Isildilia.(Book 1 of the White Lily trilogy)

Chapter 12- Opikina

(Picture- Young Froyza) 

  "Try again Isildilia," Valin told her with a heavy sigh.

They had been riding for three days now and Isildilia was sick of it already. Valin had insisted that each night she studied the different species of plants and animals and then he would test her the next day. At the moment, he was testing her knowledge of medical plants.

"Which plant helps to dull poisons but not cure them?" he asked.

"Thuni?" she guessed.

"Wrong again. Thuni heals poisons, Thumi dulls poisons."

"Wouldn't it be easier if you didn't give your plants such similar names?" Dakelo asked. Valin returned this with a glare, but he didn't continue asking Isildilia questions for the rest of the morning.

They soon decided to rest the horses in a nearby clearing, which was just big enough to house all of them. Froyza was also tired from the constant running as he collapsed next to Isildilia. She used a water pack and poured some into his mouth, which he lapped up vigorously.

Dakelo started to spar with invisible people with his new sword. He stood up and started to swing it around in a motion which could suggest he was cleaving someone's head. It was difficult for him to do, as he had been used to using small knives for the last few years. Isildilia did not share his enthusiasm for the use of weapons. She laid her sword on the ground in front of her, looking at it like it might suddenly bite her.

"Is something wrong?" Valin asked, staring at her cautiously.

"She just has a thing about killing others," Dakelo answered for her over his shoulder. "Not since...." He broke off from finishing that, as Isi send him a threatening glare. He should know she never wanted to talk or even think about that incident.

"Oh, well then...." Valin suddenly stopped and his body went rigid . They all stared at him. He looked like someone had just stabbed him in the back. Froyza strode over to Valin and delicately nudged his hand with his nose. He jolted as if Froyza's nose was like ice.

"They have gone too far!" he shouted. With that, he took off, leaving them all behind looking dumbstruck at each other.

"What was that about?" Isildilia worried.

"I don't know but we should follow him," said Dakelo. Quickly, he tucked his sword into his belt and ran after him. Froyza ran with Isildilia and the horses followed obediently. From a sight point of view, Valin was long gone. Thankfully for them, Froyza could follow his scent easily. When they finally caught up to Valin he had run over a mile away. In fact, they heard him before they saw him, his voice booming through the forest with threatening malice.

"What's going on?" she muttered. The forest suddenly came to an abrupt stop. The whole land beyond where they stood was littered with fallen branches and tree stumps, as far as the eye could see. It was heartbreaking to see. Valin stood far to their left, yelling at some people.

"Are they human?" she asked Froyza.

"Yes," he growled, backing into the trees to remain hidden. Isildilia could see as they got closer that they each of the six men held a metal axe in their hands. Right next to the group was a tree which they had just felled. It was much bigger than the surrounding trees. In fact, it could have easily measured over three metres in diameter.

"What's that?" she asked. Froyza's fur started to stand up.

"They have cut down a forest guardian," he snarled.