continuation...
“Thomas!” Nami cried out, looking panic stricken. She had completely forgotten. Poor Thomas. I made him believe that I was really going to go. He will be so upset.
“Who’s Thomas?” Goneck asked confused.
“Thomas! He’s a friend of mine! How could I forget?” She hit herself on her forehead. “I had promised to go on a trip with him in a month. I must tell him that I cannot!” Goneck sighed and turned around.
“Where does he live?” he asked reluctantly.
“In the village.”
“Well I guess going it won’t be a complete waste of time for we can buy some supplies.” They were impossible to spot from the house now, even if they were out in the open so they separated from the forest and joined the road which would eventually take them to the village.
When they were walking the pebbled path Goneck muttered, “We should not talk here.” Nami nodded and they continued on in silence. A carriage with a rough looking heavy horse pulling it passed them on the way and stopped to ask them whether they needed a ride.
“Only if the dog is allowed as well.” The driver nodded and they boarded onto the carriage. She handed him the amount of money required for a ride to the village and they sat down. It was an open carriage and so it only consisted of seats with a canvas which shielded the occupant from the weather and also created privacy for it created three walls around it with only the view of what was in front of them. They rode along silently for awhile except for the whistling which came from the driver.
Soon they came to the village without any incidences, which was a relief to Nami, and they were dropped off in front of Thomas’s two story home. The bottom floor of the house was used as the baker and the top was where they lived. There was a wooden sign hanging from the door with the picture of steaming bread with a hot oven on it. She walked up to it and hesitated before giving the door three hollow knocks. She waited for a couple seconds before a tall women opened the door while washing her hands on a hand towel.
“Hello!” she smiled. Goneck waited outside and she showed Nami into the spacey room and brought her to the counter. “Well what can I do for you today? Would you like some dinner rolls? Sweet bread perhaps?” She looked at her expectantly. In front of Nami were rows and rows of hot steaming bread of all sizes and color. They looked tempting but Nami knew that she had to do what she had come to do first.
“Actually I came for a different reason.” Nami said. The woman’s expression changed to surprise and then to curiosity.
“Yes?”
“I’m a friend of Thomas’s and I needed to talk to him.”
“Oh I see.” She looked thoughtful for awhile while looking Nami over. “Ok I’ll go get him for you, you can sit right there.” She said, pointing to a wooden chair. Nami did as she was told and seconds later Thomas walked down from a flight of stairs.
“Nami!” He said with surprise when he saw her. She smiled and stood up. “Have you come to tell me that you’re coming?” he beamed. Nami felt so bad for being the one to disappoint him.
“I’m sorry Thomas, but I don’t think I can.” Thomas’s smile literally fell.
“Why? Is it your father? Do you not want to go?”
“No no!” Nami said shaking her head. “Of course I wanted to go! I would’ve loved spending a whole month with you in Rovenhold on business, selling bread! There’s nothing more I would’ve loved to do in the world!”
“Would’ve?” he asked, with a permanent frown etched unto his usually handsome face.
“Well, it’s just that something has come up. Something I must attend to.” She looked into his disappointed features and said, “I’m sorry.” He looked at her and tried to change his face into a smile and successfully did, although it was just a feeble smile, it was a smile nonetheless.
She turned around to leave and she heard him shout, “I’ll wait for you to come back!”
“I’d rather you didn’t!” She yelled back while giggling nervously. She left the house quickly and joined Goneck. He didn’t ask any questions which Nami was thankful for, for she wasn’t in the mood to talk about it. They walked silently towards the village square, but around the noise from around them made up for the silence. Around them rows and rows of village people were selling hand-made products, foods, antiques, and many other things. Children ran around them with other children and parents were shouting and scolding. Many of the sellers were snoozing as they sat there waiting for potential buyers and ended up getting stolen from by children but it seemed that neighbors looked after neighbors for many of the thievers got caught.
Not a lot of people were buying things at this time of day but there were a couple of people looking around. Nami did the same and bought some more food along with thin rope and another warmer blanket.
They soon found the rode which would lead to Rovenhold and they followed it until they came out of Stronghold which was marked by a sign which said, ‘City of Stronghold’ in bold letters on a wooden plank.
Finally they were on the road to their first destination which was Rovenhold. Nami gazed longingly at the road ahead of them. Excitement bubbled up in her at each step she took away from Stronghold.
Goneck said that they had an old friend there that was an ally of the Mirgten whom he had promised to visit.
“So… who is it that we’re, er, going to go and meet?” inquired Nami hesitantly. Talking to an animal still seemed a bit awkward even after their first couple conversations.
“As I said, it’s an ally of the Mirgten. They have known each other for a long time. He’s helped us every since he knew the difference between good and bad when he was a young boy.”
“What’s his name though?” Nami persisted. Around her birds twittered as they chased each other in the sky.
“You’ll see. It’s a surprise.” Goneck said smugly. Nami hated being kept in the dark, but sealed her mouth shut not knowing whether it was rude or not to press matters.
Nami started wondering about Goneck’s background. He hadn’t said much about him specifically and seeing that they would be traveling together for a while she thought that she should know.
“So, what about you?” Nami asked.
“What about me?” Goneck wondered.
“Like, your family, your history. Anything along those lines.”
“Oh, well my father is Duketup, and my mother is Shandalir. They’re both back at the caves. I am their only son.” He said. “And my father is the brother of Brothfear, our pack alpha.”
“You’re an only son?” Nami asked. “I thought that wolves had large litters.” Goneck seemed a little uncomfortable at that.
“Wolves usually do. I was not born an only son.” He said quietly. Nami was confused at first but then she realized what he meant.
“I’m sorry.” she said.
“There’s nothing to be sorry about. Everything that happens must happen for a reason. All we can do is either go with the flow or fight it and be swallowed.” He padded along silently. His wisdom stunned Nami. She had heard from stories and such that Giant Wolves were creatures who were known for their wisdom, but Nami had no idea that such a young wolf could be so amazingly intelligent.
“What is our plan for our journey?” Nami asked, changing the subject.
“Well, at the moment we’re heading to Rovenhold. Then we shall venture to all the cities in Saradana.”
Every single city in Saradana? Perhaps bringing a horse would’ve been a good idea. Nami gulped at the thought of it. To visit every single city in Saradana would take weeks, months. It would definitely be not an easy task to go about.
Nami looked ahead at the road then looked at Goneck again and asked, “What is it that we have to do in all the cities?”
“We must meet the other allies. We need more than just one human.” Goneck looked up at Nami. “We had allies placed in all the cities. They call themselves The Willow. They are all good friends and have been very helpful. They consist of people of past generations who created this order. Each generation passes their knowledge down to their own sons and daughters. We trust them with our life and you should too.” Goneck said.
“And so we’re going to go and meet all the members of the Willow and then go to your home pack?”
“That’s pretty much the plan.”
“How are the members of the Willow going to help us?”
“They are going to teach you our history, our knowledge, and basic swordsmanship skills.” He stopped to scratch his ear before continuing and walking.
“Swordsmanship?” Nami cried out. “What for?”
“You are now in a vulnerable position. The day you accepted, was the day that you entered into an ancient realm of legendary creatures. We know not what we will face and therefore must be prepared for everything. Perhaps there will never be a need to learn these skills, but learn them you must.” Goneck said. She had only known of men and boys to learn swordsmanship skills.
Her father had told her when she was a young child that she was not to learn them for it is a sport of men. As a woman she was made to learn of passive studies. That was the last time she or her father had mentioned of them. She had never even had the slightest thought to think that one day she would learn them. Nami had an involuntary shiver run down her spine.
“What sort of skills?” Nami asked.
“It depends on what types of weaponary suit you best.”
“How will you know?” she inquired.
“There are ways.” Goneck said. “I myself know nothing of weaponary for I am but a wolf and have no need for them. Teeth and claws are our swords and spears.”
“I see.” Nami nodded. They passed a few travelers who grew quiet as they passed. To see a girl, in pants for that matter, walking with a wolf puppy was not a usual sight. Nami ignored them and walked on. When they had distanced themselves from the travelers Nami felt free to talk again.
“Will you be the only one to be with us on this journey?”
“We will join with one more of my kin before you meet all of them. He is young, but you shouldn’t take that into account for his teaching capabilities. He is going to do some pre-training with you and he is going to help us if we find any problems on our journey. He is most intelligent and he will help us complete this journey in ample time, as well as be one of your teachers as well. Of all the skills that he teaches you, the one that you must treasure the most, is the skill of using your sixth sense.” He said with utmost seriousness.
There was not a hint of jest anywhere, but he saw that Nami had doubt in her eyes when he mentioned the sixth sense. “Everyone has a sixth sense. Humans rarely use it and therefore most people believe that they don’t have it. It has been ignored for so long it is buried deep inside your senses. You’ll see.”
In her doubtful silence Nami looked at the landscape surrounding them, around her the land was flat and the horizon looked like it would never end. As if you could run and run and you would never reach the end of it. There was sparse vegetation except for the few surrounding trees that grew in sections. The ground was a tan brown like the color of the inside of a potato and the only animals that existed in this land were rabbits, mice, and a few other small creatures that could live off the meager amount of food.
Goneck padded alongside her in silence. The fate of his kin rests on the shoulders of one so young. I wonder how he can take the pressure, Nami pondered.
Her travels around Saradana had been limited the routes between her regular home and her summer home along with regular visits to her other relatives, and she had only visited Rovenhold once.
Soon they met their first traveler. He was small and young and the look on his face clearly stated that he was worn and miserable; he had raggedy looking clothes that were of loose fit and his shoes were worn down to the soles to the extent of where you could see the pink of his toes. He looked around and saw them for a second and with a flit of his eyes, he collapsed.
:D:D:D:D as usual.