Running. I was so tired of it and I knew Obsidian had enough too, his legs stumbling several times on the road as he carried me with him. My eyes grew heavy and at one point, I was almost positive I had nodded off. The moonlight had lulled me to rest and falling asleep on a moving horse was not too bright of an idea. There was no place to take shelter for miles, so through blurry eyes, I slowed Obsidian to a somber walk and directed him over to where the forest met the road. I slid from his back, exhausted and stumbling and I led him farther into the forest until we were just out of sight from the road. Concealed by the undergrowth, I tied his reins to a tree branch and I sunk down against a trunk, my limbs numb from fatigue. Looking up at Obsidian's muzzle, I whispered. "Be on the lookout. Alright?" And then sleep dragged me under.
It was still night when my eyelids fluttered open again. The hunger gnawing at my stomach had awoken me and was encouraging me to get to my feet, growling like a wolf and rumbling my insides. I used the tree trunk to stand and was met with Obsidian's expectant eyes sparkling and staring at me. "Did you get any rest?" I asked. His ear swiveled. "Are you hungry yet?"
Obsidian pushed his chin towards me and I nodded, patting his nose. So am I.
I untied his reins from the branch and climbed back up on the saddle carefully, trying not to put too much pressure on my injured leg. The dark creature's claw marks were still seared into my skin, but the stinging wasn't as horrible now and it felt as if they might be healing.
Obsidian and I continued on the road, finally picking up the pace. As we travelled past the lonely fields, underneath the dusting of stars, my mind wandered to the Volthonian man whom I'd somehow knocked unconscious. Was he still lying there in the grass? More importantly, how had I done that? I'd had this strange sensation throughout my body, like little lightning strikes within me and even on my skin. I'd had this rush of emotions before he'd fallen backward. Could it be...that I was feeling what he felt? It had been so strong.
Whatever that surge of power was, it had undoubtedly saved my life.
As we ran swiftly, the sun rose, pinks and oranges blooming in the sky until eventually they faded into a pale blue the higher the sun floated. My stomach made itself known again, though I chose to ignore it for a little while longer. I promised Obsidian we would stop soon, to get a drink of water somewhere and possibly locate something edible.
Of course, there would be more Volthonians after me now that I'd escaped them twice. At this thought, I willed Obsidian to go faster.
He could only take so much running at a time, repeatedly slowing down, then speeding back up again. We veered off the road once the sun was directly above us and ventured into the woods a bit. Not too deep though, for there were many things that lurked there. We were only stopping at the creek to drink, the water trickling over pebbles, clear and cold. I scooped some of the water in my palms and splashed my face with it. Walking up beside me, Obsidian blew air from his nostrils and bent his head low to guzzle the water.
How long could I last like this? I looked over at Obsidian who had moved onto the grass growing near the creek, chewing it hungrily. What was I to eat? Grass or leaves would not sustain me and they did not seem quite appetizing. I'd heard from Jonse once that one could consume wild berries, but which were the good and which were the deadly? I did not want to take any chances.
I let Obsidian eat until he was satisfied and we set out again, for a place I knew especially well. When I'd fled from the Volthonian, I hadn't thought of where I was headed. I just knew I had to get as far away from him and his kingdom as I possibly could. Somewhere along the road, I felt my village pulling me back and I was determined to return. There would be nothing to return to and I understood this, but I had never said goodbye. To my home, to the gardens, to the hills nearby that Rose and I used to race down when we were much younger.
