Of Frost and Flames

Chapter 2

"I will take you to the village Hathgrate, it is closer than the village whence I came. The people there are welcoming to strangers, and they will not ask you where you come from."

One second, he was gone, the next he was standing right next to her. She looked over in confusion before being pulled by her forearm.

"There are many dangers in these lands, Cahira Cross. Swallow your fear of them, and quickly. We cannot have you starting fires."

Cahira frowned as she let out the breath of surprise she had been holding. How long had she held it for? When he'd grabbed her forearm and pulled her closer? Or when he'd appear right next to her?

"I'm just from a small town, living on the edge of the state," she replied to his question and took a step back.

She didn't even need to look at his posture to notice the annoyance hanging in the air in front of him. What he had said about swallowing her fears was a different case. No one could just swallow it and be good. You needed fear to be able to overcome it. She looked away after a few seconds, clearing her throat. Why was he so curious about her suddenly? Just a moment ago, he wanted nothing to do with her.

"Do you think I will find my dog again? His name is Puddin, and he is a golden retriever," she spoke, changing the subject.

Seren had started to walk away from her, slow, but still managing to make his way.

"Dog? They are loyal beasts, skilled hunters. He will smell you and find you." He looked over his shoulder and cracked a smile at her. "That is if he doesn't hate you for giving him such a name and seek out a new owner to give him a better one."

Cahira stared at him as she let her mind wander, 'well, at least I got someone loyal to me and isn't an idiot.'

She shook her head and started following him, mimicking the way he'd spoken behind his back. He must think he was so funny that people would like him or something. But she was determined to drop his ass once she got some useful help, it being directions, or some food. But on the other hand, she couldn't let him get away with mocking her name choice.

"I will tell you, Seren Brimlinor, there are worse things I could have called him," she pointed out.

"Ah! You remember my name," he interjected, seeming pleased.

Cahira rolled her eyes as she continued, "I think he enjoys the name given to him, he helped choosing it. I was eating some food when my father got him for me, I wanted to name him something funny like Jester or Pikachu. But not even half an hour later, we found him covered in pudding. He'd tried to get it from the counter."

"No, no, I still don't condone it. To be named after something one likes to eat – it is insulting to the poor beast. A name is inspiration, it is greatness. We are given names and give them ambitions to achieve, as glories to reach. With a name like his, he must be solely disappointed. You've given him nothing to live up to. I expect he is lazy and useless," Seren explained.

This man really knew nothing about the enjoyment giving a dog a name like Puddin, nor didn't he know how bad the names out there could be. Maybe he'd hit his head when he fell to the ground, could explain his small glorifying speech.

"Lazy?" she replied, "we go running early in the day, and he do protect me from the creepy old men out there."

She looked over at him as he sighed with a frown. Whatever he was thinking about must have been more interesting than their conversation if he sighed like that.

"What do you think you will do if you are never to return to your home? It doesn't exist, so it is likely. You shall have to take work as a maid, or a woman of ... loose corset. Should you ever start wearing one, at least."

It took her a moment to figure out what he meant by loose corset, but when she did have a slight idea, she'd stopped and stared at him. Did he really expect her to turn into a prostitute just because she didn't seem to know where she was? How stupid could someone become?

"I will get back home, no matter the cost. You can try and change my mind how much you like, but I came here one way, so what stops me from finding the way back?" she started, her hands clenching into fists, "and who are you to say such things? Last time I checked, I'm not the one dressed like a homeless person. You might have come back for me, but if this is how you're going to be, not even trying, then I shall take my leave and do this on my own."

Harsh words. She knew they there harsh but didn't care if they were. He came with stupid words so why couldn't she say harsh ones?

Cahira had enough of the entire situation. She walked past him, feeling the pressure behind her eyes as she walked in front of him.

"Thank you for not having a slight of faith in me after I carried you, asshole."

She could feel him behind her, just following like a guard dog. When she noticed the road decided to divide into two, she glanced over, and he pointed. All he got in response was a twig thrown at him before she walked the way he had pointed out to her.

But suddenly she heard his footsteps quicken behind her and she let out a small yelp of surprise as she was grabbed and pushed behind him. One second, he insulted her, and the next he became a human shield. She would give him the prize of being the most confusing person she'd ever met.

"Bandits," he whispered, sounding almost excited, "the Woodwitches would buy our bones at a good price."

Bandits? Woodwitches? Had she really stumbled into a renaissance fair, or no, maybe a fantasy arrangement. Cahira frowned as she couldn't really move, being held behind him.

"And you're hurt. You think you can fight them despite your injuries?" she whispered back however, "and who or what the actual fuck are the Woodwitches?"

The arrows being shot at them seemed real enough. She looked at the arrow in the tree next to them, frowning. On the other hand, she felt another pull on the other side of them, further between the trees, like she knew something out there needed to be retrieved.

"I can fight despite any –" Seren started saying, but Cahira ignored it. She wiggled out of his protection and ran in the direction of whatever was calling to her. Was she going insane? Probably.