Mystic

Chapter 25, Amira

Amira knew that they were close to the edge of the woods. They had to be. They had been walking for several days, and had only a few rations of food and water left. Amira had no idea how they would survive the long walk to Yamen. The forest had thinned out over the past several miles, allowing the hot sun to beam down on them, smothering them with it's brilliant warmth. They were running out of water faster than ever, and it would only get worse the further they walked. The good news was that Amira recognized the path. It was the very same path that she had taken in to the Highlands, and the path was well worn and easy to traverse. Amira had temporarily forgotten her suffering and started searching for something in the trees. 

She remembered the woodland pixies that Matthew had pointed out, and she could clearly remember the branch on which they had left them. She hoped to find it and see the little pixies once again. 

"Why does it have to be so damn hot!?" Cairo complained as they walked.

"Be grateful for the sun's rays, for it spares us from the monsters that the night may hide." Farah said. Amira had the feeling that it was a quote, but she couldn't remember from what.

"Nah, I'd rather complain, thanks." Cairo replied.

"We don't want to hear you complain." Farah refuted.

"It's comforting. Besides, you are the only one who has an issue with it. Go ahead and be grateful for the sun all you want, I am going to continue with my misery." Cairo finished. He was only half sarcastic. Farah was getting on all of their nerves.

"Need... water..." Pirin said, panting.

"No one has water, Pirin. You drank it all." Gala responded tiredly.

"Oh well, it was worth a try." Everyone gave a halfhearted laugh. Everyone else walked in complete silence, too tired to follow the conversation. However, Amira heard them whispering among themselves. Amira suspected that their whispers where of desertion. Eventually, Amira grew tired of it. She could not listen to it any longer, so she snapped.

"If you want to leave, leave! I won't stop you!" Amira yelled. The group eyed each other curiously. Finally, one stepped out.

"I'm sorry." They said. It was Miris, and Amira remembered how eager he had been to serve back at his village. Slowly, one by one, the group left. Only Cairo, Pirin, Farah, and Gala remained. Amira knew they would be the ones to stay; they were the only ones who had been devoted to her the entire time.

"Thank you. It is good to know there are a few people I can trust." Amira told the remaining group sadly.

"Always." Cairo said, bowing. The others bowed, too.

"Don't bow to me. In this time, you have become my friends. From hear on out, we will treat each other as such." Amira said. Everyone nodded uneasily. "Let's keep going."

The group kept traveling down the road, though now everyone was silent. They had lost over half of their numbers. Amira wished she had never forced Matthew to leave. He would have remained loyal no matter what, and --strategically speaking-- things would be much better with another dragon at their side. Zanyth wasn't ever much help. She circled the skies above the group, never making a sound and never assisting with anything. Orion had been friendly and open, but Zanyth would only interact with Amira when directly addressed. Orion had been so expressive, too. Every emotion was clearly displayed in his big blue eyes, and he reacted to the conversation as a real person would. Zanyth just gazed down at people with her soulless golden eyes.

Amira recognized where they were; it was the same place Matthew had found the woodland pixies. "Stop!" Amira yelled, curious if they were still in the trees. Amira ungracefully pulled herself up to the lowest branch of the tree where she had last seen them and knocked on the trunk.

"Is she okay?" Cairo asked.

"Maybe it's a warning sign of heatstroke or something!" Gala exclaimed worriedly.

"Or dehydration." Pirin said with a hint of longing in his voice.

"Shut up! I'm fine!" Amira shouted down to him.

"That's exactly what you would say, though..." Cairo replied.

"You heard her, shut up!" Farah said angrily.

"You shut up, Farah." Pirin said.

"You shut up." Farah replied threateningly.

"You shut up!" Cairo shouted at her. Their conversation quickly digressed into a screaming fit. Amira hardly noticed the little pixie tugging at her dress over the commotion.

"EVERYBODY SHUT UP!!!" Amira shouted, and everyone stopped. She finally looked down at the tiny pixie, who looked up at her with bright green eyes.

"Hello." Amira said gently. 

"I told you, she's not okay!" Cairo said. Amira ignored him and scooped up the little pixie. She brought it down the tree and showed her to the group. the pixie was incredibly nervous, and hugged Amira's thumb out of fear.

"It's okay." Amira assured it.

"What is that?" Cairo asked. the entire group was looking at the little creature with wonder.

"It's a woodland pixie." Amira said. 

"How did you know where it was?" Gala asked.

"Matthew showed me where they were." Amira said. This made everyone seem uneasy.

"That traitor is gone, let's not dwell on it." Cairo said, shrugging the moment off. 

"He wasn't a traitor!" Amira shouted defensively. "I made him leave."

"He still should have stayed." Cairo replied. Someone coughed in the awkward silence, though Amira couldn't tell who it was. 

"Anyway..." Gala said, changing the topic, "I always thought that magic was creepy in dangerous, but this little creature proves otherwise."

"Amira was right. There is good in magic." Pirin said.

"And we have to learn to accept it, and in time it can be used to strengthen our great nation!" Amira added.

"But not all magic is good, and we would need laws that prevent the misuse of magic." Cairo said.

"All in good time. First I must reclaim my throne, or Javan may fall into chaos, especially in the hands of violent and chaotic rebels." Amira finished.

"Which is why we are here." Farah said.

"Yes." Amira said, "We should keep going. By this time next week, we could be in Yamen if we make good time."

Amira hurried them along, but she was worried about rations. They were running out of food and water, and would not survive in the wilderness for much longer.