Journey's End

As they traveled along the road, many different roads seemed to merge into this one. 

The road they traveled widened considerably and Eva began to worry about Red who was traveling separately along the road.

Although Red had warmed up to Lucas and Eva, he was still a wild animal. Plus he seemed uncomfortable the closer they got to people.

This would lead to her glancing anxiously at the edges of the road, but she never caught a glimpse of the little leopard.

  Lucas grabbed her hand as he whispered in her ear, "Red can take care of himself." 

A burning sensation spread across her cheeks. She pulled the hood up over her head to hide her face from the many merchants traveling along the road around them.

Off in the distance were large looming walls that seemed to pierce the sky above. The road had turned into a sloping hill that overlooked a large valley with the Capital City surrounded by trees.