Calaistas

Day Six

It felt like the same thing over and over again to Leandrios. Waking and walking, eating and sleeping. The forest looked happy enough to last forever. He wondered how she knew they weren't just lost, but he didn't care to ask her. Two more days had proved to him that her personality lacked... personality. She was incredibly secretive and snobby. "C" did not stand for "cuddly."

Leandrios was thinking about another night on the ground when he heard something. Something that sounded like... a bell?

C stopped in front of him, her features softening. The closest to a smile he had seen her get.

"You can relax tonight if you behave," she said.

He only grunted. Then he thought he saw something through the trees. He squinted.

"The highway is close," she commented. "We're coming to the first outpost." She held out a few coins. "To make yourself comfortable. Tomorrow morning we will meet ten yards north of the inn. First light."

Leandrios took the money silently, feeling his spirits brighten. Civilization? At least partially.

"We don't know each other," she said, waiting for him to agree.

"Never met." He clenched his fist and walked past her. Finally, a break. Maybe someone to talk to.

When he broke through the trees, a cluster of buildings filled his eye. All kinds of creatures milled about. It felt like home.

Leandrios headed for the inn. It was a sturdy construct, nothing too fancy. He sat down at the bar, throwing his money down.

"I'll be here the day and the night," he told the bot behind the counter.

The camera on its face zoomed into his. "Account?" it beeped.

"Leandrios Petrovious."

"One room. Drink?"

"Sure, why not? Give me your best."

Leandrios watched the bot pour out a golden liquor and set it in front of him.

"You're a peach."

"Thank you, sir."

As funny as conversations with robots could be, Leandrios left the bar after a minute and walked to the one game table. A group was crowding it now, playing cards. Outside he had noticed various other games and similar crowds.

He watched the players, betting for or against them in his mind. After a couple wasted hands, he shook his head and wandered outside. Gambling was stupid if the players were stupid.

Outside was noisy. Soon he figured out why. Behind the inn a racetrack was set up. Varmint racing. Not his favorite gamble but more than amusing to watch. There seemed to be a few key racers and a few hobbyists. There were a good number of rodents running around chaotically. It took just a smidge of insanity to be in varmint racing.

"Taking bets, all bets, here!"

"Lucky tip number five, Razorspeed! You didn't hear it from me."

"Bets, all bets!"

"And they're off!"

Leandrios watched the racers. It looked like some rabbits, a squirrel, a rat, maybe a weasel. A black rabbit cut out in the front.

"Magic Eight Ball in the lead! Coming up Herbivorus Rex!"

It was hard not to laugh at the bumbling critters.

"Wait, what's this, here comes Razorspeed!"

The squirrel squeezed between the two rabbits, making them jump. Leandrios frowned as they tripped and started to hobble.