Magic and Sword

Chapter Four

     I find myself wandering in circles once again. "Oh my god, you have got to be kidding me." I find a nice flat stone and sit down on it, resting my legs. I close my eyes to try and concentrate on something other than the fact that I'm completely lost. Being constantly pestered by these malicious bugs and gnats all around me. The buzzing slowly picking at my nerves and the feeling of them landing all over me and poking repeatedly. I attempt to take deep breathes but I end up inhaling a bug. "Ack! Disgusting!" I cough. I seal my mouth and plug my nose in hopes to prevent me from inhaling any more. I pull up my hood to cover my head just a bit from the heat beating down on me and the incessant buzzing of insects. I close my eyes again and start to try listening again this time focusing on everything but the bugs.

     I perk my ears just a bit as I hear a trickle and gurgle amongst the sound of leaves crunching and the branches snapping. I flash my eyes open and jump to my feet looking in the direction of the branches, I pull a small hunting knife from my belt. "Who's there." I shout a little startled. I look behind me real fast and crouch behind the rock I was on and whisper to myself. "Well that was a stupid idea, why exactly did I need to expose where I was. Then again I could have already been being followed." I peer slightly out from behind the rocks looking in the distance where I thought the culprit was. I hear a crack again and my heart starts pounding, my skin getting warmer and my forehead starting to sweat. I continue to stare with intently glancing away only for a second before looking back into the dark woods. A shuffling and more crunches arise from the woods picking up a bit of pace before dropping again. The leaves start to shake and my arms begin to tremble as I try and keep a grip on my knife as it tries to fall onto the ground.

     From the bushes and trees comes forth a creature extraordinary in stature cast in a mirage of mist that follows it cloaking it's features and definitive shape. There was a low growl and rumble that erupted from its maw or what I made out to be a mouth of sorts. The beast stood on all fours but when up on its hind quarters would most likely easily reach fifteen feet. I felt my breath sharply leaving before inhaling, the warm air still feeling like tiny daggers stabbing my chest. I took my hand and covered my mouth and crouched down all the way trying my best to slunk down as small as I could be. The beast walks a bit closer still growling now towering above the rock staring off into the distance.

     A whistle shoots through the air before planting itself, leaving an arrow shaft exposed in the monsters shoulder. It snaps it's head towards the direction in which it came, letting out a high pitched shriek before ripping it out. I hear a second whistle split through the air but never planting itself in the beast. The beast tosses one more glance in the direction in which it came before turning and leaping back out into the woods. The trail of dark mist following before disappearing completely. "What the hell was that?" I whisper under my breath. A crackling comes from the woods, and out emerges Salundar with a stern look plastered on his face. I stand up still a bit shaky and trying to get the blood back into my legs I take a step forward. Stumbling I stop for a second bracing against the rock, "W-What was that?" I mutter. "Something you will learn of later on, now are you hurt?" He says. "No, I'm fine was just still for awhile." I say voice cracking slightly at the thought of that monstrous beast towering above me. "Let's get you back to camp and fed, can you run?" He says, starting a brisk walk back towards the woods. "I think so." I say a bit shakily. "Then try and keep up." He says before bolting back into the woods his cloak and shawl flapping behind him. I pull my own hood up and make sure my cloak is fastened securely before dashing after him.
     We arrive back at camp, Salundar heads toward the makeshift kitchen and grabs some bread and tosses it to me. I manage to catch it, looking at it thoroughly I take a bite out of it. Looking down I see a bucket and immediately remember that I forgot the bucket in the woods and still never found the stupid river. "You have got to be kidding me!" I say over my shoulder. "What did you say?" He asks. "Oh nothing." I mutter hoping he doesn't pursue the topic. "Alright." He says skeptically. He hands me a bowl of stew filled with various meats and vegetables. "Thank you very much commander." "No need to refer to me like that. Just call me Sal." "Alright, well thank you Sal." He nods affirmatively, "tomorrow we start you with a bow, hopefully with those arrows you were supposed to make." He raises an eye brow and looks over his shoulder at me. "Be up and ready at dawn or you'll be cleaning out the tents and gutting the animals." He says sternly. "Yes sir." I say, alert, still a bit shook by the earlier events. After eating I saunter over to my tent, opening the makeshift door of animal skins I lean in and catch a glimpse of something in the corner that flashed. I set in and look over where I saw it, there was a silver plate with some bread and a small cup of water. Along side of it there was some flowers of differing varieties all in a bunch propped up against the side of the tent. I lay my head down resting my body. "Todays been maybe a bit too much in terms of surprises." I sigh closing my eyes and drifting off to a deep slumber in which was not tranquil.