Calytrix's Journey

Part XI: A Friendly Village

It's been three days since we left Lumi. We peacefully walked away from the town and didn't have any dangerous encounters along the way. The snowy landscapes got switched with dark green grass and some occasional, small, colorful flowers. The weather became warmer and I stopped wearing Akios's cloak now that we escaped the freezing cold.

It was a strange feeling to travel with someone but it wasn't a bad one. Leo was trying to be helpful with everything. I was used to doing everything by myself so it was a nice, strange feeling having someone help me. Even though those were trivial things like picking up stuff sharing work with someone felt good.

The journey was okay for me but I wasn't really sure how Leo felt. He lost a few fingers due to frostbite and I couldn't save them. He kept them in his travel bag because we might find a way how to heal zombies and attach them again. The hole in his stomach was still there and my magic only concealed it. Leo said he wasn't bothered by any of it, but I cared. As a master, a person in charge of someone, I wanted to give the best possible life I could. Leo didn't show signs of wanting to be completely independent of me and sometimes I felt like I was taking care of a child or a pet.

"Mistress, I am hungry," Leo said.

"Leo, we've been through this. You can't feel hungry. It's physically impossible," I said.

"Just a bit of flesh- I mean meat." He didn't give up.

"I would like to eat too but we're out of money," I said.

"I could hunt something," as he said that he looked all around.

"There's no need.  According to the map, we should be near a village soon. I'll look for a job immediately and we should get enough money for food."

"I hope they have lots of fresh meat there," Leo said deep in thought.

"Why are you so fascinated with meat lately?" I asked.

"Because meat is simply the best," he answered.

"Hold you hunger a little longer," I demanded.

Leo simply nodded and we walked in silence. I felt like Leo was getting hungrier as days passed by, but we did get to eat. Yesterday we had a simple meal, but today we were out of money and food. Maybe Leo ate a lot as human and the old habit is haunting him although he shouldn't feel anything anymore, no hunger and no pain. He wasn't fat but I heard that guys usually eat more than girls. Maybe that's why it feels like he would eat more than me.

"Look there's Gill-Over-the-Ground!" I was the first one to break the silence with a shout.

"There's nobody on the ground mistress." Leo looked at me strangely, as if I were seeing ghosts.

"No! You don't get it! It's Gill-Over-the-Ground," I repeated myself.

"There is nobody called Gill or a person by any other name over the ground. There's just grass and weed." Leo said.

"No! Gill-Over-the-Ground isn't a person, it's a salad," I finally conveyed what I was trying to say from the beginning.

"People can't live from grass, we need fresh red meat," Leo said sadly.

"Beggars can't be choosers, " I said as I picked it up."You can bite on this until we get to the village."

It was a miniature plant with small blue flowers shaped like lilies and semicircular leaves. There was no way I could mistake it for something else.

Leo refused my offer and I was the only one eating the nature's food. I remembered how I fainted in front of Art Town so I ate all of it.

"Judging from the look on your face it tastes terrible."