Chapter Six
We started by scouting the woods to find where the other hunters had set up shop for the night, but we encountered groups of soldiers everywhere we turned, so we continued traveling to the north. The earth was damp beneath my feet, so the leaves didn’t crunch that much, but I could hear twigs snapping as soldiers stepped on dead branches on either side of me. It smelled earthy and aromatic as we disturbed the bushes and undergrowth, and I spotted several night-blooming flowers among the greenery shining in the light of the moon. The moon had just begun to rise, and it was a mere sliver of silver in the sky, but it was enough to illuminate the path ahead.
Trails had been carved through the woods by the desert dwellers who shared this oasis, but fortunately, there were rules about how much could be hunted, so there was still game to be found here. What would be left after we were done was another question, but it would be the last time the oasis was hunted in for a while.
We continued to the north until we reached the edge of the oasis, and the trees began to grow shorter and shorter as we went on. The heat of the desert sands radiated in at us from beyond the brush, and we turned our backs to the warmth and headed west.
The four of us were silent as we listened to the sounds of the forest, except for the sound of Eva’s labored breathing. She practically waddled through the trees, but she refused to meet my gaze whenever I looked her way.
My wife was stubborn and proud, and I knew she’d only quit when she herself was ready.
Then I spotted Corvis hunched over behind a tree with his shaggy hair spread out over the back of his shoulders, and I signaled the women with me to halt by raising a single fist. The horse master had his bow drawn, and I followed the trajectory of the arrow to the giant buck Corvis was aiming at.
It was a glorious creature with antlers spanning several feet, and it would provide a lot of meat to feed my army and my dragon with. It lifted its head and sniffed the air, but it didn’t run away.
I held my breath and wished Corvis a silent good luck, and then he released the shot, and the arrow zipped through the air. The point struck home in the buck’s neck, and the creature leapt wildly into the darkness of the forest.
The horse master and his three companions raced off into the shadows after the injured creature, but I knew they would find it easily enough by following the blood trail. A wound like that was completely fatal, and the buck must already be on its dying breaths.
Now, if only we could get that lucky.
I was the God of Time, but just then I wished I was the God of Hunting.
Where was Jorgen when I needed him?
I’d learned all of my hunting skills from the experienced tracker, but I’d used my ability to reload to a save point in order to do so. I could use the same skill now, and I smirked as I reset.
Chime.
“Follow me this way,” I said as I took the lead, and I skipped the part where I checked on Eva.
If she wanted to stop, she would let us know.
I led my group past the spots where the other hunters had set up shop, and no one questioned how I knew which direction to go in. I tried to beat Corvis to the buck we’d spotted to the northwest, and I veered between hunters in an effort to cover more ground quickly.
Then I saw it.
Its antlers spanned several feet and rose high into the air above its head, and it paused to sniff the air as we approached. The white tail on its rump fluttered, and I saw its muscles bunched together as it prepared to flee.
I had my bow in hand a moment later, and I nocked an arrow to the string as silently as I could. I heard the sharp inhales from the women when they noticed the buck for themselves, but I put everything except my target out of my mind.
I was the God of Hunting.
And I always won.
I released the arrow after I aimed for the beast’s neck, and the projectile zipped through the forest toward the buck. It hit the deer’s throat and buried itself into its flesh, but the creature still bucked and ran into the woods.
“Excellent shot, sir,” Corvis said from behind me, and I turned to see the horse master stand up from where he’d crouched in the undergrowth.
“Thanks, find it and take it back to camp for me,” I instructed as I pointed in the direction the buck had run off in. “That’ll feed a few of us, at least.”
“Yes, sir,” Corvis said with a crisp salute, and he motioned for his companions to follow him. The other soldiers saluted me as they hurried past, and I waited ‘til they’d disappeared from sight before I moved on.
We watched several other soldiers get kills on some smaller game, but it wasn’t worth the effort for me to beat them to it. I wanted the bigger targets that would feed, and impress, more people.
I’d be called the God of Hunting by the whole army before the night was over.
We hiked through the woods looking for more prey, and I managed to find a couple more deer along the way.
“How much farther?” Zenda finally asked in a quiet voice. “The sun will be rising soon.”
“We have an army to feed,” I reminded her. “We need to take every opportunity we get.”
Eva began to fall behind, and when I glanced over my shoulder to check on the ladies, she was out of my line of sight, so I trotted back down the trail in search of my pregnant wife. I found her leaning against a tree with a hand supporting the bottom of her growing belly, and I smiled sympathetically as I crossed the distance between us.
“Everything okay?” I asked in a soft voice. “I lost sight of you.”
“I’m sorry,” Eva breathed laboriously. “I needed to catch my breath.”
“Great One,” Akina’s voice hissed through the darkness. “I see something.”
“Get it,” I instructed.
“It’s just another hunting party,” Zenda whispered. “We should find an unoccupied spot.”
“Are you good to go?” I asked as I turned back to my resting wife. “Do you want to head back to camp?”
“No,” Eva said as she shook her head emphatically. “Just give me a moment. I’ll catch up.”
“We’ll slow down to match your pace,” Zenda suggested as she emerged from the shadows of the forest. “It’s no fun without you.”
“False alarm,” Akina reported when she came out from beneath the shadow of the trees. “It is as Zenda said, just another hunting party.”
“Good work.” I nodded. “We’ll find our hunting ground soon.”
We continued on at a slower pace, and Eva managed to keep up a little better. It was several minutes later when we realized we hadn’t heard the sounds of soldiers hunting recently. We were on the northwestern edge of the Chunga Oasis, and the majority of the hunters had remained closer to camp.
I’d found an unoccupied hunting range, so I decided to reset to lead my women through the forest without fail.
One hundred percent completion.
There was no other alternative.
Chime.
I raced to the buck, shot it before anyone else could, and instructed Corvis to haul it back to camp. Then I headed to the northwest corner of the oasis where no hunters were, and again no one questioned how I knew which way to go.
Once we arrived at the unoccupied spot, there was silence in all directions. There were no sounds of twigs snapping or leaves rustling, yet I could still faintly hear the bugs and birds in the trees. The forest was alive at this time of night, and it would be easy to pick off the game fleeing the rest of the oasis’ hunters.
“Okay, so who gets to go first?” Eva asked into the silence. “We can’t all shoot at whatever we see, or we’ll riddle it with injuries that ruin the meat.”
“Well, it depends on what we see,” I said as I thought about the different strengths and weaknesses of my companions. “And what weapons we’re each using.”
“What do you mean?” Zenda asked. “I just brought my sling with me. Should I have brought a bow? I’m not very skilled with them.”
“No, you did good,” I assured the Zaborian historian. “You’ll step up whenever smaller critters crawl about on the branches above our heads.”
“I brought a bow,” Akina offered. “What should I target?”
“Large game,” I explained. “Deer, warthogs, and wild goats.”
“All of those things live in the Chunga Oasis.” Akina grinned. “This will be easy.”
“I don’t go anywhere without my throwing stars,” Eva said with a shrug of one shoulder.
“You should target the small game running through the underbrush,” I instructed with a curt nod. “If we all work together, we could get a really good haul of meat to bring back to camp.”
“Let’s get to it,” Eva said with a twinkle in her smoky-gray eyes.
“Yes, let’s hurry up and wait,” Zenda teased as she settled into a comfortable position behind a bush.
“You know what I meant,” Eva countered with a chuckle.
“Shh,” Akina whispered as she pointed into the undergrowth. “Something is coming.”
I heard a rustling noise in the bushes and I signaled for silence, and then we all watched the undergrowth closely. There was no telling what would pop out, but we were prepared for anything, and we all had our roles to play.
A rabbit suddenly dashed out from behind a tree and ran through the clearing in front of us, but it didn’t get very far before one of Eva’s throwing stars stopped it in its tracks. Two more of the white furballs followed suit, and the duke’s daughter had a star for each of them. She killed hare after hare before we were all even fully aware of what was happening, and only when there was no more movement in the undergrowth did any of us speak again.
“Wow, Eva, that was amazing,” I said as I stepped forward to help her gather up the dead rabbits. There were six in total, and my pregnant wife had to slowly hover over each one as she carefully leaned over to pick it up from the ground. I rushed to help her, and I quickly tied a rope around their back legs to carry them. “You’re really deadly with those, my love.”
“Yes, Eva, well done,” Akina complimented with a surprised lift of her eyebrows. “You reacted faster than I could blink.”
“I only hope I am just as successful,” Zenda sighed as she eyed the bundle of rabbits slung over my wife’s shoulder.
“Stop, all of you.” Eva giggled before she threw the tail end of the rope her rabbits were tied to over a branch above our heads. She pulled on the rope to lift the bundle of dead rabbits high overhead, and then she tied it off around the trunk of the tree. “I just did what any of you would.”
“Except twice as fast,” I pointed out. “Just take the compliments already. You did really well.”
“Alright, alright,” Eva laughed as she flapped a dismissive hand. “You promise you’re not just saying all of that because I’m moving slower than the rest of you?”
“Not at all,” I instantly reassured her, and I gestured for the others to speak up as well.
“Of course not,” Zenda said easily. “I admire your skill, Eva. I feel like such a novice in comparison.”
“We all have our unique strengths and weaknesses,” Akina said. “But you’re definitely an asset to the hunting party.”
“Thank you.” Eva blushed, and she turned away from us as a smile tugged on the corners of her lips, but then she sat cross-legged with her back against the tree. “I’m glad my turn is over.”
“Leave it to us,” I said. “We’ll fill the branches of this tree with game.”
“You’ll have to be quiet first,” my wife teased, and I rolled my eyes playfully at her.
We settled back into the silence after that, and we all watched the trees from bottom to top. I could hear movements farther away, but it was difficult to tell from this distance what was a human and what was an animal. The sounds drew closer and closer until we could hear skittering through the trees overhead, and a moment later, Zenda stood up from beneath the undergrowth and began to twirl her sling. A rock was nestled in the leather pocket and ready to fly.
Then the blue-skinned Zaborian historian released her shot, and the rock spun through the air and disappeared into the shadows of the branches above our heads. A pained yelp pierced the air, and a shadow plummeted from the limb where Zenda had aimed.
We all rushed over to see what she’d landed, and I spied a raccoon laying on its back in the middle of a brush. Zenda kneeled down, and she slit the creature’s throat before she looked up at me and nodded.
“There’s one.” The Zaborian’s sapphire eyes twinkled with delight. “More will come.”
We continued in that fashion for a while, and the smaller game were rushing through our section as they fled the other hunting grounds. They were easy pickings, so I let Zenda and Eva handle the next few creatures. Eva caught some marmot-like creatures in a snare, and she attributed the skill to Mahini’s guidance. Then Zenda shot a Guinea-like bird out of the sky, and it looked like it had a similar amount of meat on its bones as the small fowl.
“Good shot,” I complimented the blue-skinned babe. “You’re almost like a pro!”
“Pro?” Zenda tilted her head. “Is that short for a professional?”
“Exactly.” I smirked. “And a smart one at that.”
Our tree branch was getting more crowded by the minute, and we were beginning to run out of lengths of rope.
It was time to move on to some bigger game.
“Shh,” Eva whispered as she held a finger over her curved lips, and she gestured to the woods.
We all lowered ourselves into the undergrowth to get cover from whatever was coming, but this time, a young doe stepped out into the clearing. I blinked in the darkness as I tried to make out details, but the female deer was shrouded in shadows.
Then I heard an arrow twang through the air, and I looked over my shoulder to see Akina standing with her bow still held aloft. The former desert dweller exhaled softly as she watched her arrow strike true, and then her gaze flicked to me, and she tilted her head to the side as she smiled.
“Did you see that shot, Bash?” Her metallic eyes were bright even in the dim lighting of the silver moon.
“I did,” I said before I turned back to the clearing, but then I saw movement in the brush where the doe had emerged.
I pressed a finger to my lips as I crept forward through the underbrush, and then I jumped into the wiggling bush. I came up holding a baby deer, and the small creature only slightly struggled against me.
“Shhh,” I murmured as I tried to soothe the wild animal.
“Bash!” The girls all came thundering through the brush, and I held up one hand while I maintained control of the fawn with the other.
“What is it?” Zenda asked as she slowed her pace and lowered her voice.
“It’s a fawn,” I explained, and I worked on dragging the poor creature out of the brush.
The baby deer still struggled against me, and the whites of its eyes were visible as he stared up at me in horror.
“Shh, it’s okay,” I whispered.
“Aww,” came the collective sighs from my lady companions.
“It’s so little,” Zenda observed.
“That was its mother,” Akina noted as her gaze flicked to the doe lying dead on the floor of the clearing.
“What should we do with it?” Eva asked.
“We need the meat,” Akina said in a grim tone.
“You can’t!” Zenda moved between the fawn and the warrior woman. “I won’t let you.”
“We can’t overhunt the oasis,” I pointed out as I peered at Akina beneath Zenda’s outstretched arms. “This little fawn will be next year’s buck if we let it go free.”
“So it can run into another hunter’s traps?” Zenda asked as she turned her tear-filled eyes to me.
“Listen,” Eva said. “I don’t like this any more than you do, but we have to let it go. Its best chance is to hide, and its instincts should make it do exactly that.”
“She’s right,” I said. “Letting it go gives it the best odds.”
“What about the army and dragon we need to feed?” Akina frowned. “Would you spare this life?”
“I would.” I nodded. “It doesn’t deserve to die before it even has a chance to live. We have the mother. We’ll take her back to camp to help feed the army.”
“Fine,” Akina sighed before she pursed her lips and averted her gaze. “Should I not have taken the shot?”
“Did you see the baby?” Eva asked.
“No!” Akina gasped. “Not until Bash tackled it in the brush.”
“Then you did the right thing,” Zenda assured the warrior woman.
“I hate having to make these kinds of choices,” Akina complained with a shake of her head, and the vulnerable confession from the usually stoic warrior surprised me.
“We all do,” I said in a soft voice before I released my grasp on the baby deer.
The small creature lunged forward a few steps before it tripped over its own feet, but then it regained its footing and disappeared into the shadows of the underbrush.
“Well, tonight was fun,” Zenda said.
“Are we done for the night?” Eva sounded disappointed.
“I don’t want to be,” Akina said.
“That depends.” I frowned. “We have the doe to think about. We need to field dress it quickly and use the last of our rope to string it up.”
“Can I help?” Zenda asked.
“Of course.” I grinned. “We should all work together. It will be faster that way.”
“I haven’t seen any predatory animals,” Akina pointed out. “Do you think something will come for our kills?”
“It’s a tree full of bait,” I said. “We have to keep our guards up, but you’re right. I haven’t seen any cougars, coyotes, or even an owl.”
There was still a chance I would be eating my words in a moment, but if that happened, I would just chime back to my save point and redo it.
As soon as the thought crossed my mind, a twig snapped in the distance, and we all leapt into action. Eva, Zenda, and Akina disappeared from view as I sank into the brush, and I turned my gaze to the clearing.
A massive buck stepped forward and sniffed the blood left by the doe, and my breath caught in my throat. The grand beast’s antlers spanned several feet, and there were probably eight to ten points on each one. Its shoulder and flank muscles bulged as it paused all movement, and I could tell it would flee without hesitation.
I had to act now or never.
At least for this run through.
I nocked an arrow to my bow, took aim, and released the projectile in a single breath, and the tip spun as the arrow flew through the air toward the buck. Then it struck its breast, and the creature squealed with pain.
The giant buck keeled forward onto his knees, and it bowed its head as blood dripped down its fur.
“It’s not dead yet.” I heard the whisper of the women’s voices from behind me.
“It will be,” I said in a low voice. “That was a fatal blow.”
“I wish there were soldiers here to help carry the load,” Eva grumbled as she stroked her pregnant belly. “We have a lot of kills to carry back.”
“I’ll fetch someone to help,” Akina offered. “I can run back to camp and grab anyone who has already finished their hunting for the night.”
“Good idea,” Zenda said. “Eva and I can help field dress the buck, Bash.”
“Alright,” I said with a curt nod. “Hurry back, though.”
“I will.” Akina flashed me a cocky smile as she planted a hand on her hip. “I’m a fast runner.”
“I believe it.” I laughed.
Akina winked before she took off at a brisk pace, and I knew help would soon be on the way, so I went over to the buck and slit its throat to begin the field dressing process. The beast’s blood began to spill onto the leaf-covered ground at an even faster rate, and I stepped back to avoid wading in it.
“It’s always a messy process,” Eva noted as she carefully lowered herself to her knees between the buck’s legs.
Zenda put a comforting hand on the duke’s daughter’s shoulder as she joined my pregnant wife on the ground, and they both pulled out sharp daggers before they began to cut into the deer.
I cut the head free so the antlers wouldn’t get in the way, and then we tied the field dressed deer’s legs together and threaded a dead branch through so we could carry it back to camp. By the time we finished lowering the rest of our small game, I heard sounds of feet coming our way.
“Akina?” I whispered into the shadows, and the warrior woman whistled.
Corvis followed the former desert dweller into the light of the moon, and I smiled at the horse master in greeting.
“I’m glad you came,” I said.
“I wouldn’t miss it, sir.” Corvis’ eyes flicked to the piles of dead animals we’d organized around us. “You’ve caught more than anyone else so far.”
“I didn’t work alone.” I chuckled as I gestured to the women standing behind me. “The ladies did more than their fair share of the workload.”
“I’ll help however I can, sir,” Corvis said as his gaze turned back to me.
“Grab the other end of that pole,” I said. “Zenda and Akina will carry the doe.”
“What about me?” Eva asked. “I cannot carry what is left.”
“We make two trips,” I instructed. “But some of it might get dragged away while we are gone, so I need you to stay and guard our catch.”
“I can do that.” Eva smirked, but her hand lingered over the throwing stars strapped to her thighs. “I wouldn’t mind adding some more tallies to my total, either.”
“Don’t leave the clearing,” I said in a firm tone. “We’ll come back to this spot as soon as we can.”
“Take your time.” Eva let out a soft laugh. “I’ll be here, my love. Nothing is going to happen to our kills on my watch.”
I nodded, and I felt satisfied with my decision as I lifted the back end of the pole holding the buck and several strings of small game. Corvis picked up the other end, and he led the way back to camp. Then I glanced over my shoulder to see Zenda and Akina do the same with the branch that held the doe by the feet, and the warrior woman nodded at me before we left the moonlit clearing.
We made it back to camp shortly after, and since most of the hunting parties had returned, we had more than one volunteer to help us fetch the rest. I went with a group of four to the clearing, and I walked back with my hand in Eva’s.
My wife rested her other hand on her stomach, and a soft smile played upon her lips.
“What are you smiling about?” I asked as I squeezed her hand.
“I saw a coyote,” Eva reported in a pleased voice. “I tried to take it down, but I didn’t have a good shot, so it got away from me.”
“Why don’t you sound upset about that?” I chuckled. “It was coming for the kills you made earlier in the night.”
“It can find plenty of entrails in the woods now,” Eva pointed out. “It won’t starve.”
“Right.” I shook my head in confusion. “But why are you happy about that?”
“I don’t know, exactly,” my wife admitted with a one-shouldered shrug. “It’s like I can empathize with it. It wasn’t expecting to be met with violence when it first followed the smell of death. It wasn’t right to kill it, and I’m glad I didn’t.”
“Do you think the baby deer made it through the night?” I asked as I glanced back and forth into the shadows. “Or did we just send it off to its death?”
“We couldn’t keep it, Bash.” Eva squeezed my hand. “You did the right thing. That deer was strong, and fast. I’m sure it’s fine. Besides, you gave direct instructions not to target any of the young. We aren’t trying to destroy the oasis, only feed our army.”
“You’re right,” I sighed. “Thank you.”
“Any time, my love.” The smile on her lips stretched even wider. “Now, let’s get home before this baby decides to make its arrival.”
“I can always blip you back to Bastianville,” I reminded her for the millionth time.
“I stay with you,” she insisted yet again.
“Very well,” I chuckled. “I won’t ask again unless you request it.”
We made it back to camp a short while later, and the multitude of campfires burned bright enough to illuminate the forest for several feet in all directions. When we walked into the light of the flames, we were met with the sounds of cheers from my followers, and I lifted Eva’s hand in the air victoriously.
“God of Time, God of Time, God of Time,” the soldiers chanted in unison, and their voices lifted into the air like music.
“Tonight, we butcher what we need and feast!” I shouted, and another round of applause echoed through the oasis. I waited for silence to fall again, and then I cleared my throat. “Tomorrow, after a few hours rest for all but the next watch, we butcher the rest of our kills. I want our stores filled by sundown tomorrow so we can continue our march to Bastianville.”
“Yes, Great One.” The unified response sent shivers down my spine, and I took a moment to appreciate the power I’d gathered. These men and women had followed me into the deadly heat of the south, into a war against savage tribes, and into a battle against legendary monsters. They deserved a good rest, but we needed to get back to Sorreyal before I could make that possible.
I just hoped the desert didn’t claim anyone before we reached the border.
I would lead them home if it was the last thing I did, but I still had to make sure the rest of my people remained safe, and we had a lot of ground to cover.
I crawled into my tent just as the sun began to rise over the edge of the tree line, and I pulled a blanket over my head to block out the light. I would be no good to anyone if I collapsed on my feet. I fell asleep quickly. It had been a long night, so I slept despite the heat of the sun striking the outside of my tent.
I was awoken by the squawk of the iridescent dragon, and I groaned sleepily as I rolled over to face him. The small creature had stuck his head between the flaps of the tent, and he tilted his head questioningly when we made eye contact.
Meat?
“I know, I know,” I grumbled as I pushed myself into a sitting position. “I’ll feed you, I promise.”
“Who are you talking to?” Eva’s voice came from just outside the tent.
I crawled out and sat beside her in front of the fire, and the smells of meat already radiated through the air. The men were already hard at work on the rest of the haul we’d hunted the night before, and I wondered how many of them had slept.
“Your men love you,” my wife said in an approving tone. “You’re a good leader, Bash.”
“I’m glad you think so,” I said, and I bumped my shoulder against hers. “I want to be a good father, too.”
“You already are,” Eva insisted.
“Good.” A flush crept up my neck in response to her flattery.
“Oh, good, Bash,” Zenda said as she approached the campfire. “You’re finally awake.”
“How long have I been asleep?” I asked as my gaze flicked back and forth between the two women.
“Three hours,” Akina supplied as she approached from another direction. “But you could have slept longer.”
“I’m glad Nameless woke me up.” I rubbed my eyes with the heels of my hand as I yawned. “I still need to feed him.”
“I’ll take care of it,” Zenda said, and she turned to go. “I want to ask him some questions anyway.”
“He talks to you?” I arched an eyebrow in surprise.
“No.” Zenda glanced over her shoulder. “But that doesn’t stop me from trying.”
“Alright,” I chuckled. “Go do your experiment. I’ll be here, slowly waking up.”
“Take your time,” Akina said as she took a seat on my other side. “I instructed one of the men to bring over breakfast soon.”
“Oh, good.” I laughed. “Everything was taken care of, and all I had to do was sleep.”
“Even a god needs his rest,” Eva said.
We spent the rest of the day butchering and preserving the rest of the meat we’d hunted from the forest, and everyone took turns getting sleep throughout the day. The women and I worked on the multitude of small game we’d caught with our strategy, and soon, we were all soaked to the elbows in blood and gore.
“I hate to say it, but let’s call it a night,” I said while there was still game to process. “All of you have been working even harder than me, you must be tired.”
“We work into the night,” Akina argued. “I want to leave for the north tomorrow.”
“That depends on the progress of the rest of the hunting teams,” I said. “I’ll go check on them.”
“We’ll keep working,” Eva said without looking up from her task.
“Don’t worry, Bash,” Zenda said, and she laid a red-stained hand on my wrist. “We’ll take care of everything.”
“That’s my line,” I teased, but then I took the other two women into my gaze. “Fine. Keep working if you want, but no one would blame you for needing a break.”
I went to check on the rest of the army, and everyone else had either finished already or were close to being done, so I returned to my campsite to help the women finish preparing our kills. Corvis hailed me as I passed, and I paused to talk to the horse master.
“I’m all done here if you need any help, sir,” Corvis volunteered.
“Have you slept yet?” I arched an eyebrow as I crossed my arms.
“No, sir,” Corvis reported. “I can still keep going, though.”
“Not tonight,” I said, and I held up my hand when he opened his mouth to argue. “And that’s an order. Get some rest. I need you at the head of our army tomorrow morning.”
“Yes, sir.” Corvis sighed, and he obediently turned toward his tent.
I helped the women finish with the rest of the small game we’d caught, and then we washed up before the four of us crawled into bed together. Akina hesitated at the entrance, so I took her hand and pulled her inside.
“You’re one of us, Akina,” I said in my most reassuring voice. “It’s time for you to enjoy it.”
“Alright,” she murmured as she allowed herself to be pulled inside.
We all worked together to remove our outer layers, and we laid them in neat piles on one side of the large tent before we all cuddled together on the sleeping rolls.
I was up before dawn the next morning, and I slipped out from beneath the arms and legs of my lovers before I grabbed my armor and left the tent. I saw the shadow of Nameless’ wings as he passed over the moon, but it only lasted for a split second.
When did the dragon sleep?
He was like a cat in that way.
Not many were awake as I walked through the encampment, but I could hear some rustling from inside the temporary dwellings. They were used to early mornings, and it would be wise to try to cross some distance before the midday sun was bearing down upon us.
I went to Corvis’ tent first, and I cleared my throat before I called out his name. The horse master emerged from his tent a few moments later already dressed in his travel clothes. A scarf hung loosely around his neck, and I knew it could be used to block the sand-filled winds quickly enough.
“Are you ready to take us home?” I asked.
“Yes, sir.” Corvis saluted. “I will do my best to serve you well.”
“You always do,” I said, and I patted him on the shoulder. “Let’s go home.”
The army moved out an hour later, but my women were some of the last to rise and join the caravan. Everyone seemed energetic and well-rested, so I knew we would last several days before the desert weariness sank in, but soon we’d be home.
Or at least to the border.
I took my place on Goliath’s back, and I watched as my people moved forward into the open desert. We traveled north in a straight line, but we’d have to veer to the west in order to reach Edinburg Manor before our rations ran out.
Even with the days we spent hunting and refilling our stores, it was still going to be a close call.
Nameless ate more and more meat with each passing day, and I began to worry about him growing too quickly. He was like a bottomless pit, and eventually, he’d grow big enough to dwarf a house.
I had to make sure he would obey me before then.
We passed by the village Mahini’s tribe had abandoned when the warlord was hunting for weak people, and I knew the border of Sorreyal was only a couple of days beyond that, so I increased the pace of the caravan. I could feel the people growing weary of the endless trek across the desert, but relief was near.
Then the terrain began to slowly change. Some scrub brush and small trees dotted the landscape.
Edinburg Manor would be about a day’s ride up ahead, but that wasn’t at an army’s pace. It would take us at least two, and we had three days left of food remaining. It would be closer than I would have liked, but it was partly to be expected.
Nameless flew high overhead as the sunlight reflected off his scales to glimmer across the sand dunes. He cast rainbows across the ground like a crystal prism, and the entire army paused to stare at the colors like it was an aurora.
I shielded my eyes as I pulled Goliath to a halt, and then the not-so-little dragon screeched out a warning before he circled back to me.
“What is it, Nameless?” I asked as I squinted at the horizon.
People.