“What?” he asked, turning in the saddle to look at her.
“Show me some forest magic,” she said again, poking his ribs.
“It’s not a party trick; I can’t just do it to impress you.”
“Who said it would impress me?” She chided back, turning her head in mocking uninterest.
Rone felt his face flush as he tried to mask his embarrassment with a smile, then pulled back on the reins bringing his horse to a stop.
“Watch,” he said, raising his hands in front of him. With a quick movement of his fingers and a whispered word of magic, a Fae-rose sprung from the ground and climbed towards the sky.
At four feet tall, it bloomed into a beautiful set of yellow and blue roses. The simple display caused Kat to applaud with glee while bouncing up and down in the saddle. Her sudden movements making the horse whine and trot sideways, forcing Rone to grab for the reins and work to calm it down again.
“As they moved to catch up to Traijen and Trish, Fang barked a little and shook his head as if he was attempting to make fun of Rones grin.
“Oh, shut up, go catch a Coney or something,” Roan said as he waved his hand towards Fang.
“Where did you get such a pet?” Katrina asked as she watched Fang blink into the nearby forest.
“He isn’t a pet; he is my friend,” Rone said in a matter of fact tone.
“Sorry, I meant no offense.” She replied apologetically.
“None took, just letting you know he hates being called a pet. Tends to get grouchy over it.”
Traijen spun in his saddle and grinned mischievously at Rone.
“I’m pretty sure Rone is Fang's pet, though,” He shouted with a smile.
“Ha-ha, very funny,” Rone said as the others all laughed. It wasn’t very long though until Fang came bounding back with not one, but two large rabbits in his mouth.
“Looks like your friend listened,” Kat said, pointing towards Fang.
“Yep, he is good at that, helps save time when we travel. I don’t have to stop and hunt, and he gets to run free for a while.” Traijen was the first to spot a clearing some thirty yards from the road. He quickly pointed it out to the others, and they all led their horses there to rest for the night.
“We will make Dusk Haven by mid-morning,” Roan said, as he built a fire and began preparing the rabbits for dinner.
“You should be able to find a new merchant master to apprentice with there,” Trisha said, looking at Kat.
“Maybe,” was her simple reply.
“Or maybe I will stay with you guys for a while, just to see what adventure you find.”
“Whoa, hold on, I said we would take you to Dusk Haven not take you along,” Rone said, looking up from the fire.
“Yea, but I like you, and I was growing bored as a merchant anyway. Always dealing with grumpy customers or worse, bandits trying to rob you.”
“Look, you’re nice, and all, but where we are going is most likely dangerous. The last thing I need is someone else to babysit.” Rones words unintentionally must have hit a sensitive nerve in Trisha, because she immediately stood up and pointed her finger at him.
“I may not have the adventuring experience you do, Rone, but neither do I require a babysitter.” Rone looked at her with genuine confusion.
“Um Trish, I was referring to Traijen.” He said with a growing smile.
The look on Trisha’s face made them all start laughing as she sat back down in embarrassment. Only causing them to laugh even harder.
They were still laughing when Rone turned back to Katrina.
“I’m sorry, but once we reach Dusk Haven, your journey with us ends.”
Katrina smiled one of the most dazzling smiles Roan had ever seen. It was so enticing that he had to turn away to keep from blushing.
“I guess we will see,” she said as she finished her dinner and lay down close to the fire. Roan watched her for a few moments then leaned back against the log he had been sitting on and dozed off to sleep himself.
Sometime during the night, his sleep became filled with dreams, simple at first, he saw his home and the forest of Agnar, but as the dream progressed, it became considerably darker. The lush green of the woods started to decay, turning into sickly browns and yellows. The leaves were falling off in droves, and the trunks of the majestic trees were now showing sap filled sacks, much like blisters covering their bark.
As Rone watched helplessly, he could see the crystal-clear streams were turning yellow, and the stench of death permeated from its waters. Corpses of dead animals lay rotting on the banks, and even the birds were falling from the sky as they tried to fly overhead.
He was still reeling from the horrors he was seeing when a voice began calling him. Distant at first, it grew louder as if it were moving closer to him, yet he could see no one. When he felt the grip of an invisible hand upon his shoulder, he opened his eyes and realized he was staring into the bright yellow eyes of Katrina.
“Rone wake up,” She called as she shook him slightly.
“I’m awake,” he managed as he raised up onto his elbows.
“That must have been some dream.” She said as she sat down next to him.
“It wasn’t enjoyable. That’s for sure,” Rone said as he raised the rest of the way up and sat upon the log.
“What was it about?” Kat asked, looking genuinely concerned.
“My home, the forest of Agnar, is sick. As is my father.” Roan said as he pulled his hair back from his face and re-tied the cord that held it in place.
“I’m sorry,” Kat said and moved closer to him when she realized their voices were causing Traijen to stir in his bedroll.
“Thanks,” Was all Rone said, but his smile showed he honestly appreciated her sympathy.
As they whispered, Fang came over and nuzzled next to Rone’s feet.
“Can I pet him?” She asked, watching the magnificent animal roll over to get his stomach rubbed.
“I don’t know; you will have to ask him.”
Kat gently eased her hand closer and asked Fang if she could pet him. Only for him to toss his legs in the air like he had gone stiff as a board, then wiggle his tail with excitement as she scratched his chest and side.
“Looks like he likes you,” Rone said as he patted Fang's side.
“I like him too,” She replied, rubbing him again.
The two talked through the rest of the morning and were still doing so when the others awoke and prepared to continue their trip.
Rone didn’t want to admit it, but the idea of her being around longer than just their arrival at Dusk Haven was starting to appeal to him.
21
Allister De’Lenard stood quietly in the shadow of a ruined wall and waited. Watching the big Orc named Gru’Nak as he went about his morning.
The master assassin only needed the right opportunity to present itself to exploit the perceived animosity between this Orc and the exiled prince Zannith.
He knew with the right amount of persuasion; the Orc would tell him what he needed to know. It was a routine he had perfected over the years inside the dark cavernous city of Luna’Dwell.
Even the staunchest of warriors has a weak spot, one you can threaten or twist in just the right direction, and they will break. For some, it’s a loved one, for others an intolerance to pain. For most Orcs, it’s their tusks.
Threaten to tear them out, and most Orcs become sniveling children. Their tusks are like their badges of honor, the bigger they are, the more honor they hold. There is so much admiration placed on them, that even the females select their life mates based mainly on strength in battle and the size of their males’ tusks.