Close Encounter

It has been three days since Tallia and Shadow left the fort. Their journey so far has been easy, and they met very interesting people when going through towns. The directions everyone gave seemed more like a riddle than anything but Tallia was polite and just wrote it down to decipher later.

"Only one way into the Grove,

Magic has completely drove,

Water and shade from within,

Only one way don't give in,

to the thirst for which to quench,

from a stream of awful stench,

Delve deeper into the barren land,

at the end you will stand

among those who you seek,

finding refuge with their creek."

"Shadow, what do you think about this riddle?" Tallia looks up from her notes and at the horse while he chomps on his fresh rabbit.

"The same thing I thought about it last time you asked. It is ridiculous and probably just something they say to travelers to mess with their minds. You should focus on eating and having energy to continue this journey instead of wasting your time on that."

She rolls her eyes at him and takes a bite of jerky. The riddle might be as Shadow says and stressing over it might be crazy, but Tallia cannot shake the feeling that there is a sort of warning in the words that they need to be aware of. She knows that tomorrow they will be walking into a desert and that their supplies have to be rationed properly but the danger of the desert does not end with supplies. The desert is home to many creatures that are dangerous and even more so at night when the air is cooler. Finding somewhere safe to rest will be a challenge as well considering there is no plant life to hide amongst.

Tallia sighs as she finishes the piece of jerky she had been trying to savor and takes a small drink from her canteen before laying down and getting settled to fall asleep. "Goodnight, Shadow. Don't stay up too late," she mumbles while drifting into her dreams.

Shadow screeches in pain and wakes Tallia with a start. An arrow protrudes from his ankle and he is hissing at the shadows that are darting between the trees. Tallia can barely see them moving with the small amount of light the early dawn is providing. She sits straight up and shouts the incantations for a wind spell that blows everyone that was hiding in the woods forward into the small clearing with them. Shadow snatches the bow out of the archers hand and crushes it in his mouth effortlessly.

"Who are you?" She booms making the small group of people flinch.

"W-we are, well, we are - um -," one starts before their female companion interupts.

"WE are mercenaries sent to bring this horse in to the cheif of a small village near by because HE deserves what he wants to have," she rolls her eyes at Tallia. "It is our duty to get him what he wants when he wants it. Who do you think you are to stop our mission?"

Tallia marches forward and is only a few inches from this girls face. Now that she is this close, it is obvious this is no more than a 12 year old child. "I am Tallia, mästare, and leader of the army that will defeat Dracome. That 'horse' you are trying to kidnap is my Hippocampus, and his name is Shadowmere. You do know what that is don't you?"

A look of pure horror crosses their faces and they slowly move away from a still hissing Shadow. The archer bows to shadow and mutters a string of apologies and even a couple of offers to help care for the wound caused by his arrow. Shadow just snorts and snaps at him when he attempts to move to remove the arrow.

"Yeah, kid, I would leave him alone if I were you. He holds grudges like you couldn't imagine." Tallia goes to Shadow and gently pats his rear as she bends to examine the arrow. It was just barely caught under the skin. The kid obviously was a terrible shot. She gently pulls it out and bandages it up.

"Tell him to bring me two whole cows or even five deer before midday and I might forgive him," Shadow tells her.

Tallia laughs at his request. "Shadow would like two whole cows or five deer by midday to make up for the injury."

The girl scoffs, "That is barely a flesh wound and our master still wants that horse. If we don't deliver him we won't even get supper let alone enough to give your stuck up horse."

"Shush, Clay. We shouldn't say anything about master. He hates when we do that. We won't get supper with or without the horse if he finds out we even talked to this woman."

"Who is your master?" Tallia inquires of the girl. "Your name is Clay, correct?"

"Yep that's my name," she smirks. "Oh, and I'm not telling you."

"What are your names?" Tallia gestures to the three boys standing behind Clay.

They all glance at Clay as if asking for permission to speak. "M-my name is John, and these are my brothers, Farci and Rayn," the small archer boy mumbles.

"Well, John, why is your master so mean to you?" Tallia asks while kneeling down in front of him.

"Don't bother talking to her, John. Now that she knows our names and faces we have to kill her anyway," Clay smirks and pulls out a knife.

Shadow jumps toward her growling causing her to shriek and drop her weapon. The other three kids cower together behind her to keep away from the horse.

"You said there's a village nearby?" Tallia asks.

"Yeah and our master runs it!" Clay exclaims annoyed. "You better steer clear of it!"

"I don't plan to," Tallia smiles. "How about we make a deal? I'll talk Shadow into letting you lead him there and you get the reward from your master then I go into town as we need more supplies for our journey and you get him back for me and I'll let you come along and help out."

"What kind of mission is it?" they all look at her curiously.

"I am going to visit the Priests of Sun to get allies against Dracome."

They all go wide eyed and huddle up. Tallia can hear them whispering to one another excitedly but not their exact words.

'Tallia,' Shadow says, 'when are you going to fill me in on this plan?'

'I need you to find out who this master is,' she replies. 'I will be close by at all times if you feel like you need me.'

Clay turns around sharply. "We have decided to accompany you on your journey if your horse comes without struggle."

Tallia turns to Shadow, "Well, what do ya say, Shadow? Will you go with them to their master?"

Shadow snorts annoyed but walks next to the archer boy and holds his head out to him for the rope to be put around his neck.

"He says John is the only one who will be allowed to lead him."

"Oh, okay," John carefully places the rope around Shadow's neck while whispering apologies about the arrow again.