On the Road at Last – 3B-DT

Author’s Note: This chapter isn’t new, it’s just the second part of what had been the previous chapter with no major edits, so you can skip it if you’ve already read that.

Chapter 3 – Getting Underway (continued)

The sun was still high in the sky when the seven of them were let through the east gate of the city. Once they were out of the way of people coming and going through the gate, Kaylen took a moment to observe his party. For the moment they were on foot, leading their horses and ponies.

The sun was still high in the sky when the seven of them were let through the east gate of the city. Once they were out of the way of people coming and going through the gate, Kaylen took a moment to observe his party. For the moment they were on foot, leading their horses and ponies.

Closest to Kaylen was Lyria, her brown hair held back in a ponytail as she walked alongside Dinnae. Kaylen was struck in that moment how similar the two looked in many ways. Not quite the family resemblance he shared with his sister, but both families had dark brown hair and blue eyes, though the Gallowglass’ eyes were a brighter more vivid hue. In her armor, Kaylen’s sister was not especially stealthy, though it made less noise than he might have thought on first sight. Her great sword was sheathed across her back with a light crossbow and a dagger hanging from her belt, and her gear was mostly in her black and white stallion’s saddle bags, though she kept a few things in belt pouches.

Like the swordsman, Dinnae also wore her chainmail armor openly, with a medium sized shield slung over her shoulder and a light battle-axe at her waist. The girls had selected a weapon with a spike on the reverse of the axe head, and a spear tip on the top so that it would be versatile in combat. They’d gone with an axe over a sword due to her already having familiarity with similarly constructed tools. She also had a wicked stiletto dagger hanging from her belt in the back, hidden by her cloak. She wasn’t fully comfortable with her painted pony yet, but it was a very healthy creature that looked like it would serve her well when she got used to it. Dinnae had a full figure when compared with most of Kaylen’s companions, at least as well as he was able to tell through their armor and clothes, with an above average bust and wide hips, though proportionally she wasn’t quite as curvy as Alayni.

The halfling in question had just approached and interjected herself into the conversation between Kaylen’s sister and his new ****, taking hold of the painted pony’s bridle and calming the creature so that Dinnae could mount up. The brown-eyed woman’s curly hair was worn in a tight topknot to keep it out of her face, she had thrown a traveling cloak on over her steel breastplate and leather jerkin, with matching steel bracers on her forearms. Her sling was tucked into her belt next to a set of knife sheathes, and opposite her bullet pouch. She briefly met Kaylen’s gaze and flashed her dimples at him when she saw him watching her. He nodded and smiled back.

Just past the three brown-haired girls, Sister Alanthea was standing next to her pure white gelding just a short distance from where Lyria was helping Danny into her pony’s saddle, her piercing blue eyes regarding the pair intently. The priestess’s grey cloak was thrown back, showing her blue robes of office and belt of swords along with her satchel of knives. She was the tallest of the girls besides Ursa, nearly level with Kaylen’s height, though her thin frame and ethereal presence made her seem taller.

A little further on, Janel was standing on her own. The kitsune was the shortest member of their team next to Alayni, her robes and wraps in dark to neutral colors concealing not only her presence when she was being sneaky, but also much of her figure, including of course most of her bright red hair and matching fox ears. It occurred to Kaylen that Dinnae probably didn’t know what Janel was, and he wondered what she’d make of her greatest advocate among the team once she learned that bit of information. Janel’s short bow was slung loosely over one shoulder still strung, while tucked through the sash at her waist was a sword of foreign design. It was curved with no pummel and a small disc guard. She had a few pockets that Kaylen had seen, but they were inside her robes, rather than carried on her belt, and her mottled brown pony was packed similarly light to maintain speed and mobility.

Finally, Ursa Cloudwalker, the half-giant, stood tall in the front looking out over the landscape ahead of them. Her shield and a heavy pack were slung over her shoulders, though it didn’t appear to weigh her down at all. She wore a few pouches on her belt and a sword scabbard on her right side, while a long heavy spear was held in her right hand, the butt end on the ground as she used it like a walking staff. As she turned back to regard the others, her black hair tied back into a tail with an equally black ribbon flowing in the light breeze.

As Kaylen finished his appraisal, Janel caught his eye, and approached him, though a moment later Alanthea also turned his way, and the pair ended up coming to him together.

“I’m curious about your girl, Master.” The priestess began. “Will you tell me where you put your **** mark on her?”

Kaylen raised an eyebrow at the pale-haired girl.

“Why are you obsessed with that?” Janel asked, looking up at the taller woman.

Alanthea turned and blinked down at the red-haired kitsune.

“I don’t think you need to be worried about that, Sister.” Kaylen interjected.

“I am merely curious.” She replied, turning back to Kaylen. “I’ve never seen a **** before.”

“You said you had no interest in seeing one when Alayni and I went to join Kaylen at the **** auction.” Janel retorted.

“I didn’t then.” Alanthea said simply. “But I find myself curious about Master’s ****.”

“Would you knock that off?” Janel replied, her eyes narrowing.

Alanthea looked startled, turning once more to face that dual-colored gaze. “I am sorry if my curiosity has offended you.”

“I think she’s referring to the way you are calling me master. Didn’t you say you would resist the temptation to call me that?”

“I did. I’m not doing a very good job at it.” She explained, looking uncharacteristically contrite.

Kaylen sighed, “We can talk about that more later, for now, I think you should leave Dinnae alone when it comes to her **** mark.”

“I have not spoken to her since our first introduction. I hoped you might simply ask her to show me her mark.”

“I don’t think she would comply if it’s not an order.” Janel said with a huff.

The priestess blinked rapidly at the kitsune, then her eyes lit up. “You know where he marked her.”

“What? I didn’t say that!” The red-head looked momentarily panicked.

“That’s enough. Sister Alanthea, you may ask Dinnae if she is willing to tell you the location of the mark, but you must abide by her answer, whatever it may be. I don’t want to hear it come up again, is that understood?”

The priestess sighed, but then nodded, deflated. “I understand, but I do not think she wants to talk to me.”

“No surprise there.” Janel muttered.

“I can tell her you’d like to speak with her, but after that it’s up to her.” Kalen said, his final word on the subject. Then he turned to address Janel. “Was there something you wanted?”

Janel shook her head, “Nothing that can’t wait.”

The others were all waiting, looking towards the three of them when they turned back towards the group, and judging by the embarrassed look on Dinnae’s face, she probably heard at least some of their conversation.

“We need to get going here.” He began, “Does anyone want to take a quick look at the map before we set out? The more eyes we have on it, the less likely there is to be any confusion over the route we’ll be taking.”

Lyria and Alayni moved right in front of Kaylen, with Alanthea and Janel just a little behind him on either side. The brown-haired tanner stayed on her mount and Ursa stood back so as not to crowd the smaller members of their group.

Kaylen retrieved the map he’d purchased from his scroll case, along with the quest directions. “The village that reported the sightings we’ll be looking into should be right here.” He held up the map and pointed to a small spot some distance away from the city they’d just left.

“We can take the main road part way there, so long as we don’t miss the turnoff for this smaller road that leads north into the forest. If we make good speed, I think we should be able to make it to the logging village before nightfall. Any questions?”

He handed the map to his sister to examine before she passed it to Alayni. Janel took a moment to look over it as well, but the priestess declined when it was offered to her. Ursa held the map gingerly for a long moment when it was handed to her, but then looked to Kaylen and to his new **** girl, sitting astride her pony.

“Oh, I don’t really know how to read maps.” She admitted before the parchment could be offered to her.

“Perhaps I could teach you at some point.” Kaylen suggested.

“I would like that.” She agreed, nodding.

When Kaylen got the map back, he put it away along with the quest papers, and then vaulted into the saddle of his own black and brown mare. Then as soon as everyone else was mounted up, he gave the order to move out.

They rode as the sun moved slowly across the sky, dipping down towards the horizon behind them. They passed by the occasional merchant caravan who always seemed eager to exchange news, and a few lone travelers who stayed on their side of the rode and didn’t speak to them.

They’d been on the road for a few hours when a shadow passed over Kaylen’s group. He looked up and spotted what appeared to be a horse with great feathered wings; Kaylen remembered it was called a pegasus. Riding the creature was an armored figure with a collection of spears and javelins, and close behind him were three more airborne adventurers, two riding on a flying carpet, and one wearing priestly robes with radiant wings of his own bearing him aloft.

They moved swiftly to the north and a little to the east of Kaylen and his companions, and it was only a moment after he’d observed them that Alayni called out, “Hey, I think they’re going after that dragon thing over the forest. Or is it a wyvern?” She pointed ahead, and after straining his eyes, Kaylen could barely make out a shape ahead of the flying adventurers, and sure enough it appeared to be some massive winged creature over the forest.

There were murmurs among his teammates as Kaylen himself closed his eyes, and spoke a careful incantation to enhance his sight. When he opened them again, he narrowed his focus to that spot in the distance, now clearly able to make out the details of a winged dragon-like creature flying above the trees, alongside about a dozen smaller creatures that resembled large birds with humanoid heads and torsos; harpies, he realized after a moment. They seemed to be circling something they could see on the ground, and then the wyvern began a dive, and the harpies followed, disappearing into the canopy.

At that point, Kaylen dismissed his spell and turned his attention to his allies’ conversation. “…of our own someday?” Janel was turned in her saddle to address her question to Kaylen.

“What of our own?” Kaylen asked, “I was using a bit of magic, so I didn’t hear the first part of that.”

“I asked if you think we could get flying mounts of our own someday.” The red-head kitsune repeated.

“I’m sure we could get to that point eventually.” Kaylen offered. “But I don’t know how far off that sort of thing is. Let’s see how profitable our first few missions end up being.”

Janel nodded, and looked forward again, to where the four flying adventurers were rapidly disappearing.

It wasn’t much longer before they reached a poorly labeled crossroad. There was a sign that was little more than an unusually tall mile marker, though it only listed the city they’d come from and the next big city further on. The smaller road to the north had no label, even though on his map the logging village in the forested foothills it led to was called Glenvale.

Kaylen spent a moment checking his map before Alayni and Lyria both rode up to him. He conferred with them briefly, and they quickly agreed this was the correct turnoff. So as a group they began riding north, leaving the highway behind.

It was another hour, as the sun began to close in on the horizon to their west, that Kaylen called a halt to their journey to rest for a few minutes and eat some of their cheese and trail bread. They put their mounts on lead reins to graze while they each found a place to sit on grass or rocks.

After retrieving some food, Lyria moved to sit next to Kaylen. “I was talking a little with Danny.” She began, “It sounds like you really came through for her and her brother. I was a little apprehensive when you came back with a ****, I thought you just needed to see the reality of it for yourself. But I’m glad to hear what happened, and I wanted you to know I agree with your decision.”

Kaylen smiled fondly at his sister. “Thank you. It means a lot to me that you approve. It still feels like maybe I could have handled the situation better.”

She responded by giving him a one-armed hug, though with her armor it was not as comfortable as it might have been otherwise. “Hey, don’t doubt yourself, Kaylen.” She said softly, then after a moment she added. “I’ve missed you, you know. I’m really looking forward to getting to know you all over again.”

“I’m looking forward to that too.” He agreed, enjoying her momentary embrace.

They each took a few bites of their food, but then his sister lifted her head from his shoulder as Janel approached them with a handful of her own food.

“Do you need me to give you two some space?” Lyria asked.

“Actually, that might make this easier.” The kitsune smiled at Kaylen’s sister.

“Very well, I’ll go chat with Ursa, she seems to be sulking a bit since we brought Danny onto the team.” Lyria got to her feet with her remaining food and went off toward the half-giant as Janel took her place, tucking her legs beneath her as she knelt down with her own food.

“Should I be concerned? What is it you wanted to say that you couldn’t say in front of my sister?” Kaylen asked once Lyria was out of earshot.

“Oh, it’s not that. I don’t mind if she knows, it’s just a little easier this way. I wanted to get ahead of Alayni. She, uh… she thinks you’re handsome. I think she’s right, and I wanted to… to make my interest known.”

“I see.” Kaylen blushed. “Well, your interest is not unwelcome.” He said, his mind racing. He hadn’t expected anything like this to happen quite this quickly.

She smiled, still blushing, and met his gaze with her own ice-blue and red-brown eyes. He broke the momentary spell between them by taking a bite of his food, and she mirrored his action. Then he asked her something that had been on his mind since she’d revealed her illusion-concealed tails. “Would you let me feel your fur?”

She took in a breath, blushing even more heatedly than she had been a moment before, but then nodded, “Yes, I… I think I’d like that.”

She rose up and knee-walked until she was sitting right next to him, then she carefully unwrapped her scarf, exposing her ears and messy hair. Her ears seemed to lift up, as if taking in the fresh air and sunlight, as Kaylen extended his hand, waited for her nod, and then ran his fingers through her scarlet hair for a moment before letting the tips of his fingers stroke along the soft fur of her ears. He was surprised by just how warm they were, alive beneath his touch. He felt her ear between his thumb and forefinger from base to tip, and they twitched, while Janel sat very still.

It only took a moment for Kaylen to learn a few things about Janel’s ears. She preferred he rub them with the grain rather than against it, and as he did so, she relaxed next to him, leaning a little closer, but not quite pressing against him.

But they couldn’t really linger. Eventually, Janel pulled away, replaced her scarf, and finished her food. Kaylen noticed that both Alanthea and Dinnae were watching, probably surprised to have seen Janel’s ears for the first time.

Soon they were on their way once more, and as they moved along the narrow road towards the mountains, they passed only one large cart carrying a stack of huge logs. They rode in pairs once they entered the forest, with Lyria and Alayni in the lead, and Ursa bringing up the rear on her own. Kaylen found himself just behind his sister alongside Alanthea, who would occasionally watch him from the corner of her eye, but didn’t seem inclined to strike up a conversation.

“Did you want to talk about the whole ‘Master’ situation now?” He asked, after they’d been in the forest for some time.

“We can, if you feel we must.” She replied, glancing his way again. “Is it terribly bothersome for you?”

“No, but…” He trailed off, trying to decide exactly how to explain what the issue was. “It doesn’t bother me personally, but I’m worried other people will get the wrong idea. People will think I have an unsavory relationship with you.”

“Oh.” She looked ahead, then down, then back to him, “I didn’t realize. I don’t mind having a relationship with you, but it shouldn’t be unsavory. Maybe something more like what you and that girl with the red ears have.”

“Janel is a kitsune, or spirit folk.” Kaylen explained.

“I’ve heard of spirit folk.” She said, glancing at him. “You two seem close.”

Kaylen shrugged, “We’ve known each other less than a day. She came to me while we were resting to tell me she has an interest in me. But you’ve seen the extent of what we’ve done so far.”

“I see.” Alanthea responded, glancing his way, then turning forward once more.

They rode in silence for a few minutes before the sound of something rustling in the underbrush came to their attention, and both Lyria and Alayni were drawing weapons as they looked off the road towards the source of the noise, though it stilled almost immediately.

“Something’s there.” Alayni said, turning in her saddle to address Kaylen. “About fifty yards off the path, to the right.”

“Should we investigate?” Lyria asked.