Born Of Fire

Born Of Fire Chapter 39

The next morning, Phoenix awoke gently, stretching lightly as to not disturb the naked woman draped over him. Her head lay on his shoulder, and a hand on his chest. He smiled, and dipped his head to kiss her hair, then extricated himself from the bed slowly, and Lindani turned over to his spot of it, stealing his pillow. He smiled again, opened the flap, and stepped out into the brisk morning air.

Spedro was already awake, and sat turning a charred carcass over a spit. Upon closer inspection, Phoenix could tell it was a small hog, with a curious hole in its head. Gathering that Spedro had used his gift to hunt, sending a small stone through the animals brain, he said nothing, feeling a bit awkward as he sat next to the brother of the woman in his tent. Noticing the small pot of boiling beans in a thick sauce beneath the pig, Phoenix’s mouth began to water.

Spedro did not speak either, shooting small glances at Phoenix from the corner of his eye while turning the handle of the spit. The two sat for some time, and whenever one if their gazes would catch the others, they quickly looked away. At last, as though they were synchronized, both Lindani and Ember threw open the flaps of their respective tents, and stretched in the sunlight. The two men’s eyes caught, and the corner of Spedro’s mouth twitched. Phoenix’s followed suit, and soon the two men were laughing openly.

Spedro laid a hand on Phoenix’s shoulder, still laughing. “And here I thought this would be uncomfortable.”

“Relax my friend,” said Phoenix.  “We are both well within our bounds.”

“That we are,” Spedro laughed, going back to cooking breakfast.

The two women came to the fire, and sat on the opposite side, deep in a whispered conversation. Both Spedro and Phoenix heads snapped up when they both started giggling, and their mouths fell open, as they could plainly tell the subject matter of the women’s conversation.

“The pig is finished,” Spedro finally said, causing the women to break off their conversation, and Spedro started slicing chinks of meat into bowls, spooning beans on top of the meat, the thick sauce running off the sides. The four dug in, and not much conversation was entered into as they ate.

Finally, with over half the pig gone Spedro rose, started slicing into it, salting it heavily, and placing it into his pack. Phoenix was striding toward the tents, to bring them down, when the sound of a rustling caught his attention, further from the camp then any of them. Not the sound of an animal, Phoenix was sure. He twirled around, going into a crouch, and lighting his hands. The three noticed this, and taking their cues from him, all assumed combat stances, with Lindani pulling water from her skin, Spedro bringing a rock to float above his palm, and Ember pulling air to her, causing her hair to flow out behind her. The rustling continued, coming closer all the while.

The four did not have to wait long however, as an old woman stumbled into the camp, dirty and disheveled, with dirt encrusting her face and hands. She came forward a few more steps, and Phoenix rose, moving toward her while the others kept their stances, ready to protect him if necessary.

“What are you doing out here?” asked Phoenix, standing a few feet away from the bedraggled woman.

The woman’s eyes widened at the sight of the four, and a crazed look enveloped her features. “I will not return! I will die before I do!”