She was composed again, it was almost as if the night a few days ago had never taken place. She did not speak of it, Rook did not speak of it, and the girls surely did not speak of it. The next morning, kasra had looked at her oddly, only to be snapped at, which was truly rare.
She rode on the seat of the wagon, staring straight ahead for the most part. Occasionally she would lean to look behind them, at the serpentine column that followed, and the darkness of the bosk herd that trailed behind the wagons. As far as the eye could see, there was nothing but Tuchuk and bosk, but no sign of the ones that stayed behind. She rode with her thoughts, which were increasingly more uneasy. She had realized that Kam's wagons were not with them either, and this confused her even more.
Through the day, there had been those that came to walk beside her wagon, delicately questioning her about some things. Her brother Hiram had appeared, and his questions were more direct and to the point. Where were the spex? Why were they not leading the people as was usual? He felt that since she was of the first wagons, she would have answers, but she had none. For the first time in a very long time, one of her brothers showed anger towards her. Wheeling his beast around, he rode back down the column to his own wagons.
That night when they stopped, the wind had abated somewhat, and she had gone about seeing to the evening meal for the outriders, and any that would have need to share it. She was pacing, sipping from a mug of tea when a man stepped from the shadows, flanked by outriders. She was immediately suspicious, for was he not only a stranger to her, he had no scars so he was not one of them.
He was a wise man, for he made no sudden moves, kept his voice low and calm as he inquired about Kamchak. And she was cautious, keeping the fire between them. Her mind flowed back to a conversation that she had with Tarra not too long before the move, about a friend that would be seeking them out. Was this that friend?
It was. The man was respectful and asked if he could sit, and she had nodded, but still made sure she kept that fire between them, and a distance. She offered him food or drink and he had asked for blackwine. The bowl was prepared, and she very cautiously sit it on the ground, keeping out of his reach. She was not a foolish woman, and she did know that Rook was watching, and the OR, but still she was cautious. He was still a stranger to her.
They spoke for sometime, but she did not trust him quite enough to tell him that Kam and Tarra had stayed behind. She only said that they were not around at he moment. There! She did not lie, nor did she give away anything.
The longer they spoke, the more comfortable she became with him. Just from his words, she realized that he truly knew Kam well, he even knew of Chay, calling her that blonde kur with claws. He had also commented on her pregnancy. It seemed the man was a healer, something called a surgeon, that she did not exactly understand, but had nodded to.
She found she liked him, and this was rare for her to like someone this quickly. They talked of dwellers, as they shared a disdain for them. The man did not care for cities, or walls, or the people that lived behind them. He told her he preferred to sleep in the open, just as he would do this night. He assured her that he would make his camp away from her, for he did not want to make her any more uneasy than she obviously was.
Later in her wagons, she lay thinking about him. He was interesting. But, was he an omen of some sort. And if so, was it good or bad. She would certainly keep her eye on him, and learn more.
She rode on the seat of the wagon, staring straight ahead for the most part. Occasionally she would lean to look behind them, at the serpentine column that followed, and the darkness of the bosk herd that trailed behind the wagons. As far as the eye could see, there was nothing but Tuchuk and bosk, but no sign of the ones that stayed behind. She rode with her thoughts, which were increasingly more uneasy. She had realized that Kam's wagons were not with them either, and this confused her even more.
Through the day, there had been those that came to walk beside her wagon, delicately questioning her about some things. Her brother Hiram had appeared, and his questions were more direct and to the point. Where were the spex? Why were they not leading the people as was usual? He felt that since she was of the first wagons, she would have answers, but she had none. For the first time in a very long time, one of her brothers showed anger towards her. Wheeling his beast around, he rode back down the column to his own wagons.
That night when they stopped, the wind had abated somewhat, and she had gone about seeing to the evening meal for the outriders, and any that would have need to share it. She was pacing, sipping from a mug of tea when a man stepped from the shadows, flanked by outriders. She was immediately suspicious, for was he not only a stranger to her, he had no scars so he was not one of them.
He was a wise man, for he made no sudden moves, kept his voice low and calm as he inquired about Kamchak. And she was cautious, keeping the fire between them. Her mind flowed back to a conversation that she had with Tarra not too long before the move, about a friend that would be seeking them out. Was this that friend?
It was. The man was respectful and asked if he could sit, and she had nodded, but still made sure she kept that fire between them, and a distance. She offered him food or drink and he had asked for blackwine. The bowl was prepared, and she very cautiously sit it on the ground, keeping out of his reach. She was not a foolish woman, and she did know that Rook was watching, and the OR, but still she was cautious. He was still a stranger to her.
They spoke for sometime, but she did not trust him quite enough to tell him that Kam and Tarra had stayed behind. She only said that they were not around at he moment. There! She did not lie, nor did she give away anything.
The longer they spoke, the more comfortable she became with him. Just from his words, she realized that he truly knew Kam well, he even knew of Chay, calling her that blonde kur with claws. He had also commented on her pregnancy. It seemed the man was a healer, something called a surgeon, that she did not exactly understand, but had nodded to.
She found she liked him, and this was rare for her to like someone this quickly. They talked of dwellers, as they shared a disdain for them. The man did not care for cities, or walls, or the people that lived behind them. He told her he preferred to sleep in the open, just as he would do this night. He assured her that he would make his camp away from her, for he did not want to make her any more uneasy than she obviously was.
Later in her wagons, she lay thinking about him. He was interesting. But, was he an omen of some sort. And if so, was it good or bad. She would certainly keep her eye on him, and learn more.
No comments:
Post a Comment