To Break A Curse

Chapter 8

Bo and Fale argue which direction would be the quickest and eventually agree to continue North for a day or two and then head East, to Valas Miran.

Setting off at a brisk pace, I once again struggle to keep up and am grateful when they stop to fill the water pouches with fresh water from a small stream. Taking every opportunity to rest my legs, I find a fallen branch nearby and sit.

Wiping a thin layer of sweat off my forehead, I'm thankful for the trees and the small amount of shade they provide. Although it's not the hot season yet, it's still warm enough to be uncomfortable with the humidity clinging to the air. We must be getting closer to the mountain ranges because the trees grow sparser, more like sporadic clumps of woods than forest.

Something wet touches the bottom of my foot and when I look down, a thin hole wears on the toe of my boot, the white of my stocking peeking through. 

I need better boots.

"You need better boots," Fale says, sauntering over.

I suppress a snort. "Oh, but I like them like this—nice and airy," I reply sarcastically. Glancing behind him, Bo is nowhere to be found. "Where's Bo? He's not by the stream."

"Relieving himself," he responds directly.

I scrunch my nose. I did not need to know that.

"We need to keep an eye on him. Even though I believe he's on our side, I still don't fully trust him... and I don't think he trusts me in particular."

"You shouldn't trust anyone, that's how you get yourself killed. But yes, I agree, especially since you resemble the people who killed his entire family... and because I don't think he truly believes you're Askiran," he says apprehensively.

"Well, there's nothing I can do about that," I tell him. "But when he attacked me, you could have easily let him kill me, but you didn't. Why? You could have had one less burden to take care of."

"I told you, it's my duty to protect Tsvera. You are part of Tsvera. It's that simple," he says then pauses. "But–"

"You wouldn't guess what I just found!" Bo yells enthusiastically, interrupting Fale. He comes into view with a dead rabbit swinging in the clutches of his hand. "We've got ourselves a feast!"

"Did you kill that with your bare hands?" Fale asks skeptically.

"It's just a wee rabbit, of course I did. Why, how do you go about it?"

I let out a laugh. "Indeed, how do you go about it, mighty warrior?"

Fale gives me a look. "I actually don't eat rabbit so I wouldn't know."

"Well, more for us then," Bo says to me with a wink. I smile back.

***

Fale starts a small fire while Bo skins and prepares the rabbit.

"Is this where we're staying for the night then?" I ask no one in particular. The stream makes a soft bubbling noise next to me, the only thing covering the sound of Bo's knives I'm trying to ignore.

"I'd say so, we won't make it much further until dark, so we might as well wait until dawn," Fale replies.

Tearing off some meat from the rabbit, Bo walks over and hands it to me, along with a long stick.

"Stick 'er on there and roast it over the fire till it's cooked to your preference," he instructs before doing the same with his own.

Sitting around the fire, Bo and Fale begin talking about weapons, battle strategies, and other things I have no care for, so I tune them out. Thoughts of sitting by the fire with Marna flash in my mind and a pang of homesickness spreads through me. Even the smell of smoke makes me nostalgic, although now it is tainted with the scent of death.