A Guardian 's Vow (Open Novella Contest 2021)

Chapter 11

"I'm happy to see that you're alive and well," Tyrris said as I arrived at his side. Aiden hung back with Kaliden, now sitting on the drake's back as we walked through the forest.

"Alive, but not fully well," I said. Tyrris looked at me, concerned. I just lifted my wing from my side and showed him the wound from the hunter's bolt.

"Seems like you've had a more eventful time then I," Tyrris muttered, looking away from the wound. "Tell me everything."

So I did, the whole story of my travels from the time Eliseaya sent me to finding living Guardians until Tyrris' arrival. I could tell Kaliden and Aiden were listening too, both of them intrigued to know of what had happened, since I had told neither of them everything. The only thing I left out was my feelings and conflict of returning; Tyrris didn't need to know that.

"So, this boy saved your life, twice?" He asked after I had finished. The large felico looked back to the young boy. Aiden smiled wearily and nodded his head. "Aiden, was it?"

Aiden nodded again.

"How old are you?" Tyrris asked.

"Fourteen, almost fifteen," the young boy said.

"And why would you protect us?"

"It's the right thing to do."

"Nothing else?"

"No. Life is life, and I can't just stand by and not help. It's not who I am."

Tyrris nodded, looking back to me. "He acts like he has the mark," he said, talking in a hushed voice, ensuring that Aiden couldn't hear him. I followed suit.

"Like I said, he does. I've seen it myself," I said.

"And he doesn't know what it is?"

"No. From what I've gathered, he doesn't even remember his parents, so he wouldn't have gotten an explanation of what the Mark of Trust means."

"It's probably best if we let Eliseaya explain it to him," my mate said.

"That's what I was thinking," I agreed.

"So, Tyrris, what have you been doing all this time?" Kaliden asked, noticing that we were speaking in hushed voices.

"Hunting down foul creatures," Tyrris said, looking back to the drake. "It's about the only thing I still can do." There was pain in his voice, and I understood why. The loss of his wings still affected Tyrris greatly.

He couldn't look for any Guardians, not without it being such a high risk for him. He couldn't even do the job we were given, not with humanity so untrusting of us now. The only that he could still do was hunt the creatures that mean to do ill upon the human race. Knowing him, that would be about the only thing he had done since I had left.

"Wait, there's more out there than just wendigos?" Aiden demanded, sliding off of Kaliden's back. He pronounced 'wendigos' completely wrong, but Tyrris and I ignored it.

"Oh yes, much more," Tyrris said, nodding his great head.

"The Guardians don't just defend humanity's freedom," I said. "Not only are we 'secrets', but also the dark creatures we fight. You would be surprised how many of your 'folktales' are actually true."

"Roughly how many?" Aiden asked cautiously.

"All of them," I said. Aiden's eyes widened. "But we keep them under control," I added. That seemed to assure him a bit, but not much.

"And this is why I hate walking," Kaliden muttered. Tyrris, Aiden and myself stopped, looking back to Kaliden. He stood stuck behind two trees particularly close. I smirked; I hadn't even noticed that he wouldn't fit. Tyrris rolled his eyes and turned away.

"Go over, or around," He said, walking away, his tail swishing in amusement. Kaliden grumbled but listened to my mate, backing up and moving around the trees. He shuffled under one, and I barely managed to hold back my laughter as I watched him sneak under. Kaliden was a character.

"So, how much longer do we have ahead of us?" Kaliden asked, jogging to catch up with the rest of us. I knew he was trying to pretend that the whole 'getting stuck in the tree' had not just happened.

The real question he was asking, without trying to hurt Tyrris' feelings, was long would it take to reach the Guardians' camp on foot rather than flying. Now that flying was no longer an option with Tyrris in our group, it would take over a day. Kaliden was eager to return home, but without knowing where we had moved too, he couldn't go on ahead, not that he would though, it wasn't who he was. We would have to remain on foot from now on.

Tyrris turned to answer Kaliden's question "With no breaks or detours, walking it would take three days, give or take. Running, about half the time."

"We've rested enough," I said. "And been away for far too long. I say we pick up our pace."

"And that's my cue to go above," Kaliden sighed, knowing running through the woods would not be easy for his large size. "Kid, get on." Aiden didn't question as he clambered up Kaliden's scaly back. Kaliden waited until the boy was situated before he took off, returning to the sky above. I decided to remain on the ground with my mate, my wing also needing the rest. No words were passed between us as Tyrris and I took off, running through the woods. It felt good to have my mate by my side once more, to be with him once again. I hadn't realized just how much I had been missing him until he saved me.

Kaliden remained above us for the whole run, keeping to our pace. Occasionally, I could hear him and Aiden talking. Kaliden kept an eye out for any signs that we were being hunted, or if there were any complications in the path ahead. Luckily, neither came up.

For the next day and a half, we ran, stopping only to take short breaks when my shoulder could go no further. It was a long journey in the end, but we were all eager to return home.

The closer we got, the more I could sense it. The air became lighter, and our surroundings became more welcoming, both clear signs that home was not far.

All previous feelings of doubt over returning were left in the forest behind us. I was going to be home in no time, and I couldn't wait.