The Princess of the Moon

Chapter 13

"Where are you?" I asked, walking towards Zën. I had learned that I could contact him via telepathy a couple of days ago, and that was helpful when I needed someone to talk to before I bashed Kala head into something.

"Around, why?" Zën asked, snarkily. "Did you finally go off on that old coot?"

I held back an eye roll and scowled. "Zën," I warned, and he snorted. "Where are you?"

"Come find me," he said. "I am in my usual spot. Bring your bow and arrow."

I rolled my eyes but didn't reply as I made it to a tree where I hid a bow and a quiver of arrows. My heart started to flutter with excitement because I knew that this training I would be good at.

Zën was helping me practice using my bow while riding him. Surprisingly, he was a better teacher than Kala. He knew when to test me on something else or when I needed to practice something that I had done before to become better at it.

"Did you just roll your eyes at me?" he asked, sounding "shocked."

I hopped into the tree and started to climb, still feeling excited that I would be doing something that I knew I would be good at. I had no idea what "tests" Zën had set up for me, but I knew it would still help me learn. "Yes, so get over it."

Zën huffed, and I was sure that he had ruffled his feathers. "I am so glad that I am not going to come to find you," he said. "You are so mean to me. I should leave my spot and ignore you."

I hopped out of the tree with my bow and arrow and started to walk towards the place he was waiting for me. "Do it," I said, knowing full well that he wouldn't. "Leave and don't come back for the day. I will do something else."

Zën scowled, and I could feel his annoyance with me from where he was at. "No," he said. "There is no command in your voice, and I am too lazy to move from my spot."

I smirked but didn't reply as I made my way to the waterfall that he liked to lay down. "Where are you?" I asked, noticing that he wasn't in his normal spot by the lake. "I am here."

"Look up," he said, sounding smug. "Right now is the start of a new challenge for you."

I looked up the rock wall he was talking about and saw a blurry head peeking over the edge of the waterfall. "Really?" I asked. "Why?"

"Well, you need to test out your strength. That's one thing that Kala had been trying to work with you, but she was doing a rather horrible job."

"And, you think climbing up this cliff will work?" I asked.

"Yes," was his reply, and I huffed.

"Fine, but I hope you will catch me if I fall." I licked my lips and started to walk towards the cliff. I took a deep breath and looked up. I had no idea if I would be able to climb this cliff, but I was going to try it out and hopefully not fall to my death.

***

"I am going to kill you, Zën," I said, clutching the edge of the cliff, the cool water pounding against my back. I took a deep breath and clutched the slippery rock as I tried to find a way to get to him.

"Hurry up, you are almost there," Zën replied. "Just take a deep breath and make the leap."

"To where?" I asked.

"To the other side," he mocked. "And hurry up. I am getting bored hanging around here."

"And yet you keep hanging around," I muttered, and he shrugged his shoulder. I took a deep breath and readied myself. Sending a prayer to the Gods, I twisted my body and jumped towards the other side, praying that I would make it the other side.

A small gasp left my lips as I started to slide down the wall before catching myself on another rock. I groaned when my whole body slammed against the face of the cliff as I tried to find other areas where I could climb up again.

"Are you ok?" Zën asked, and I scowled.

I gritted my teeth together and started to climb up the damn wall again, making sure that I had my footing. Sweat dripped down the back of my neck as I climbed, my muscles burning from the strain of trying not to fall off.

"Syn?" There was this tone of worry in his voice that I hadn't heard before. It was as if he was scared of my answer, probably thinking the worst.

"Ya, I think so," I replied, grunting as I climbed up a bit more before I answered. I reached up one last time to feel that there was nothing there. I looked up and noticed that I was reaching up and touching nothing but air.

Slowly, I placed my hand down and grabbed a piece close to the edge before starting to get my other limbs ready to pull myself up.

"Do you want help?" Zën asked, sounding rather proud. He didn't move from his spot, and I was rather glad that he didn't.

I didn't answer as I pulled half of my body up the side of the cliff and laid flat down, panting. Feeling accomplished, I twisted to the side to get my legs up as well before laying still and closing my eyes.

Zën pulled me away from the ledge gently by the quiver that I wore and waited as I caught my breath and opened my eyes to look at him.

He nodded his head in approval. "Good, you are finally here. Get up, and let's go. We don't have a lot of daylight left because your stupid ass decided to go slow."

I rolled my eyes and scowled, standing. "Just shut up, will you? For once?"

Zën cocked his head and had this thoughtful look on his face, and I scowled. "No," he said finally. "Because that would be too boring."