The Reptile's Wrath

5

Valor was no stranger to hostile stares, though so many of them were disheartening. Ever since the redcloaks had stepped off the ship, they had been met by the distrustful gazes of both human and animal.
    He had left his spear on the ship to try and seem less threatening. He regretted that now. It wouldn’t have made a difference. 
    Bark kept glancing over her shoulder at the ship as if wishing to run right back to it. Valor didn’t blame her. He felt the same way.

    Thrash kept a steady pace over the dirt path, giving the others no choice but to keep up with him. Once the group got to the iron gate of Greenhaven Keep, they stopped. 
    Swift shivered beside Valor, tapping his foot. Valor forced himself to be still. If he showed his fear it would make it even worse for the others. 
A woman came to stand on the other side of the gate, a large lynx pacing beside her. “What are you doing here, redcloaks? You aren’t welcome here.”
Thrash held up his hands. “We’ve come to give a message to Olvan. We mean no harm.”
“Get back on your ship. We don’t want your kind here.”
    Bark stepped forward. “Please,” she said. “It’s important.”
“That doesn’t--”
“Stand down, Mary.” 
    The woman, Mary, bowed her head and stepped back as an Amayan boy came into view. He was maybe a year older than Bark with dark hair and eyes. He flashed a smile at the redcloaks.
“What brings you all here?” he asked, leaning against the stone wall.
“Well, we’re trying to get a message to Olvan,” Bark growled. “But apparently that’s a crime now or something.”
“Bark,” Thrash scolded.
“I see,” the boy said with a nod. “Well, Olvan’s sick at the moment. Too sick to see visitors.”
“Is it truely that dire?” Thrash asked.
“I’m afraid so. But, whatever message you have you can give to me.” He waved a hand to a pair of greencloaks above and the gate lifted with a groan. “My name is Dallan,” he said, bowing slightly. He snapped his fingers and a large rat scurried to perch on his shoulder. “And this is Emmie.”
    He led the group forwards, speaking as they went. Valor glanced around. Why was one greencloak being so welcoming while the others weren’t? And why would Olvan put a nobody in charge? The four heroes had to be somewhere around. Why didn’t he have them lead?
    Dallan sat down beneath a large tree, his rat running up and down his arms. Swift sat down against the tree, but when he saw that the others hadn’t, he popped back up. Eventually, Dallan stood as well.
    Emmie the rat ran from his shoulder to the ground, then she began to climb Bark. Dallan grinned. “She likes you.”
“Oh?”
“You can pet her,” he said. “She doesn’t bite.”
    Bark slowly ran a hand over the rat’s fur.
“So,” Dallan said, turning back to the others. “What is your message?”
“Where are the heroes?” Valor asked. “Shouldn’t we speak to them before a lower ranking greencloak?”
“Well, they’re away at the moment,” Dallan sighed. “Bad times for Erdas all around. They’ve all had to go back to their home nations to deal with something or another.”
    Valor narrowed his eyes. That was unlikely.
    Swift raised his head, watching the sky. “Is that Essix up there?” he asked, pointing to a black dot.
    Dallan looked up as well, shielding his eyes. “No. That’s a goshawk, not a gyrfalcon. Do you not believe me? Why would I lie to the redcloaks?”
    Bark shrugged, still stroking the rat. “I don’t think you would,” she said. 
“Why do you say that, Bark?” Thrash asked, then glancing quickly at Dallan added, “No offence to you, of course.”
    Bark blinked. “I’m not really sure, but he’s nicer than the other greencloaks have been, isn’t he?”
“Ah, yes. I apologize for the… hostility of my fellows. They are all a bit rattled by Olvan’s sudden illness.”
    Bark was nodding. “It’s alright. I’m sure they all have good reasons.”
    This wasn’t like Bark at all. She might think that kind of thing, but she would never speak it aloud. Valor was about to say something, when Dallen turned to Bark.
“What was your message, friend?”
“The devourer has returned to Erdas,” Bark said easily. “Some kid in Stetriol summoned a crocodile.” 
    Dallan’s eyes went wide and he smiled faintly. “That’s interesting,” he said. “I'll definitely have to bring that up to the others soon.”
“Soon?” Swift exclaimed. “Soon? This could be the fate of Erdas all over again!”
“Swift, that’s enough,” Thrash said, putting a hand on his shoulder.
    Bark nodded. “I think that would be best.”
    Dallan tilted his head. “Why don’t you all come with me? We might be able to see Lenori about this now.”
    Bark was about to nod again, when Thrash stepped between them. “No, I think we should be going. Our leader expects us back in the next few days.”
    Dallan sighed, leaning against the tree. “Well, if you must. Emmie, here.”
    Emmie ran to Dallan, climbing up onto his head. Thrash began to herd the other redcloaks towards the gate.
“Visit again soon, Bark,” Dallan called after them.
    Valor felt himself stiffen. What had Dallan done to Bark’s head? As soon as they were on the path back to the ship, Bark seemed to shake herself from a trance.
“What was that?” she asked, lifting her mask and rubbing her face. “What happened? Did we meet with the greencloaks yet?”
“Yes,” was all Thrash said, quickening his step.
    They were almost to the docks when a crowd of green cloaked figures stepped onto the path, blocking their way. Thrash stopped, almost looking panicked for the first time on the trip.
    The greencloaks and all of their animals’ eyes were fully white. Valor really regretted not bringing his weapon now.
“Let us through,” Thrash said. “We’re peaceful messengers.”
“We can’t do that, redcloaks.” the greencloaks said in eerie unison.
    Valor stepped up beside Thrash. He did not like the look of the black bear standing beside one of the greencloaks. “Bark, Swift, run through when we clear a path,” Thrash ordered.
“Wait--” Bark began.
    Her voice was drowned out by the bear, which ran towards them. Valor clawed at its muzzle while Thrash hit it over the head with his staff. The other greencloaks were coming for them now. Valor barely had time to think as he ducked swords and maces. He had never tried to kill anyone before, but at this point, he could barely see where one enemy stopped and another began.
    He didn’t have to fight for very long. Something hit him in the back, sending him stumbling over the dock and into the water. He was used to that kind of hit. Thrash had done that very thing many times while they were training. When he broke the surface, a gleaming knife barely missed his head. Thrash continued to fight on the docks, but the greencloaks had too many numbers. 
    Valor’s mentor fell under the heavy blows of the greencloaks and their animals. “Thrash!” Bark cried from further down the dock. Swift was desperately trying to hold her, his voice lost in all the chaos.
    Valor swam as fast as he could over to them. Thrash wouldn’t be able to join them. Valor had to take the lead. He had to get Bark and Swift to safety.
    He hauled himself up onto the dock, herding the others towards the ship, where the crew was already preparing to leave. 
    The three of them were barely on the ship before it began to move in full. Valor leaned over the railing, trying to catch a final glimpse of Thrash. He was nowhere to be seen, but the mass of greencloaks could easily be concealing him.
    There was a yell of anger behind him and he turned, just in time to catch one of Bark’s fists in his face. He slid off his mask, staring at her. Swift was clinging to her wrist, trying to calm her. She looked like she wanted to throw Valor overboard.
“What were you doing?” she shrieked. “Why didn’t you stay with Thrash?”
    Valor felt that he pushed me wasn’t a good answer, but he didn’t want to lie. He took a breath and made his expression neutral, staring at a spot just above Bark’s head. She was angry and needed someone to take it out on. That someone was, unfortunately, Valor, but at least she wasn’t yelling at Swift.
“You just left him there? How could you?” she continued. “I’ve seen you fight. You could have beaten all of them if you wanted to. Did you want to leave him there?”
“Bark, come on, leave him alone,” Swift said.
    She spun on her heel, now yelling at Swift. “And you…”
    Valor put a hand on her shoulder. “Bark--”
“Don’t touch me!” she snapped, slapping his hand away. She stormed towards the cabin, throwing her mask down before disappearing into the ship. Swift glanced at Valor, his eyes full of tears.
“You didn’t mean to leave him, did you Valor?”
    Valor shook his head. “I wouldn’t dream of it.”
    Swift sniffed, walking towards the cabin and picking up Bark’s mask. “Are we going home?”
“Yes, we are. We need to tell Stead about all of this.”