Black Ryder

Knight's Honor

Cayman stayed awake all night, walking the perimeter of their camp routinely. She watched as the last star faded and the sky turned pink before cooking up some eggs she'd found from a stray hen she'd spooked during the night for their morning meal along with the actual hen with some puffed cakes they'd packed and then awoke the others.

She let out a sharp whistle, causing all of the men to jump out of bed with their weapons ready and scanning for danger, but instead were shocked to see Black Ryder crouched by the fire heating up some puff cakes.

Kieran let out a sigh of relief. "Oh thank the gods above, real food!"

He jumped for the food resting on a cloth and filled his mouth with a hand full of eggs.

"Oh sho gwod" he moquer around the food in his mouth.

Samson was right behind him, though he piled some food on his own cloth in a much more mannerly fashion, followed by Tyler, ryker and laken was close behind.

As all the boys shoveled their mouths with food, laken held an egg up to his mouth, a questioning look on his face.

"Where did these come from?" He asked looking up at Ryder who hadn't eaten anything and was packing up camp and saddling his horse.

"Hens," he said blankly as he continued to pick up camp.

"Yes, but what hens?" He asked even more suspicious.

"Wild" He said in the same tone.

Everyone paused except for Samson and ryker and looked down at the chicken they'd just been eating.

Tyler screeched. "I just ate a chicken! A wild, dirty chicken! You killed a wild dirty chicken!" It looked as if he was going to cry.

"Where do you think the chicken at the cafeteria comes from?" Samson smirked.

"The market of course!" He said snottily, glaring at the chicken on his cloth.

Samson rolled his eyes but said no more.

Kiernan hesitated before shrugging and saying," if you don't want yours, I'll eat it," as he shoved more puff cakes into his mouth.

Tyler sniffed but sighed," no... I'll eat it," he grumbled as he slowly chewed and swallows a piece, disgust evident on his face.

A growl came from Ryder as he finally turned to us. "You're being ridiculous, we have far more important matters to deal with than you and your snottiness, so why don't you get off your high horse and act like the knight you are," Ryder growled menacingly, one hand gripping his swords at his side.

Everyone stared aghast at him, shocked at his words.

Kiernan looked from the masked man to the shocked faces of his companions. He decided he'd better break the silence before someone ended up in a brawl.

He gave a low whistle," wow," he started. " who knew you could speak more then three words at a time!" He exclaimed.

Cayman turned her piercing gaze on him, immediately shutting his mouth. She realized he was trying to ease the tension but right now she needed seriousness. She spoke in her lowered voice, " this is no time for jokes. Hundreds of innocent lives are at stake, and you're all quarreling about food. We need to figure out how we're going to get word to the palace before it's too late, all while we'll still have to face off with the witch if we're ever to end this war. Because that is what this is, even if we didn't know it at first. We're in the middle of a war."

Everyone sat in silence, staring at the hooded man as they contemplated his words.

They were at war.