Quiet Courage

5

Sure enough as the days past and the group moved closer and closer to the rendezvous point Cienn's face brightened and he began to get excited about things again. The first time he flipped a rock with his mind, or the first time he made himself get a psychic flash, all from the help of his ancestor's book. He progressed at a surprisingly quick rate, reading the book over and over again. Many of their evenings he would spend quietly absorbed in between the pages. The beaches were becoming rockier as they continued up the coast, and there came a point that they had to risk returning to the road, or else risk their horses' legs.

Cienn couldn't figure Kain out. One minute he would be stoic and reserved, the next jumping off a hundred foot cliff into the ocean bellow. He apparently really liked to pull pranks on his friends and companions, and many a morning Cienn found himself strung up, hot sauce in his morning tea, or all the saddles put on backwards. It was enough to drive one mad, even if Charna changed things with a snap most times. One afternoon as they moved back to the road to avoid a particularly rocky part of the coastline, Charna and Cienn's horses suddenly shied as they crossed the ditch on their side of the road. Kain stayed Aludaria and turned back to look at his companions.

"What's wrong guys?" he asked innocently. Charna already had her hands on her hips, Cienn's were crossed over his chest. Both had angry, frustrated glares on their faces.

"Take the shield down Kain," Charna demanded. She looked about ready to explode at something, the past few days had been particularly rough on the young mage, and at any excuse she would let loose on Kain. Kain and Aludaria's only response was for Kain to giggle like a madman and Aludaria to prance a quick jig that kicked up dust from the roadbed.

"What's the matter guys? Can't get on the road?" Kain asked with failing conviction, his words dissolving into masses of giggles. Aludaria was snorting and whinnying, her tail flicking in delight. Charna just rolled her eyes at the pair and sighed. Cienn led his horse back a few steps as she began to trace glowing lines that matched markings on her arms in the air. Before she could finish them though and dissolve Kain's shield they all heard a sharp baying from the west along the road.

"Crown Patrols!" Kain shouted, tapping a mark on the back of his neck that apparently dissolved the shield. They all turned their mounts and raced back into the forest and away from the sounds.

"What is that?" Cienn asked as they galloped.

"Sniffers on our trail," Charna spat in Kain's direction. "They must have smelled our little 'shenanigans' back there." She said with so much sarcasm Cienn was surprised the words had even formed they sounded so fake to him. Kain just blushed a deep red and urged Aludaria onward.

By the grace of some God they outran the beasts and their masters, and settled down on a secluded beach surrounded by tall white cliffs. They even risked a small fire, since the only way in or out of the bay had been where they came in, and with Aludaria and Alcana sleeping at the mouth, there was very little chance of anyone getting in. The silence at dinner that night was palpable. Charna glared daggers at Kain from across the fire, who at least had the decency to look defeated.

"I'm sorry alright?!" he said angrily to her stares, which made Cienn look up from his reading about telepathy.

"It's not about 'sorry' Kain," Charna said in a surprisingly calm voice, which Cienn thought made it sound all that much more degrading. "You risked our safety in a major way. And more importantly you risked Cienn's. You should know as well as anyone that we don't have any sort of victory without him. How could you be so reckless?"

"It was just a joke Charna! Don't take it so seriously." Kain said angrily, standing.

"Well it was serious Kain," she replied, her own voice raising finally. "Why can't you see that?" Instead of responding, Kain turned and walked angrily away from the fire. Charna sighed and turned back to the fire. Cienn sat there a moment, staring at the closed book in his hands intently before he stood and stalked off into the darkness after Kain.