The Dragon Knight Prophecy

1-16 Into the wilds

 The flight from Pinehollow was rapid and difficult. Gersius was still unconscious and the utmost care needed to be taken in moving him. He was sat on Thayle's small brown horse, then tied firmly with ropes to keep him in the saddle. Ayawa took the lead, picking a path that took them away from the main road and into the dirt tracks between the farms. Tavis was given the task of leading the horse, so Thayle could focus on monitoring Gersius. Lilly was left to her own devices, limping beside Thayle as she worried about what lay ahead.

The land beyond was dotted with small farms and clumps of forest. It was relatively easy-going while close to the fields, but the farms eventually ended. Here the land was untamed and full of tangled prairies and overgrown forests. Thick pockets of thorns grew in places creating a formidable barrier to their little party.

Ayawa always found a way through or around them, choosing the best path she could find. It always seemed like she knew exactly where she was going, and despite the growth, they made good progress. Lilly asked how she knew the way, and Tavis told her that Ayawa was born in the forests. Her people were nomadic hunters and could navigate even in the densest overgrowth.

Despite this skill, they had to turn out of their way several times when encountering a ditch or steep slope. Anything they didn't want to risk leading the horse over was avoided for Gersius's sake. In the end, Ayawa always found a path, but sometimes they had to wait while she scouted ahead, and precious time was lost.

By late afternoon they were miles from town but moving slowly as Ayawa returned from scouting with a frown. She reported that the land ahead was covered in dense bramble bushes. The paths were narrow and treacherous unless they risked climbing a nearby hill. Tavis was opposed to risking the hill and potentially stumbling the horse, which meant they had to endure the thorns. When they reached the first barrier of thorns, Tavis suggested they hack their way through. Thayle shook her head and offered another solution, moving close to the barrier with a raised hand.

"Are you going to bless the weeds?" Ayawa asked as Thayle threw back her head and cleared her throat.

"As a matter of fact, I am," Thayle replied with a gentle smile. A melodic song filled the air as Thayle began to sing. Lilly was enthralled by the beauty of Thayle's song and how different it was from Gersius's chanting. There were no words that she recognized, but the plants before her began to twitch. There was a rustling sound as Thayle gestured with her hand as if pushing something over. The plants followed the motion, bending of their own accord to lay flat on the ground and open a path across them.

"Now that's a useful skill," Tavis said as the thorny barrier parted.

"Why didn't you tell us you could that?" Ayawa balked. "You could have saved us an hour of going around them."

"This is the first time you told us why you were changing course," Thayle protested. "I don't know why you choose one path over another, and I don't want to second guess you."

"And I don't know what skills you possess," Ayawa countered. "You could have at least volunteered that information, so I knew to call on you."

"How am I to know what skills are important to you or not? Do I have to make a list of everything I can do?" Thayle argued.

"Umm, Ladies," Tavis interjected. "The path is clear. Let's continue. I am sure we will learn all we need to know about one another as time goes by."

They exchanged angry glares a moment more before Ayawa huffed and walked on to take the lead. She vanished along what appeared to be a deer path as Tavis got the horse moving.

"Why is she so angry all the time?" Thayle asked as he passed her.

"Oh, she isn't angry," he laughed. "She throws punches when she's angry. No, Ayawa is worried about Gersius and the road ahead. She isn't going to relax until she gets him someplace safe where he can recover. Anything that delays that goal will make her more agitated."