Ablaze Without Flames

Chapter 9, Part 1 - Felix

Felix didn't think he slept at all through the night, but a rough nudge to his shoulder startled him out of whatever trance he'd succumbed to once the darkness began to recede. A root stuck into his back where he leant huddled against the base of a sturdy tree and a great black beast loomed above him, pulling against the rope tethering her to a low branch and shaking brown leaves off. Eyes heavy and movements sluggish, Felix stretched out the knots in his muscles.

Firefoot snorted and pawed at the ground beside Felix's hip, ripping up leaf litter and the grass beneath in a flying arc.

'Alright, alright,' Felix groaned, hauling himself onto his feet. 'Did you sleep well?'

She shook her head and neck, sending her mane in all directions.

'No? Me neither.' Sighing, he glanced about their little camp. A cold fire circle in a patch cleared of dry leaves and twigs beside his unopened pack made up the extent of it. He had been too restless to eat after their great escape. 'I suppose you should have some dinner before we carry on, huh?'

Firefoot pulled again on her tether, rustling the branch. Felix ran a hand through his hair, dirty already, and tugged at the edge of one ear. 'What do horses eat?' he mumbled aloud. Turning to the mare, he added, 'Wait here.'

As eager as he was to keep moving, Felix has never been so aware of himself before. Every step was measured and controlled, every sound was analysed, every scent lingered on. He was no longer in his own territory. To be caught out here, in the okami's side of Ruff Wood, would be considered trespassing. Sure to stay within hearing range of Firefoot, Felix gathered plants of various shapes and colours that must be tastier than grass.

He was making his way back when the snap of a branch sent him into a crouch behind a clump of bracken, clinging to the plants. His heart skipped a beat and he bit his lip to quiet his breaths. Peering between the fronds, he caught flashes of booted feet and the thick, curly brown fur of an okami tail draped over the side of one of their massive horses. A moment later, the pair came into clear view.

The horse raised its great antlered head, sniffing the air. Patches of black spotted its white coat, standing out brightly against the green of the forest. From hooves to shoulders, it reached nearly six feet in height and still seemed barely big enough to carry the okami, who was a guard, from what Felix could tell of his chain tabard. The horse must have caught scent of Firefoot on the air, but the stretching antlers limited it to the wide path. The okami seemed to think nothing of it. The pair were in no clear hurry, which only made Felix wonder what had brought them this far out from the village.

Once they had moved on a safe distance, Felix scampered back to Firefoot. Her ears pricked at the sight of the plants and she plunged her nose into them as soon as he dropped them in front of her.

'Let's go,' he whispered to her, although the guard was far out of hearing range by now. 'We'll be arrested without question if we're caught by a guard and locked up in one of their towers. Well, I'll be locked in a tower; I don't think they'd get you up the steps.'

Firefoot wasn't listening, too busy tearing into the leaves.

As eager as he was to move on, Felix didn't dare risk any part of Blaise's mare to do it. He pulled the rug from her back, made scruffy work of rolling it up, and ran a brush over her coat. Her tail flicked irritably, but she didn't kick at him or move away, not even when he picked the pebbles out of her hooves.

Once he had strapped the packs onto her shoulders, she snaffled the last of the leaves and lifted her head, butting him in the shoulder. Felix could remember Finnley saying something about not riding right after feeding the horse, but couldn't recall whether that applied to a plant-breakfast. By the time he had battled with her to get the bridle over her ears, he decided to walk just to be on the safe side. Blaise would kill him if she ended up injured in any way.