Sinatus

✨Chapter Seven✨

            After walking for a while, Lily could faintly hear the calming sound of rushing water up ahead. She increased her pace, walking briskly along the path and towards the noise, which got louder and louder with each step she took. Finally, the path stopped and she was standing in front a pretty big, clear stream. Lily could see the continuation of the path on the other side of the water. Lily pulled off her shoes and socks and added them to her tightly closed rucksack. She then stepped into the water, which froze her feet and tugged them unsteadily across the rocks. As she stepped in further, the water abruptly deepened, and a current starting tugging at her relentlessly. As the water shoved Lily downstream and she clung to a large rock to stay in the same spot, the words of a talkative pig-tailed girl came back to her. '...there's a small stream you'll have to walk across tomorrow, but make sure the current isn't too strong first.'

           Of course you forgot! Lily thought to herself angrily, only for the current to push her head under the cold water and steal her breath. Lily struggled diagonally against the current, trying to reach the opposite shore. She felt her rucksack slipping, she let go of the rock she clinging to to secure it, and the current pushed her back again. She slammed into another rock.

         "Ow," she muttered as her head surfaced and she spit out some water. Lily again began her diagonal fight towards the edge of the water, clinging onto rocks for balance. Finally, she reached the edge of the stream, stumbled to shore and just lay on the ground, panting and soaking wet, hugging her rucksack. 

          After a while, a sort of sniffling sound filled her ears and the sight of a small, black, quivering snout appeared in Lily's peripheral vision. She sat up, moving her wet hair from her face. A small creature was walking around her, and had been sniffing her face. It looked like a mix between a white golden retriever puppy, and a grey wolf baby, except for the fact that it had a few dark blue streaks in its fur. It now watched Lily with big multi-colored eyes.

         "Um..." Lily wasn't quite sure what to do, so she slowly neared the creature and held her hand out towards it. It butted its head it against playfully and hopped onto Lily's lap, curling up there putting its head down. Lily laughed. "Hi... What's your name?"

        The creature raised its head and looked at her, and if it could speak, Lily was sure it would have said, 'Guess'.

         "Hmm... Is it Shadow? Sapphire? Bob?" she guessed, plucking random names out of the blue. The small animal gave a sort of huff and got up, starting to run between the path and the trees. When it stopped, it had spelled out a name in front of Lily with sticks: Ara. The creature--Ara--was smart."That's cool. Anyway, Ara, I'm going to have to get going. I still have lots of walking to do."

         Lily began pushing herself to her feet, water dripping from her skin, clothes, and hair to the ground. Ara yipped at her and followed. Lily inquired what she was doing, but Ara only barked and brushed her way through Lily's legs as she walked. As Lily was passing a small, gnarled tree, a reflection of light caught her eye. The light came from something small, iridescent, and shiny that lay in the dirt at the base of tree. Lily bent down and picked it up with her wet hands, only to figure out it was an arrow tip. A very fancy arrow tip. Ara sniffled it curiously and used her snout to press it against Lily's hand. Lily tucked it in her pocket and got back up, deciding to keep it. While she wondered quietly to herself who would fashion such a tip for their arrow, she and Ara kept walking. 

            When they reached a small house placed randomly on the side of the path, they received quite unexpectedly good news. In the house lived a woman with a small child. Lily introduced herself and Ara, and the woman, Luna, was of course not the first person who asked Lily what she was doing wandering the mountains. However, when Lily informed her of her plans, a wide smile grew on Luna's face and she hurried into the back of her house. Lily frowned at Ara. 

           "What d'you think she's doing?" 

           Ara only stretched and curled up under the chair on which Lily had taken a seat. Luna came back into the room, holding a pair of old grey elastic bands. 

           "Look," Luna explained, showing the bands to Lily. "These are magical. If you put one around each of your shoes, your steps will take you much farther than they normally will. You should probably close you eyes, though--everything will go dark anyway, and it should be more comfortable if you close your eyes beforehand. Anyway, using these, if you get going tomorrow morning, you should have reached the top of Mount Orion by tomorrow evening."

           "Really?" Lily asked, amazement and gratitude welling up inside her as Luna pressed the elastic into the her hands. "Thank you so much."

           "It's no problem at all," Luna assured her. "I don't need them anyways. Just beware, once you arrive at your destination, you won't be able to use them again."

           The next morning, Lily put the elastic around her boots and took a deep breath. Ara was sitting on her backpack and shoulder and Luna was standing in the door of her house. Lily took a deep breath and closed her eyes, taking a step forward. There was a slight swooping sensation in her stomach. She opened her eyes, and Luna's cottage was out of sight. Lily realized the blue sky was starting to become streaked with purple...but the sun was still in the east. Closing her eyes, she took another step, and when she opened them, the sky was still tinted with purple. And the sun was still in the east.

           Then, after a day full of steps and more steps, Lily opened her eyes to see a huge, bustling, village, and the entire sky was a beautiful light purple. Almost every inhabitant of the village wore a cloak or cape, and it was filled with happy voices, popping noises, and the tinkling sound of laughter. She had arrived at her destination.