Back Home (Edited) Book 4 of the Guardians Saga

Ch 10.3 Sandstorm

Alex soared higher and higher in the sky, cutting through billowy clouds and feeling her worries and stresses evaporate away as she performed her sweep. When she was far from camp, something caught her eye.

Squinting in the bright sunlight, Alex saw a strange blurring on the horizon. It puzzled her, and she wanted Rile's opinion, so she flew back. She slowed to a gentle glide as she touched the ground beside Rile. He was always happy to fly with her, and she didn't rush.

When she pointed out what had piqued her curiosity, the worry in his eyes was unmistakable. He uttered a quick curse before speaking again. "Go home right now and fly fast," he said tersely.

"You want a speed-burst?"

He nodded, and she wondered why she warned the brothers about speed-bursts.   It still irritated her they endured them better than herself.

Rile directed her to land at the lookout on one cliff. The sentry standing guard there wore a worn leather vest, scuffed boots, and had a dagger strapped to his hip. His expression was hard and his posture rigid as he looked beyond Rile without acknowledging either of them.

          "Sandstorm: set the signals," Rile said in a firm voice.

The sentry squinted at the horizon. "I don't see anything."

          "You can't yet. Alex saw it on one of her long-range sweeps."

         He glanced away, jaw clenched. "No telling what that zwo saw. I'll wait until I see it for myself."

Rile's face contorted with rage at the insult. Before he could draw his sword, Alex closed her hand over his and gazed into his eyes pleadingly. Rile gritted his teeth and forced a mocking smile. "We don't have time for this now," he said menacingly, "but I look forward to discussing it later with our daggers."

Alex squeezed his hand in a warning, so Rile continued in a more moderate tone of voice. "Or staff, since Alex cares for your health for some reason. Look, I know what I saw. I've seen enough sandstorms to recognize one when I see it."     

"Why should I believe a degenerate like you?" The sentry looked in the opposite direction.

Insulting Rile was all it took to make Alex grab the sentry's hand and take off with a speed-burst. His head snapped back from the forceful takeoff and his obvious terror satisfied Alex. He wrenched at his imprisoned hand and kicked frantically before reaching for his dagger.

          "Stop fighting me and don't stab me," Alex called out. "If you let go, you'll fall. It's a long way down.".

His grip tightened, and he stilled.

          "Good boy." Alex soared high into the air and descended rapidly towards the cliff ledge where she had taken Rile. As she touched down, her sudden impact made the sentry stumble back a few steps, looking at Alex with wide eyes full of fear. She pointed to the wall of whirling dirt in the distance and asked, "What is that?"

The sentry didn't answer.

Alex yanked him in another neck-snapping takeoff. "Let's take a closer look." They headed straight towards the storm front. When they got close enough to make out its form, Alex asked the sentry, "Do we fly closer and closer, playing 'name that sandstorm'? Or do we go back so you can set the warning signals?"

The sentry's voice was grim as he hung onto her arm with both hands. "Go back."

Alex knew not to trust partial answers. "Will you set the signals?"

There was a moment of tense silence before he replied, "I will set them."         

Alex flew back to Rile and landed gently beside him, hoping that the sentry's opinion of them might have improved.