The Names We Shed

Chapter 18- I don't care for him

Chapter Playlist- Royals- Lorde and VSQ

We mapped the best route to be the one that would take us up through Tundra, till we reached the Stygone river which we would take south. At the end of the Stygone, is where two of the 7 goddesses are buried as well as their mates, and dozens of legions of the years. (For a long time it was a popular burial place amongst the Valkyrie and three wars were fought there). From there we follow the border between Collandra and Blackwell till we reach Eden. Even though Eden is an enemy and has never liked anything not completely human, we're going to cut directly through it for the fastest route into Naytch.

We reach the river with little problems and with the sun going down decide to stop for the night.

When we land the apprentices collapse and Fenca starts a fire. I wake Makasha to come with me while I hunt.

We are camped on the edge of a massive forest that the Stygone runs through, from where I am I can faintly hear the rushing of the river. The massive oaks tower over us, they are hundreds of years old. We creep through the edge of the forest, looking for something big enough to kill that can feed all of us. We brought food, but it'll be better if we can leave our stores untouched for now. Makasha spots the massive elk first, it's big enough to feed all of us for a few weeks. She looks at me and signals that she is going to go around, both of us are on different sides of the elk. She pulls off the bow and takes aim. I heft two heavy knives in my hand, just in case. She releases, and the arrow hits the elk right in the heart, killing it within a minute. We both stand and walk toward it.

"Great shot."

"Thank you." She looks sad almost.

"If it helps- once we finish I can bring it back for you."

She doesn't look convinced and I don't blame her.

Either way we carry the elk back, content to let Fenca take care of it. When we reach the camp, I notice that Kalan is still asleep and that Valerie has changed out of her armor into one of her Asher dresses. She's slit two spots in the back of it for her wings and Fenca keeps glancing and looking quickly down. She approaches, her face in a broad smile.

"Brought us some dinner, did you?"

"Yeah. Makasha got an elk- should be enough for tonight, and tomorrow right?"

"Of course."

We don't have anything to preserve the meat for very long, so we'll eat it tonight, tomorrow morning and then for lunch tomorrow, packing some of it as sandwiches.

I walk over, and sit next to Kalan while he sleeps, the sound of his breathing peaceful and rhythmic.

"How long has he been out?"

"Um. I'd say about four or five hours by now."

"That's a little odd don't you think."

Fenca calls over, from where she's carving up the elk. "Do you want some powder to wake him?"

"No. If he's not awake by the time the elk is done, we'll use it but until then let's let him sleep"

I walk over and help Fenca with the cooking of the elk, while she supervises Valerie and Makasha who are getting in some fighting practice.

I take over, using my own knife to slice into the elk, ignoring the blood running off of the elk. My hands follow the path that I was taught by my mother so long ago.

"You cut from here to here and pull all of this out." My mother says, motioning to the dead elk laying on the ground.

I think of the gorgeous creature that was running through the forest only mere minutes ago.