A Throne of Flames || COMPLETED

Chapter 4

That morning when I woke up, the shock of finding myself in a comforting bed, with two people who cared for me was liberating.

I was free.

Free.

When Risha woke up, she smiled at me.
"I have something for you." She beckoned me outside the tent, and led me to one of the numerous storage chests piled around the back. Risha kicked one open and rummaged around for a while, before emerging holding a bundle of hides.

"Here." She said, handing me the pile of cloth. I pulled off the top, finding a top made from leather and fur.

I smiled, eyes tearing at the gesture. "Thank you!" No one had given me anything since I was small.

I hurried inside, and pulled in my new clothes, l cast aside the old grey ones from the mines into the fire. I watched the flames devour them, and it felt like I was burning the memories from that place too.

These clothes were so different, the cool, supple leather clinging to my skin, the fur wrapping around me. I finally felt like I belonged here.

Before we had breakfast however, Thaiya needed me to come out and help with the clothes. I followed her to a sheltered bit of rock, where a large hole was carved into the stone at my feet. Nearby was a well filled with water from an underground spring. Hauling buckets back and forth, I slowly filled up the hole. Thaiya helped, and I think It would have taken me twice as long if she had not.

After all the water had been transferred, she dumped in the sack of clothes she had been carrying. Thaiya handed me a long stick and showed me how to stir the clothes around, beating them against the sides of the rock to get out the ingrained dirt.
The work made me out of breath, but nothing like what I had experienced at the hand of the Atrix, where I had been whipped for resting my arms because I couldn't lift my pickaxe.

Breakfast was as good as supper had been the day before. Grains cooked in hot water and berries that burst on my tongue.
After breakfast, Thaiya took me aside and handed me something that was carefully wrapped in cloth. A long, serrated steel knife sheathed in a thick leather holster.
I hold the blade, the weight feeling alien in my hand. I have been given two gifts today.
Thaiya's voice breaks me from my stupor. "Shall we get some meat?"

I smiled.

"Watch."

That was what Thaiya said before creeping onto the flat plateau on the side of the mountain. She motioned me to follow. We walked silently, minutes trickled past, and we saw nothing.

Then something moved in the corner of my eye. Thaiya saw it too . A goat. She pulled up her bow, knocking an arrow on it's string. I heard the wood groan as the string was pulled taunt. She breathed out and then released it.

The arrow hit and passed straight through its throat.

Blood sprayed on the ground, staining the yellow-white sand a violent crimson, then the goat collapsed to the floor. Dead.
Thaiya stalked over to the goat, pulling it back to the rocky alcove we took shelter in, and handed me the bow. Her smile is more of a smirk.

"Your turn."

I thought there would be no more goats, but as I round the corner, I was proven wrong.
I went through the motions that Thaiya did, only my arrow hit it's back. The animal bleated in pain, but could not run far. Acting on instinct, I unsheathed the knife I was given earlier that day, and jogged up to the goat. I grabbed it by the horns, and dragged the serrated blade across its neck, spilling it's throat on the ground.

"Not bad for a first attempt. The first time I tried, I nearly shot myself in the foot..." Thaiya laughed and took the bow off me. Pick that goat up, and we'll go back to the camp.

I crouched, lifting the goat's body off the ground and slinging it over my shoulders. I gritted my teeth at the dead weight as I stood, but the further I walked the more I got used to it and the lighter it got.

We walked for half a mile of desert before we reached the camp, and at that time I was glad to get the goat carcass off me. My right arm was sticky with half dried blood that had continued to drip from its throat.

"I'll start skinning them, you go wash, you smell like shit." Thaiya stuck her tongue out at me and pulled a face. I pulled one back and trudged off to the river to wash.

I pulled off my top, trying to not pull it through the blood that coated my arm, and unwound the cloth from my breasts. I then removed my knife holster and removed the rest of my clothes. Edging my foot towards the water, I squealed as the cold water bit at my skin. Slowly I slid into the water, shivering as my body grew accustomed to the cold.

I rubbed at my arm, the blood washing away under my fingers. I watched the mesmerising patterns emerge under the surface of the water, coloured pink and red.

Ten minutes later, I walked back up to Thaiya, plaiting my still damp hair down my back. She is wrestling with the carcasses, their pelts laying in a heap behind her.

"Come and help me prepare that meat Kelsie."

I went over, picked up the spare carving knife and started slicing the meat from away from the bones. After we had finished, I filled a pot with water and meat, then set it over the fire.

The meat needed time to stew, so Thaiya took me to the stables to help with the horses.

When we got to the stables, I saw it was a shelter made of scraps of wood, built under the shelter of a rock. Inside were five horses: three chestnuts, two palominos and one with an ebony coat.

"They're beautiful!" I walked towards one of the chestnuts and patted it on the neck.
"Let them out, we have five horses to brush and a whole stable to muck out before supper."

I opened the gate of the stables, and the horses came trotting out. Well, most of them anyway. The black one backed into a corner, the whites of its eyes clearly visible. The mare trembled as I slowly edged towards it.
I look over my shoulder. "What's the problem with her? Why is she so scared?"

Thaiya joined me inside. "We found her tied up to an abandoned shack about a mile away. Her owner was nowhere to be found. She is terrified, the poor thing."

I slowly approach the mare. She shook her head and pawed at the ground nervously.
"Hey girl, don't be afraid," I soothe her, "I'm not going to hurt you."

Minutes crept by and finally she allowed me to touch her. I run my hand down her back, and feel a stir in my chest. She came closer and rested her head on my shoulder.
"Thaiya, I think she likes me." I breathed with amazement. I took the reins and bridle, sliding them over her head. She didn't even flinch, she just looked into my eyes. "Let's go get you brushed."

How do you think kelsie did hunting? Was she good? As always if you liked this story please consider voting and suggest anything you feel could be improved!

Freja :)