Crossover

Chapter 13: Downhill from here

The light beside me was flicked on.

“Kefira.” Zedron said, shaking my shoulder. “We should get going.”

I groaned, and rolled over.

A moment later my dress and leggings were tossed across the room at my head.

“I’m getting up!” I said, sitting up with a start. He turned away immediately.

“Put a shirt on!” he blurted.

I grabbed the dress he threw at me. “Jeez.” I said. “How about you go get the stuff for the trip?”

He walked off into his room. I hopped out of bed, pulling the dress down over me as I landed. The curtains were still drawn, but opening them did nothing to increase the light levels. It was dark outside, and by the amount of condensation on the window panes it was cold too.

I pulled on the leggings, and grabbed my jacket off the chair. I had just finished putting my boots on when Zedron arrived behind me and handed me a backpack of stuff.

“This is your food, water, and ammunition. Don’t lose it.” He told me. I added the sewing kit into it, and then pulled the straps tighter over my shoulders. Zedron was like a drill sergeant today.

We went out my door, taking both keys with us. There was no-one at the front desk, so we just left them there in a coffee mug. Pre-dawn wasn’t a usual checkout time, I supposed.

It was a chilly walk to the center courtyard, and no-one was out which gave this town a very ghostly feel to it. My boots clicked against the cobblestones, echoing off the buildings and making me feel like the center of attention. I didn’t like that, so I tried to walk quieter.

We continued past the center, to a small barn on the far side. I heard a whinny.

Two horses were led out of the barn, one a creamy coffee color, and the other looking like the colour of red wine. If I thought my boots were loud, their hooves made a sound ten times that.

“Thanks Durran.” Zedron said to the man leading them. “We’ll leave them in oasis city atone of your stables there.”

“His name is Peaberry.” The man, Durran, said and handed him the reins to the coffee coloured one. “Here you go miss.” He said, passing me the dark leather reins for the wine colored one. “Her name is Chianti.”

I stroked the side of her cheek. Unlike me, she was awake and ready to go. They were already saddled and had a bag of treats and food attached to it. I pulled a carrot out from the pouch, and fed it to Chianti.

“Need help getting up?

“Yes, thank you.” I said to Durran. He helped put my foot into the stirrup, and lifted me up onto her. Zedron was able to get up on his own, him being much taller than me.

Chianti shook her head, her almost black mane flipping form side to side. It was a different view from up here.

“She’s a good one.” Durran told me, patting her flank. “Beautiful too. Much like her rider.”

I blushed. Men usually made crude remarks, so having one that was well put was nice.  

“We should be going now,” Zedron said, guiding Peaberry towards the center again. “The sun will be up soon, and I’d like to leave before the town wakes up.”

“Of course,” Durran said, running his fingers down his thin beard. “Take care of her, will you?” I nodded.

I followed Zedron across the courtyard to the main road. It had dried off since yesterday’s mud, and was now firm enough that the horses had no trouble trotting along it.