Y/N gets more than she bargained for when getting to know the mystery creature that's been living in her shop silently for the past few years. She never would've imagined the sort of adventure he would lead her to, nor did she expected to be close w...
———————————————— ________________________________ Your POV: ________________________________
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
________________________________
The kelpies moved fast, sending splashes from the water beneath us sprinkling at our calves. It prickled strangely, like an itch, yet with my hands bound in the creature's hair, I had zero chances to alleviate the feeling as we galloped through the breathtaking scenery. The River seemingly stretched without end into the horizon before us, taking us beyond the city into a dense, humid forest full of ancient, towering trees with lush foliage. Past that were fields of long grass with various species of flowers scattered throughout, many of which were foreign to me and incredibly eye-catching with their vibrant colors. Pushing even further, the dirt turned into red clay, and the land became as barren as a desert. The landscape was terribly inconsistent, changing from dirt to mud to rock to clay and back again. I could see why traveling by river was the better option, as it provided a smooth route to our mysterious destination.
There were rolling hills and extensive flatlands, woodlands and marshes. A more treacherous terrain awaited us by the sight of those jagged mountains looming in the distance, but all of it was beautiful under the pale pink glow of the sky. In-between were towns smaller than the city, but still of substantial size brimming with demons and souls going about their day. Many stopped to stare, some recognizing the face of their king and lowering their heads respectfully as we paraded past. No matter the town, they appeared well kept and high-functioning with several business and restaurants mixed between homes, which looked fairly spacious. I'd occasionally catch a whiff of something good cooking in the air or hear the sounds of laughter, chatter and music. These places intrigued me, but unfortunately, we did not stay long.
Phil kept us moving at a hurried pace, as though our tokens to the River would expire at any moment, allowing it to swallow us into its murky depths. Catching up to his side, I shouted over the strong winds as we entered another desolate landscape of red clay accompanied by long, dry grass.
"How much longer until we get there? I think my back is about to give out." Unfortunately, he wasn't kidding when he said the saddle would hurt after a while. The man chuckles, eyes trained ahead.
"Not long now. See the cliffs, there?" When he raised his chin, I too looked in front of us, where the River branched off into several paths. At first, I couldn't see the cliff he was referencing, not until we got closer. My heart almost dropped as we neared it, scared we might fall, but right before we could meet the edge, the kelpies quickly withdrew from the water, landing on solid ground. They stomped their feet and whinnied, as if voicing a complaint. I leaned over some to get a better look at the cliff, where the water spilled into the deep canyon below in a glorious waterfall that shimmered and sparkled before turning into a dense mist. Down there, I could hardly make out the openings to cave systems and rocky terrain combined with more red clay. They existed just at the base of one of the many mountains creating a massive wall across the land.
