As Cloud and I continued walking through the forest together I soon found myself talk to him. It was a very much one sided conversation the whole time but it was nice to have someone that just listens. I was able to get so much off my chest that by the time we finally settled to get some sleep at night I felt that I could breath a little easier. Even though Cloud looked like he could bite my head off at any moment when he curled around me softly I laid my head down in its side. His body was so warm to the touch that when he draped one of his wings over me I was warm throughout the night. It was the best sleep I've had in months. No nightmares or rolling round because of the pain in my back. By the time I finally woke early in the morning I was far more rested and ready to do more traveling today.
Over the next couple of days Cloud and I made sure to stay close together. There was no telling what we were going to find out in the wilderness. Just the next day we ended up coming across a pack of what looked like hyenas with fangs the curved down out of their mouths. We spent quite a bit of time running from them dodging every which way to avoid being pinned down by them. During that little run I did learn that Cloud was able to manipulate the wind. With one massive flap of Cloud's wings he created two tornadoes that tore across the ground towards the hyenas. While the hyenas were busy trying not to be hit by the tornadoes. I was startled when Cloud wrapped his tail around my waist lifting me high off the ground. We had flown through the air for what felt like hours before Cloud finally brought me back down to the ground. When we finally got back to the ground I was able to see all the scratches on my legs. I guess the hyenas had managed to nip at me a few times that I was too busy running from them to notice.
I was very sure after about two weeks of traveling with Cloud that if he wasn't with me I wouldn't have gotten very far. Between all of the predators we seemed to come across and the terrain as well it made travel a little slower. There was even a few instances that the earth gave out from under me opening up to a dark abyss. If it weren't for Cloud catching me each time I probably could have fallen ending up with some broken bones or even breaking my neck. Katherine wasn't kidding when she warned me that it was dangerous wondering around this world on my own. At least with Cloud I'm not alone and I have a better chance of surviving. I hated to admit it but because of Lucia teaching me how to use magic I was able to protect myself all the better as well. Between being able to us magic and having Cloud at my side I was able to get through each day with at the worst of my injuries being cuts and bruises. At least at this rate I was putting some good distance between Charlie and me.
I ended up eventually losing track of the days that it's been since I left Charlie's castle. I even ran out of the food that Kathrine had packed for me. I was forced to scavenge around the forest for food. Cloud even brought me some small rabbits at night for me to cook. It was a good thing I remembered watching Will skin an animal during the time I spent with him. Even better was that I still remembered all of my mother's cooking lessons. I was able to easily cook the meat from the rabbit so that it wasn't just edible but tasted good as well. The only time Cloud ever left me on my own was when he went hunting for his food. I always wondered what he was. I did entertain the idea that he might be some kind of dragon but when I asked Cloud he just shook his head. In all the studies I've done with Lucia I not once came across anything that remotely resembles Cloud. For now to me he was a giant flying serpent that was extremely intelligent.
While traveling I was startled when we came across a dirt road cutting through the middle of the forest. I instantly became excited when we found this road because all roads eventually lead to some kind of village. Maybe if I found a village I would be able to get some clean clothes or even a proper meal. I just hoped if I met any people they would good people like Liam and even Will. I could definitely use some good people in my life at the moment. Don't get me wrong Cloud has quickly become my friend but at the same time he doesn't respond the same way a human would when I talk. Part of me did wish that I could understand what he was thinking so that I at least new why he was so keen on following me. Why he wanted to protect me? Then again creatures do tend to know things that humans don't. Maybe Cloud knew something or even could at least sense something that I didn't.
We had only been traveling along side the road when I heard something rumbling behind us. Turning around there was a man sitting on a wagon being pulled by what looked like an ordinary horse. In the back of the wagon were several different sized boxes each with some kind of red label on them. The man riding on the wagon looked like he's seen some better days. He looked to be somewhere in his eighties with a back that was hunched over from years of hard labor. There were liver spots all along his arms and some along side his face. The man brought the wagon to a stop beside me smiling down at us.
"You look like you've seen better days dear." he commented.
"You could say that. I've been kind of lost in the woods for a little while." I replied.
"How did you get lost?" he wondered.
"Teleportation spell went haywire on me." I laughed.
"Looks to me you need more than just a hot bath. Is that thing safe?" he questioned.
"Yes he's harmless." I assured him.
"Then why don't you hop on and I'll take you to the nearest town. It should only be another twenty miles but I'm assuming you've done plenty of walking by now." he smiled.
"Thank you."
I quickly got up on to the empty spot next to the old man while Cloud climb up on to empty spot in the back of the wagon. I learned that the mans name is Leon and that he was in the middle of delivering some supplies to the town up ahead. When he began asking me questions about myself I made sure to give him some general answers. The last thing I wanted was to tell the wrong person that I was on the run from Charlie and that I was from another world. Either information could put not only myself in danger but possibly even someone around me. It was best that no one knows anything about me.
It was sunset when we finally reached the town he was talking about. Cloud and I hopped off the wagon at the entrance to the town waving good by to Leon as we went on to make his deliveries. Walking in to the town I was instantly began to get worried. Every building seemed to have pieces missing. In a way it looked like something had tried to dig its way through the wall. It looked like a tornado had gone through the town. There shatter barrels lying everywhere along with shards of glass from the broken windows. What had happened here? There were gashes in the earth that were a couple feet in length. As I was walking I noticed people peaking out through the windows at me clearly terrified. I wasn't sure if I should stay in this town any more.
When I was near the center of town I came across a building that had a sign hanging still over the door. I was relieved to see that it was actually an inn. Maybe they'll have a room for me to stay the night in. Walking through the front door I wasn't too happy watching Cloud stay outside since he couldn't fit through the front door. Inside the inn looked just as run down as the rest of the town looked. The burly man behind the bar looked at me without any emotion as I walked up to him. He slid me a key without a word telling me the price is two silver for every night I stay. I made sure to place the two silver on the counter for him grateful that Katherine had slipped me some money. Upstairs the room key had a number on it corresponding to the room it went. Opening the door I found myself looking at a very small room with a single bed in it. Looking down in to the street below from the window I saw Cloud still curled up beside the front door. I guess he was going to guard the front door till I came out.
Curling up on to the bed it was a nice change from the hard ground even with how thin the mattress was I was still wondering what happened to this town. It couldn't have always been this way and Leon wouldn't be making a delivery to a town that wasn't still busy. I heard my stomach growling suddenly so I decided to go back downstairs in hopes of a hot meal. When I got down stairs I was a little surprised that there actually a couple of people sitting around tables eating in silence. I went at to sit at the bar since I didn't have any one to actually sit with. The man behind the bar gruffly asked me want I wanted. It was obvious he wasn't too happy that there was a stranger in town. I asked him what they offered for food and he only had stew with bread along side it. I asked him for a bowl and a loaf wanting just to eat something I didn't have to prepare myself. As I was steadily eating the stew placed in front of me the man behind the bar began asking me questions.
"So what brings a stranger in to our forsaken town?" the man behind the bar asked.
"Just passing through." I answered.
"Well lady you've picked a pretty bad town to be just passing through." he commented.
"What makes you say that?" I wondered.
"This town hasn't been a safe place for a very long time. That creature of yours outside alone makes everyone nervous. We don't need any more trouble than we all ready have." he replied.
"So is there something that caused all the damage to the town?" I inquired.
"The same thing that shows up every night for the past year and kills any poor soul out on the streets. I don't know how long that pet of yours is going to last out there." he said.
"What is attacking your people?" I asked.
"A Shadow Vine." he answered.
"What is that?" I asked.
"It's a creature that can move between the shadow world and ours. It usually takes on any form it finds most pleasing. This Shadow Vine likes to take on the form of a rather large wolf that has a rather wide set of shoulders. Since it hates the sunlight it only comes out at night especially since the shadows are darker and cover the entire town." he explained.
"Why haven't any one fought back?" I asked.
"We did at first but we only ended up getting more of us killed than doing any real damage to that thing. Instead we just stay inside during the night. So long as the Shadow Vine doesn't see any one it doesn't attack them." he answered.
"Is there no way to kill it?" I wondered.
"None that we've been able to figure out." he shrugged.
With that said he went to go fill up some of the other peoples mugs with what I assumed was some kind of beer. Looking around everyone looked so depressed. They were all very much alive but they don't seemed to be doing much living. This Shadow Vine had demolished the morale of the entire town and now everyone's so scared that they didn't even know how to be happy any more. The sadness was so strong that you could feel it in the air pressing down on to you. I could imagine this how I was while I was trapped in Charlie's castle. I wish that I could do something to help these people but I wasn't sure that I would be able to defeat something that they couldn't even after a year.
When I finally went back upstairs to go to bed I looked out the window to check on Cloud. After hearing about that Shadow Vine I wanted to make sure he was all right. It made me nervous having him sleeping out there with the Shadow Vine prowling out there. Lying down in the bed I wanted to be able to have Cloud up here by my side. I was just about to drift off in to sleep when I was jolted awake when the entire building shook suddenly. I heard a loud snarl coming from outside. I instantly recognized Cloud's snarls mixed with what sounded like a snarl that came from under water. I rushed out of the bed realizing instantly that Cloud was in danger. I had to protect him no matter what. He's done so much to protect me and I had to protect him as well. That's how a friendship works. You protect each other and right now my friend needed my protection.
Over the next couple of days Cloud and I made sure to stay close together. There was no telling what we were going to find out in the wilderness. Just the next day we ended up coming across a pack of what looked like hyenas with fangs the curved down out of their mouths. We spent quite a bit of time running from them dodging every which way to avoid being pinned down by them. During that little run I did learn that Cloud was able to manipulate the wind. With one massive flap of Cloud's wings he created two tornadoes that tore across the ground towards the hyenas. While the hyenas were busy trying not to be hit by the tornadoes. I was startled when Cloud wrapped his tail around my waist lifting me high off the ground. We had flown through the air for what felt like hours before Cloud finally brought me back down to the ground. When we finally got back to the ground I was able to see all the scratches on my legs. I guess the hyenas had managed to nip at me a few times that I was too busy running from them to notice.
I was very sure after about two weeks of traveling with Cloud that if he wasn't with me I wouldn't have gotten very far. Between all of the predators we seemed to come across and the terrain as well it made travel a little slower. There was even a few instances that the earth gave out from under me opening up to a dark abyss. If it weren't for Cloud catching me each time I probably could have fallen ending up with some broken bones or even breaking my neck. Katherine wasn't kidding when she warned me that it was dangerous wondering around this world on my own. At least with Cloud I'm not alone and I have a better chance of surviving. I hated to admit it but because of Lucia teaching me how to use magic I was able to protect myself all the better as well. Between being able to us magic and having Cloud at my side I was able to get through each day with at the worst of my injuries being cuts and bruises. At least at this rate I was putting some good distance between Charlie and me.
I ended up eventually losing track of the days that it's been since I left Charlie's castle. I even ran out of the food that Kathrine had packed for me. I was forced to scavenge around the forest for food. Cloud even brought me some small rabbits at night for me to cook. It was a good thing I remembered watching Will skin an animal during the time I spent with him. Even better was that I still remembered all of my mother's cooking lessons. I was able to easily cook the meat from the rabbit so that it wasn't just edible but tasted good as well. The only time Cloud ever left me on my own was when he went hunting for his food. I always wondered what he was. I did entertain the idea that he might be some kind of dragon but when I asked Cloud he just shook his head. In all the studies I've done with Lucia I not once came across anything that remotely resembles Cloud. For now to me he was a giant flying serpent that was extremely intelligent.
While traveling I was startled when we came across a dirt road cutting through the middle of the forest. I instantly became excited when we found this road because all roads eventually lead to some kind of village. Maybe if I found a village I would be able to get some clean clothes or even a proper meal. I just hoped if I met any people they would good people like Liam and even Will. I could definitely use some good people in my life at the moment. Don't get me wrong Cloud has quickly become my friend but at the same time he doesn't respond the same way a human would when I talk. Part of me did wish that I could understand what he was thinking so that I at least new why he was so keen on following me. Why he wanted to protect me? Then again creatures do tend to know things that humans don't. Maybe Cloud knew something or even could at least sense something that I didn't.
We had only been traveling along side the road when I heard something rumbling behind us. Turning around there was a man sitting on a wagon being pulled by what looked like an ordinary horse. In the back of the wagon were several different sized boxes each with some kind of red label on them. The man riding on the wagon looked like he's seen some better days. He looked to be somewhere in his eighties with a back that was hunched over from years of hard labor. There were liver spots all along his arms and some along side his face. The man brought the wagon to a stop beside me smiling down at us.
"You look like you've seen better days dear." he commented.
"You could say that. I've been kind of lost in the woods for a little while." I replied.
"How did you get lost?" he wondered.
"Teleportation spell went haywire on me." I laughed.
"Looks to me you need more than just a hot bath. Is that thing safe?" he questioned.
"Yes he's harmless." I assured him.
"Then why don't you hop on and I'll take you to the nearest town. It should only be another twenty miles but I'm assuming you've done plenty of walking by now." he smiled.
"Thank you."
I quickly got up on to the empty spot next to the old man while Cloud climb up on to empty spot in the back of the wagon. I learned that the mans name is Leon and that he was in the middle of delivering some supplies to the town up ahead. When he began asking me questions about myself I made sure to give him some general answers. The last thing I wanted was to tell the wrong person that I was on the run from Charlie and that I was from another world. Either information could put not only myself in danger but possibly even someone around me. It was best that no one knows anything about me.
It was sunset when we finally reached the town he was talking about. Cloud and I hopped off the wagon at the entrance to the town waving good by to Leon as we went on to make his deliveries. Walking in to the town I was instantly began to get worried. Every building seemed to have pieces missing. In a way it looked like something had tried to dig its way through the wall. It looked like a tornado had gone through the town. There shatter barrels lying everywhere along with shards of glass from the broken windows. What had happened here? There were gashes in the earth that were a couple feet in length. As I was walking I noticed people peaking out through the windows at me clearly terrified. I wasn't sure if I should stay in this town any more.
When I was near the center of town I came across a building that had a sign hanging still over the door. I was relieved to see that it was actually an inn. Maybe they'll have a room for me to stay the night in. Walking through the front door I wasn't too happy watching Cloud stay outside since he couldn't fit through the front door. Inside the inn looked just as run down as the rest of the town looked. The burly man behind the bar looked at me without any emotion as I walked up to him. He slid me a key without a word telling me the price is two silver for every night I stay. I made sure to place the two silver on the counter for him grateful that Katherine had slipped me some money. Upstairs the room key had a number on it corresponding to the room it went. Opening the door I found myself looking at a very small room with a single bed in it. Looking down in to the street below from the window I saw Cloud still curled up beside the front door. I guess he was going to guard the front door till I came out.
Curling up on to the bed it was a nice change from the hard ground even with how thin the mattress was I was still wondering what happened to this town. It couldn't have always been this way and Leon wouldn't be making a delivery to a town that wasn't still busy. I heard my stomach growling suddenly so I decided to go back downstairs in hopes of a hot meal. When I got down stairs I was a little surprised that there actually a couple of people sitting around tables eating in silence. I went at to sit at the bar since I didn't have any one to actually sit with. The man behind the bar gruffly asked me want I wanted. It was obvious he wasn't too happy that there was a stranger in town. I asked him what they offered for food and he only had stew with bread along side it. I asked him for a bowl and a loaf wanting just to eat something I didn't have to prepare myself. As I was steadily eating the stew placed in front of me the man behind the bar began asking me questions.
"So what brings a stranger in to our forsaken town?" the man behind the bar asked.
"Just passing through." I answered.
"Well lady you've picked a pretty bad town to be just passing through." he commented.
"What makes you say that?" I wondered.
"This town hasn't been a safe place for a very long time. That creature of yours outside alone makes everyone nervous. We don't need any more trouble than we all ready have." he replied.
"So is there something that caused all the damage to the town?" I inquired.
"The same thing that shows up every night for the past year and kills any poor soul out on the streets. I don't know how long that pet of yours is going to last out there." he said.
"What is attacking your people?" I asked.
"A Shadow Vine." he answered.
"What is that?" I asked.
"It's a creature that can move between the shadow world and ours. It usually takes on any form it finds most pleasing. This Shadow Vine likes to take on the form of a rather large wolf that has a rather wide set of shoulders. Since it hates the sunlight it only comes out at night especially since the shadows are darker and cover the entire town." he explained.
"Why haven't any one fought back?" I asked.
"We did at first but we only ended up getting more of us killed than doing any real damage to that thing. Instead we just stay inside during the night. So long as the Shadow Vine doesn't see any one it doesn't attack them." he answered.
"Is there no way to kill it?" I wondered.
"None that we've been able to figure out." he shrugged.
With that said he went to go fill up some of the other peoples mugs with what I assumed was some kind of beer. Looking around everyone looked so depressed. They were all very much alive but they don't seemed to be doing much living. This Shadow Vine had demolished the morale of the entire town and now everyone's so scared that they didn't even know how to be happy any more. The sadness was so strong that you could feel it in the air pressing down on to you. I could imagine this how I was while I was trapped in Charlie's castle. I wish that I could do something to help these people but I wasn't sure that I would be able to defeat something that they couldn't even after a year.
When I finally went back upstairs to go to bed I looked out the window to check on Cloud. After hearing about that Shadow Vine I wanted to make sure he was all right. It made me nervous having him sleeping out there with the Shadow Vine prowling out there. Lying down in the bed I wanted to be able to have Cloud up here by my side. I was just about to drift off in to sleep when I was jolted awake when the entire building shook suddenly. I heard a loud snarl coming from outside. I instantly recognized Cloud's snarls mixed with what sounded like a snarl that came from under water. I rushed out of the bed realizing instantly that Cloud was in danger. I had to protect him no matter what. He's done so much to protect me and I had to protect him as well. That's how a friendship works. You protect each other and right now my friend needed my protection.
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