We had been traveling for about half the day, the sun was high in the sky, or at least it would be but heavy cloud cover had kept it in a perpetual twilight since about an hour after we had left the city. The clouds looked just as they had when I had approached the city, so I figured it would be raining by nightfall, I wondered if that shalyr cared about getting wet at all. 92Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw60EZUwyPQ
As the day wore on I noticed the light in the sky was starting to lessen I began to keep my eyes open for any secluded spot we could pull the wagon aside so we wouldn’t be easily spotted from the road. As of yet there weren't even any side roads or paths leading from it nor any place to pull it over as there were deep ditches to either side we couldn’t cross. Sighing with agitation I began to resign myself to the fact that we were going to have to simply pull the wagon over on the road and hope we weren’t targeted. 92Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFXHCY98hpZ
The road began to curve to the right, as we turned around it I noticed a bridge built over the ditch to our right. The moment the intention to stop the wagon entered my mind the ox came to an immediate halt, startling me again. “Is this the wagon or the cart?” I mumbled to myself. Turning back toward the bridge I weighed our options. I judged that it could support the weight of the wagon despite its old and somewhat ramshackled appearance. 92Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyDrpzEQHbL
Coming to a decision I jumped off the wagon and opened the door to the wagon to find Zehal looking through the foodstuffs. She looked up at me and I could immediately tell she’d only just woken up. 92Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZZNPH3LdXx
“You alright?” I asked. 92Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhbXMgqIVNi
“Good.” She replied. “I’m good, just…” She shrugged.
I nodded. “I completely understand. Find anything to eat?”
“Yes.” She replied. “Just trying to prepare a little something more than just dried food.”
“Prepare something? From rations?”
She gave me a quizzical look. “Yes, have you never tried to make something of them? Do you always just eat them dry?”
I just nodded and she scoffed. “Okay, so long as I can find some clean water to boil you’re getting a decent meal tonight, understood?”
“The Vrokandin Varr taught you to cook?” I asked.
“No, the only real things I ever learned were… from other prisoners. They were the only ones that ever really tried to teach me anything besides being taught by the Vrokandin about how great the Vorkandin were and…” She shrugged again as she opened up another crate and began to dig through the contents. “I should have sorted these better.” She angrily said under her breath.
I just nodded again. “Listen, I’m going to test a bridge out with my weight to try and make sure it is stable, then I want you to guide the wagon over it. Do you know how to do that?” I asked the last part tentatively.
She just shook her head. “No but why do you need to test the bridge?”
“It doesn’t appear to be in the best condition.” I answered.
“Why don’t we just drive on? Find another spot we can pull off the road?” She asked.
“This has been the first opportunity to leave the road since we left Alfarok and I am not sure if we’ll get another any time soon so I’m opting to take it.”
She nodded. “Alright, well I’m a fast learner, teach me and I’ll pick up on it quickly.”
And I would have, but whatever my intention was to do, the ox would immediately act upon that intention, like it could sense it. None of my attempted training had any applicability so at that point I just told her to try and keep the wagon as centered on the bridge as possible and to focus on that till she was well and truly clear of it on the other side.
“If the bridge gives out at some point, leap clear. I’ve seen how you can jump and I should be able to propel you away from it should the worst happen.” She nodded soberly and I jumped down from the cart and began walking across the bridge, occasionally applying greater pressure with one boot or another to any areas that appeared structurally weaker but thus far it was turning out to be surprisingly sturdy. Once I got to the other side I gave her the go ahead and before she could even make a movement the ox started forward, the cart moving with it in… I blinked as I realized how synchronized it had appeared. It had been incredibly subtle, but it had appeared as though the cart and ox moved as one, as though when the ox was hooked up, they were one being, rather than a living thing pulling an inanimate object.
I mentally filed this away for study at another time as I focused on Zehal, the wagon and most importantly the bridge itself. As the wagon passed over it I didn’t see any sign of it giving way, in fact it seemed surprisingly sturdy and soon enough I was moving aside so Zehal could steer the wagon into the woods. Then I jogged ahead, scouting the woods for a good place to stop the wagon well off the road. 92Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8qhCFNOFow
The trees were tall, with wide trunks and foliage that bushed out at the tops to make the most of the sun. It was a good thirty feet up before someone could reach a branch, I had no doubt in my mind I could never make such a jump, but I wondered if Zehal could. She was an ideal scout; fast, strong, light on her feet, everything one might look for in forward reconnaissance. 92Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTwJAu3nm2V
The small road we were on was simply hard packed dirt with grass growing over it in places, letting me know that it had been regularly used but not any time recently. 92Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKAYXtSng6E
Soon there was a side path that looked somewhat less used then the first so I decided to take it to lessen any chance of running into anyone. We hadn’t gone very far down it when I saw a small clearing through the trees. A gap provided a convenient place to pull through and I jogged back to Zehal to guide her the rest of the way and soon we were both in the small clearing. 92Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCRIu8lTpor
As I began to untie the ox from the wagon Zehal stepped off of it looking around as she assessed the surrounding treeline. I found myself watching her as she studied it. 92Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0wH9nGYX2P
“A forest.” She finally said. 92Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyuFViYAih2
“What?” I asked. 92Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtRCfuxEAIX
“A forest, that’s what this is right? A forest? I’ve had them described to me before but this is the first time I’ve seen one for myself from, well, within.” 92Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJAgbivryEp
I stood up straight and looked around, taking in my surroundings as I realized she’d been kept in staunch isolation, even when traveling. Her captors had never even let her set foot in a forest. 92Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB6M27HZ75u
I realized as I watched her wonder at the world around us I had taken for granted, that she was going to see a lot of things for the first time. 92Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJcLqx0bktx
“Take it in.” I said. “But don’t let your guard down. Just like in a city, forests have their fair share of danger. It’s difficult, finding balance between learning to stop and smell the roses and always being wary of danger while still enjoying life.” 92Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm5OmsOE389
“Sounds exhausting.” She said with a frown. 92Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF2XakqH8e7
“It can be.” I replied as I bent back down to my task. “But if you’re diligent and vigilant, you can get used to it.” 92Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhmJ8BDKWsf
After I had the ox unhitched from the wagon I tethered it to a nearby tree where it had plentiful access to the grass and other foliage then turned to regard the perimeter of the clearing myself. Much of it was thicker grass that led up into the trees, thick trunked things that reached towards the sky with quiet dignity, alive and vibrant. I decided to set some snares in the surrounding area, despite our supplies the going would get slim and we needed to conserve whatever we could get so hunting and foraging would be a boon whenever we could get it. 92Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB3rxrYiGuQ
After setting some of the snares deeper in the forest I returned and circled the camp, laying wards designed to alert us if anyone came within their vicinity. After I had laid wards over the entire perimeter of the camp I thought about the shalyr and a smile crept over my face. What was a shalyr afraid of most? 92Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0RTKTTxV6X
I scouted around the clearing searching for stones, collecting all I could find till I had enough. Then I took out my Thalius, a mix between a chisel and a pen of sorts and as I began to inscribe runes into the stones I began channeling energy into the Thalius and through it, wove a ward into the stone. I then placed each of them, rune facing downward, next to one of the wards I had made and rewove the ward around it, thus making the stone inscribed runes harder to detect and harder to bypass. 92Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXBuutTJN4G
I turned to find Zehal not five feet from me, watching me passively. “What are you doing?” She asked. 92Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQJmt1ddLjT
“Securing our perimeter, making sure that if anyone attempts to cross this threshold uninvited, we’ll know.” 92Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkR9T5yrCRl
“And, what are those?” She asked, pointing towards one of the stones I’d just turned into a runic warding. 92Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCVVDmVV6U5
“Complicated.” I replied. 92Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRU81065TWr
“Complicated because of the tool you used to pour your energy into them? To make them do something?” She asked. 92Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUYQ8AjEEFf
I smiled. “Yes.” I answered. “That is a good summary.” 92Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWlpswAhHKj
She smiled back, hearing the smile in my voice. “Not so complicated.” 92Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmdVMqkXTuh
“I lack your ability to make things simple, to synopsize.” I returned. “I can teach you another time, as of now I’m finished.” 92Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrW4jRVUiYv
“Food’s almost done.” She staid. 92Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd6KaVfu9sS
I blinked. “You were cooking?” I asked. “I don’t see nor scent any smoke.” 92Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJGPoGJikfc
“The wagon had a small cooking stove tucked away into a corner.” 92Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzFUfup4Q8L
I looked back at the wagon and could see no sign of any chimney on the roof. “Where is the smoke going?” I asked. 92Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzaSozhCXvw
She shrugged as she turned to look at the wagon. “It does have a recess it goes into but…” She turned to look back at me, shrugging again. 92Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF6KGDRm9f8
“I have come to a… sad conclusion about this wagon.” I said as I stood. “The Vrokandin Varr are scavengers, thieves and murderers when the need arises, but the one thing they aren’t are builders, inventors or creators in any way. I strongly suspect that this wagon with all its little marvelous in built designs once belonged to someone truly wondrous, someone I hope isn’t dead. I’d very much like to meet the brilliant genius who designed and built this wagon.” 92Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtmjM8lByTB
Zehal was now staring back at the wagon as well, her expression contemplatively sad as she turned to look at me. “I hope they are alive too.” She said, “So they could see the good their invention is being used for again." 92Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTp9ZkgyUl7
I nodded. “Well, on a happier note, you said something about food?
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After we ate I excused myself, informing Zehal I was going to double check all the wards on the perimeter. When I reached the tree line I bent to inspect one of the wards I’d put down earlier, it was still right where I had left it, I probed it once to make sure it was still potent. Finding nothing wrong I stood and walked to the next one. I repeated this process, becoming engrossed in it as I worked steadily to secure the entire perimeter. 92Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpJuYlcmvoR
I was just kneeling down next to one of my wards, checking it over for tampering or unraveling when I felt eyes on me. I looked back towards the wagon but saw no sign of Zehal. I was just turning to look back at the forest when I heard a growl that sounded more akyn to the distant stroke of thunder than the sound any animal would make, or even could. 92Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdbIFrt0M0U
Every hair on the back of my hair stood on end as I, much more slowly now, turned my head to scan the trees as I reached for the clasp on my belt where I kept my helm only to find it wasn’t there. Panic gripped me as I remembered my setting it down in the wagon instead of placing it on its clast at my waist when I’d sat down to eat. I thrice cursed myself for not having my helm for now more than ever I acutely felt the lack of its protection rendering me vulnerable, but more so it would have improved my vision, better making me capable of detecting a threat before it became one. 92Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGilpc7A0aY
I could feel something out there but I could detect nothing, right up until the moment I did. I found my gaze locked with two yellow orbs staring at me from a darkened hollow under a twisted and half uprooted tree. Bit by bit I began to see an outline and it wasn’t a small one, then, as if sensing that it had been seen, the creature rose from its hiding place and I took an involuntary step back as I realized just what it was and the sheer size of it.
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