World Of War (Arula: Three)

Chapter 6

Karma threw her sack over her shoulder and headed down to the sables. She walked past the horses, but not before giving her trusty steed a pat on the neck and headed to a section of the stables were the ryder wolves were being held. They laid down in their stalls sound asleep. Their snores shook the ground. Karma though was unfazed by their snores. Samson, her ryder wolf, was laying in his stall. His fur was snowy white. The tips of his ear were black. His icy blue opened slowly as he sensed Karma's arrival. "Hello, Sam." Karma said as she opened the gate. "You ready for another adventure?"

The wolf yawned, showing his white fangs, got up and stretched his long, powerful legs. Samson walked out of the stall and stood by Karma, giving her a look that meant he was ready. Ryder wolves were very tall, and Samson was no exception. He was taller than any normal wolf, or a saber-tooth wolf, because in Arula, regular wolves do not exist. He reached nearly the height of Karma's waist and was extremely powerful and fast at running. It is why the dwarves choose these creatures as their steeds. Horses, yes, were fast, but not fast enough, plus dwarves had a hard time trying to jump up on a horse. The ryder wolf was perfect.

Karma took her sack tied it on back just above the dip in his shoulders. She learned from Dagner that if you to travel with supplies on a ryder wolf you had to pack it just above the dip. And the supplies must be light, or the wolf wouldn't go as fast. Moments later, Omar joined her with Mika and Hope just behind him. Omar too carried a sack and tied it to his ryder wolf, Grandel. "I still don't see why I can't come!" Mika said as they did enter. "I don't like being stuck here all the time and wondering if you are ever coming back. And to also think of the excitement I'll be missing!"

"Because," Omar said gently taking her hands into his. "Who else would look after our little girl?"

"Well you could stay behind, and I could go." Omar gave his wife a look. She sighed. "Fine. But when you get back, you're going to treat this family to a long-needed vacation." Omar then smiled.

"I wouldn't have it any other way." And with that, he kissed her on the lips and turned to his daughter. "Behave yourself, my little stella, understand?"*1 The girl nodded.

"Bye, Papa." Hope said and hugged her father. "I love you."

"As do I." Omar replied and released the elf girl. He went back to his wolf to make sure everything was prepared. Mika went to Karma and gave her a hug.

"Be safe, mon amie."*2 She said.

"Don't worry I will." Karma said with a smile. She looked at Hope and said, "make sure that Angel has someone to play with, okay?" The girl brightened.

"Okay!" She said and hugged Karma. "Bye-bye, Kara."

"Ma." The girl's mother corrected. "It's pronounced Kar-ma." Karma only smiled and went to the waiting Samson. "Be safe!" Mika called after them as they rode out of the stables and on their way to the Dwarf Clan.

----

Karma and Omar were halfway out of the palace grounds when they were stopped by the head guard, Yuza. He bowed respectfully when they halted. "Creator," he said. "I hate to stop you on your journey, but I would like to you ask of you of a favor." Karma was half annoyed that they were stopped for a simple favor, but she didn't want to be rude. Not yet anyway.

"What is it, Yuza?" She asked with a straighten back.

"I wish to redeem myself," Yuza said with his head bowed lower than it was. "Please, allow me to accompany you and your companion on this journey. I know what is at stake here. I know why you have to leave Shurli. This is the favor I ask of you." Karma looked at Omar for his opinion. He returned a look that clearly said:

"The decision is up to you." She sighed deeply. Looking at the still bowed Yuza, she said,

"You may join us. Meet us at Orina Field before the noon sun with a ryder wolf. When the sun hits its highest peak and if you do not arrive, we leave without you." Yuza bowed so low this time that his shaggy hair touched the gravel ground beneath him.

"Thank you, Creator, I shall not let you down." Yuza waited for Karma and Omar to ride off before jogging into the palace to gather his things and head to the stables. A huge grin came across his face as he did so.

----

"Tell me why we must wait here for that human?" Omar asked, sitting crisscrossed on the grassy field. He busied himself by taking long blades of grass and braiding them together. "If he truly wants to redeem himself, he should do so in an orderly fashion." Karma sat on the grass leaning against Samson's muscular body. She was staring at the tree stump that used to be a beautiful oak tree before Termis had burned it down nearly a year and a half ago. The rage she felt, and still does, every time she saw her beloved tree being nothing more than a stump.

"We're not in the Elf Clan." Karma reminded her elven friend. "And if the man wishes to redeem himself then I don't see the problem. Truly, in my opinion, he's done no fault. He was only following orders of his King." Omar said nothing as he concentrated on his braided grass.

"It's nearly noon." Omar said after a while. He was right. The sun was nearly at its highest peak. About a half an hour left, Karma calculated. She nodded in agreement.

"Be prepared to leave," she said standing up to stretch her legs. The half hour passed quickly and when Omar and Karma were just about to leave, Yuza on a gray ryder wolf came running toward at a remarkable speed.

"Sorry about the delay." He said once he got his ryder wolf to stop. Karma nodded.

"We were just about to leave. You were lucky." Karma said and kicked Samson in his side. "Off to the Dwarf Clan." Samson raced ahead with Omar right behind her and Yuza lagging behind.

*1 "stella" ~ "star"

*2 "Mon amie" ~ "my friend"