The Bird & The Bear - Jacob Staples (short story to read .txt) 📗

to set in. Because of me, we had lost a valuable coachman who just so happened to also hold the rank of our most capable swordsman. Perhaps I had been too hasty. Maybe his fate was to die in this battle regardless of what I did. I could have only acted as a catalyst for the same, sorrowful outcome. Who can say for certain? All I know is that I killed a man today… And I deeply regret doing so.

 

*inside a horse drawn carriage*

 

Ratty: …and that’s when I let him have it! Oh, you should have seen his face as he begged for mercy! “Please don’t kill me, Mr. Rat!” “I have a wife and kids, Mr. Rat!”

 

Fyranger: *Ahem* Ratty. Not now… Please.

 

Ratty: Oh… Sorry. Sometimes I forget that every great encounter has its casualties. W-Would you like to talk about it, Fy? You know… About Jon?

 

Fyranger (dispirited): *sigh* What is there left to say? He died protecting us. That’s really all there is to it.

 

Ratty: But… Are you going to be ok? I mean, you and him…

 

Fyranger: That doesn’t matter anymore. Let’s just get to Loudwater and we’ll work our way out from there.

 

Ratty: It’s odd though… He used to be able to fend off an entire encampment of grizzlies all by himself while in a drunken stupor. I suppose his age must’ve started getting the better of him…

 

Senor: Y-Yeah… That’s… probably it… Good night… everyone…

 

Fyranger: Hmm? Heading off already, Rook? Yeah, it’s probably a good idea. We’ll be getting up early tomorrow to finish the job after all.

 

Ratty: He’s had a rough day, but he’ll be alright. You should go with him too, Fy. For protection, you see.

 

Fyranger: *sighs* You’re right. Good night, Ratty. Stay safe.

 

Ratty: Of course. And, don’t beat yourself up about Jon. It wasn’t your fault. There was nothing we could do about it, yeah?

 

*Fyranger leaves the caravan with Senor*

 

Bandit: What a buzzkill, sire. You sure you want to keep her around? She’s a loose cannon if ya ask me.

 

Ratty: Oh, well, it’s a good thing I wasn’t asking you then… She’s got heart… and she gets the job done. Let’s just hope this new turn of events doesn’t hinder her performance… Hmm. Well, what are you waiting for? Bring us the mead. We’ve a victory to celebrate!

 

*outside the caravan*

*crickets chirping*

*gypsies singing and dancing (muffled) in the caravans*

 

Fyranger: Hey, Rook. First day, hey? I remember my first day with Ratty. Of course, by then, I’d already learned the basics of combat… I mean, yeah… ...Hey, you’re looking kinda down. What’s wrong? It’s not too much for you, is it?

 

Senor: Huh? Oh, no… It’s fine.

 

Fyranger: Is there something you’re not telling me? It’s ok, you can trust me.

Senor: What? Who, me? No…

 

Fyranger: Come on, you can’t fool a Phoenix. I know something’s up.

 

Senor: So, where did you learn how to fight like that? You’re amazing!

 

Fyranger: Hmm? Well, of course I am! I have to be if I want to make my way up Pyre Mountain. The stone of rebirth’s not gonna fetch itself, you know.

Senor: Wait! Stone of rebirth?

 

Fyranger: Yep. When I get my wings on that bad boy, I can use its power to rise up from my own ashes. Who said death has to be forever, am I right?

 

Senor: That… sounds so cool!

 

Fyranger: You… think so? Eh, it’s a nice dream, but I don’t think I’ll be going any time soon… Ratty doesn’t want me to leave. He says it’s too dangerous and that I need to train more before I can even think about taking that quest.

 

Senor: Uh… Well, what if I join you?

 

Fyranger: You? Alright, don’t take this the wrong way, kid. I’m sure you’re a nice guy, but you’re a big, cuddly pushover. Besides, you might blend in with the snow, but we’re talking about Pyre Mountain here. You’ll get roasted out there!

 

Senor: Th-then train me! I’ll show you that I have what it takes!

 

Fyranger: *sigh* Let’s just focus on getting to where we’re going before we make any rash decisions, ok? I’ll let you know if I want you to tag along, but for now, let’s get some rest. I expect we’ll be at our destination early tomorrow morning.

 

Senor: Alright. Night, Fy!

 

Fyranger: Night, Rook.

 

*chickens and lizards doing stuff in the background*

 

Senor (Narration): As the night rolled on, deliberations of my fatal flaw and of Eagle Jon’s pained howls kept me up, relinquishing any thoughts I had of sleeping well tonight. Lying alone in the rear of a carriage amidst walls lined with animal cargo, all I could think about was how I had irrefutably killed someone that was only trying to look out for me. Furthermore, that Phoenix lady… Fy. She mentioned the stone of rebirth today. It never occurred to me at the time, but perhaps our meeting wasn’t a simple act of chance… Maybe it was written in the stars that the two of us would eventually find each other. Or… maybe these are just the musings of a sleep deprived duck who’s had a long day… and needs to close his eyes… so he can fall… asleep.

 

*rooster crow*

 

Ratty: Ok, everyone! Rise and shine! I’m not paying you all to sleep in!

 

Fyranger: Rook! Rookie!

 

*opens Senor’s caravan*

 

Fyranger: Hey, Rook! We’re about to get- Huh?

 

*chickens and lizards doing stuff again*

 

Fyranger: Rookie? Where’d he go? Oh, don’t tell me he left already…

 

Senor: Hey, Fy! Look what I made~!

 

Fyranger: Oh, thank god. You had me nearly scared to death for a second there.

 

Senor: Do you like it? I made it myself!

 

Fyranger: What is- Is that a cake?

 

Senor: Well, yeah.

 

Fyranger: Where did you even get the materials for a cake? Wait. Oh, no. Don’t tell me you actually used Ratty’s stuff for it!

 

Senor: Uh, of course I did… I mean, what else would I make a cake out of? Prayer, air and chewing gum?

 

Fyranger: Do you even realise how much trouble we’d get in if Ratty sees this?

 

Senor: But… I thought you’d like-

 

Ratty: Hmm? If I see what, Fy? What is it now?

 

Fyranger: Oh, Ratty! I was just about to start looking for you! It looks like the new guy used some of your stuff without your permission… But don’t worry! He was just telling me that he’s going to pay for it all out of his own cheque when we get to Loudwater so you don’t have to worry about it, like at all! Please… don’t get mad.

 

Senor: I said… what?!

 

Ratty: Get mad? Heh. Heh heh… Of course not. Let’s see what you made, boy. Hmm…

 

*Ratty sticks his finger in the icing and tastes the cake*

 

Ratty: You didn’t hold back on this one, boy. Well done. However… Hmm… white sugar, flour… cocoa powder, salt… eggs, milk, cream, cherries…

 

Fyranger: That’s… a lot of stuff for one cake…

 

Ratty: *clears throat* Then it’s settled. Eat up, the both of you. It’s nice, boy. Definitely worth the hundred and fifty gold I’m charging you for the ingredients.

 

Fyranger: But… It’s a 100 gold trip there, Ratty. That’s not enough to cover the cost of the materials. Where’s he going to get the extra 50 from?

 

Ratty: *ahem* Where do you think, Fy?

 

Fyranger: You’re joking, right?

 

Senor: Hey, Fy! Look on the bright side. We get an ENTIRE cake to ourselves!

 

Fyranger: *annoyed groan*

 

Senor: You know, you should really learn how to lighten up. You only seem to see the glass half empty, but you gotta see it half full.

 

Fyranger (sarcastic): Oh really? My pay’s gonna be half empty no thanks to you.

 

Senor: Uh, well, aren’t you gonna have some cake? It cost you 50 gold pieces anyway, so you might as well…

 

Fyranger: Who eats a fucking CAKE for breakfast anyway?

 

Senor: Um… Party… animals?

 

Fyranger: Unbelievable.

 

Senor (Narration): I’m not going to lie. I made a mistake, but I was determined to right my wrong any way that I could, by whatever means necessary.

 

*inside of a moving caravan*

 

Senor: Are you still mad at me?

 

Fyranger: …

 

Senor: ...Ignoring me is not going to solve anything, you know. Like, what are you even accomplishing by doing that?

 

Fyranger: …

 

Senor: ...Ok, now you’re just being rude. ...How would you like it if I ignored you, huh?

 

Fyranger: …

 

Senor: …

 

Fyranger: …

 

Senor: Come on, Fy! It was an accident!

 

Fyranger: How much longer until we get to Loudwater, Ratty?

 

Ratty: Eh? We should be entering the town gates any moment now.

 

Fyranger: Finally…

 

Senor: You know what? You’re not a very nice person… I might just have the last slice for myself. It’s not my fault you didn’t get any. Huh?! We’re stopping? Is this another ambush?!

 

Ratty: No, friend. We’re here. Welcome to Loudwater city!

 

Senor: Loud… water? Strange, I don’t hear any loud water…

 

Ratty: And that’s the way we want it. Last time we came here during a storm, we lost half our bait supplies to a school of quippers.

 

Senor: Quippers?

 

Ratty: Yep. They’re vicious little suckers… Best served with light seasoning if you ask me.

 

Senor: O...k…

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Publication Date: 01-11-2019

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