The Nuclear Reign of Strottimar [Part 1]

Chapter 6; The Blood Market

It'd been so late in the moon hours that the sky blurred into morning while I drew a slow breath. The air was cold, filling my lungs as I primped my wings. Praise The Sun, I couldn't wait for this cold to be over with. I grumbled, my mind on fire as I crouched in the tall frosty stalks of the fields just outside Maplewood's glory. My weak eyes could just barely make out her silhouette above the treeline as I slowly turned and trekked on.

The silence sounded a symphony accompanied by the harsh winds of the breaking dawn as I listened with care. The frozen stalks brushing against my wings tickled white I kept a tall stick in hand, and all my traveling materials and food stored in my bulky cloak. I hadn't been to Tebanthia in a while, so I was able to borrow a map from Porter's study, thankfully. I read through the tea stains and a stitched up tear near the corner where the province of Maplewood was carefully drawn. Beyond the territories of the province, laid out several lush forestry areas to the south where the treddors resigned, sometimes bleeding into these fields or even the flate territories off to the north. Treddors were foolish creatures, like wild dogs that ran through these woods without care. They were unreasonably hard to communicate with, considering the fact they were missing decent manners or any sort of formality or taking people seriously.

Yet, unfortunately, due to the fact that they always seemed to be running into our territories, I've had to deal with several miserable encounters with packs of treddors and chasing them from our province through threats and spears. It would only be my luck to run into a hungry pack of them out here in this weather, yet, I tried my best to keep on course and stay positive. I was doing this for Xander, for the betterment of the whole flate and hybrid communities in the province, not myself or the guild council. If their captain failed, then they all failed. Xander always needed to be in the very best of shape.

I had to pull myself together, that's when I heard the rustling of the tall stalks behind me. Immediately, prepared for the worst, I whipped around, my tall traveling stick in hand as I held it outwards like a spear as my eyes gazed around for what had made the movement in the underbrush, staying still in quiet in the dark shadows of the early dawn. I didn't make a sound.

At last, the dark figure parted the cool blades of tall stalks aside and stood before me. I couldn't help but scoff, it was too early for this. "Xander Gilleus, what under The unborn Sun are you doing out here?"

"I was hungry." he pleaded, his arms were filled with spiky raspberries, staining his off white shirt and face bright red as I smiled. His cheeks were full as he mumbled. "Look, Quincy's kept me up for like five moonfalls in a row now, and she's not the only one who's gotta eat around here!"

I laughed, I didn't know what I'd do without his charm to get me through. "Only you'd be able to sniff out so many raspberries in these weather conditions."

"Yeah, that's not an issue. Why, what are you doing out here so early?"

"Well, actually, a friend of mine needed me to run over to Tebanthia to retrieve something kind of important." I explained with a fat smile across my face, starting to turn again as he only moved closer. "Wait! Could he- maybe join you?"

I paused, before looking over my shoulder to meet his eyes. "I thought he said that he was busy?"

"I have a minute." Xander finally gave in as I rolled my eyes and nodded. "Alright, fine, but you've got to sniff out your own raspberries for food. I have my own." I said, finally turning and pushing forward through the tall grass as he followed a distance beside me.

"Deal," he said. "I need to get away from here anyways, I want to see what the situation looks like in Tebanthia." he shoved another handful of raspberries in his face. "Does Quincy know?" I started sharply, turning to him as he halted. "I'll phone her when we get there..." he muttered through his full cheeks. I put my hands on my hips, ignoring my walking stick and bulky cloaks. "Xander," I explained with a sigh. "We aren't going to reach the outskirts of the fields till moonfall, are you sure she's not going to worry?"