The Legends Of Chima: Journey to the Lands Below

Chapter 13- Laval

I helped organize the packing up of the camp, which I had spent the entire first half of the day setting up. I was helping unpack food for dinner in a few hours and fold up tents. After awhile of that It was dinner, which was nothing fancy, just sandwiches and some kind of fruit some scouts had picked, it had rough skin but was really juicy. After dinner Eris went off with Lavertus, Leonidas and Longtooth and I was alone with Kyten, I realized I had never really talked with him after knowing him for almost a month so I decided to break the silence.

"So, you're Kyten? I've heard a lot about you from Eris." I turned to him and asked.

"Yeah, she seems interested in me so it makes sense she'd be talking about me, it does feel weird having all this attention on me though, people looking at me like I'm an alien." He said.

"Don't take it to seriously, she's always wanted to learn more about the world and seeing someone from outside of Chima would make her want to cling onto them. About the other guys, they're just like her, been up there their whole lives so they'd naturally be cautious of people they've never known." I said to make him feel better.

"Yeah that makes sense, but with Eris it's like it's something more than just curiosity the way she acts around me, how she looks at me, she acts much differently around other people so I know it's just around me." He said.

"How so?" I questioned.

"She's always interested in whatever I'm doing, even if it's mundane and she's always within eyesight of me. And speaking of that, the way she looks at me whenever we talk, it's like she's not there sometimes, like she's thinking of something else but looking deep into me eyes." He complained.

"Well it sounds like she likes you, I don't blame her either. You're interesting to her and you look attractive, she probably thinks the same too. I'm just sayin', take some of her hints next time you see them." I said.

"What do you mean by "attractive"? Never been called that before, let alone by another guy." He mentioned, I didn't even notice I had said that.

"Wait did I call you that? I'm sorry." I apologized, I wish I had caught my mistake earlier.

"It's no problem, I don't have anything against it." He said like he had made a mistake.

"Against what?" I questioned.

"Homosexuals. You are one, right?". He said awkwardly, it felt like he didn't want to ask, I didn't want to answer but I did anyway.

"What? I'm not gay. I think... I don't know anymore." I admitted, I felt kinda bad admitting something like this to a stranger before anyone else. We stopped talking for a few seconds then Kyten exhaled loudly and said something.

"Well you helped me out so whats wrong?" He asked, trying to help me.

"It's my friend, Cragger. I've always liked him as a friend but recently things have felt different. Before we went down here things were peaceful for a time and we got closer. He came over more often, we were alone together more often, we talked about how we felt and vented to each other,things were different but they were nice. Then the snakes invaded and Cragger was hospitalized, I was more worried about him then than anything else, when he got out I helped him in rehab, like walking around, moving, and other things. I felt like I was taking care of him and protecting him, but when he said he wanted to come down here I was worried for his safety. We fought, we made up, things went back to normal for all of a minute, until I kissed him I don't know why but It was in the heat of the moment. I though I would feel awkward or confused about it, not relieved, it was like a weight was lifted from my back. I felt ashamed for it but he wasn't, that doesn't change that I still can't look him in the eye after that. With him and I going to Tetsu'Aagra tomorrow I feel like we'll be alone a lot and I won't be able to enjoy my visit there because of what I'm trying to hold back from him, what should I do?" I admitted to him. I started to feel bad about admitting something this personal to someone who probably didn't care and just said that because he felt obligated, I was surprised he actually said something.

"We'll I can't say my friends were like that growing up but if this works out between you too it sounds like it could be something good for both of you. It's a really big city so you two are bound to be alone at some point, while you are tell him how you feel, since he kissed you back, he probably feels the same about you as you feel about him. It might sound risky and uncomfortable so to try and make it easier and ask questions building up to the big ask. I hope that helps you out. I'm gonna be there too so if you feel stuck or unable to tell him, I can for you if you want." Kyten said, giving me advice and offering help

"Thanks Kyten, I just might need to ask you but I hope not. It felt good to get that off my chest." I said while getting up

"Yeah no problem. I'm gonna get some sleep though." He said while walking away

I went to one of the repurposed aircraft that wasn't filled with supplies or soldiers and laid down on a bed staring at the ceiling it was pretty late at night and everyone else had gone to sleep already. It was strange, my first night down here, unlike Chima which was noisy and bright at night, here it was dark and quiet. I had trouble sleeping without the howl of the winds at my window, since Chima was up in the sky the wind was stronger and louder and on nights were there was a full moon, it wasn't that much darker than day time. Now that it was quiet and dark, it felt very different.

I rolled over and tried to force myself to sleep but even though I was sore and exhausted I couldn't sleep. I eventually did but it wasn't for long as the sun had started to come up not long after. I climbed out of bed for breakfast but we didn't have much time to eat, I went back to my bed to eat the rest of my food and I started moving, not like waking but the whole room was, this whole camp had just been mobilized and turned into a train. I had been in the room alone so I tried to get some sleep, I got an hour or two of sleep but was awakened by a bump in the road.

I sat up in my bed and looked out the window as I had nothing else to do and what I saw amazed me. I saw canyons carving up the landscape with rushing rivers at the bottom that I could hear even hundreds of feet above them, connecting the islands of land carved out by the rivers were bridges, some artificial and some natural, like the canyons were a cut and the land was stitching itself together. After awhile we stopped on one of the islands and set up camp again. I walked out and stretched my legs some and began to help with the camp again but was pulled aside by Eris.

"We aren't staying here for long so don't bother setting up. You, me, Cragger, and Kyten and leaving for the city in a bit so pack whatever you need for a few days and meet at the lion tank." Eris commanded, sounding a little harsh. I tried to get some words in but she hurried off to do something else, honestly it was starting to aggravate me. I started to pack what I needed: a sharpener for my sword, spare clothes, toothbrush, toothpaste,  and some fancy clothes I got before we left Chima, if I were to get into a diplomatic situation I'd need to be dressed nice. I zipped my bag shut, put it on the tank and went for breakfast before we left but Kyten was rushing us to leave quickly before the heat got unbearable. I waved goodby as we rode off of our fortified island of sorts.

Not long after we left the camp the canyons grew shallower, drier and few and far between until they were just dirt ditches with mud in them. The dirt path we had been following soon started to fade into white sand, along with the rest of the landscape and the temperature rose rapidly. It was flat at first then turned into towering dunes that blinded us to look at, the birds spread their wings to shade themselves, I had my mane to keep it out of my eyes but it wasn't very effective, poor Cragger had nothing and had to use his hands. It wasn't for long though as the sun was soon coverd and we were shaded, I thought it was a cloud and wouldn't last long but I looked behind us and the shade went nowhere, it only seemed to grow. I looked up at the sky and saw a monolithic stone tower illuminated by the sun behind it, like an eclipse. I continued staring in disbelief until Kyten said something.

"We're here, welcome to Tetsu'aagra".