Heed My Warnings and Survive (Second Draft)

Chapter Five

A few hours had passed since we left that morning. The sun was fully in the sky, and the heat had come in full swing. I wiped the sweat from my upper lip. My feet were blistered, and my shirt was soaked with sweat. I heard heavy breathing from beside me. I stopped as I realized both Finley, and Kiara were in front of me. I turned my head to the left, where the origin of the sound came from. The bushes rustled. Ahead of me Finley, and Kiara paused.

“What was that?” Finley questioned looking back at me. My gaze didn’t leave the bush. Finley drew his sword, and quick as a flash, he pushed me behind him, and slashed at the bushes. There was a girlish scream.

“Please don’t hurt me.” A man’s voice said. As we cleared the bush away, we caught sight of him.

“Who are you?” Finley questioned, pointing his sword at the man. The man threw his hands up in the air.

“Don’t hurt me,” He squealed.

“Who are you?” Finley asked again sternly.

“Lord Devin, at your service sirs,” The man said he was a lord, but I knew otherwise.

“Were you following us?” I asked. The man chuckled nervously.

“No no, of course not, who would want to follow you? You three are not a very interesting bunch.” Finley raised an eyebrow.

“Right well, be on your way and you won’t get hurt,” he said. The man inched out of the reach of Finley’s sword, then sprinted away.

“Well that was strange,” Kiara commented. I chuckled.

“Indeed,” I agreed.

When the sun set, we made camp, and huddled around a small fire, Finley offered to keep watch, and I happily let him. I was so tired I fell asleep almost instantly, despite the frigid cold.

I woke to the rustling of leaves. I shot up, and saw Finley already creeping toward the source of the disruption. He neared a shadowed part of the wood’s, where the light of our small fire didn’t reach.

“Who’s there?” Finley called. No answer. “You either come out, or I find you with my blade!” Again there was no answer. I stood, and slinked over to Finley.

“Devin! If that’s you come out now or I’m gonna poison you,” I called. There was some rustling, and out of the bushes came a sheepish looking Devin, who quickly fell to his knees.

“Don’t poison me please!” he cried. I rolled my eyes. I had known Devin quite some time ago. He came to my village in a traveling caravan of performers, and I quickly learned he was a slimy snake who for the right price would tell you anything about anyone even his closest friends, I also learned he valued his life above everything, so threatening him worked especially well for me since he knew he could defend against swords, and other weapons, but poison was unpredictable. I folded my arms, and glared at the groveling man.

“Why are you following us?” I said sternly. Devin flinched, but didn’t say a word. Slowly, and deliberately, I reached my hand into my pocket, and pulled out a random vile.

“No no. It was the tall blonde man you were always with. He hired me to find you!” he squealed.

“Zander,” I informed him.

“Yes yes. He was frightfully angry, almost took my head off with that sword of his, it was incredibly terrifying, wouldn’t have needed to pay me, but he offered, and I wasn’t about to say no, I mean who would turn down money, it’s like blood, you need it to survive.” One thing I appreciated about Devin was once you got him talking, he wouldn’t stop until all the cards were on the table, and luckily I knew one thing he valued more than money.

“Alright Devin, here’s what I want you to do. You’re going to go back to Zander, and tell him you couldn’t find us, and then you’re going to gather as much information as you can, then come back, and tell me all you know.

“And what do I get?”

“Do you remember the garments I used to sell? I’ll make you one for free, in fact I’ll make you as many as you want, and I’ll keep making them as long as you keep getting me information.” I saw a disgusting hunger in Devin’s eyes as I said those words. He licked his lips.

“You’ve got yourself a deal,” he said, holding out his hand. I shook it cautiously, and quickly pulled away.

“Alright. get out of here.” I pointed in the direction he had come from.

“I can’t stay the night?” he pleaded. I shook my head, folding my arms once more. Kiara must have woken up while I was distracted cause she came up beside me, and said.

”Why not just one night Draven? He doesn’t seem very dangerous,” She whispered to me. I scoffed.

“Yeah he doesn’t look it, but he’s at a disadvantage, cause I know him. He plays the victim card, asks to stay the night at your camp, then when you wake up the next morning all your belongings, especially your valuables are gone.” Kiara mouthed the word ‘Oh’ and didn’t try to speak up for him again. “Now leave Devin, before I get tired of you.” Devin scurried back to the bushes. I turned back to the fire, turned around again, then once more. Upon deciding I wouldn’t be able to sleep I told Finley I’d take over the watch. He shook his head.

“I say we move camp. I don’t trust him not to tell Zander our location.” I nodded.

“Is that ok with you Kiara?” She didn’t answer. I turned, and saw her already kicking out the fire. I laughed lightly, slinging a bag over my shoulder. Kiara, and Finley did the same. And we were off, shivering through the dark night, only guided by the pail moon.

After hours of walking, and the sun had come up, we came across a small stream. Kiara, and Finley ran to it, cupped the water in their hands, and drank as much as they could. I stood there looking at the stream. It wasn’t as big as the one back home, but it reminded me of it, and I hadn’t seen a stream, or river since the one my sister drowned in. I looked upon the small stream of water. I remembered her pale lifeless body. I stood frozen as the feelings of guilt, and pain, and sadness threatened to resurface. My vision got cloudy. I closed my eyes, and stumbled, I heard rushing feet, then felt the hands of my friends steady me.

“Are you ok?” I heard Finley ask. I opened my eyes to there concerned faces

“Yeah, I’m fine,” I assured them. Finley removed his hands, but Kiara’s lingered.

“Do you need water?” She asked, her voice full of concern. I nodded. Kiara then seemed to notice her hands still placed on my arm. Her face grew red, and she withdrew them. I found myself wishing I could tell her to leave them, but I shook away the feeling, as I walked to the stream. I knelt in front of the water, cupped my hands in it, and raised them to my lips. My body relaxed as the water flowed through it. I drank slowly. Controlling how much I drank. There was nothing I wanted more than to stick my face in the water, and drink like a dog, but I needed to practice control. This was one of the only things I had control over after all. I drank my fill, and sat back on my feet, taking a deep breath. I hadn’t realized how sore my body was until that moment.

“Guys can we sit here for a while? I’m exhausted.” Kiara, and Finley nodded. I took my boots off, not daring to breathe through my nose. I put my feet in the cool stream. I longed to bathe, I was filthy, covered in dirt, sweat, bug bites, and small random cuts. I hated being dirty, I hated the thought that at any moment I could get a lethal infection at any time, and die. At least then Kiara could have her ring back, and my friends could find a home. I sighed, and closed my eyes. Kiara, and Finley removed they’re boots, and placed their feet in the stream beside me.

“Draven, why don’t you try to sleep for a little? You too Finley, I’ve slept more than both of you, so I can take watch.” I was already half asleep at this point, and I agreed wholeheartedly with her words.

“You sure?” Finley asked.

“Yeah of course. I can protect myself.” Finley must’ve relented cause I heard him lay beside me. I fell asleep shortly after. My dreams were full of worst case scenarios. Except for one that crept in for only moments. It was a woman sitting in a field of flowers. I couldn’t see her face clearly, but I could tell who it was by the fiery redness of her hair. She was laughing. It was a beautiful noise, angelic even. She was laughing at a man, and a little boy. I couldn’t see them clearly enough to recount what they looked like, but I could tell they were there. I redirected my attention to the laughing Kiara. She looked at home in the field, and her belly was swollen with pregnancy.

I woke with a start as Finley shook me. I sat withdrawing my feet from the stream as I saw how low the sun was, as well as the chill in the air. I stood, and shook my feet in an attempt to dry them off. I then slipped my boots back on, so my feet didn’t freeze. And we continued.