“Voices, two no, three of them.” Kala said as she crouched lower to the ground. “They’re wearing heavy armor.”
“I can’t hear anything. Friend or foe?” Joshua asked, also lowering himself beside Kala a tad bit confused.
“Foe. No Pelian wears armor that heavy.” Kala stated in a hushed tone.
They hid their things and equinas in the brush. Kala led as they made their way through the dense foliage. As they neared, they placed themselves on a cliff overlooking a clearing. From behind the brush, they could see two foot soldiers clad in heavy, rust red armor, armed to the teeth. Behind them, a large ship, as big as a house.
“They’re scouts.” said Kala after observing them.
Milhad started to fidget and started to stutter. Kala and Joshua shushed him but he kept going on.
“But… but… there are… they are going to… eep.” stuttered Milhad as Kala and Joshua observed the enemy.
“Shut up Milhad!” Joshua spat out.
Kala took out her satchel and got a few small, round stones. She picked out the red ones and gave some to Joshua.
“Don’t swallow.” she said quietly. She then put some in her mouth.
They resembled the ones given to him when he first got to Pelianor. He couldn’t ask what they were because Milhad interrupted.
“Umm… Kala, Joshua…we--” Kala and Joshua couldn’t make out the last words but were so irritated by Milhad’s noise and were about to wring his neck when a deep voice spoke.
“Put your hands above your head and turn around to face me. Quickly!”
Then, they turned backs carefully, they saw a soldier holding Milhad by his shirt. He was pointing a gun at them.
They did what the soldier told them to. Kala glanced at Joshua, he wasn’t able to swallow the stones. He was still clutching them in his left hand which means he was defenseless. The soldier caught Kala’s quick eye. “You! Drop whatever it is you’re holding!” He pointed the gun to Joshua.
Joshua dropped the stones. The soldier took a look at this and this minor distraction was enough for Kala. She punched the air then a fireball erupted from her fist. It hit the soldier and he was knocked out. His armor was singed but he himself seemed untouched. Joshua picked up the fallen stones.
“Put them in your mouth.” ordered Kala. “There are more and they must have heard the blast, so be alert.”They took his weapons and tied him up to a tree.
“Uh, I think I’ll stay here and make sure that he doesn’t escape.” Milhad said shakily.
Kala and Joshua spotted the two other soldiers guarding their ship. They were trying to contact the other soldier it seemed. They must have heard the blast. Kala and Josh ambushed them and they didn’t stand a chance. Kala hit the first one while Joshua took out the second simultaneously. They were both unconscious. But before Kala and Joshua could look inside the ship, one of the foot soldiers who had only been stunned hit a button on his arm band and it started beeping.
“Joshua.” she glanced at the arm band “A bomb!”
Joshua and Kala hauled the tied up soldiers as fast as they possibly could. They had just reached the tree line when the ship exploded. Kala pulled Joshua behind a large tree as a large exploding sound nearly deafened them. Debris, smoke and charred ship pieces were the only things left. Kala let out a sigh as she gasped for air and Joshua slump down at the base of a tree trunk. Kala let out a heavy breath and stood, and without saying a word she started to drag the soldiers towards the direction they left Milhad at. Joshua grabbed one of them. She looked so pissed. What's with her?, Joshua asked after he saw the frustration in her eyes that she didn't want to show. probably just the adrenaline,he dismissed.
“What was that?!?” asked a worried Milhad.
“Don’t worry” Kala spoke monotonously as she shoved one of the soldiers against the tree. “It was just a bomb.”
“It was JUST a bomb?” asked Milhad astounded.
“This smarty-pants over here set it off” said Joshua looking at the soldier he was dragging towards the tree.
“Smarty pants?” asked Milhad.
“It means he’s not so smart … but… he’s smart… and uh… in an irritating sort of way.” said Joshua in a futile attempt to explain it.
“I don’t get it.” replied Milhad while scratching his head.
“Never mind! It’s just another expression.” said Joshua.
Meanwhile, Kala was busy. She tightened the soldiers’ bounds and made sure they could not escape, checking for hidden knives and guns. Both of the soldiers were in a daze. Kala threw some water from a nearby spring at the soldiers to wake them up. The other soldier, the first to be caught, tried to dodge the water.
“What are you doing here?” asked Kala.
“Our masters will conquer you,” said one of the soldiers “they will enslave you.” continued the other. “They will destroy you.” said the last one. They sounded monotonous and as if they were under mind-control.
Kala punched one of them. “Were you sending out information?”
Yet again, they said the same things.
“Let’s face it; they’re not going to tell us anything.” Joshua said.
“Fine.” she said backing up from the soldiers. “At noon, villagers trek up this path to the mountains to collect herbs. They will deal with these three.” she said with a scowling face as she turned away from them.
They started back to their equinas. They were surprised, for when they got back they discovered that their equinas were wounded, slashed in their knees. The equina were all bleeding profusely.
“I should have known!” said Kalain a frustrated tone, she furiously punched a tree.
“Why are you so frustrated?” asked Joshua, the concern in his tone was very discernable.
Milhad merely put his hand on Joshua’s shoulder and when Joshua looked back Milhad just shook his head implying not to push the subject.
“Leave me.” Kala said. Joshua and Milhad walked away to find some shade and water.
Kala took out her satchel and got violet stones. She put them in her mouth and knelt beside the wounded equina who were whinnying. She put her hand on the wounds and they healed. She did the same to the other two equina. She then put them back in the satchel.
“Shh Reyta, I’m here girl. I’m sorry they hurt you.” she patted the white equina. “Dulin, brave one, you fought courageously. I’m proud of you.” she whispered to the brown one with stab marks on its sides. “Teta, you will get better. They will not hurt you again.” She kissed the palomino.
After a while, Joshua and Milhad returned, canteens filled with water.
“They have lost too much blood. We cannot fly today, we must go tomorrow.” she said in a serious tone.
She did not talk for the rest of the day except to say when she would go off hunting for their meal or to get water for the equinas. Joshua and Milhad both steered clear of Kala. She seemed out of it right after the attack but she was sober by the end of the day.
