Kyrell landed on his shoulder, it seemed like he didn't want to fly in the open area and let himself be carried instead. He wasn't really heavy so it didn't bother him.
"So, you should really pick a name soon. How about Kiernan? I think that would suit you. Or maybe Arran? Cahir sounds good too", Kyrell croaked in his ear.
"Kyrell, stop. He will decide on a name eventually and we shouldn't force him to", Asha hissed.
The crow flapped his wings, feigning outrage, smacking one of his wings in the boy's face. "Oh, I'm sorry", he croaked. It hadn't hurt though. Directed at Asha, he stated: "I wasn't forcing him at all, I was just giving some examples. What if he doesn't know the perfect name yet?"
She didn't say anything in return. The boy stayed silent too, only sometimes nodding or shaking his head on a name Kyrell suggested.
It wasn't bad, hearing all those names. Some even had special meanings as far as Kyrell remembered, but he wanted to remember his real name, the one his mother had given him. Asha's questioning had unlocked some of his memories that had been hidden behind a wall in his head, maybe he could remember more after some time?
Or a name would sound familiar and he would remember, that it was his, so he didn't ask Kyrell to stop even though his voice was quite loud in his ear.
It only took about two hours to cross the fields, they had to go around a village and avoid some farmers, but then they reached the corniferous forest just as the sun began to set.
They decided to stay the night here, because according to Asha the deeper they went into the forest, the more magical it would be and the more dangerous at night. He didn't want to argue, he was tired and hungry and the others seemed to be so as well.
He knew that the familiars had hoped to find their witch by now and he started to worry about her too, but only a little bit. A part of him was still glad, that she had gone away and that he now had the company of her familiars. But seeing them so disappointed again when they had been so full of hope at the start of their journey wasn't what he had wanted.
One of them stayed awake to keep watch, Asha was the first one, then him and Kyrell would stay awake till sunrise. As he slept, he dreamed of his parents again. It was the same dream as before, just a little bit clearer, he could see and hear them better, but he still couldn't understand them.
The next day, he noticed, that Kyrell wouldn't fly as far ahead and stay where he could see them, mostly just a few trees ahead. Asha slowed down too and after some time he noticed, that she put less weight on one of her paws.
He offered to carry her in the assumption that she would hiss at him and say that everything's fine and that she didn't need his help. But she accepted, surprisingly. His feet hurt too, but it was bearable, her paws must really hurt to let herself be this vulnerable.
So he placed the bag on the ground and opened it for her to jump in. She was heavier than he had expected, but he wouldn't say that out load. Asha let out a purr as a thank you.
Even though it was bright already, the forest seemed eeringly dark. The sun hadn't yet risen high enough for it's rays to shine through the trees frome above.
___
Wordcount:
chapter: 608 words
in total: 11.580 words
A very short chapter, I know, but I didn't want it to add it to the previous chapter. ^^"
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The Familiars of the Lost Witch (ONC 2024)
FantasyA tale about a cat and a crow in search of their witch. Asha, a black cat, and her friend Kyrell, a hooded crow, are living their best lives as the familiars of the town witch Cybele. But as Cybele goes missing, their peaceful lives are threatened a...
