Paladin's Pendant

Paladin's Pendant - Chapter 5 - A Lost Companion

Several days later Nigel, Bam and Flip were finally able to say there pleasant goodbyes and explain their need to keep heading off to the Cliff Communes.  The moment Glint had finished his speech Chat knew that his only way of getting out of this situation was to convince the entire community they were on good terms.  So they waited it out. They were given lodging to make their own.  They made friends amongst the various interesting people they met.

But the moment that Chat thought the three of them could safely wander off on their own they began an all out run to get to Twirl before she was handed over to the King and his men.

During their time amongst the trees Flip was able to discover that the group taking Twirl to the Castle of Sky was made up of two brown bears and two badgers.  Their standard detail for this sort of an operation.  Chat figured that if Flip flew ahead and scouted out Twirl’s location they might be able to find a way to plan a rescue operation.  If only they could just overtake them before it was too late.

The moment the left the trees Bam and Chat ran across the fields as fast as their legs could carry them.  They pushed through ravines and over hills as fast as they possibly could.  All the while they watched the skies for their friend to return.

“I don’t suppose an I told you so is order is it Nigel?” Asked Bam.

“Well, I guess it would be.  You did tell us that the woods were haunted.  I just wouldn’t have guessed they were haunted with live animals.  I just feel so stupid that I let them get the upper hand Bam!”  answered Chat.  Chat had been talking like this since they first got alone again together that first night after their capture.

“Well, let’s concentrate on covering as much ground as we can.  Would you like to ride a bit?  You’ve been going strong for a long time now.” Asked a concerned Bam as they continued their frantic pace over the grassy plains.

“No no, I’m not going to slow you down any.  But thank you.” As he huffed and puffed to continue keeping up with Bam.

They were making good progress only stopping short naps a couple times a day and then they were back at it again.  “How much longer do you figure before we will make it to Blinnem Nigel?” Asked Bam.  His navigational skills were not up to Chat's and would have been running in circles if Chat hadn’t been there to keep them on course.

“Tomorrow I think” Chat puffed “if we are able to keep this pace up that is.”  Puff.  “We’ve done better than I thought we would do.”  Another puff.  “And yet we still have a long way to go.”  Puff.  “I just wish we had seen some sign of Flip” Puff.  “by now.  I’m starting to worry that he wasn’t able to track” Puff.  “them down or we are off course” Puff. “or any number of bad things could be happening” Chat was really starting to slow down.  It might be time for another break he thought.  “Maybe a short break Bam?” Puff.  “Just water and a rest of my legs?  It takes four of mine to equal one of yours!”

Chat and Bam laid down in the grass for a minute and took in the view for the first time really in the past few hours.  The mountains had broken the horizon earlier that morning and the expanse of the sky was just endless out here on these plains.  They hadn’t seen anyone since leaving the forest, but occasionally off in the distance they saw the tell tale signs of life.  Smoke plumes from a fire.  Birds circling above a trash pit.

As Chat thought back to his life before leaving his home and his family he never would have guessed he would find himself in this sort of a predicament.  But he also never would have guessed he would be experiencing these kinds of adventures either.  Right now though all that consumed his mind was getting his friend released.  And that urgency is what was driving them all right now and not letting them slow down.