An Indigo Dream [chapter 1]

Chapter two

I stood there, standing, staring, mouth aghast. My feet lay bare on the soft and tender grass, yet before me below the hill lay the endless desert burning under the sun. It was as if the sands began where the border ends. Our journey was tiresome yet it was not over. Viola sat to my left under the shade of a skinny tree. She put the water skin to her mouth and let some cool water dribble down her chin.

The journey was not as I had expected. Viola barely spoke if not to point out a traveler that might have brought us harm. Some days we would have gone at a faster speed, she would run and I would fly, yet the next day we always took it slower. Even the greatest assassin tires, she had joked. We had passed through towns and villages and small hamlets here and there. Yet we kept our pace. Some nights we built a fire and ate, others we slept hungry. The nights were bliss, we took our turns guarding each other. One time she mumbled in her sleep, though I couldn't understand the context.

Viola was standing beside me by the time I had finished scanning the empty vastness before us. "It would be hard to run and not cause a sand storm." I nodded my agreement. "And far too hot to walk barefooted," said I staring at my swollen toes. It was pleasant walking barefooted, I felt free and closer to the earth. "Perhaps if I were a camel, I mean I wouldn't go fast, but it would be better for the both of us."

She didn't seem to like that option much, she only muttered and nodded thoughtfully. "Hold on, can't you just fly it over? You could be a hawk that way you wouldn't need fear predators" she asked meekly.

"And what about you?"

"Well, I could always run."

"Hmm,I rather think not, what if you fall behind? The desert is no friend of man, assassin or not. The mighty sun will scorch us both." It was the sad truth. I have no intentions on cooking my only hope. She turned to face the golden sands and sighed, "Well then, turn me into a bird, I'll come over my pettish fears. We are losing precious time."

"Agreed,"I took out a tattered parchment from my satchel and stared at the hastily drawn lines. "There should be some sort of a village in that direction," I pointed towards the direction of the sun. "We could rest there and perhaps find some meat and meed. Give me your hand." I opened my palm awaiting hers. Her eyes were tinted red as if with fear, but she gave me her hand just the same. It was cold to the touch, yet soft and sweet. The thought almost made me blush. I muttered the simplest yet strongest body crafter spell I could muster and before she knew it we were huge and slender golden birds with white bellies. Stronger than hawks, wiser than ravens. Lead on, she cawed suddenly very nervous.

Adrenaline sped through my veins and pumped my heart. I opened my white wings and spread them wide, some small feathers glittering golden drops of excitement. I flapped and reached for the sun. I closed my eyes and let the wind guide me, feeling the heat of the sun on my face, for a faint moment i tasted the tender taste of freedom. My vision restored to it's hawk like stature, I peered to my right and saw Viola not so far behind. I slowed to fly beside her. Have you gotten the hang of it? I cawed to her.

Yes, Thank you. She cawed back, her eyes twinkled, Are you ready? I cawed back, a response of strange laughter. She swooped before me and twirled around, dancing in the wind. A caw of joy and I was beside her, dancing on the wind, swooping high and low. I flew higher, closer to the heat, closer to the sun, closer to freedom.

We flew for hours, every now and then, I looked back to make sure nothing has happened to her. I could feel her peacefulness and I would never wanted to disturb it, but this time i felt a disturbance in the atmosphere. I flew down beside her once again, her eyes glistened with joy and mine with worry. Something's not right. I looked to my left and saw what I never thought i might ever see again, and it sent chills deep within my bones. Quick, do as I do. And I closed my wings and fell towards the golden earth, then I opened my wings wide, cloaking myself with the sand of gold. I gilded on the wind, my belly only a few feet away from the earth. Not so soon after Viola reached me, above us fluttered the wings of an army of bats, The Bats of a Thousand Words, flying from south to north, how ever curious.