Journey of the Horn

Chapter 14

I quickly dressed the wounds of my brothers, with the blood seeping through the dressing which I made out of leaves and thin bendable reeds that grew on the shores of a nearby frozen lake. "Please, you two take care of yourselves and each other. We may be having a war for the crown, but that doesn't mean we need to lose each other because of it." I turned north again to walk away. "How does it keep you Nubian?" I halt to a stop and turn back to them; "what do you mean?" They both looked at me as if looking for guidance as the smaller of them, who is named Beryl, licked his lips before he spoke. "Your sanity, it keeps you in its clutches as if to keep you from falling into its cliff of a nemesis. How does it keep you?" I actually stop to think for a moment, I hadn't really thought of how I kept from insanity. All I knew was one thing. "I remember that you all are my brothers, I remember the nights you climbed in my bed when you got scared, when I would read stories to you with Mama, all the times you pushed my buttons but then made up for it by making me laugh. But most of all I remember what you all were like when you were young, and how proud I am of the men you have become. I know that none of this is who you truly are, fighting for survival changes a man. But I remember those things, and it helps keep me sane." The bigger one, who goes by the name Mongrel but is really named Mishoni, just scoffed and rolled his eyes; "you've always been a sap Nubian, and that is exactly what would keep you from finding the ring." I look up at him, for I was looking at the ground "I am not after the throne, I am after all of your protection. You've seen what the stress of the throne has done to father Mishoni...." "Don't call me that!" "It is your name, you know very well I wish not to call you Mongrel for that is not what you are! You are my brother, and I will not stoop you down to the level of a pesky stray!" He falls silent and looks at the ground in front of him; "as I was saying. You have both seen what the throne has done to father. I will not have it do the same to you as well." Beryl looked up at me with slight surprise and concern. "So you are bearing the load of it?" I stay silent for a moment, letting it sink in. "Yes little brother, I will not watch one of you deteriorate just as father has." They both shrunk at my speech.

They knew very well what I meant by this. Father had turned temperamental the longer he had the throne. It was how he dealt with the stress of running our kingdom. He would suppress it until he exploded on us even if we didn't deserve his wrath. He was never violent, but sometimes words can hurt just as much. I look between my brothers; they both had a look of great sadness, Beryl more than Mishoni. "May the Great Griffon be with you both, and protect you from what I can not. I love you my brothers." They both stayed silent as I turned to go. Connall close behind me.

I wished I didn't have to leave my brothers behind, but I kept them with me; they would only slow me down. We had to find water soon. I know that many people would think I should just melt the snow around me and drink the water it became. But would you want to risk getting sick because of the animals doing who knows what in your drinking water? I turned to Connall and crouched down to scratch behind his ears. "Hey bud, want to do me a favor?" He jumped all excited when I asked; like he was a dog waiting to please his master. I laughed at his cute innocence. "Alright, I need you to fly up and scan the area for running water; then take me to it when you find it." He just gives his head a sharp nod like he understood every word of his mission before he took off into the light grey sky.

I watched for a moment before I continued on.