Memoir of Xayah - The lost sparrow and the lonley fox

[31]

The rain fell inside from a hole in the roof, reaching the ground with a clunk. The humidity had raised and permeated the air, accentuating the smell of mould.
They put a beam under the residual roof, so they would not have to sit on the mud. The bad weather had caught them suddenly when they were far from the forest. The city was in an isolated plain, and the only shelter would have been some large leaves, scattered around some overgrown rice fields. But once they would have been full of water, they could have poured it out on them. Luckily, they had found that abandoned house, battered but enough for their needs.
She had accepted to wait until the rain would have stopped. She could rest after the march that brought them there and calm her nerves after that terrible day. She would have been happier if Ahri had not dumped her immediately, looking for some richer food than the berries; they had a long trip ahead of them.
So she had to understand alone that map, unaware where was the maple valley and unable to read the human language. She did not know the right direction too. She had turned it many times and, in the end, she had given up and started to clean her feathers, mostly the ones covered in mud.
She still could not believe she had spent an entire day between humans, inside one of their big cities.
And after what she had seen, she would have never done that again.
She still smelled the stink of the streets and heard the noises of the crowd. She had not thought she was waking between living beings but between an indistinct mass, so tired that it walked hardly on its feet. And the richest proceeded blind, not caring about the suffering of the other persons.
Fratricidal wars, oppression, disregard for their comrades, everything that her father told her was becoming truth. And she had been so stupid not to believe him.
Ahri went back inside the shack, wrapped in the cape given by the merchant. She came near, stepping on the small puddles created by the rain. When the roof finally covered her, she lowered the hood.
« I did not miss those showers, » she said, putting down on the beam three wooden boxes.
She mentally thanked Ahri; she came just in time. Thinking about her father made her sad, and she did not want other bad moods.
« Where did you found them? » she asked, pointing at the boxes with her head.
« I had to go until the forges in the outskirts. I think they were the lunch of some blacksmiths, » Ahri answered, squeezing the cape.
« And they did not notice that a Vastaya went inside? » she asked suspiciously.
She did not know how those " forges" looked like, but if they had made weapons inside, the workers would have been many. And a woman with nine white tales would have stuck out.
« No... they keep the goods far from the workplace. They were all at work. »
Ahri had hesitated, not only in the voice but also when she put the cape on the beam. She hoped it was not a lie. She did not want a crowd of angry workers around their temporary shelter. She had learnt how much miscalculating the plans could be fatal. She had to rely on Ahri's experience and hope she was more conscientious.
She took the boxes and put them on her knees, while the Vastaya tried to sit comfortably. Her tails impeded her, counting she did not want to dirty them.
She opened the box. The smell of the rice, mixed with spices and vegetables, reached her nose. It was like finding the most fragrant flower in a green field; it was the first pleasant smell she felt that day.
She did not make hunger wait and ate immediately, swallowing morsels of rice and vegetables.
« Is one for tomorrow? » she asked.
« Yes, maybe we... share it... »
Ahri seemed very clumsy, and after some efforts, she was able to bring her tails in front of her, holding them with one hand.
She kept a laugh poorly when she gave the Vastaya her box, but she noticed it.
« Oh, I would see if you laughed in my situation, » she said, taking the box.
« I would have let them dirty. When this rain is over, I will dive in the first river that I see. »
Ahri winced disgusted before she started to eat.
« Before I forget... where should we go? » she asked, eating another bite and opening the map.
Ahri, as expected, turned it in the right direction and studied it. She looked with her yellow eyes the biggest island, moving them on the left. She stopped and pointed an islet at North-East, where there was not a single name of a city.
« Here, in Quelin. It may be in the South. If I am not wrong, in the North there are only rocky mountains and no valleys, at least not maple valleys. »
« And where are we? » she asked, trying to understand their path.
Ahri moved her finger on the biggest island in the South. She stopped on a valley with a river, where there was a circle with an inscription.
« Here, in Kashuri. »
She did not like the idea to cross the sea again. The first time she had risked to throw up even her entrails. She did not want to make that experience again, at least not inside a hold.
An idea came up in her mind and looked at all the map of Ionia. She had an approximate idea of her land. When she had left her village, her instinct guided her, and she had hoped to find pieces of information along the road.
At that moment, she had all Ionia in front of her. It was a land surrounded by the sea and divided into many islands, where on green valleys raised high mountains.
It was an approximate picture. Even if she tried to remember the surroundings of her village, she could not associate them with those lines. She had to rely on her journey, but she had no idea what direction she had taken. She had memorized the magical flows to go back home, but she could not use them to localize a point in that map.
« Disappointed? » Ahri asked.
« No, I was just trying to understand where are the lands of my tribe. »
« Are not you nomads? » the Vastaya asked, surprised.
« No, absolutely not. At least not my tribe... I have heard there is a southern Lhotlan tribe that sends its envoys around Iona, but my father was always against it. »
Ahri's question made her think. She had noticed she knew a lot of things about their land. She was even able to trick the merchant, but her knowledge was too much.
She had to consider she did not know Ahri's tribe or her age. And the last consideration arose doubts.
« Sorry but... how do you know so many things? Before you have named a Plassio of Na-something, you know where the maple valley is, and you know the Order that has kidnapped my tribe. In short, I have wandered for months, and I have found out there had been a war by chance. »
For a moment, she saw fear on Ahri's face. Her yellow eyes trebled, and her breathing stopped for a second.
She smiled. She had guessed well, and probably the Vastaya did not like the idea of not being so young anymore.
« Are you telling me I am travelling with a granny? » she asked ironically.
« Wha... what? » Ahri said, not confused anymore.
« Someone has more than one hundred years and do not want to admit it. »
The Vastaya frowned, hurt in the pride.
« I give you my help, I bring you a decent meal, and you thank me by saying I am a granny? Kid, you have to show more respect to the elders. » Ahri said, messing with her hair.
« Old! » she went to, laughing and trying to free herself from those impetuous pats.
A sudden jolt made almost Ahri's box fall. She grabbed it in time, withdrawing her hand.
Not caring about the scolding glance, she continued laughing, hiding her mouth. She did not expect something different from the Vastaya. She took great care of her body and still looked young; it was obvious she did not want to tell her real age.
« When you are old as me, I hope you will find a sassy young girl that will treat you in the same way. » Ahri said before she started to eat.
She was not upset. She just continued playing the game she started.
It had been a long time since she had a window of lightheartedness like that. She had even thought nothing would have lifted her but finding her tribe.
And at that moment she was mocking Ahri like a naughty child.
Maybe the fact she was accompanying her was not that bad.