Survival

XI: Unexpected company

(Pic is kind of what Cornelius looks like ;) )

Sylvia's POV.

"Ahhhh!" I groaned slash yelled falling back on Maple's back only to hit my rifle and shoot back up. It'd been a day sense I'd left the farm and nothing exciting in the least had happened, I'd reached the end of the creak this morning and had been following the map toward Widow's Valley ever sense. I rolled my eyes just thinking of the name, it sounded so stupid... Who in the world would name a town Widow's Valley? Oooooo So scary! I snorted glaring at the trail in front of me. Simba was jogging at my side, he looked up at me in concern and I really started to wonder whether or not he could understand me, or at least my body motions as I let out another groan laying forward and closing my eyes for a moment. At some point the open fields had turned into a think forest casting shadows across a trail that was heading in the direction I wanted to go. It was mid-day so the sun that wasn't covered by any clouds was beating down hard on the three travelers. Overall though, I was utterly shocked, I'd gone over fields, crossed small reeks, and now was under trees where animals usually thrived, yet the only creatures I'd seen were coyotes, rabbits, squirrels, birds, and other small things. I actually almost wanted something to come out and attack me like a bear or wolf pack just so that I'd have something else to do then try finding shapes in the shadows that played around me,
"Maybe this wasn't a good idea..." I started saying to no one in particular,
"I mean... Like really, it's just a guy... I usually kill anyone I meet on sight!" I exclaimed throwing my hands in the air,
"No... He can't be the reason I'm out here." I stated stubbornly, "It has to be because I want to get revenge for my parents... It has to be. And to see if my brother's alive!" I added, though I'm pretty sure I was just trying to convince myself as no one else was around to hear my complaining,
"I mean... Sure he's a rather atracti-" I screamed again throwing my head into my hands,
"I am not thinking right... It must just be the heat... Or something! I mean, I can't be thinking correctly, right?" I asked glancing at Simba who just gave a small wine, I groaned once more laying down forward and covering my face,
"Well, that'd just depend on how you look at it," My eyes shot open,
"Like... What you think thinking correctly is... Many people have said I don't think correctly," The voice said with a chuckle, "But in my preference I'm perfectly sane! I'm sure your fine and just stressed out about all that... Stuff you were talking about," Okay... Either Simba had suddenly learned to talk or someone was walking next to her and talking like they'd known her forever,
"I have some family problems... They're always complaining and..." His voice trailed off before returning excitedly,
"Oh my! What is that!? It looks so soft..." I heard Simba growl and could only imagine whoever was walking beside me reaching out to touch him. Ah! I cursed at myself, what am I doing! This person could be trying to kill me, or distract me so that someone else can! As quickly as if I'd been doing it all my life I grabbed a knife that was tied to my leg and jumped off Maple landing right where I'd heard the voice following by a yelp. I looked down to see startled green eyes,
"That was uhm... Rather sudden," He stated in a high-pitched voice with his hands above his head,
"What are you doing here?" I questioned,
"Uhm... Wondering around the forest?" He said slowly seeming quite confused. I sighed frustrated,
"Why were you following me? Who are you? What do you want with me? What are you planning-" I was cut off from my exclamation of questions,
"Whoa, whoa... Calm down, is it a crim to want some friendly company?" He asked with an innocent smile. I raised an eyebrow,
"Really? You think I'm friendly company?" I asked stunned, either this person was very cunning or insane and stupid,
"Well... You looked like you needed some company," He suggested, I just growled pushing myself up and off of him.
"Uh," He slowly put his hands down before standing up and dusting himself off. He had brown curly hair though it was done up nicely, he wore torn jeans with a white T-shirt, a blue and black patched jacket hanging from his head by the hood. I shook my head in disbelief wondering how in the world he'd managed to survive so far, he didn't even have a weapon! I grouchily jumped back up onto Maple heeling him in the side and he trotted forward, Simba followed though glanced back in concern as the man looked up startled and quickly followed me,
"Hey wait up!" He said, keeping pace with the horse. I just ignored him keeping my eyes straight on the path, I wasn't in the mood to deal with this dimwit,
"I'm Cornelius Johnson," He said lifting his head proudly before slouching again, "But you can just call me Corny," I covered my mouth trying to hide my laugh. I remembered reading once in a dictionary what corny means...
"And what may your name be mi-lady?" He said keeping pretty good pace with Maple even while he had his hands behind his back. I sighed before jumping off the horse, he could use a break from me riding him and it was obvious that this guy did plan to, nor I imagined could even hurt me if he tried, so it wouldn't hurt to talk to him, right? Exactly, there is no reason not to,
"Sylvia Allaband," I stated throwing a knife in the air before catching it with a bored look,
"Nice to meet ya Ms. Allaband," I snorted trying to stop myself from laughing once more, not once had I ever been called Ms. Allaband, I laughed again,
"Just call me Sylvia," I said clearing my throat and smoothing out my shirt,
"Okay, so who this guy you kept mentioning?" He asked watching a chipmunk as it jumped from tree to tree with interest,
"What?" I asked furrowing my brows in confusion,
"You know? That guy you kept mentioning... You said something about how you totally weren't doing what your doing now because of him," He recalled with a smirk and giving me a wink. I sighed, though it almost sounded like a groan,
"Well... For this to make more sense let me just start form the beginning..." And from there on I started to describe my life story as we walked threw the forest. Sometimes we'd have to go off trail or stop so that Maple could take a break from having to carry all of my things. Simba quickly armed up to Corny though,
"And then I was frozen in place as I watched the Taipans' kill my parents,"
"Oh my! That's awful..."
"...All I could do was laugh, because I knew he of course he wouldn't be able to kill me,"
"Yeah your way to strong for that,"
"...And he gave me this," I showed him the necklace that hung around my neck as we sat beside a camp fire I'd made, though it took a minute for Corny wanted me to show him how to do it. Currently the sun was sinking behind the hills and we were enjoying some beans I'd required from Ben,
"Oh, that's just lovely!"
"Mhm..." Was all I'd said in return looking at the wolf pendant in the glow of the embers,
"...I fell to the ground becoming delirious before passing out beside Simba as they all left with Jason," I stated showing Corny the scab that was starting to come off from my side to my gut as I continued to tell my story in the early morning. It turned out that Cornelius was an early riser like myself... Sometimes like myself...
"That's terrible! I'd never hurt such a god-awful thing!"
"...Every time I got on him though I'd just get bucked off! Ain't that right buddy?" I said patting Maple's side,
"Wow, he's a frisky one I suppose,"
"And I knew he wouldn't live to see the next sunrise... Though it does joy me to think that he can finally be happy with his wife now. But yeah, after that I headed on and that's when I- Or more so you found me," I said ending my life story,
"That was incredible! All the things you've been through..." He said in awe as we entered flatter plains with sage bushes everywhere. I nodded looking at the map and trying to pinpoint where exactly we were at,
"So, you're trying to get to here?" Cony asked pointing to the city called Widow's Cove on the map,
"Yep... And if I'm right we're about right here," I said pointing at a spot that looked like flat land after the trees ended by Ben's fields, "Which would mean we have about two or three more days depending on if anything holds us up and how long we can keep up our fast past," Corny nodded in agreement petting Simba lightly on the head, the dog wagged his shaggy tall happily. I'd quickly learned quite a few things about Corny just by watching him, he seemed like he wouldn't hold his own in a fist fight though the fact the he could keep pace with me basically none stop while barely exerting himself was incredible and I guessed he mainly got around by walking. He ate practically everything and wasn't picky, he did as he was told even if he didn't understand it, he always seemed to be positive and didn't care about much, overall he was starting to grow on me, it was way nicer having someone to talk to then not and he always listened intently to my story and to what I told him,
"Do you think we should try stopping at any towns?" I said looking up at the blue sky, in the open land it was much easier to see how bright the sun was, and today it was brimming with brightness,
"Perhaps; I'd like to see if I could grab somethings to bring... I accidently lost my bag in a lake when a frog scared me!" He said chuckling while I gave him a weird look before shaking it off,
"So... Corny, what be your tail?" I inquired, scratching my wrist. Corny bit the inside of his lower lip as if in nervousness before inhaling deeply with a big grin,
"Well, currently I'm seventeen, I was about ten when I was with my parents but they kept on bugging me and trying to get me to do things I didn't want to dooo... Like all these really hard jobs while I just wanted to go and meet new people!
"Well, so I left our home and decided I'd travel around and learn everything I could! It was awesome in the first city I found a penny! Though this one guy kept yelling at me... But then he fell in a well," Corny contorted his smile into a quizzical look, "I tried helping him but he just told me to get away or else... Something something.
"That's actually happened quite a few times now, but back to the point! I started to collect things on my adventure and found a pack to put it in, I'd get rocks, and water, and food, and cool shiny things... But then I ended up by a lake in the forest and a frog... It was most definitely that basted frogs fault! Jumped out of nowhere and scared the socks right off me! Or me so my pack... Which I lost when I fell into the lake.
"Oh, and of course there was a couple of times when some people from my past home would find me but I'd always get away! I don't know how they're considered to be one of the best forces..." He said rolling his eyes before his grin returned,
"Then I just kept exploring the forest and ended up stumbling upon you!" He finished with an explanation making Simba bark which only made Corny grin brighter,
"Well... That was interesting- Wait you mean to tell me you've been out here for seven years... Without killing anyone, and you're still alive!!" I yelled absolutely stunned,
"Did I say seven years? Oh yes... I suppose I did, then also yes, I do believe I've been wondering about for around seven years now! And oh, how much fun these past seven years have been..." I was pretty sure Corny was losing himself in a daydream as he sighed staring off into nothing while I just stared at him with a dumbstruck expression plastered on my face,
"So, what do you say! Shall we go and see that some men fall into a well?" He finally spoke with that same stupid grin on his face, I mean really, I never realized someone could smile that much-
"Uhm, sure whatever. Do you even know how to use a weapon?" I questioned as we barely altered our direction so that we'd cross threw a town,
"Nope," He said stretching out the 'n' while bending down to pick up a rock and fiddling with it like it was the most interesting things he'd ever seen,
"I literally have no clue how you've survived this long..." I muttered under my breath,
"Eh, it's not that hard to not die," He gave a short chuckle continuing his examination of the rock,
"Well... Okay then," We walked in silence as Corny continued to examine more rocks before he suddenly disturbed the silence I'd grown used to,
"Do you think we'll find any good food?" He flipped a rock up into the air before spitting on it and trying to rub off the dirt and grime,
"Perhaps, depends whether anyone still lives there or not I guess," I shrugged giving Maple an apple,
"Well, I sure do hope we do, or some shiny things... Oh hey that reminds me why are you out here?" I blinked surprised by his question,
"What?"
"Why are you out here? You were asking yourself the same question, and it is good to figure out questions other wise what is the point of them?" I just blinked again shaking my head,
"I have multiple reasons for being out here, one is to get revenge on my parents, another is to save Jason and/or my brother if either of them are still alive," I explained, knowing full well that I would have never gone if it hadn't been for Jason. I'd always ignored the idea of actually going and avenging my parents, to find out whether my brother was truly dead or not. In all reality I think I was just scared, but to stubborn to admit it saying I was just waiting for the right moment.
"Hm, those seem like good enough reasons, but why would you be vengeful of your parents? What did they do?" He added giving me his confused look. I opened my mouth to reply before closing it shaking my head in disbelief,
"What? Was it something I said?" I ignored him watching the sky slowly turn into an array of colors, the sunset was beautiful,
"Come on! Tell meeee!! Please, I won't stop bothering you until you tell me," He said giving me a puppy dog face with a high-pitched voice,
"Nothing Corny, really,"
"I don't believe you," He said with a 'humph' at the end,
"Oh hey, look at that rock!" I pointed at something shiny up ahead and he instantly forgot about the question running up and grabbing it, examining it closely. I shook my head sighing with a small smile, he would be a good friend if he lasted, but I could tell he was probably going to get in the way a lot and inevitably get me killed. But eh, at least I'd have some entertainment for the next so many days.

Hello! I've got another update for you guys! Sorry for any spelling mistakes as always... But anyway how did you like this chapter? I hope it was at least a little funnier than the rest because I was trying to make it a little happier of a mood than the others because everything been so serious! But... How can you not have some seriousness in the book? But as always please leave your thoughts in the comments and what did you think of Cornelius/Corny? Don't you just love that name... Well, I do, XD If any of you are going to be watching the Super Bowl then I hope you have fun! Stay tuned for the next update. :)