Wild Desperation

Chapter 22

                                  Owen

My shift was the last one of the night and I decided to go on watch alone so Sean could rest more, I also didn't mind the quiet for my thoughts. I couldn't help but puzzle over the bird we'd come across, she was fascinating and infuriating all at once. She didn't take orders from anyone, she was stubborn and set on giving us orders instead. I couldn't help wondering why she didn't just ride on without us and leave us behind like she kept saying she would. It was easy to tell she wasn't happy about the slow up of us being on foot with three injured men but instead on abandoning us she built them a wagon.

 I couldn't quite understand it, she said it had been to keep us on the move but the way she watched out for my team and I seemed almost motherly. She had insisted on keeping us fed, taking great care of our injuries and protecting us from outside threats, but she still kept herself distanced from us. I could also very much tell that none of my team viewed her as a motherly figure despite her actions, even I had to admit the bird was beautiful in her own way, when she wasn't driving me mad.

 A soft whistle cut through the darkness and I looked to the familiar tune as the bird herself silently stepped into camp and eyed my sleeping team. "They all seem to be sleeping pretty good." She murmured softly as she took a seat on a rock beside me, her wolf dog laying quietly at her feet as she ran her fingers through his fur. "Good morning miss Sang, you're here early." I replied lowly, my watch read 4:26, far earlier than any of her other visits. "I figured if I got here early enough we could head out as soon as all you boys are ready, besides I didn't have any traps to check." She shrugged slightly.

 "Well this does give us some time to discuss our plans for today." I told her as she tilted her head at me, those dazzling eyes holding my own in their whirlpools of determination and curiosity. "You're planning to trade some stuff today right?" I did my best to hide my surprise but couldn't help a slight clearing of the throat at her admition. "How did you know?" I wondered, had she been spying on us last night without my knowledge. "I've heard from travelers about a trade post of sorts in an old Wal-Mart along our route, it's only logical to check out if they have anything useful." She shrugged. 

I didn't know whether to be annoyed with her nonchalance or impressed that she had just given us the location of the possible trade post, our original plan was to ask anyone we met along the way where it was. "Travelers?" I voiced as I raised a brow to her and added some more sticks to the fire. "Yeah the town I used to hang around had plenty of them passing through, not all of them were bad I guess." She sighed out, I could see why if she disguised herself like when we first met her.

 "Hey what's..., oh Sang good morning." Kota had started to complain of our talking but quieted at the sight of the green eyed bird. "Sorry for waking you, it's okay if you want to rest some more before the sun comes up." There was the motherly caring attitude again, where she had been so nonchalant and distant with me. "No, no, it's fine, besides I'm not tired anymore." Kota stated, I could have sworn I saw his face flush a little more than usual. 

"Mr. Lee it appears miss Sang knows the location of the trade post we spoke of last night." I cut in as I shared a look with Kota and he gaped over to the bird. "Really where?" He called across the fire, not bothering to lower his voice despite everyone sleeping around us. "An old Wal-Mart about 11 miles from here, it's right along our route, four or five miles down the road from it is an old country club we might be able to camp out at for the night." She explain, we continue to talk over which roads to take as everyone else woke up, by 6 we had everything packed up and were on our way.