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Colby was now very far from the castle. He had been walking for hours. It was growing very dark. He didn't know where he was or where he was going. Rain was coming down hard, he began to shiver. He looked around to see if he could find any type of shelter. He snapped his head to the side as he heard rustling coming from the bushes beside him. He watched as a young girl with blue hair emerged from the bushes, holding the reins of a white horse who followed behind her.
Startled, Colby backed up and accidently tripped over a tree root, of all things. He groggily sat himself up. The girl walked up to him, looking down at him, her arms crossed.
"You're not really cut out for this whole travelling thing are you?" she laughed.
Colby stood up and brushed himself off. "It's been a while," he laughed back.
"You alright?" she asked.
"Yea, I'm fine, thanks," replied Colby.
The girl stretched her hand out to shake his. "My name's Katrina. You can call me Kat," she said.
"Colby," he replied, reaching to shake her hand. He looked to the horse standing beside her. It looked at him with fierce eyes.
"It's okay Kiwi," said Kat, turning to pet the creature on its nose. "I don't think he could hurt us even if he wanted to."
"Hey, I'm tougher than I look," replied Colby proudly.
"Right," she replied smiling. "Come with me, I've got a cabin not far from here."
"Uh, I don't know if that's a good idea," he said. "I wouldn't want things to be awkward for you."
"Oh, you don't have to worry about that," laughed Kat. "You're not really my type, if you know what I mean."
"Oh, ok then," he said. "If it's no trouble?"
"Of course not," she replied. "We'd love the company." Her horse huffed. "Yes we would, Kiwi. Smarten up." She reached into her bag, pulling out an apple and giving it to her. "Follow me."
Colby followed Kat and her horse to a small log cabin, they both stepped in from the cold rain after Kat put Kiwi in her stable for the night. She started a fire and made some herbal tea from some natural ingredients she had collected. She handed a cup to Colby and he sipped it graciously, thankful for the warmth. Kat sat down in the chair across from him, her own cup in her hands.
"So, what are you doing all the way out here?" she asked.
"Just trying to figure things out," explained Colby.
"What kind of things?" asked Kat.
"Let's just say I'm different than most people," said Colby.
"Trust me, I know all about being different," replied Kat. "It can be hard, I get it. You don't have to explain if you don't want to."
"Thanks," replied Colby.
"So, you got a family?" she asked.
"I do," replied Colby. "A younger brother, Sam, and my uncle, Elton."
"What about your parents?" asked Kat. "They must be worried about you."
Colby hung his head in sadness. "My parents are dead," he said sadly.
Kat looked at him with sad eyes. "I'm sorry," she said.
"It's okay," replied Colby. "You didn't know."
"I know how you feel," she started. "When my parents died; it was just me and my brother for a long time."
"I'm sorry," said Colby. "What happened?"
"He died shortly after," replied Kat. "Ever since then it's just been me and Kiwi. We left everything behind, looking for fresh start, you know?"
"Yea, I get that," said Colby, agreeing.
"What's your brother like?" asked Kat.
"He's your everyday younger brother, that's for sure," started Colby. "But I wouldn't trade him for the world."
"I love that," she said. "You guys seem close."
"We are," replied Colby.
Colby lowered his head, thinking of how much he missed Sam. Thinking about if he ever lost his brother, he wouldn't know what to do. If Colby lost him, he lost part of himself. Maybe he shouldn't have left, but he did it to protect his people, to protect his family.
"You okay, Colby?" asked Kat.
"Yea, I'm fine, just tired," he replied.
"You should get some rest," she said. "There's another room in the back."
