away, leaving the new of the world to be born. The green in the trees had been bright and lush for some time now, but it was finally starting to warm up in the air. Spring had brought out the best and most calm of nature.

"GOURRY!!!!!!!!!" a nasally voice erupted, sending panicked birds into flight.

"Gourry!" Xellos shouted again.

"Gourry!" Zelgadis called out.

Nothing.

"GOURRY!!!!!" Xellos howled, accidentally letting his anger come out in his voice. "COME BACK HERE!!!"

Zelgadis sweat dropped and sighed at Xellos' unusual frustration. "Xellos, Gourry will never come back if he hears you yelling like that."

"How am I supposed to yell then?" Xellos asked, raising a purple eyebrow.

Zelgadis walked pass him and climbed to the top of a high boulder. Once there, the youngest brother took a deep breath….

"GOURRY, DINNER!!!!!!!!" Zelgadis yelled with his small fangs gleaming. The birds that had returned to their nests retreated again, and this time by the dozens. Panting, Zel looked down at Xellos, who still had his eyebrow raised up at him.

"Brilliant, Zelgadis," Xellos sighed. "Did you really think that would work? I would like to think our brother would come running after hearing us cry out "Gourry!" for over three hours."

"Both of us would also like to think he wouldn't go missing for over two days," Zel grumbled as he climbed down the boulder and landed softly to the ground.

Xellos let out an exasperated sigh and started to whine. "You're right. The worst part is Grandfather Rezo is sure to be suspicious by now." He took a deep breath. "Gourry, this isn't funny anymore! Come out already!!"

Zelgadis grimaced as the sun started to set in the Western sky. The orange light of the waning day was beginning to turn pink and soon violet. Tired from exasperation and worry, the young, chimera boy sighed.

"Xellos, we need to get back home sure enough," Zelgadis said. "If supper isn't set soon, Grandfather will get suspicious."

With a final, faint whine, Xellos agreed. "Right," he said softly. The two brothers started on their way back home, occasionally looking back and searching for a glint of gold in the brush of the dark forest.

"Ah… It's so good to be home with my grandsons again," Rezo the Red Priest said happily. The famed, blind priest sat smiling across the table with, what he thought, all three boys. "I've been away from home for so long, and I always worry about leaving you three alone for weeks at a time. However, I know you are now young men and don't need me or someone else watching your every step." Rezo chuckled. "I must be overprotective. I always fear something will snatch you out of thin air."

"Heh-heh. You're such a worrywart, Grandpa," Xellos said awkwardly as he started to absently dab salt over his food.

"Yes, funny, Grandfather," Zelgadis mumbled scratching off the crust of his loaf of bread with his fingernails.

"Hmm? Gourry? You've been unusually quiet since you came back from town this afternoon. Is something wrong?" Rezo asked, concerned at the lack of his oldest grandson's voice.

The frantic brothers threw panicked glances at each other, and Zelgadis coughed. "Umm… Sorry, Grandpa," the chimera mumbled, trying desperately to imitate Gourry's voice. "Umm… I don't feel really good. Keh! Keh! Keh! I think I caught a cold- Keh! Keh! Oh, my throat…"

Rezo sweat dropped. "My Heavens. It certainly sounds like it. Maybe you should go to bed, Gourry?" he suggested.

"Keh! Keh! I'm… alright, Grandpa. I think I can eat supper at least. Keh!"

Zelgadis went into a sudden fit of coughing, and the pile of salt on Xellos' plate was becoming more and more like a mountain. With his blind eyes still shut closed, Rezo smiled sympathetically.

"Alright then, but I want you to save your voice and go straight to bed after supper. Xellos, Zelgadis, would you two please do the dishes for your brother tonight?"

"Yes, Grandfather," they sighed.

"Good boys," the Red Priest smiled. Elegantly, he cut his drumstick and forked it easily into his mouth. "Oh, Gourry, I must commend you! After all these years, you've finally learned how to set the table correctly."

At this, Xellos' eyes got wide, and he glared at Zelgadis. Zel's eyes widen, and he started to cough.

"Goodness, Gourry. Be sure to drink some tea with honey before you go to bed," Rezo said, raising an eyebrow.

Zelgadis just coughed.

After supper, Rezo retired to his study for the evening and wouldn't come out until early morning so the brothers could speak safely.

"You set the table right!?!" Xellos whispered harshly as the two brothers washed the dishes. "Gourry never gets it right! What were you thinking, Zelgadis!?"

"Oh, I don't know, Xellos. Maybe I was focusing on the fact that Gourry's missing!!" Zel growled.

"What about when he comes back? How will we get around Grandfather not forgetting that he had supposedly set the table correctly?" Xellos asked with his amethyst eyes open.

"He'll simply think it was a fluke!" Zelgadis exclaimed. He lowered his voice to a whisper so Rezo couldn't hear them. "What we need to worry about is finding Gourry."

Xellos sighed and leaned against the table. "Yeah? Well, what if we can't find him? What if Gourry's gone for good?"

"We can't think that way, Xellos!" Zelgadis snapped, "We can't keep this up forever; I can't fake a cough for the rest of my life." The youngest brother thought in silence as he washed the plate in his hand. "We'll tell Grandfather we have to go to the neighboring village in the morning for grain or something. We can look for him all day that way."

Xellos sighed, "I suppose."

A sudden knock came at the door.

The brothers blinked, and Xellos instantly ran to the window, hoping Gourry was at the door. Alas, he sighed disappointedly when he saw their late visitor was none other than an old woman.

"Who is it?" Zel asked, peering out the window.

"Just an old woman. It must be the same woman who Gourry gave bread to the other day." Xellos sighed. "I'll give her the coins."

Zelgadis sighed wearily and returned to the dishes. 'What could have happened to you, Gourry?'

Meanwhile, Xellos sighed as he opened the door. "I'm sorry, ma'am, but we don't have any bread to give you. I have coins though."

"Oh, don't worry about it," Lina said, not hiding her voice. "You're all I need."

At her youthful voice, Xellos' eyes snapped open. "A witch!"

Before he could slam the door, Lina finished her spell. "Elmekia Lance!!!"

Xellos cried out, drawing Zel's attention to the door. "Xellos?" The chimera looked at the door and gasped when he saw his older brother being kicked into an oversized sac at the feet of a youthful sorceress.

"Stop!" Zelgadis ordered.

Lina cursed under her breath and immediately grabbed the sac. "Ray Wing!!!"

Zelgadis gasped and ran after them. "Stop! Xellos!!" he cried, running out into the yard. He stared as the sorceress got away and grew smaller in the distance. "XELLOS!!!"

The chimera fell to the ground on his knees, staring after them. He jumped when he sensed Rezo at his side. "Grandfather…."

"What happened?" the blind priest ordered, looking in the direction the sorceress fled.

"A witch… A witch kidnapped Xellos! She must've kidnapped Gourry as well!" Zel confessed. "Before you came home, Gourry disappeared. The last we heard of him, he was giving bread to an old beggar woman."

"I see…" Rezo frowned. "So you've set your eyes on my grandsons have you, Lina Inverse?"

"Grandfather?" Zelgadis inquired.

"Into the house, we must strategize," Rezo ordered Zelgadis, heading back into the house.

"What!? But she's already gotten Gourry and now Xellos!!" Zelgadis yelled angrily, jumping up.

"Zelgadis! If you wish to save your brothers, you must listen to me!" Rezo exclaimed. "Now, into the house!"

Zelgadis stared wide-eyed after Rezo's retreating form for a moment before obeying and running after him.