AeonHeart

Chapter 8 Onward To Gleanden

CHAPTER 8 ONWARD TO GLEANDEN

When morning came, the couple awoke to the sound of their frightened horses neighing and snorting loudly. Daemon threw off his brown peasant cloak that he was using as a blanket, waking a nude Clairien in the process. After hurriedly pulling on his white wool trousers, he rushed outside into the morning fields of snow with AeonHeart in hand. He braced himself for the cold tried to seep into his bare skin.

Fortunately for him, training nearly naked in all seasons during his youth helped him consciously regulate his body temperature in cold weather. The trick was to simply not give in to the cold, believing the body can hold in its heat against the icy air.

Climbing up the snowy slope beside the cave entrance, Daemon could see Melkin and Pennel fending off three snarling white furred wolves. The horse's hooves flailed the sky as they tried to keep the wolves away.

"Wolves be damned," he thought aloud.

He had hoped the grizzly bear's carcass would suffice enough meat to keep predators away from the two steeds. Although it would make sense, some predators may want a live target.

Upon reaching the horses, he bared his teeth and snarled as loud as he could whilst striking the air with the blade of AeonHeart towards the wolves. He remembered dealing with wolves in the past during a training mission in the wilderness with a platoon of soldiers.

His superior would note, "nary feel fear among wolves, for they sense it and wilt strike. Be ye the alpha and they wilt scuttle!"

Sure enough, these wolves were no different and they too retreated to whichever den they crawled forth from.
Returning to a dressed Clairien, he cited with a triumphant smile, "Taught those bloody mongrels a lesson. Now, let us be onward to Gleanden."

The adrenaline had him fully alert and ready for the day. He felt like he could take on the world and engulf it with his energy.

Clairien returned the smile with excitement. She always loved his enthusiasm.

"Aye, let us," she perked.

After Daemon dressed and the two refilled their waterskins from the copper pot, by the nearly extinct fire pit, they packed their belongings. They headed carefully across the frozen river with their horses by their sides. Once safely across, they got on their horses and trotted down a path with pristine snowy slopes on both sides, and a clear morning sky above.

PART 2

Continuing on for one and a half hours, they traveled with the help of Daemon's spell of motion to propel their horses faster. After a good night's sleep, he felt refreshed enough to handle the casting of kinetic motion in short bursts.

The land before them began to change as they traveled far enough for the climate to turn from a snowy setting into a scene of greenery. Instead of snow on the ground and slopes, there was grass and thickets of shrubs everywhere as the temperature became warmer. Most of the trees still did not have leaves, standing barren upon the slopes.

Suddenly, the two travelers and horses were startled as a large winged serpent flew overhead. Its healthy scales of forest green gleamed, as it spread the flaps of its scaly wings, blotting the morning sun as it passed. Then a moment later, it quickly dived to snatch a doe with brown fur and white dots into its maws. Clairien opened her mouth in shock and nearly fell off her distressed horse. The majestic creature landed elsewhere out of sight to enjoy its meal, leaving the two travelers awestruck as they continued their trek.

Dragons were a rare site for Humans. Dwarfs and Avians whom lived in or upon mountains, had more the opportunities to study the magnificent creatures, when they were seen in flight or on land. The winged-serpents were said to act in obvious intelligence towards each other, even though no language was spoken. It was the way they nodded and used their body language as if in some sort of communication. Battles of fire-breathing, snapping fangs, and talons were also seen among them. It was always indeed, a sight to behold.