Finding the Wisest

Chapter Thirteen

Maya, the self appointed leader turned to face her team.
Sozee had a satchel on her shoulder which housed their water and few pieces of bread and fruits in it. Kip walked by her side and Kieran, Kieran was just doing the usual. Smiling softly and walking quickly.

Together they started the journey out of the tell tale lands. Maya quickly sidestepped a goose which was happily laying golden eggs at the side of the dirt road. It was still very early but the town had not slept, things were still going on. It was still as chaotic as it had been the day before.
Maya, thinking deeply, turned to face Sozee
"Is it always this chaotic here?"

Sozee's inner bounce had come back the more distance they put between themselves and her house. Maya didn't want to ask if she was having issues at home. She couldn't even help her since she'd be leaving this place as soon as she found her mom and found a way back home. Sozee skipped in tune to some imaginary beat in her head as she thought about Maya's question. Then she slowed down as she thought a bit more.
"It's actually a bit quiet lately. It wasn't always like this, everything was fine and peaceful." She giggled. "Well as peaceful as it can get over there but suddenly, in just one day, things became strange and wild."
Sozee shook her head as if remembering something "Knights slaying dragons and dragons slaying maidens and witches eating people. I was a little girl when it happened so I don't know what the cause was. "
The girl shook her head. Her golden hair going this way and that. " The longer you stay, the more used to the place you get" Maya stayed silent, this was the longest the girl had gone without annoying Maya or talking about beauty.
She nodded slowly as what Sozee said sunk in.
Just then, Maya's stomach grumbled and Kieran laughed. She had forgotten about him a little as he stayed silent most of the way. Maya figured it was time for them to take a bit of a break.
When she asked about what Sozee's beast would eat, the girl replied mysteriously " Oh don't worry about him. Kip will be fine. "

Maya sidled up to her first partner as Sozee moved Kip to a secluded place for him to eat whatever it was that he was going to eat.
Maybe Kip was a herbivore and he was shy about it. She shrugged.
" Hey, Kieran. You good?"
He nodded " I am well, how about you?"
"I'm okay"
"You've been a bit quiet or it's just me?"
He shook his head.
"It's just you, you're horribly unobservant."
He smiled slightly as she rolled her eyes
.Everytime she did that he smiled. It amused him.
Maya took two portions of bread and left some for Sozee for when she came back.
She handed one to Kieran " That's mine?" He asked with a raised eyebrow.
Maya shoved it into his hand with an aggravated sigh "Are you a thief at all, Kieran?"
He had shown nothing but gentlemanly character even though he was annoying sometimes and usually very playful. He wasn't a thief to Maya.
The smile slipped off his face slowly until it was nothing more than a grimace.
He fixed it and put a small smile on his face before Maya could notice.
"I'm not a thief...... .just a nobody who wants a new story. "

"Did you say something Kieran? "
Maya turned to face him, he shook his head with a smirk. "Missing my voice already, Maya ?"
Sozee joined them just then as Maya let out a hasty 'You wish'
"What did I miss!?" Sozee screeched
It seemed like that was what Sozee was good at, screeching.

X

The journey continued with Maya in front, Sozee in the middle and Kip and Kieran at the rear. The maddening teen was talking to her animal. " Are you talking to Kip?" Maya asked, incredulously.

Sozee gave Maya a smile that told Maya a lot of things, one being : " Of course silly, can't you see clearly that I am conversing with my beast."

Yes, she got all that from just a smile.
"Kip talks back".
Maya scoffed.
"But only to people he likes... and beautiful people. " She added as an afterthought
"What is wrong with you and beauty. Are you even listening to the comments you make? " Maya scoffed.