Rayna's Sacrifice (The Katori Chronicles Book 3) by A. Lombardo (intellectual books to read .TXT) 📗

Drew angled around the group. “I see no reason why I cannot join you as well.”

Everything settled, they collected their gear and parted ways. Redmon and Albey headed to the ship, and Kai, Rayna, Drew, Dresnor, and Shane went into the forest.

Chapter 3

Waterfall Hunting

The sun crested the Katori Mountains, spilling warmth and light through the trees. Birds chirped, and animals scurried. It should have been a pleasant walk in the woods, but instead, Kai could feel the tension in his Kempery-man. Stress pulled at Dresnor’s shoulders and neck. There was little Kai could say to ease his mind, so he let the man ponder.

Drew, however, reminisced about old times, going on about Kai’s younger years. It took Kai back to simpler days. How he longed for the times when he ran through the palace courtyard or first learned to ride a horse. Back before responsibility and choices overwhelmed his everyday life, he laughed and played without a care.

The light conversation brought laughter to Rayna’s eyes. It was good to see her happy, given the stress and pain they were both under. Along the way, she plucked flowers and herbs, often waving them at Kai before tucking them into her leather pack.

As the area around them started to look familiar, some of the landmarks brought back memories. Kai had traveled this area last summer. A small glade of dogwoods and a trickling brook reminded him of the afternoon with Smoke and the alpha's pack. Later they passed a fallen hollow oak. Vines wormed up and over the massive trunk. The tree must have been hundreds of years old; now it lay decaying on the forest floor.

One lone redwood towered over all the other trees. Its massive trunk had to be twelve feet wide. This was one of the last remaining markers Kai could remember; from here he listed for the sounds of the first waterfall. The thunderous rush of water began to drown out the burbling river.

They were close. With each step, the pounding waterfalls grew louder. Kai anxiously though about how to convince Drew and Dresnor to return to Diu. He knew his friend would not turn back without a challenge.

Out of nowhere, he heard a rumble. Constant and steady, the mountain seemed to grumble at their approach. Kai looked to the others; they seemed unaware of the noise. The crashing waterfall thundered up ahead. He continued, not wanting to draw attention to something he could not explain.

The trees began to thin. Hot sunshine hit Kai’s scalp as the group stepped into the clearing. He wiped the sweat from his forehead and marveled at the tower of water rolling over the rocks. Before them was a curtain of water cascading down into a crystal-clear plunge pool. Mist splashed off the rocks, creating a delicate rainbow.

Observing their surroundings, Kai realized the moss-covered rock walls on either side were unclimbable. Kai craned his neck to look up. “That has to be at least thirty feet high.”

“Maybe higher,” Rayna added.

While the others enjoyed the beautiful view, Kai tilted his head east. He strained his ears, searching for the grumble within the mountain. Either he had imagined the sound or the roaring rapids slamming down on the rocks made it impossible to hear.

Thirsty, each of them went to the water’s edge for a drink. Kai splashed his face with the cold water, stood and wiped his mouth. “Dresnor, Drew, and Shane, this is where you must leave us. We must cross the river here alone.”

Dresnor scoffed. “Nah, I think I will continue. Kempery-man Albey tells me the Zabranen Forest starts at the second waterfall. It is another hour or two around and up. I will turn back there—not a step before. If you’ll remember, Albey grew up in these parts. He knows the rules well. I will not leave you or Rayna alone in the forest.”

Shane smirked at Dresnor. “Well, if he stays, so do I.”

Drew nodded and raised an eyebrow in agreement.

There was no arguing. Kai dropped his pack and sat on a nearby rock. “We should stop for food. Refill our canteens. We have a long way to go, and mine is empty.”

He knew Dresnor was only avoiding the inevitable, but for now, he let him have his way. They kept the conversation simple. Fun, happy adventures around Baden Lake. Rayna tossed Smoke a few scraps and tucked the rest of the dried meat and cheese into her pack.

Ever mindful of the time, Kai hurried the group together, and they crossed the river using a downed tree wedged between the large rocks. Although he wished the others had turned back, he was happy for the company. He figured Shane tagged along out of curiosity, while Dresnor did so out of pure stubbornness. The man was utterly unreasonable. Kai laughed inside his head at the resolve of his friends.

Once on the other side, Kai felt a sudden uneasiness. The path into the trees looked well-worn. Dresnor wanted to follow the trail farther into the forest, but Kai was skeptical. He knew better. Everyone had warned him to stay near the water.

They walked into the trees about fifty feet, and Kai pointed. “We climb.” He pointed out the various ledges and boulders along the slop. Thick vines climbed upward. “Davi instructed me to stay near the water. He cautioned that the trails can be misleading and send you hours out of your way.”

Kai looked at the climb above. Smoke would not be able to climb with them. They would have to separate. His faithful companion stood beside Rayna. Her hand sank into Smoke’s thick fur. Sending Smoke off alone did not worry him. Kai knew the Katori would not harm a wolf; however, the loss of the second pair of eyes and keen senses did cause him some concern.

Confident his wolf would not bother with the path, but sniff out the route to find his own way, Kai sent him into the woods, instructing