The Book Gatherer

Chapter Ten

Firek stared, horrified, as the giraffe drank from the stream. Legs splayed out ridiculously, long long neck stretched down down down so the beast could slurp the water, it looked so ridiculously precarious Firek was nervous it would fall over and crush him.

"Why does it drink like that?" he managed to get out through his fear.

The girl looked over. She stood on top of a large mossy rock, keeping watch as the giraffe drank. Apparently the thing refused to drink if the girl didn't watch for predators, the pathetic prey animal. "How else is she supposed to drink?"

"Like a . . . cow? I that what it's called? A cow, or horse, or something?" Firek cursed his fumbling. Stupid land animals. "Anything but that. It's so vulnerable."

The LAND gatherer wrinkled her nose. "A cow's neck is short enough. Jeje's much better than them."

Firek stared at her, uncomprehending. "Almost falling over whenever it wants to drink is not better."

She flushed. "She's not falling over. And Jeje can go a month without water if needed. What's the most your bird can?"

Firek eyed her and didn't answer. He wasn't giving up any more secrets.

She huffed and turned away, scanning the surrounding forest. She did take her job seriously, even pointless as it was, which was something Firek could respect. He had been assigned countless chores meant only to keep him busy in the past. But despite never accomplishing something useful, he had always completed them, and had discovered a reward for obeying useless orders from his superiors. Trust.

Perhaps that was why the girl and her giraffe seemed to work together so well.

He thought of Yutinah trusting him with flying after the LAND girl after the cliff's disaster—and her telling him to not engage, only to follow then return. Shame welled up in him, and he dropped his head, staring at his bound wrists. He'd disobeyed a direct order from his flock's leader. He deserved to be tied up. Maybe the reason they haven't shown up yet is Yutinah is punishing me for running off. Maybe she means to leave me as a lackey's prisoner forever.

He cast off the pathetic notion immediately. No matter what Yutinah thought of him now, she would never be so petty. The thought gave him strength. Perhaps Firek would be demoted, maybe even kicked out of the flock—he shuddered—but he would fly on Krunin again. The sooner, the better.

He should leave more marks for his flock to follow. He would need the ropes off his wrists for that, and it wasn't likely the girl would allow it. She only removed them when he needed his hands for climbing or bandaging his wounds. Perhaps if he pretended his leg was bleeding again . . . an idea formed in his head, but then the beast finished its drink and tried to rise. It stumbled, staggering toward him, and Firek cried out, shoving backward to avoid being crushed. He fell on backside into the stream, freezing water splashing up his back. The monster's horned head reared to block out sunlight, a muddy hoof lashed out to strike him, and Firek screamed, curling up to protect his head when the beast fell—

Someone was laughing. Firek twisted, peeking up, and found the lackey girl standing over him, doubled up on her knees, tears streaming down her face in laughter. Another head popped up, belonging to the giraffe, its nostrils flaring wide and huge black eyes staring. Firek scrambled backward out of the stream, his entire body screaming to get away from that thing, but his back slammed against the trunk of a tree and he had nowhere to go. He shrieked, throwing up his bound hands to protect himself.

No attack came. "Goggles?"

The nickname snapped him out of it. He scrambled to his feet, hands held out defensively. "Get away from me." His voice rasped shakily. He was shaking.