A New Adventure

The wind began to bite the two riders as Kai, a large wolf like beast, plowed through the silvery forest. They kept low to his back as he weaved and found paths for his large height. Sen, a female Dryad, wrapped her arms around Bard, a male human whom she had a pledge. Her eyes were sealed shut as she shivered. Against the cold or the fear of their fast pace, Bard knew not. At least now she wasn’t screaming in terror, so his ears were pleased, but he wasn’t sure he liked how much she squeezed his midsection.

Kai moved, only occasionally needing redirections towards their destination. They rode through the day and Bard kept an eye out on the wildlife and their locations. Kai would need to hunt, and there wouldn’t be much time for foraging if they were to meet all the Elder Trees within the next year.

A gust of wind blew in their faces and Bard pulled his brown cloak around him more. Sen shivered behind him, her green hair somehow floating around her head, despite the pace they took. As he glanced back at her, he sighed and moved the cloak to include her in it. Her head popped out, showing a bit more of the red roots that would take over her hair color with the changing of the season. She quickly closed her green eyes again and clung to him.

“Thank you,” she managed to say above the rushing air.

At that moment, Kai jumped down a ledge, and she let out a slight squeal at the shift in their stomachs. Bard wondered how different it would be to ride the trees, if these movements were so foreign and gripping to her. He refocused his attention on their surroundings and noted the changing trees. They wouldn’t be in her forest for much longer. A cliff rose up to the south of them, and on top were several evergreen trees. What captured Bard’s attention was not the strange cutoff of the tree types, but the cave that was about halfway up the rock wall. Even from this distance, he could spot the moving white eyes of the Shades inside. Since the suns were out, they wouldn’t be coming this way, but the very fact they were this close to Elder Defender’s forest was worrying. They would need to be cautious as they set up camp.

So far, with Defender’s token in the mix, they wouldn’t need to use fire to drive away the shades. But that wouldn’t last very far out of his forest. He would need to change to the next Elder’s token as well.

As they came to a clearing with a large stone wall, Bard had Kai stop, and he looked back at Sen, who was looking a bit disoriented at the lack of movement. She shivered when he got ready to climb down Kai’s side. With a simple smile, he undid the clasp and put the cloak over her head. She snuggled into the warmth and Bard dismounted with ease before getting the straps undone. Kai looked happy to be done, and Sen easily dismounted, trying to figure out how to help him. Once Kai was unloaded, Bard sent him off to hunt and find a water source to drink from. Meanwhile, he arranged their things and looked about. The suns would set soon, so he got to work with the barrier first. He dug a hole for a fire pit, cleared the dead brush and materials and gathered wood. Sen helped where she could, but this was so new to her.

He started the fire, checking to see if their shadows would mostly cast on the rocks. Satisfied, he pulled out his tokens and found Defender’s. With a slight flourish of pent-up energy, he started to move it around. Within moments, a humming sound began and the trees around them responded. Their song grew louder until he was sure it would drive away the shades. When that was done, he began to forage within the barrier of the sound. This place was rich in herbs, but without Sen, he wouldn’t have found as many edibles as they did. They began to cook when Kai appeared with some of this hunt.

He looked pleased as he presented the catch.

“Thanks, buddy,” Bard said before rubbing his head. At the very least, Kai had found water and cleaned off most of the blood from his mouth. Sen was curious and looked over the meat. Bard came over and began to pull it apart so they could more easily cook it. With a few herbs, he seasoned the meat and roasted it, adding a delectable aroma for the meal.

Sen ate eagerly before yawning. Bard smiled and had Kai curl up near the rock, so their shadows wouldn’t go high. He then pulled out his blankets and set them on Kai’s side.

“Why you putting them there? Kai don’t get cold,” Sen pointed out. Bard found her attempts to speak his language as silly.

“Sure, but it’s more comfortable to sleep here than on the ground,” Bard countered. She looked surprised, and then her gaze flicked to Kai’s face.

The wolf-like head hummed and then laid down on the ground. Sen didn’t need much time to come over and see what it felt like to lay on Kai’s soft silver fur. With the cloak and the blanket, she contentedly hummed as she closed her eyes. Bard paused, realizing he would be nearby, and looked to Kai before shifting a bit further away. He didn’t want any reason for her father to come after him before the Pledge was fulfilled.

Sen spoke as he started to settle in.

“What story share?” She asked. He remembered what he had said before they left on this journey and groaned, turning over to look at her.

“I’ve been traveling for most of my life,” he started. He shared a bit about how many Elders he had encountered and what traveling alone had been like. She had many questions, but eventually his eyes wouldn’t stay open.

“Your turn,” he yawned. Sen looked at him with an apologetic gaze and shared about her worries and what her grandfather and father had told her the journey would be like. Bard struggled to talk, and mostly listened. Some things were spot on, but most were a bit inaccurate. He quickly corrected the ones that were highly incorrect, but only realized he had fallen asleep when Kai woke him.

They made a bit of breakfast since Sen was hungry before packing and leaving.

While they didn’t slow their pace, Sen this time looked around. She was shocked at the changing of the silver woods to the evergreen trees.

The night passed similarly as the first, and so they traveled well to the next day.

The landscape changed from pine to a different deciduous tree, with fall colors barely starting to come in. Few trees broke from the landscape, passing by them. The only notable exceptions were when they passed near cliffs and hills. They found a river and followed it west. It was surrounded by tall grasses as far as the eye could see. Bard knew that if they traveled due west, they would see the break of the sea, but first they needed to avoid the city ruins. Kai broke to the north and kept a steady pace west, giving those ruins a safe distance. Abandoned during the wars nearly six hundred years ago, they now housed shades and other unsavory creatures and beings. He didn’t want to attempt to retrieve anything of use from that place with Sen accompanying them. Despite wishing for a sharp blade to make carving meat easier, along with his other tasks.

Bard noticed, as they passed the ruins and returned to the river, that Kai seemed to be panting a bit harder today. He was doing well for maintaining his pace, but they would need to take a longer break, as Bard could sense the fatigue in the way they tread across the terrain.

They hit the next cluster of thin trees right as the sun was setting. This forest was still too young to house an elder tree, so Bard prepared the ritual to stave off the dangers for the night.

He created a space he designated as safe and placed some of the dead growth in the center of it. He then drew a circle around them and dropped the token of defender on its cord. He moved it about, causing it to whistle its melody. He then continued with each token, further creating the sanctuary. If needed, he would break a light stick. He had Sen gather dead branches and grasses in case they needed to light a fire around them if the sanctuary came undone.

He finished the ritual and breathed deeply as the melodies continued to lightly sing around them. Bard looked at Kai, who seemed preoccupied with something. It was in the direction of the city.

“You hear them, Kai?” he asked. Kai’s ears flicked and after a bit he looked at Bard and then back in the direction of the cities. His hackles weren’t raised, and his demeanor was calm. “Worried we might be pursued by the city at this rate?” Bard teased and Kai groaned.

“Don’t worry. As soon as we see the strange peak, we will turn to face the constellation of healer so we can evade their hunting grounds.” Kai barked joyfully at this suggestion, and Bard noticed Sen come into the center and start unloading Kai of his water supplies and gear.

Bard helped her, and they chatted in Dryadic and then Teka, exchanging words and asking the other how they would say something in the other language.

Bard took out a stone he had picked up the day before and grabbed a second that should be harder. He struck them together, causing Kai to flinch and cover his ears.

“Sorry, buddy, but I need to make this. It’ll be a few days,” Bard said apologetically. Kai whined and then covered his ears better and closed his eyes.

“What are you making?” Sen asked.

“A knife of sorts. I need to cut some reeds when we hit the swamp before crossing to the savanna. And my last blade was lost in defender’s forest.”

He didn’t want to tell her that he had discarded it because the other elder had warned him if he had anything that could be considered a weapon, he would be killed on the spot.

It wasn’t a great blade, but it had been found in the city. Perhaps he could purchase one with the caravans. Perhaps not. But for now, he would make something akin to it. He did as he remembered being instructed and flinched as he chipped the stone a bit more than he had wanted. He corrected for the chip and then grabbed a bit of leather and ran the blade across it. Sen watched in fascination. The remaining light passed like this. Sen asking him what he was doing, and he answered.

When the chill of the night came, they wrapped in their blankets and cuddled next to Kai for warmth.

So far, the stories Sen had mentioned had been about her and her grandfather and how despite her father’s protests, she had learned some teka words and the stories her grandfather had told of times before the war.

Bard’s stories mostly revolved around his journey. It made sense that Sen would be interested in that, as they were now retracing it with a much faster pace.

“I’ll start tonight,” Bard said, and Sen listened as he talked about the city they were avoiding. He and Kai had stepped in there before, finding a fledgling tree that was swarmed by shades. Unfortunately, that was the end of their travel in the city. Kai had sensed something was off and had carried him out.

“Is that why he seems to be wary of it?” Sen asked, looking at Kai, who was watching in the direction of the city. Bard hummed a thoughtful sound. He didn’t know. Just he was aware of Kai, since the two had relied on each other a lot over the near decade they had traveled together.

“In any case, I’m going to watch the stars tonight. You get some sleep in case we need to have a watch,” Bard directed. Sen yawned and agreed before turning and falling asleep. In the dark of the night, Bard watched the moon begin its travel across the shattered sky. He found the main constellation that were up this time of year and kept track of where they were. He would need those directions on their journey.

After his observations were complete, he drifted to sleep.