Since their stop for the storm to make repairs, they had been making good progress. They started each day right as the first rays of the Central Fire graced the skies, and traveled until it began to sink into the horizon. There was the occasional minor break down, but nothing that made it necessary to camp early. And each morning, she walked out onto the plains to stare at the northern horizon, looking for any signs of the others catching up. And each morning, there was nothing, and worry lay heavy on her heart.
This morning she stood for a long time, gazing into the distance. At one point, she thought she saw a raising of dust, but she just was not sure. Rook finally came to get her to go back to the wagon, and she probably shocked him by saying........no, she intended to ride for a time today. She did not even give him a chance to stop her, but stalked off towards where she had Lyric tied. Taking the reins, she moved the kaiila next to the wagon, stepped up onto the wheel, and mounted her with no saddle. She knew the animal was gentle, and was not the type to make sudden moves, and she had ridden in this manner many times.
As she rode along, thoughts drift back to the past evening, and her time at the fire with Polunu. A change had come over the man, one that she found quite nice to see. He was still Polunu, but some of the rougher edges seemed to be missing, and he even admitted that he had found someone that was better looking than himself. Love simply glowed in his eyes, and she found herself quite proud of him. Aiyanna seemed to be good for the man.
Tug came trotting up on ShadowChaser to keep her company. Glances over to him told her how much he was growing, and saddened her in a way, to know that she would not have him all that long. He kept up a steady stream of chatter, that she truly did try to pay attention to, but her mind wandered from time to time, and she would turn to look behind them, but saw nothing but that serpentine line of wagons, and the blackness of the herd behind them. At one point, Tug asked her what she was looking for, and she told him nothing, she was just looking.
That was when they tyke shocked her with a question. Was he too young to pray? He then launched into an explanation. He had his own lance, not mentioning that it was wooden and had no spear head on it, and he had his own kaiila, which was true, and he was a man. Well, that one was certainly up for debate, but she nodded. She then told him that she would have Rook teach him to pray, or Kam. That small face pulls into a scowl as he told her that Kam was losted. She looked at him and asked what made him say that. Well, it seemed that he had overheard some outriders talking about the ones that had stayed behind, and in his little mind, that meant they were lost to the tribe. She tries to assuage his fears and tells him that his grandpa Kam was not lost, that he was only busy. The little dark eyes looked up to her, and she could tell he was trying to fight back tears. Promise? Yes, she promised, and if they were all still alive, she would kill them with her own hands if they made her break a promise to her son.
The little legs kicked at the pony's side to urge it faster. She asked where he thought he was going, and he turned to tell her he was going to catch up with Unca Rook. Unca Rook will tell him how to pray for Kam and 'Atar and all the other losted ones. 'Atar was supposed to teach him how to hunt with the sleens, and grandpa Kam was gonna make him his own bow, so he needed to find them. She could only shake her head.
Yes, he was growing up far too fast, but if the simply prayers from a little warrior could bring the others back into the fold safely, she was all for it.
This morning she stood for a long time, gazing into the distance. At one point, she thought she saw a raising of dust, but she just was not sure. Rook finally came to get her to go back to the wagon, and she probably shocked him by saying........no, she intended to ride for a time today. She did not even give him a chance to stop her, but stalked off towards where she had Lyric tied. Taking the reins, she moved the kaiila next to the wagon, stepped up onto the wheel, and mounted her with no saddle. She knew the animal was gentle, and was not the type to make sudden moves, and she had ridden in this manner many times.
As she rode along, thoughts drift back to the past evening, and her time at the fire with Polunu. A change had come over the man, one that she found quite nice to see. He was still Polunu, but some of the rougher edges seemed to be missing, and he even admitted that he had found someone that was better looking than himself. Love simply glowed in his eyes, and she found herself quite proud of him. Aiyanna seemed to be good for the man.
Tug came trotting up on ShadowChaser to keep her company. Glances over to him told her how much he was growing, and saddened her in a way, to know that she would not have him all that long. He kept up a steady stream of chatter, that she truly did try to pay attention to, but her mind wandered from time to time, and she would turn to look behind them, but saw nothing but that serpentine line of wagons, and the blackness of the herd behind them. At one point, Tug asked her what she was looking for, and she told him nothing, she was just looking.
That was when they tyke shocked her with a question. Was he too young to pray? He then launched into an explanation. He had his own lance, not mentioning that it was wooden and had no spear head on it, and he had his own kaiila, which was true, and he was a man. Well, that one was certainly up for debate, but she nodded. She then told him that she would have Rook teach him to pray, or Kam. That small face pulls into a scowl as he told her that Kam was losted. She looked at him and asked what made him say that. Well, it seemed that he had overheard some outriders talking about the ones that had stayed behind, and in his little mind, that meant they were lost to the tribe. She tries to assuage his fears and tells him that his grandpa Kam was not lost, that he was only busy. The little dark eyes looked up to her, and she could tell he was trying to fight back tears. Promise? Yes, she promised, and if they were all still alive, she would kill them with her own hands if they made her break a promise to her son.
The little legs kicked at the pony's side to urge it faster. She asked where he thought he was going, and he turned to tell her he was going to catch up with Unca Rook. Unca Rook will tell him how to pray for Kam and 'Atar and all the other losted ones. 'Atar was supposed to teach him how to hunt with the sleens, and grandpa Kam was gonna make him his own bow, so he needed to find them. She could only shake her head.
Yes, he was growing up far too fast, but if the simply prayers from a little warrior could bring the others back into the fold safely, she was all for it.
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