~No Name~ - Winter Nyala (ap literature book list TXT) 📗

mouth and then shut it. What ever he was going to say, he quickly avoided the subject. “Who are you, then?” He asked as he turned his head away.

I looked back and smiled. “Someone with the power to stop these beasts. Apparently they-” I stopped myself. ~Why would I tell this Stranger what I can do?~ I turned to the horse outside and walked down the steps.

“There was a beast here!” The 'prince' yelled to me as I stopped in front of the horse.

Putting the knife back in my boot I hoisted myself on the horse and held my hand out to the boy. “Come now.”

He took my hand and I placed him in front of me. I gave him the reins and took my bow from my back. I pointed to the road and whispered to him, follow the road to the right and when a small trail comes around, take it down. It leads to a creak and then a small shack. We will sleep there for the night.

 

He nodded and started to ride. I spun around and readied my bow, holding it steady against our 'princes' head.

Gathra stood at the entrance of my home, now forgotten. Watching us leave with his horse. I smiled and kicked the horse a bit, making it go faster.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I hoped off the horse and took the reins from the boy. Leading the horse to the creak. I dropped the reins and went to help the boy dismount and yet he had already got off the horse.

I smiled, “Come inside. The night is quick today.” I led the boy inside and threw a log in the fire pit. “Darn thing went out.”

I walked to the bed and brought a knife out from under the pillow. “Here.” I handed the boy the knife and smiled, “stay here and use this if someone, other than me comes through that door. Got it?”

He nodded and hesitated before he smiled back at me. “Good. I'll be back shortly. I have to get some kindling to start another fire.”

I headed out the door and immediately got a feeling I should bring the boy with me. I turned around and walked back inside. Grabbing the two hunters pack I had placed on the bed, I gave one to the boy and handed a coat to him as well.

“Change of plans. Your coming with me and we are leaving.” He looked at me confused. “We have to leave. Trust me. I got this feeling...” I trailed off and grabbed another coat to stuff it in my pack.

He nodded, even though he knew I wasn't looking. I opened the door and waved at the boy to follow. I went to the horse and took the important needs from the saddlebag and slapped the horses ass, making it runoff.

“We don't need him. He will actually slow us down. Anyways, where we are going, horse are frowned upon.” I smiled and couldn't help but to chuckle at his curiosity and confusion. “Come now, we must be going.”

I began to walk toward a bend in the creak and the boy followed close behind. As soon as we left did we hear a loud crash. We were still too close to the shack when the creatures arrived. I grabbed the boy's hand and dragged him on my back. We then crossed the creak. It was deep were we crossed, thus the reason I put the boy on my back.

He was squirming a little when I stopped on the other end, I found out why when I looked across the creak. There was a creature headed my direction. I began into a run, deep into the forest.

“Don't worry!” I yelled to the boy. “I know this forest since I was a little girl.”

I could feel his anxiety. I could feel his heart beat fast against my shoulder. I smiled and kept running.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We had stopped when the night was almost here. It had fallen quickly that day. I set the boy down near a giant tree, he was half asleep and almost ready to doze off. I grabbed the pack from him as he yawned, wiping his eyes.

“Here ya are.” I handed him my coat and pointed to the small overhang near the tree. “Try and get some sleep. You'll need it.”

He started for the overhang when I turned around and started to pick up kindling and sticks. We needed a fire to keep the other animals away and to keep warm. Even though it could lead the creature toward us, I didn't care. I doubt they would venture this far in the forest without much needed protection.

I looked at the boy and smiled as he was fast asleep, curled in the coats. “Better make the fire soon.” As soon as I said this did I hear a howl in the distance.

~~~

~~~~~~~~~~~

The next morning was full of the wetness of dew. The trees had a sparkle to them as the sun shone over the mountains. I sat by the fire and was turning over some meat when I heard the boy stir.

“Morning,” I told him as I saw his hazel eyes peek through the coats. “Sleep well?”

He nodded and I couldn't help to giggle as he stared at the food in the fire. “Come on over here. Sit by the fire and warm yourself. The meat is almost done.” I flipped another piece of meat and smiled at the boy as he got up and shivered.

“Last night got a little cold for you eh?” He nodded as he ran his fingers through his messy hair. “Yep. I had to fight off a wolf last night as well. It wandered into our camp and was stiffing around.” His eyes were staring straight at me, wide. I laughed, “don't worry. Where do you think the meat came from?”

He stared at the meat in the fire and backed up a little. I laughed again, “Ha ha, I am kidding. It is deer. Hunted it while you slept this morning.” He stared at me and grinned. “Ha, there we are, come over here!”

I handed the boy some meat and as I bit into the piece in my hand, I heard a cry. Sounded like a human, yet it sounded like an animal. I got up and told the boy to continue eating it was probably nothing, and walked toward the sound. The boy sat there eating away at his juicy piece of meat, watching me walk toward the bushes near our camp.

I rounded the corner of the bushes and saw a glimpse of a small hooded figure running toward a tree. I hurried toward the tree and the figure stepped out and threw a rock at me. I flinched as it hit my cheek. I stepped forward and grabbed a hold of the outstretched arm. I dragged her frail and shivering body toward me and got a better grip.

She whined as I took off the hood to reveal the girls unnatural face. Her eyes looked like they were changing color as I held her. She looked young, for her skin had a pale softness to it and yet she was hiking through the forest. She was starting to cry when I swung her in my arms. I carried her to the camp and as I entered the boy stood and wiped part of his dirty face with his sleeve. He took a step forward and paused.

“Get a piece of meat and some water.” I told him and he walked off to retrieve the needs. Setting the girl down on a giant rock near the fire the boy returned to me handing me the meat first. ”Here. Eat and-” I grabbed the bowl of water from the boy, “-drink. I know you need it.”

She took it with a little hesitation and nodded at me as she began to eat. I asked her where she was headed and she told me she was going to the capitol. We were packing as the girl ate and drank. Every once and a while I would snap the boys attention back, since he always wavered toward the girl. We had much ground to cover and I was not letting a lone girl slow us down. She thanked me and told me that she would not burden us with our escort. Since she was going the opposite direction we intended to go. I pointed her in the general direction and we said our goodbyes. The boy would just stand there and say nothing as the girl and I talked.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Every time there was a noise, the boy flinched against my back. I had picked up the boy as we crossed another creak. This one was a little deep and I had a little trouble keeping myself from falling in the water. If I fell, the boy would surely drown and I wouldn't be able to live with that. We did have a lighter load since I gave the girl some food and a spare coat. I smiled at the thought of the young girl bowing to a stranger and her supposed bother, or son.

The creak was getting deeper and I felt the rocks slip under my feet with each step. I could see the greenish tint of the moss that covered the rocks beneath the surface of the flowing water. I sighed and told the boy to ready himself and he tapped my shoulder. I looked and saw his face, scared and terrified. I looked behind me to see a creature stiffing the air near my direction. I crouched a little and watched as it paced back and forth.

“Ready your self boy,” I whispered to the boy and watched as he nodded slightly.

With one quick move I threw the boy to the shore on the other side and unsheathed my sword as the creature lunged toward me. Dodging the first attack, it landed in the water and started to flow down the creak. I was floating in a small pool of still water, created by the continual flow of many years. The creature flailed around in panic as it drifted pasted me. It didn't howl, nor did it scream its high pitched screech.

The boy stood and I tried to do the same. Instead I lurched forward in pain. ~What had caused this pain? Did I get hurt? Did the beast wound me?~

 

I searched my body to find a giant cut across my forearm and stifled a small laugh. ~Why was such a small wound hurting like this?~

 

I lurched forward again and fell into the water.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I forced my body to the side. Opening my eyes to see that my arm was bandaged and there was a small figure hunched over some embers of what looks like a fire trying to burn with life. Looking closer at the figure I realized it was the boy, he had a girlish figure and when he stood, he walked just like a royal woman. My eyes widened and I lowered my gaze. ~Such grace for a boy...~

I sat up. “You need to get bark...” I coughed. “And some more tree needles, to help it burn.” I coughed again and he handed me a bowl. Inside the bowl was not water yet it was murky and looked almost black. I looked at the boy and raised an eyebrow.

“And what is in it?” I stifled a cough. He drew in the dirt the symbol for tea and herbs, “What kind of herbs?”

He took a pouch his pocket and showed it to me. I smiled and with one gulp, I drank the tea. It tasted tart and sour. My head cleared a little and I tried to smile yet