Luna

Chapter Seven

I awoke to the sounds of squealing horses and thundering hooves. The movement of jumping to my feet did not help my injury one bit, but something was definitely going on. Every horse that had occupied the camp last night were all running away from something and it seemed to be me. Some of the men whose horses had run were simply standing and staring as their horses ran and others were chasing after them to no avail. Kip was looking as if I had a pumpkin for a head and I instinctively took a step back, but I collided with a solid, scaly mass. It was a muscled mass that I knew all too well. I hoped he was at least invisible. I slowly turned my head and thankfully all I saw was the town behind me. The town and a large crowd of men all holding makeshift weapons.
    I don’t think that it is me that they are after. None of them could’ve seen me. All of the fear inside me left in a sigh of relief. At least my dragon wasn’t being hunted. And since these men were all yelling and running I guess it could be them blamed for the horses running and not me or my invisible dragon. I saw them coming and was worried about you. I’m sorry I scared the horses but I couldn’t leave you alone. “But Fidi, what are you even going to do, if you show yourself or touch anyone then we are both dead.” I whispered hopefully quietly enough not to have anyone hear me. I guess you’re right, but I couldn't help it. I’ll go scare the horses back this way maybe? “I guess that could work, it will at least distract some people” In response I felt slight movements in the air around me as he flew off in the direction that the horses had.
    “Luna, do you know what this is about?” Kip’s voice was quiet and wavering as his eyes locked on mine.
    “I swear, Kip, I have no idea.” My voice was steady but it was a lie, that creep from last night must have told someone where he was going and now they can blame me for his disappearance. The yelling intensified as the men from the town grew closer only to be drowned out by the thundering of hooves as each and every horse ran through the camp once again trampling everything not secured in a cart. The running men slowed as they noticed the horses and started waving their arms in an attempt to make the horses change course to no avail. Three men out of what seemed to be twenty or so had been trampled and I could see citizens in the town calming and catching the horses. The rest of the men continued forward slowly.
“Kip!” One voice rang out from the crowd accusingly. “What have you done to Clint?” I had to assume Clint was the man that Fidi had consumed last night. Clint straightened his shoulders as these men approached much slower now with their weapons down by their sides.
    “I have not seen Clint since our interaction yesterday evening at which you were present.” Kip seemed rightfully confused, “Has something happened to the man?” The accuser's face scrunched as he walked past me and up to Kip.
    “He hasn’t been seen since last night when he left to… to go for a walk in the desert.” Oh yeah you mean since he bragged to his friends that he was going to go rape a young girl in the desert. Sounds like a great man. “He said he saw your helper girl,” he pointed at me, “walking in the desert and now nobody can find him.” Kip took a deep breath and his eyes flickered to me for a second.
    “Well, she is a slight girl and I do not believe that she herself did anything to him, and I haven’t seen him.” Kip shifted his right foot in the sand and continued, “What are you accusing me of?” This accuser was obviously growing impatient and irritated. “Did you see anything that I should know of?” Kip gestured for me to walk over to him and I obeyed.
    “I didn’t see anything but you must have done something to him, it isn’t like he just disappeared now is it?” The man’s eyes locked onto mine and I could see so much hatred in them. I purposely softened my own.
    “I was attacked the other day by Araki men and they had dragons, maybe he came across them?” My voice had been as soft as a mouse’s and I looked at my feet.
    “What?” The man’s voice was now obviously trembling “You… you survived an Araki attack?” He took in a shuddering breath, “Why wouldn’t you warn us that they were in the area?”
    “Well they didn’t think I survived, and I thought I had seen them go back towards Araki lands and had no idea that they would come here.” I continued to stare at my feet and let my eyes tear up. “I never meant for anyone to get hurt, I simply wanted to move on from everything that happened.” I sucked in a shuddering breath, hopefully he thought I was crying.
    “Well I guess if Araki had been in the area that would make sense.” The man’s eyes filled with fire once again. “I believe that those bastards would do something like that.” He unclenched his fists and turned to the other men behind him. “I guess I was wrong boys, let's get to work.” The men all headed back towards the town with sagging shoulders and weapons hanging low.
    “Girl, good job defusing the situation.” Kip gently put a hand on my shoulder, “Now, let’s go find the bay.” Without another word we headed in the direction that the horses had run and found the horse at the Inn from yesterday. The Inn keeper had her tied up outside. Kip went in to thank the woman while I untied the horse. We packed up the cart and headed West once again. There would be a new town each day until we came to Edafosi which was mostly farmlands from what I heard. Anyway, we were off. To head away from everything that I had ever known and to make a plan to change everything about the tribe that had raised me. 
The next three days were a blur of loading and unloading merchandise from the various towns. The towns, just as Lily had said, grew less desolate as we drew further away from the Araki border. Not much. Still compared to the beautiful architecture that dominated the Araki tribe these buildings did not compare. Most of them had holes in the walls and lacked any glass in the windows. A knot began to form in my stomach as I studied the people here, everyone was wearing torn clothes that were spattered in muck. Even my rough hewn scratchy brown dress had me feeling guilty. 
A week into traveling through Fotia lands at the pace of a sloth and I was growing rather restless. Even though most of our days were filled with work, I couldn’t help but feel like I wasn’t getting anywhere. I had to get as far away from the Araki lands and then start digging. I had to get to Kyma, but I couldn’t just show up in a town just like Lily said everyone knows everyone in each town. If I suddenly appeared people would think something was off. So, plodding my way through the entire country it is. Either way, tonight I had to get away and see Fidi again, a week without him was too long. 
“Luna!” Kip’s sharp tone snapped me out of my daydreaming and I saw he was holding a stack of boxes that covered his face and I quickly grabbed the top few into my own arms and set them in the cart.
“Are these the goods that are going to the drop off point for the Araki?” The boxes were quite heavy and Kip had said we were dropping off spear heads for the Araki. 
“Actually yes, they are.” Kip looked impressed with me for some reason. “How did you figure that out so quickly?” 
“I just figured that the only thing that would be this weight would be spearheads.”  I shrugged. Was this the first time that I had shown interest in the merchandise? Must be something like that for him to have been so surprised. “Why?”
“You have never asked what was in any boxes before.” He was very intently staring at the box in his hands. “There shouldn’t be any Araki at the location when we drop it off.” He tore his eyes away from the box and locked onto my own, “Would you be okay helping me?” I forgot for a minute I was supposed to hate them. I let my eyes tear up and pulled my shoulders back.
“Of course. I am here to help you with anything you might need.” I let a small smile creep onto my lips as he set his boxes heavily onto the cart.
“Well, then let’s head out.” His eyes were twinkling, “This was our last stop here in Fotia the dropoff is on the border to Edafosi lands.” My heart was soaring. We were onto the next tribe. That much further away from the Araki.
I now sat on the seat next to Kip and looked forward to where we were heading. It was just now appearing in the distance. Something so obviously Araki that it could not be mistaken. A tower reaching all the way above the trees and the building wide enough for at least four warrior dragons to land on it. It was beautiful and constructed in true Araki fashion. The first new thing that I had seen since I left my home.
Just as we were approaching the tower I was craning my neck to look up at the top and I asked, “We don’t have to carry the spearheads all the way up…” Before I could finish my thought, all of the light was blocked from the sky as a warrior dragon flew overhead and landed on the very tower we were about to enter. My heart rate spiked and I reached out with my mind to try and find Fidi. He was nowhere near us, which hopefully was a good thing. 
“No, I must be late, they have never been present when I drop off the goods. You can wait in the cart if you are uncomfortable.” The horse was now obviously uncomfortable having sensed the dragon nearby. I didn’t think that Kip would be able to control her and I jumped off of the cart and walked in front of her to hold close to her face and calm her. Kip nodded at me and grabbed two of the heavy boxes. He entered the tower and headed up the stairs. If the dragon weren’t here then I would just tie up the horse and help him, but the bay would surely hurt herself if left tied up here. 
After what seemed like forever two men came out of the door that Kip had earlier gone into with grins stretched across their faces. If these men recognized me… Wait. I recognized one of them. It was Dennis, the jerk from my party. He looked even more disgusting in his uniform with his hair slicked back. If he recognized me I would have to flee and Kip would be killed for hiding me. They would probably assume he had kidnapped me. Where was he and had they done something to him already? The bay grew even more restless as my fear intensified. I could see the whites of her eyes as her breathing sped up. She was pawing the ground over and over. I couldn’t calm myself down let alone this horse. Dennis and his partner noticed me. 
“Hey there, girl.” Dennis’ voice was accusing, “Why aren’t you helping your master with the product?” I didn’t look in their direction. Dennis had been so obsessed with me for so long he would surely recognize me if we spoke for too long.
“The horse was too spooked by the dragon, if I left her alone we would lose her for sure.” I bowed my head, “I don’t mean to offend at all, but it is the honest explanation and what you two brave men deserve.” I had raised the pitch of my voice slightly, hopefully he was fooled. Dennis started reaching to my face as if to lift it up when his partner slapped him roughly on the back and chimed in.
“Well then let’s just grab the rest of the goods that belong to us then and be on our way.” He seemed cocky and they both strode towards the back of the cart. “Girl which ones are ours again?” Just before I replied he continued, “Oh yes, the ones that I want.” and with that he instructed Dennis to grab the rest of the spearheads and he grabbed a box full of rum bottles that we were to deliver to an Edafosi Inn.
“Yes sir, you are correct. Anything in this cart is yours to have.” I kept my head bowed. Hopefully they believed it was out of respect.
“Well, if anything is ours, I guess I just take you as well then.” Dennis chimed back in with the same sultry voice he used when he harassed me at my own birthday party.
“Com’on Dennis, it’s not like she is worth anything. There are much more beautiful women back home.” He chuckled deeply, “And ones that deserve our time.” 
“Yessir.” Dennis mumbled under his breath as he, thankfully, followed suit. I forgot he wasn’t the man in charge here. He only had a protector dragon, not a warrior. That meant he was just a lackey sent to assist the actual warrior. 
They went back into the building and only moments later Kip came stumbling out. His reward for his service was a black eye and a missing crate of rum. 
“Kip, I am so sorry.” I began, “I let them take a crate of rum, I didn’t know what to do.” He brushed me off and helped me hold the horse as the dragon took off and headed back towards Araki borders. We stood in silence for a few moments as the bay calmed down. Once she returned to normal we both returned to our seats and headed west. We set up camp in the forest that night as the dropoff had taken longer than planned. I told him I had to use the restroom and headed off downwind, pushing my mind out to reach for Fidi. He immediately responded. I’m here, I’m just going to wait for you to get a little further from that spookfest you call a horse. It gives away my position from a mile away. 
“Haha Fidi.” I taunted him, “Beaten by a horse are you?” my heart lifted as I was finally bantering with my best friend once again. No! I… I just don’t like horses. I genuinely laughed this time. As he simultaneously landed and revealed himself in a flourish. “Ooh, you are getting good bud.” Thanks, I have been practicing. With that I hugged his neck as hard as I could and turned back towards camp. “Sorry, but I can’t stay long today, those Araki soldiers really threw a wrench in our day. We are going to be late for deliveries tomorrow and we are missing a shipment.” I turned and looked into his black eyes. Unable to stop myself, I ran back to him and hugged him one more before he vanished. Standing alone in the forest, I realized that I hadn’t seen my mother since before the party. She was probably devastated. I shook my head and walked back to camp. Mother would be fine, she is a strong woman. I arrived and helped with dinner before we went to sleep for the night.