The Destined Protector (The Chronicles of Mistar - Book 1)

Eleven · · · Tapalla

Mayno, Gazar

TAPALLA WATCHED MONTA'S HOUSE ENTER INTO VIEW. The house looked bare when they walked up the porch steps. No lights were on in the windows and Tapalla couldn't hear Ralli's usual yell. She also couldn't smell Patonya's bread sprinkled in flakes of maron root.

Monta was already inside. Her voice rang throughout the little house as he called, "Mala! Pala!" When they did answer he yelled, "Ralli! Come out! I know your hiding from me!"

Tapalla could hear Monta's footsteps loud and clear as he ran upstairs.

As Tapalla made her way inside, she knew that Ralli was not hiding from him. His family was gone. They had left, maybe in search for Monta when he didn't return from leading Tapalla's family into the deadwoods. That was highly unlikely, though. They knew that if Monta had to stay, it was for a reason. That's one thing Tapalla envied about Monta. His family always trusted him, while her family had to watch every step of her actions.

Inside of the house, everything looked normal. Plates and dishes were put away. The fire was out, making the house feel cold. That reminded Tapalla that she would need to go to her house and put on some warmer clothes. More importantly, get rid of her stupid skirt.

"Monta?" she asked as she walked up the stairs carefully as if the stairs would break under her feet even though she knew they wouldn't.

Monta didn't respond so she kept walking up the stairs. It was quiet, almost too quiet for Tapalla's taste. She slowly walked through the hallway to Monta's room. She found Monta sitting in the middle of his room. The rug beneath him was made of elckon fur and so was the cover of his bed and sheets from soft leather hide from a tapees from Gazar. The leather wasn't made for warmth like the elckon fur. It was made for comfort.

From what Tapalla could see, Monta was holding what looked like a piece of constant metal.

"What is that?" she asked pointing to that thing in his hands.

"Something that I made for my mom," he soothed.

Tapalla stayed in the doorway as she said, "It looks like you never finished it."

A smile popped onto Monta's face. "I know. I started making it the day you first arrived. Because of you, I forgot all about it."

Tapalla crossed her arms in defiance. "Thanks a lot. You're making me sound like I did something wrong."

One of Monta's eyebrows went up. "You did. You came and changed my whole life. If you hadn't come, my family might still be here."

Tapalla frowned and so did Monta. "I'm sorry they are not here."

"That's okay," he said, standing up. "I checked all their rooms. They took all their valuables, but here," he said walking over to his desk which was next to the doorway he stood in front of Tapalla. "I have a C.S. in here so we can contact them."

As Tapalla watched Monta rifle through his drawers, she saw him grab his portable C.S. and a small box that was green and made of velvet. He almost laughed when he saw the box.

Before he walked over to his closet, Monta hastily put the box into Tapalla's hand. He then dropped the constant metal on the ground before he looked through his closet. He grabbed out a belt and hooked his C.S. to it.

"Excuse me," he said politely. "I would like to change. I would take a shower, but I don't think we have time."

"Why is that?" Tapalla asked.

"Well," Monta started to say as he grabbed out a pair of brown cargo pants lined with tapees leather on the inside and elckon fur on the outside. "My family has most likely left because of its ties to yours, which means we shouldn't be here for too long. People could be watching the house, ya know."