Death of a Guardian

Chapter 3

Emryk was the first to wake as he heard small avixes chirping from their nests at the tops of the trees. The sun was yet to rise, and he sighed in relief. They needed to be back before the festival, so they didn't get in trouble. As it was, his parents would be upset since they weren't supposed to stay out this late on this night.

Their parents would have to punish them if they didn't make it back to help. Their parents loved them both very much. However, to avoid punishment from the townspeople for neglecting their duties, they would have to discipline the boys themselves. It never happened before, but they've had several close calls.

He shook Aly awake and was pulled down into a kiss. Heart soaring with happiness, he knew they had to go, but gave into Aly like normal. This was his goal for coming here. The one place he felt safest to be himself.

Aly broke away first as he leaned back. "What are you doing? You know we need to go. You can't be attacking me like this all the time."

"What," Emryk said, laughing. "You kissed me."

Smiling mischievously, Aly stood. "You loved it."

They were slow making their way out of the trees. Emryk found his shoulder was stiff and sore. Once out, he tried stretching it against a nearby boulder. He felt a sense of relief, but dreaded the long days ahead and what his shoulder would feel like after.

Once back over the fallen tree, they began jogging. It was still dark out and while they've made the journey before during the middle of the night; they needed to make sure they didn't run into anymore trees. Neither noticed the fallen tree shrink and turn into a meryx. As they jogged back to town, it followed.

Emryk was the first so sense movement behind them and wonder. He stopped and looked back. A herd of meryx were looking at them from multiple directions. Even in the faint light beneath the canopy of trees, their eyes flickered in the moonlight.

Aly stopped beside him and looked back as well. "What is it? There just a family of meryx."

Emryk nodded, but felt a sense of unease. "I know. But there are always tons of them wherever we go. Doesn't that seem weird? There have to be over ten out there."

Aly shrugged as he looked at him. "It's nighttime in the forest. It's their home. They aren't scary animals."

Emryk pushed his friend. "I didn't say they were scary, Aleks. It just seems they are always around. Remember how your father says the legion has a hard time finding many to hunt? If your father and his troop can't find many, why are they always around us?"

"I must have touched a nerve for you to call me Aleks. I wasn't trying to say you were scared of everything. But you know you fear a lot. They are just little meryx. But you are right that dad said that. I have no explanation.

Aleks looked back towards town. "Come on. We need to get back."

Emryk grinned as they started jogging again. "You don't care about getting in trouble."

Aleks voice carried back to him. "Yeah, but I can't have you blaming me for everything, can I?"

"Sure I can. It's always your fault." I yelled back up to him through my heavier breaths.

At the town wall, they found the lowest point where they could climb up. Neither wanted to walk by the town's guards at either entrance. Aly helped push Emryk up to the ledge.

Once up, Aly stood back before charging at the wall. He planted his left foot as high up the wall as he could. Springing himself up, he grabbed the lip of the wall and pulled himself up. They walked along the ledge towards their homes.