The Dragon Blood Guardian *COMPLETED*

Stampede

I awoke to the burn of the morning sun across my cheek. I crawled over to the cool water and dipped my face in before scooping up handfuls to cleanse my arms and legs. I thought of just stripping down and immersing myself completely into the desert pond, but I wasn't sure I could willingly put the clothes back on once they'd been removed. My once modest and comfortable frock was now tattered and torn, the pale green of my dress turned a sickly yellow thanks to the sand clinging to the rough weave. The strings of my corset lay frayed and loose, while my bloomers should have long ago been replaced by a fresh set.

I shivered at the thought of my grimy trappings, but I would not walk stark and bare before the vicious sun. So I kept my morning ritual to a quick rinse and then retrieved my supplies. Once I had my food thrown over my shoulder and my water fastened around my waist, I headed for the shoreline not far from the oasis.

I didn't know how big the island was, which I'm sure was Vincent's intention by having me blindfolded. For, if I knew it was a small island, I could walk the shoreline without fear, knowing I'd be able to make it back to the oasis before his fabled merchants arrived. However, if it were a large island that would require several days for a journey to completely survey it's shoreline, then I would have to proceed with caution. That uncertainty should have kept me resigned and complacent at the oasis as Vincent hoped. However, I was neither of those things and though I proceeded under the assumption it was a large island, and thus would require me to turn back around in a day's time, I still proceeded.

For the most part, I had the great, shimmering expanse of the deep blue ocean to my left and the rolling dunes, swept smooth by the coastal breeze on my right. Every now and then, a scuttling crab, a crying sea bird, or a meager shrub broke up the monotonous march, but even those grew tiresome as the sun climbed higher upon its throne.

My head scarf, constructed from the light cotton of my dress, served well to shade my scalp and allow my sweating skin to breathe. However, my arms and legs had no such covering. Sand clung to my slick calves and my forearms roasted beneath the sun. By midday, I decided to discard my corset completely, revealing a dark stain of sweat upon my dress.

I sipped from my coconut canteen, but I feared drinking too much too quickly as I only had a limited amount to get me back to the oasis. Instead I resorted to food for hydration. Inside my rations I found a small sky melon, ripe and blue. With my roughly hewn knife, I sliced it in half and savored the juices, careful not to let too much drip over my chin.

After a few strips of jerky and a biscuit, I felt replenished though a bit shaky. I kept taking my coconut to my lips only to pull it away, fearful I may drain my supplies before I'd even gotten through the day. Instead I collected seashells as I passed them on the beach. Rubbing my thumb against the smooth side of the shell kept the slight tremors in my hands at ease.

I was singing old folk songs that the court bard often played, when I came upon a boulder blocking my path. The mid afternoon sun caused a ripple of heat to distort the dark bulky lump, breathing life into the silent stone. I proceeded forward, not thinking much of it – not thinking much of anything really – when I saw it shiver in the sea breeze.

With only old rhymes and the constant fidget of my hands against the seashells keeping me grounded in the blistering heat, I knew it best just to shake the sand from my eyes and keep moving while I still had daylight. However, as I got closer, the illusion grew clearer and it became difficult to continue my assumption about the boulder when a head rose up from the water, snapping a fish in half in its great jaws.

"By the gods," I mumbled. The shock of his long neck and prominent horns, froze my legs. However, my feet had for too long marched with unthinking rhythm and the sudden halt sent me stumbling into the sand only a few meters away from the beast. At my disturbance, he lifted his round, rough body from the ground, revealing, thick, knobby legs and wide, circular feet. Now standing in full, he towered over me at nearly twice my height. He swung his large shaggy head down, his wide, flat snout just short of brushing my forehead as his deep breath pulled my stray hairs towards his nostrils.

My exhausted body went stiff under his scrutiny and I held my breath as I awaited his departure. Unfortunately, my scent appeared to be to his disliking. With a fierce expulsion of air and a shrill cry that sent my palms to my ears, the beast stamped its feet as it swung it's hefty body around to face me in full. Not interested in seeing what he had planned next, I popped up from the ground and ran.

Adrenaline kept my legs pumping while my ankles twisted again and again in the shifting sands. Looking over my shoulder I watched the flat webbed feet of the beast carry the lumbering body effortlessly over the unstable terrain. Not sure if I could beat him in this race, I veered closer to the shoreline where the sand was wet and stiff from the lapping waves. There I found firmer ground, but unwelcome suction. The moist sand swallowed my feet, sinking them in and taking hold. My ankles no longer cried out in pain, but my speed was practically cut in half. I roared with frustration and nearly fell into the water when someone roared back.

I looked to my right and saw another beast galloping over a dune, his call answering the shrieks of complaint coming from the creature behind me. Even worse, I saw several more shaggy heads, bouncing into view. A whole herd was coming to the rescue.

With a new blast of adrenaline, I departed from the wet shoreline and decided to head inland, hopeful for firmer, drier ground. I climbed up a dune, causing the closest beast to slip along the slope, unable to meet the quick change in my trajectory. He hollered as I slid down the other side. From over my shoulder I saw those in the back shifting their strides and plowing forward with more grace than the one dragging himself back up from the sand.

With my legs burning with exhaustion and my ribs crying out in pain, I tossed my rations to the ground, freeing my body of unnecessary weight. I prayed to whatever gods had not abandoned me yet in this folly, that the rations would survive the stampede and I'd find them again once I lost my rampaging herd. As for how I would escape them, I turned my eyes to the land that laid past the sandy hillsides. I couldn't see too far inland, but I did manage a glimpse of a sweeping golden field in between the slopes of two dunes.

Hoping to use my agility to my advantage, I once again changed my direction with a sharp turn for the valley between the dunes, this time not looking back to see how the pursuing herd handled the turn. Once through the gap, I saw a large field of tall, yellowed grass, which I flew into with a grateful burst of energy.

Pleased with myself, I turned to see how the beasts fared, only to find they took to the firmer ground of the inland field even better than I did. Their heavy foot falls now pounded like war drums against the sturdy dirt and they flew with impressive speed beneath the hefty weight of their lumpy bodies. Quelling a cry of panic, I sprinted through the field, the grass whipping against my bare legs and arms as I contemplated my next move.

I, however, didn't get to make that decision. In my blind flight, I neglected to see the ditch before me. Racing forward without the ground to meet my foot like I expected, I flew head first, tumbling into the valley and landing roughly upon the edge of the ditch. My bruised torso burned and I clenched my teeth against the pain. Gripping my throbbing side, I sank down into the trench, rolling on to my back, only to feel the wet kiss of a small stream dribbling through the ravine, which seeped into my hair and soaked through the back of my clothes. I shivered as the cold liquid coated my skin, but the uncomfortable touch disappeared from my concerns when the first foot fall of a rampaging beast nearly missed my head when it landed on the side of the ditch.

Dirt dislodged fromthe trench wall and scattered across my face. I spat the earth from my mouth and reached up to wipe my eyes, only tosee the underside of another belly as it leapt over my meager hiding place. The ground rattled and the stampede poundedagainst my ears. Dirt continued to breakfree and pour over me, covering me in a thin layer before their racing feetbecame a distant roll of thunder and I was left alone and shaking in the wetcrevice of the earth.

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