Enchantment of the Bow

Chapter Six

"You know I'm not going to apologize for that." I say as Syl, Adolin and I watch Jed as he slowly starts to sit up. "I never said I would go easy on you."

Syl has me sitting on the ground while she kneels next to me and cleans my shoulder. She had scrounged up some more red flowers, and I gag on the taste again, my face scrunched as I force them down. Syl pours water on my wound from a flask, and I grit my teeth, closing my eyes to help me get through the burning pain. My skin is so hot and painful that the cool water seems to turn to lava when it drips onto it.

I hear Jed sit up. "Well. Then I hope you wont mind if I don't apologize for doing that to you."

I open my eyes to leer at him. I know he's only acting like this because Adolin is around, and Kaladin is probably within earshot as well so I may as well play the game.

Syl had found a clean-ish cloth, and pours water over it, then presses it to the wound none to lightly.

I jump, and give a small, manly sounding grunt, clenching my fists.

Adolin laughs. "Don't be such a woman!"

I glare at him. "Would you like to fight me as well? Maybe then you'll see that I am not. Or maybe we should shoot you and see if you yell in pain." I say, my voice challenging.

He gives me one back. "Don't push me, Short arse."

I chuckle darkly. "Yes mother."

"That's enough." Jedediah says, pushing himself up. His voice is still strained. "Quit bickering like a couple of old women."

Adolin and I both look at him and say, "Yes mother." In unison. We then glare at each other, Adolin crossing his arms stubbornly.

I am about to say something smart, but there is a sudden pressure on my arm and I nearly cry out in pain. Once I can see clearly again, I shoot an ungrateful look at Syl. She ignores me and finishes tying the bandage on, knotting it tightly.

Kaladin comes through the clearing, his face serious. "We should leave, there is a group of men with the imperial colors headed our way." He must have been out scouting. He looks at me for a moment with a piercing gaze before he goes to his horse.

They had flattened the ashes of the fire and thrown dirt over it, masking it perfectly, and it makes me assume that they need to do it often.

Syl gives me a thoughtful smack on the shoulder as she stands, making me groan as pain shoots through my body. I spit at her feet before getting up myself. I call Lasreal over, and it takes me a few tries to mount successfully.
By the time I swing myself into the saddle, the others had all mounted and we're several feet away, already heading out.

I nudge Lasreal and he leaps immediately into his unbelievably smooth cater. We catch up to them in a matter of seconds, and I ride up next to Jed.

His mount tosses its head, apparently startled by this.
He glances over at me, an apology in his eyes for how he spoke to me back at the camp.

"How far from camp were they?" Syl asks, bringing her pony up next to Kaladin's.

He stares straight ahead as our little group canters on. "Not far. A few minutes at the most."

How had they covered so much ground? They must not have stopped to rest, and it would seem that they decided to leave the trails as well, though I am sure they're are several different parties.

I fear that by now Kaladin has some questions in his head that he is waiting to ask me, questions that I cannot answer yet. A little farther on, Lasreal starts to tug at his bit, and he pricks his ears, pulling his head forward.

Jed looks over curiously as Las dances to go faster, where the other mounts had already started to sweat. I glance over at him as he gives an impatient buck, nearly kicking Adolin's horse behind us.

"Watch it, Short arse!" He grumbles mildly.

I shoot a glare behind me at him as Lasreal tries to steal his head. I smack him on the neck and attempt hold the reins firmly with my good arm as he kicks again. I keep my injured arm pressed tightly against my torso to keep from using it and crippling me more, and I pull his head up so his ears are closer to me.

"Stop it." I hiss, and push my mind into his. I tell him to calm down because the others couldn't keep up otherwise, and he snorts, tossing his head. He doesn't want them to keep up. He doesn't like them.

Jedediah gives me an impressed look as he settles down, and stops chewing his bit. "That ... Horse," He says, gazing at him admiringly, unsure if he should call him a beast in front of the others. "Seems to be as much of a pain in the arse as you."

"Yes, he is also as deadly as well. So I would watch yourself."

He gives me a secret smile as we ride on. Whether he smiled because he believes it, or finds it funny, I can't tell.

"So why are we dodging these suited monkeys anyway? Maybe they're just moving to the next city." Syl comments, looking up at Kaladin.

He glances back at me. "Because, I've a feeling our new friend has attracted some unwanted attention." He says with an edge of inpatients in his voice.

I swallow, getting the inkling that he is getting curious. It won't be long until he starts to ask his questions. The sound of heavy hoof beats thud against the ground somewhere ahead of us, and I raise my eyes from Kaladin's to look thought the trees ahead.

"They must have circled around." Jed suggests.

"Or there are many groups of them." I cut in, half wondering why I just gave some information up freely.

"Either way," Kaladin says, drawing his sword from the scabbard on his back. "There is nowhere to go but ahead."

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Sorry for the short chapter, it was sort of a filler but the next one will be more exiting, promise!

Thanks guys, stay awesome.
~A.