Chapter Four


     The forest was quiet the next day, save for the wondrous melody of Cassandra retching into the river. She thought she probably would have been alright were it not for the fact that all she dreamt of last night were the mixed feelings of terror and exhilaration that she experienced the day before. Even now the crimson waterfalls that gushed from the thief's body as she tore into him taunted and tugged at her mind. The rush of adrenaline had long since worn off and yet another reminder of yesterday's events, this time the red of a robin's breast, caused her stomach to churn. Up to her ears did she thrust her head into the water, a significantly sized glob of bile and vomit escaping her lips and was quickly carried downstream.

     Chad watched her silently from behind a tree. He and Ryan could hear her carrying on from the dirt road and after a short conversation with his pointy-eared friend, he decided to check up on her, just to make sure she was okay. He slowly made his way to the riverbank and kneeled down beside his wife. Water dripped off her nose and into the water, disturbing their reflections. To her, his furred form was almost funny. He was a hairy guy before they came here but now his reflection looked more like a teddy bear.

     "You okay? Been at it for about ten minutes now." he said as he sat down beside her and dipped his feet in the river, letting the cool water soothe his mind and stomach. He had finished his bout of retching a mere hour before, getting that disgust he felt from killing someone out of his system before his wife knew he was up.

     Cass sat up and smiled weakly, far too tired now to even move her soaked hair out of her eyes. "I must look horrible." she said, laughing a little.

     Chad's signature wry grin creeped across his face. "Like a little wet fox." he said, wrapping his arm around Cass' shoulder and drawing her closer, allowing her to lean on him for support. "But you're my little wet fox, so you're the most beautiful little wet fox I've ever seen." he finished, looking down at her to see her reaction.

     Cass was surprised when she laughed. It was so corny it didn't really make sense, but that was okay right now. Right now all she wanted to do was not throw up so sitting there by the riverside surrounded by a lush forest and her loving husband was perfectly fine by her.

     It was too bad that Ryan had to break up their little moment of zen. He was standing a few metres back, leaning against a tree. The sword he was so hesitant to show before was in plain sight now, dragging the right side of his pants down despite his best efforts to cinch them at the waist with his belt. "Hey, I don't mean to interrupt." he said quietly. To Cass he seemed almost cold but Chad could see the fatigue. Ryan didn't sleep at all the night before or if he did, slept very poorly. "There's someone coming. Horse and carriage. Or maybe it was oxen, I couldn't tell. At any rate, they'll be here in about five minutes."

     Chad stood and extended a hand to lift his wife off the ground. She took it and, now standing, tried to find something to dry herself off with. Without even a second thought Chad offered the tattered remains of his shirt to her and she smiled. "Thank you, but won't you be cold? I mean, it's fall and stuff. You'll catch a chill." she said concerned and she dried the water from her hair. She allowed the water on her body to stay at the risk of feeling indecent around Ryan. It'll dry eventually anyways.

     "Yes, with all that fur he'll catch a cold." Ryan remarked from the roadside, reminding them both how good his hearing was now. Laughing, the two furred dragonkin made their way up to the side of the dirt road, stopping just a few paces away from their elf friend. His head was turned from them, always looking around but never at the two. His ears twitched at sounds that even they couldn't hear, his gaze stern and detached.

     Cass didn't know Ryan as well as Chad did, he and Mike grew up with him, but she knew this distance was uncharacteristic of him. He was always so warm and charismatic, the kind of guy you couldn't help but instantly become friends with. "Ryan, are you alright?" she asked. Unconsciously, she hooked her arm in Chad's and moved closer to him. Perhaps she was colder than she thought.

     Ryan simply lifted his finger to his lips. "Here he comes. Let me do the talking." was all he said. When the carriage arrived, Ryan pushed the sword a little with his thumb, releasing it ever so slightly from its sheath. He kept his right hand on the scabbard just in case.

     "I tell you Charon, it's a good thing I brought those extra bags. Who'd've thought those bandits would finally get what's coming to them? Their Journey will be tough for sure." As the cart turned the corner the three of them saw an ancient-looking but healthy horse pulling a beat-up cart driven by a shadow of the man. He wore a tattered black cloak, hood down. He looked frail, almost as if he'd fall apart at the next pothole. Bony fingers held the reins. His eyes were most unsettling. They had been taken out and stitched over. Regardless, he still scanned the road as if he were not blinded. This seemingly futile practice seemed to work as he locked onto Ryan when he 'saw' him and stopped his horse.

"Hail, Master Elf!" he said rather jovially. "What brings you and your companions to the Great Forest? I pray our welcoming committee did not prove too difficult a challenge?" Startled by this man's knowledge of their position and recent experiences, Ryan drew his sword. The man laughed. "Put yer sword away, Sonny. I've no business with the livin.' Was wond'rin if ye wanted a ride ta town? It's a long walk and the woods aren't safe these days."