The Moon-Eating Dragon

7. The Walking Forest (Part II)

~*~

The water looked clean. So without overthinking it Matthew bent low and used his hands as cups to drink his fill. He was about to wash his burnt calf when his ears twitched. His head propped up and he started scanning his surroundings. It was hard to see anything. Next to the river the mushrooms had stopped growing and a tall water grass littered the banks. He was about to dismiss what he heard when a man rose up from the grass and pointed a sword at him. A human man.

The sword had a thin long blade and a short hilt. Matthew had seen this kind of sword before in one of his father's books. Only a knight could possess such a blade. Matthew had read about the knights in the great human city and was unsure of his chances in winning this fight. Not with his wounds anyways. So instead of trying to fight his way out he raised his hands. He was not about to swim for it. Though the idea crossed his mind the river was far too wide and felines weren't too fond of water.

"Where do you come from?" The knight asked threateningly.

Matthew didn't respond.

"Who are you?" This time the knight stepped forward with the question.

"Matthew." He said, taking a step back.

"Matthew who?" The knight insisted.

Matthew raised a brow.

"Just Matthew." He repeated. "I am looking for the human city."

The knight looked him over, uncertain of what to do. Then he lowered his sword.

"Just head straight down the river. You should get there before midday. I doubt you'll find any help you seek though. What business do you have with the big city?" The knight was looking at Matthew's wounded leg as he said this.

"I'm looking for someone, they will be able to help me." Matthew said. He wasn't about to explain how he was on a quest for vengeance on one of his kind. And if the books he'd read were accurate then the girl he was looking for should be under this man's protection. The knights were after all, protectors of the human realm.

"May Hope guide you on your way." The knight sheathed his sword and walked back.

*

Daniel saw the knight sheath his sword and start walking back. The feline must've proven to be of no threat. So he stood up from where he hid and so did the princess. The feline looked his way and feeling conscious about himself, Daniel decided to wave. The feline boy waved back.

*

Nadia had never seen a wild feline before. She had seen the ones in the city on the rare occasions where she'd be allowed outside the palace but had only heard rumors about the feline from beyond the forest. Their thirst for blood and revenge had always been emphasized when stories of the war against them were told. But now, looking at the feline boy wave so innocently she seemed uncertain of what she'd been told. She lifted her arm and waved at him. And that's when he saw her...

*

He'd found her! His anger overruled all sense of reason and he ran. He payed no attention to the searing pain shooting up his calf. He cared not if the knight turned back and started fighting him. He just had to get to the girl.

The knight heard the boy pounce and turned with a kick that caught Matthew on the stomach and sent him splashing into the river. He got up and glared at the knight. Then past him at the girl.

"You killed her!" He yelled, before charging at the knight.

There was a flash of silver. Matthew's shoulder was bleeding but he'd made it past the knight and was now running headlong straight for the girl. There was nothing standing between him and his prize. The boy who stood next to her was too dazed to do anything about what was going on. He had her.