Fate Bound

part 4 chpt 14

“JOSIIR”

They were almost there.

His dreams had been pointing him South-West and from the multitude of trees, ferns and more green he’d been shown, he guessed the next Fated was in a forestland. He could not confirm, but he had a feeling that the forest was none other than Forest Silva.

Josiir hovered in midair, studying the hills and waves of sand, golden under the setting rays of the merciless sun.  Below him, all that could be seen of his companion was a small figure, with a long shadow cast beside him on the vast canvas of sand by the sinking sun.

He could’ve easily reached the forest four nights ago if he’d flown non-stop. I pity the wingless. He watched as his companion realized he had stopped and paused in his own strides as well. The tiny figure tilted his head up towards him with an arm up to gaze up at him, a question in those pale eyes, visible even from this height.

And yet I envy them.

Josiir deigned him a nod, mildly amused. His companion immediately scouted the area and started setting up camp.

He had come to learn that the other Fated was naturally silent, preferring to make dry cynical conversations at most. He’d come to understand the silent questions Colt gave, and was starting to get them right most of the time. He swooped down to land softly onto the sand, barely stirring the grains up, and pulled his wings into himself. He answered the new question in Colt’s gaze.

“We are approaching Glassea. We shall rest here tonight. It will be easier to enter the town in daylight.” And safer too, for unwelcomed strangers.

His dark-haired companion gave a short nod, as if he heard and agreed with the unspoken words, and simply passed Josiir a cut strip of their diminishing supply of salted rat meat. In the end we actually did need it. Colt ignored his thanks and prodded a stick into the glowing embers of the small fire, jostling a few sparks.

Josiir let his happy-go-lucky mask slide in place.

“I wonder what the next Fated is like. Hopefully he won’t be as shy as you.” He attempted to wrap an arm around Colt’s shoulders, and danced away, laughing, as a bow nearly took his head off.

The sky faded from orange to dark indigo in a blink, the warmth of the land sucked out and the vibrant colours of the desert erased, as an inky blackness took over. A faint rustle showed Colt swiftly beheading a snake he’d caught, knife slick with blood that glinted in the firelight.

When they’d spent their first few nights together, he had tried his usual friendly banter with Colt, trying to make him open up, and learn more about his fellow Fated. When he realized it just made the individual curl even further into himself, he’d given him the space he needed, not pushing the man except for a few times when he launched failed attempts at hugs just to amuse himself with his reactions.

Sometimes, the aloof man displayed unexpected signs of compassion, like when he thrusted a pack of soothing balm to him after he had stayed too long flying under the scorching sun, and proceeded to apply it for him when he made a mess out on his back. However, there were still times he suspected the other was quietly assessing how to end his life.  

Colt noticed him staring and raised one dark eyebrow. Josiir gave a wide friendly grin and made a hit-and-run tousle of his companion’s shaggy black hair. Surprisingly, Colt did not retaliate with a potentially harmful swipe, merely settling for an un-bemused glare, sending deadly mental silver arrows into him.

Josiir laughed.

Yes, he could get along with this Fated. As for remaining two, he hoped just as well.

If we manage to find them first.

A damp blanket settled over his thoughts. He let his head rest on his hand as he stared into the blazing pit of the fire, the flickering flames dancing to a silent song.

What was the other Fated doing in Forest Silva?

(-does a happy dance- ah can't believe i'm at part 4 already! sorry this chpt is kind of boring-ish. it's like an in-betweener.)