Elrich Saga Yellow Springs Book One

Chapter 24 I Take it Easy

Chapter 24 I Take it Easy

"I saved you a bite," Illia offered the last bit of her elephant ear to Crue as she walked up.

"You'll get fat eating all that junk," he commented taking the offered treat. He didn't hesitate in shoving most of it in his mouth. He offered me the last bite, but I shook my head in refusal. It didn't take long for that bit to end up in his mouth as well.

"You'll get fat eating all those sweets," she countered with a smile.

"You know I have an extra stomach for sweets."

"So do cows and look how big they get," she poked him in the ribs teasingly.

Part of me was glad I was left out of this little play. I was insecure about my weight as it was, and I'd been good in not binging on chocolate. Not that eating fried chicken was much better for the diet I wasn't really sticking too. I sighed.

"How are you feeling?" Crue came up to me and felt my forehead. Why did everyone think that was something they had to do to people? Well, he was a healer so I guess it was for medically valid reasons. Illia also got a pass, only because we were now friends. The more I thought about it, it's not like strangers would walk up and do this sort of thing. You only did it to people you felt comfortable with. That gave me the warm fuzzies, they were such kind people.

"I'm feeling fine. I don't know if it was the extra sleep, the powder you gave me, or a combination of both, but I'm really feeling fine."

"That's good, the powder was just some fever reducer and some anti-nausea medication, so it was probably the extra rest. I was worried you were coming down with a cold. Are you sure you are ok?"

"I thought so too, maybe even the beginnings of the flu the way my body was feeling. Honestly though, I really feel fine."

"Well, we'll take it easier today. I was thinking of heading west near the lake. That sound good?"

The lake was to the northwest of the town, but we wouldn't' be able to go all the way there in a few short hours. We would just be able to explore the woods to the south of the lake. There had been some wolves in the area yesterday. Since we were on the eastern side of the town yesterday, we never got to them.

Illia made a short stop at a stand in the square to get some fried pumpkin. Then we were on our way to the northwestern part of the forest.

So much for taking it easy. We had barely made our way a half mile into the woods before we were attacked by a pair of Red Wolves. It was alarming how close they were to the town and to the farms further south.

Crue planned on teaching us tracking again today, so had me keep the map off. The appearance of the wolves so close changed his mind.

"Eri, I need an accurate count of how many are in this 5-mile radius."

I opened my map and checked. Most of the area he requested was taken by the town, but he had a good reason to be asking.

"There are five headed our way following the wall coming from the north," I reported. "There is another one further west and south of us near the road, but I think someone else is taking care of it." There had been two blue dots alongside the hostile Red Wolf dot.

"This is bad, even I know there shouldn't be this many so close to town," Illia readied her staff and prepared for the fight. "Should we head back to the Guild and tell them?" She asked.

"We'll take care of these five, then check to see if those other people need help. We can send them into town to warn the Guild.

"Ready, here they come, follow the formation." Crue dropped into an attack stance.