The Forgotten Land

Chapter Eight

Nite groaned in frustration and kicked at the chipping wood of the dock. "Why do you always have to point out facts?"

"Come here, Stump." He wrapped his frail arms around her and squeezed as tight as he could. "Go bring the hay from the stables and don't get yourself killed in the process."

"I will, but it will take me a while. But let me tell you, I swear to the gods if they complain once about how long it takes me, I can't promise that I won't try to fight them."

"Just go start bringing the hay. I will try to calm their tempers. Go." He patted her on the back.

Nite nodded and left him. She walked around the group of strangers, trying to avoid bumping into any them, but also not wanting to fall into the swift, dark waters below.

As she passed, she glanced at the group, huddled together. She got a brief glimpse of what they were circled around and saw that it was a book. In the dim lighting, all she could see was that the book was small and had stained, aged pages.

As soon as Endi caught Nite looking at them, she snapped the book shut. "Are we ready to go?"

Nite snorted. "Not unless you want the horses to starve."

Killer took a step forward, causing Nite to flinch.

Craid extended her hand. "There will be no more need for violence, Killer. Our host is simply being a little stubborn. Go along, girl, and get the food for the horses. But you need to hurry."

"I have to lug a hundred pounds of hay down the from the stables and onto the boat. It's going to take a while."

Endi spoke up. "Killer, go with the young lady and help her." She hesitated for a moment, and then said, "No. Wait. Killer, you stay here with me. Cily, you go with her. Be polite."

A woman with long, wavy hair and a stern face stepped away from the group and nodded to her leader. "Yes, ma'am." She turned to Nite and bowed slightly. "Show me where the hay is, please."

Nite eyed Endi warily. 

She stared back at her, a dull expression on her scarred face, as if this was a normal occurrence for her. She raised her eyebrows when Nite continued to stare at her.

Knowing there was no way she could win against the belligerent woman, she sighed. "Follow me." She walked off the dock, lantern in hand, and began making her way back to stables.

Cily followed close behind her. Like Killer, she was silent and light-footed. Her stern expression never left her lips and it made her look ten years older than she really was, which Nite presumed was around late-twenties.

When they reached the stables, Nite climbed the ladder to the hay loft. She left the lantern down below with Cily. "I'm going to toss down the barrels to you. There should be a wheelbarrow somewhere down there so you can bring the bales to the boat."

"I won't need one," was Cily's swift reply.

Nite stuck her head over the side of the loft. "You do know that these hay bales are heavy, right?"

"Yes." She kept her hands at her side and her posture straight, not a wrinkle in her military uniform. "Please, act swiftly. We are in a hurry."

"Whatever you say." Nite rolled her eyes and picked up the closest bale. She tossed it over the side. When she heard the sound of it hitting the ground, she tossed over another bale.

Much to her amazement, Cily picked up both of the barrels as if they were nothing. By the light of the lantern, Nite caught glimpses of bulging muscles hidden under the long sleeves of her uniform. It was beginning to make sense to the teen why Endi sent Cily to help with the hay.