Adelade - A new beginning

Chapter 10 - Cal Thomas

Rathamin awoke to a fragrance he had only known once before, but it left an indelible memory and he wasn't sure he was really smelling it. Was he still dreaming? He took another deep breath. It had to be, it was unmistakable he thought. He got out of the makeshift cot grabbing his camma and wrapping it around himself, sliding his blouse on without his amour. He stepped out of the tent to find Emily over the fire, making something that smelled delicious. Emily saw Rathamin emerge from the tent and said with a warm smile,

"Good Morning sleepyhead" "Did you sleep well?"

Rathamin sat on a stool next to the fire and realized quietly that he had a quiet comfortable night again, and still had no understanding as to why. "Yes" Rath said "It was allright".

"That's good" Emily sang, its gonna be a big day" she said as she hander Rathamin a hot cup of coffee. "here ya go, its hot" she smiled at him.

"I thought you traded those coffee beans" he said as he tasted Emily's coffee.

I did, this is processed and ground, easier to drink this way" she said handing him a bun with egg and some kind of meat.

"You're full of surprises", Rath said cheerfully, looking at the meat.

Oh you have no idea big guy" Emily said as she winked at him and made herself a plate.

Rathamin regarded the meat, "What is that" he said curiously.

"Sausage" she fired back, "Why?"

Rath just looked at Emily not sure what to say or ask, she seemed to understand his wondering. "Sausage is pig" she said. an Earth animal. Rathamin seemed ok with that answer and tried the bun with the filling.

"Mmm that's...tasty" he said as he munched. Better than Pradis" he said almost more to himself.

"Yeah" Emily said "What is that anyway?"

"Pradis" Its a kind of tree beetle". Rathamin stated.

Emily gave off a gag from her throat, and set her plate down to calm her stomach for a minute. Adnaan came out and made a plate as Rathamin poured a coffee for Adnaan.

"No" no thanks" Adnaan stuck his nose up at the liquid "Never touch the stuff." Rathamin gave a shrug and poured the coffee in his cup as he took a large gulp.

Adnaan took a bite and sighed. "So we should be at those mountains by next night fall?"

Rath looked at the sky, at the east, at the the surroundings, "Yes, with some luck" he said thoughtfully.

"Your headed to the mountains?" A young man asked from a tent nearby.

"Yes" Adnaan said quickly, "doing our right of ascension or maturity or whatever."

"Oh cool the young man said, I still remember mine" he chuckled. Lost in the Deverus jungle for three days, trying to find a family artifact. Finally found it, and a strange rash, ah what times.

Rath, Adnaan & Emily exchanged glances. As they smiled hoping this young guy would take a hint and go.

"Ah sorry where's my manners he said. "My names Cal, Cal Thomas." "It sounds to me like you need a guide?"

Closer to the path Speron touched down from above like a bird of prey and walked to the group. "Morning she purred as she sat and poured a coffee. "Emily is there cream?" she asked.

Emily stopping eating and poured some cream in the coffee. She patted Speron's hair on her arm and returned to her meal. "So where would you be guiding us Cal" she purred as she drank

Cal, caught off guard but only for an instant. Oh well your friends here wanna go to the mountains. I've been there a lot he said with confidence. "I can get you up there easy enough, if four gold strips is all right?"