The Legend of Aranyani

Chapter 2

      The ride towards Aja eased Nate's racing heart. He fell into an easy rhythm with his Quatch as they finally caught up to Seketo'a. His Quatch walked in a short stride, nostrils flaring as Ra came to walk right alongside her. Khepri's coat was damp from the exercise she just endered, Nate recalled from one of his readings about Quatch's and the Kishar's blistering sun. The animal had a relatively decent coat but the density of  the fur created as a cooling mechanism instead of trapping the heat against their skin.

      "Nice of you to catch up." Seketo'a said with a childish laugh.

      "Nice of you to wait for me." Nate quipped.

"Khepri always needs to gallop to rid of some of her energy." Seketo'a reach down and stroked his Quach's slightly damp neck.

      "Khepri or you need to rid of energy?" It was Nate's turn to laugh at the young boy. Seketo'a turned to smirk at Nate as he repositioned himself on his Quach's back.

      The two men fell into a comfortable silence as their Quach's walked along the path that traveled on the outskirt of the jungle. Nate admired the beauty of the colorful vegetation, its variety of greens a relaxing view for the eyes. He turned to look past Seketo'a's head to see miles of fields that stretched as far as it could before turning into the Great Sea. From Ra's back Nate could barely see the crashing waves of the wild waters that led back to the New World. Nate noticed a ship, that sailed across the sea, its large white masts flapping in the ocean breeze as it headed towards the dock of Brizo. Immediately Nate sensed something was different about the ship, it didn't travel at the speed of a transport ship, it sailed much faster.

      "Do you know that ship?" Nate asked, tentatively removing one hand from the rope that steered his Quatch to point. Seketo'a followed Nate's outstretched arm, his expression turning gruesome as his eyes settled on the fast moving ship.

      "Laana." The boy hissed under his breath, the word making its way to Nate. Sekeko'a's use of the curse word worried Nate deeply.

      "What is it Seketo'a?" Nate pressed urgently.

      "It is the warrior ships  that travel from the New World." Seketo'a said with disheartening look. Nate furrowed his brow at the realization.

      "But they weren't supposed to send reinforcements for at least several months!" Nate proclaimed, as if his declaration would change the matter.

      "Warrior ships have been sailing in for the past three miezi Sun Rests, Nathaniel."

      "Three months?" Nate questioned. The boy nodded in response, his head hung low as he gently stroked his Quatch's fur. Khepri instantly felt the change in mood and she flicked her ears back and forth, obviously worried about her rider.

      Nate slouched on his Quatch's back, feeling deflated. He'd journeyed all this way to get good evidence to bring back to the New World to stop them from crossing the Great Sea and claiming Kishar. But they'd already begun the process of invasion and that angered him to the point of insanity. He couldn't just give up now, there was still hope for him to gather what he needed to bring back to the New World and create some form of deal. He wouldn't give up, he refused, this was his home once and he planned to save it from certain demise.

      "Seketo'a, I promise I will do everything in my power to stop them from taking our home." Nate said, reaching over to gently place his hand on the boys arm.

      "I trust you Nathaniel." Seketo'a looked to him with great pride in his eyes. Nate was serious about his promise and knew his time was now limited due to the ship sailing in.