The Maid and Her Princess [On Hiatus]

Blood In the Forest (Spring 18)

XVIII.

The two sat idly while waiting for the Truth Guild members and other adventurers to get situated. Apparently, they all were not going to search in the same area. Groups and party members like to go out together and leave in groups. In Madoka's experience, there were always belligerent adventurers despite an odd encouragement of comradery or fellowship with others. So, she sat with Audrey near the dwarf's wagon and avoided other people.

The horses attracted her attention again. Beasts like these apparently were also in Audrey's old world, she approached the plain brown one first. He was chewing at the grass and her presence did not disturb him. A snort of approval puffed out his nose as she pat him. Audrey kept her distance away from the beast, but observed Madoka as she decided to see what they were talking about.

"You, hue-hue, hee," the horse whinnied. "Maybe we should have made like the new guy, hee."

Hue-hue? Human? Madoka wondered. That was a term that Audrey used for Narms, but even the princess confirmed that their kind were quite different than humans of her world. The spotted horse next to him continued the strange conversation, while she decided to not interrupt.

"Pitter, patter, pity," the other one did not make sense with his words, but it sounded like agreement. "This hue-hue and the other her-her makes me wish I was he. Nervous, makes me a he, new guy he, pity."

"You'll be fine," Madoka told them in Commoner, stroking the strange horse's mane. His spotted lips flapped as he snorted, seemingly satisfied that Madoka was talking to him. "Just stay put."

The horses seemed to agree with her statement. Madoka wondered how Ciara talked. She refrained from feeling sorry, and resorted to her old belief that she was still at the Northern Estate.

"You like horses, eh?" Gromrak laughed, nearly startling Madoka out of her nostalgia. She towered above him, but in sheer muscle volume he beat her by a lot.

"Yes, sir," Madoka nodded. He seemed like a sir, so she addressed him as such. The Terros laughed along, his gut bouncing like the heads of flowers swiveling on their stalks in the wind.

"We... We're not going to ride those things are we?" Audrey peered from behind the wagon. Somehow, she ducked further away as the horses showed interest in her.

"Hush," Madoka dragged her out and muttered. "'Drey-Drey."

"Wha—" Audrey stood straight. "You know how I am with horses!"

"Smart her-her," the spotted horse remarked. "Smoky, smoky, makes danger in the trees, pity."

Madoka guessed it knew danger lurked in the woods, but could not interpret the rest of its rambling. Gromrak ceased his laughter for a moment as Arudite approached with her servant. He nodded, the sternness settled back on his face as he turned towards the forest. Other adventurers paired with researchers as they entered the woods. It was their turn.

"We're commencing the expedition!" He growled. "Be on your guard. Just like I said in the wagon on the way here: You see anything much larger than you, run away! Bwahaha!"

Madoka recalled no such thing, but perhaps she was too busy trying to decipher what the horses were saying.

"Aye, aye, captain!" Audrey saluted, but her eyes settled on the path before her. She was clearly tracking something that only she could see, so Madoka decided she should try the same with her own magic. She found it easier to adjust her sight to the magic strands, but they were distracting at times. Was it like that for everyone? She has never actually met a mage before besides Audrey, who seemed to use a different kind of magic entirely.