To An-Unnamed-Goose- (Chapter 61) BECAUSE IT'S FUN! (Chapter 62) I THINK I'M ON FOUR NOW, BUT STILL GOT A WAY TO GO! ^_^
Storm pretended to be asleep, listening to Louisa instead. She was mumbling, something in her tone waking Storm up. The pegasus kept her eyes closed. The mumbling was disjointed, slurred. She risked a peek, seeing Louisa sat beside her, staring at the dying embers of their fire. She swayed, blearily eyed, the remaining light glistening on tear stains.
Her head jolted to the left, startled, scanning for something. Storm hadn't heard anything, but it was a few minutes before Louisa looked away.
"Didn't mean to…" Louisa said quietly, reverting to the wobbly mumbles. She drew her knees to her chest, hugging herself tightly and sniffed. The swaying turned into rocking. Storm chose that moment to 'wake up', stretching and yawning, ruffling her wings.
Louisa jumped at the movement, a sudden scoot away from Storm as if fully expecting her to chomp her head off. The pegasus didn't get a chance to speak, Louisa ducking her head as she realised what she had done. "Sorry." She said quietly, rubbing her hands on her knees. "G-go back to sleep." Storm did nothing of the sort, moving over to rest her head in her human's lap. She could feel the weight of Louisa's stare on her head, confused and taken aback.
Eventually, she scratched Storm behind the ears, as required. Her mumbling settled, but Storm could feel her shaking.
She was eight today. Didn't even realise until Storm snorted in the direction of a town. Shouldn't you get a cake?
"What for?"
It's your birthday, right?
"Oh."
Do you want-?
"No. Let's just keep goin'."
OK.
They were trying to get back to San Francisco. It was the original plan. They had detoured right across the map from it. Except they didn't have the map anymore. That had been lost with Huxley. They were in some expanse of dried fields and pockets of forests next to pockets of civilisation. They kept away from people, trekking as far around as they could. Explaining why she was on her own was relatively easy, in most cases. Explaining why she had a young horse with wings, was even harder.
Storm's wings were still not yet fully grown, but were getting stronger with each day. Her baby feathers were moulting. Her mane and tail were getting considerably longer now. She had definitely got bigger too, Louisa could tell as much when Storm jumped on her for apples. She suspected another few months, maybe even before the end of the year, and the pegasus would begin to fly.
Can't wait! Storm told her often, hopping and jittery beside her. I'm going to do all the loop-de-loops!
"Yeah?"
Yeah! Then we won't have to walk as much either. I'm going to have the best feathers, you watch. Storm snorted defiantly, halting suddenly and standing tall to show off what feathers she did have, spreading her growing wings and looking rather proud of herself. Louisa smiled, petting her snout.
"We still have ta walk now, so move."
No, I want to fly!
"You will. Just not now. Walk."
Walking's boring. Storm huffed, falling back into step beside her. Louisa nodded, watching the ground pass beneath her feet.
The filly was quiet for a bit, headbutting Louisa for a scratch behind the ears. They clambered over a broken fence, Louisa had to help Storm get her foot unstuck from that, and continued on over yet more dried fields baking under the summer sun. Louisa took a swig from her water bottle, then tipped some into her hand. Under her will, it stayed put, enough for Storm to lap up. Need to refill that. She noticed. Louisa hummed, tucking the bottle back into her backpack. Where can we go?
"We'll find somewhere."
Another minute's silence. Storm turned to her, ears lying flat. "What?"
You didn't sleep again last night.
"I'm fine."
You need to sleep.
"No. I'm good."
I can keep watch. I'll wake you if anything happens. Louisa didn't answer, staring straight ahead resolutely. Storm sighed. Louisa fought monsters she could not see, could not help with. You should eat. It's gone lunchtime.
"Mm?" Louisa turned her head, but her eyes stayed fixed in front of her. "What did you say?"
You should eat.
"I'll get somethin' in a bit."
Will you?
There was no answer to that either.
Louisa fired, ducking quickly. The monster's head whipped over hers, slamming into the ground where she had been. A second head swung around and bit at her arm, getting her bow between its teeth instead. A third head- the one she had been firing at- screamed in pain at the arrow in its eye. "Storm! Storm, where'd you go?"
I'm here! What is this thing?
"Don't know!" Louisa kicked the second head in the throat, her bow springing free. She swung it, a crack of metal on bone. The head dropped to the floor, tongue lolling. Maybe unconscious, maybe dead. Did it count as dead if it had other heads?
Left! Storm warned, whinnying. Louisa dived, the first head lunging at her. It snapped at the air, inches from her ear. Sword, sword! A shake of her bow, her sword sprang into her hand.
"Get back!"
I am back!
"Get back back!"
What is back back? Louisa sliced the first head off, the neck thumping to the ground in a bloody stump. The third head cottoned on, blood and other liquids pouring from its ruptured eye, the arrow still embedded there. It hissed at her, pained and outraged. Its body lurched forward, dragging the two necks with it. Louisa waited until its head shot forward, jaws open to chomp her head clean off. She swung upwards and the head went flying, spinning over and over, a spiralling trail of blood glittering in the sunlight.
Storm snorted from where she stood. Louisa sighed, leaning on her sword to catch her breath. Did you get it?
"Think so." She poked the middle head, cutting it off for extra measure. "Why isn't it…" She wriggled her fingers. Storm looked at her blankly. "It's not goin' away."
Uh oh.
"Uh oh? Don't 'uh oh', I don't like 'uh oh's." Louisa turned. The necks were writhing, the bleeding stumps healing over. She took a step back as the necks split down the middle, doubling their number. Each one grew another head, snarling at her, drooling acid, snorting flames. "Uh oh."
We should run!
"Go, I'm right behind you!" Storm bolted. Louisa spun on her heel, narrowly dodging a mouthful of acid to her face, fire scorching the grass where she had been. She sprinted after Storm, shrinking her sword back into her watch. "Don't cut the heads off!" She advised loudly.
I can't cut their heads off, I have hooves! Storm reminded her indignantly. Louisa began to respond, words dying in her throat as she realised. She had done it again. A warning to friends that weren't there.
The monster crashed behind them, roaring and screeching in a six-headed harmony. Storm took a sharp right turn, neighing at her human to follow. They raced across the field, aiming for the forest that took up its northern side. The monster did not relent, although it was somewhat hampered by six heads, each one vying to get them first and apparently forgetting they all had the same legs. It wasn't very good at turning quickly either, snarling in frustration each time its prey darted to the left or the right, running on a different line.
Storm reached the forest first, diving deep into the treeline and weaving her way through. Louisa was seconds behind, jumping between two trees. Four heads followed her through, but nothing more would fit. They snapped and hissed and blew fire and spat acid, but it was stuck. None of the heads wanted to comply in working together to free itself, twisting and fighting amongst themselves.
Louisa stood watching it for a moment, breathing heavily. She stepped back when it blew flames again, the heat briefly washing over her face. Behind her, Storm whickered, hooves thumping on the moss-mulch covered floor. Leave it! Leave it! Let's just go!
The pegasus snorted, indignant and offended when Louisa drew her sword. You said leave the heads alone!
"I'm not goin' for the heads." Louisa muttered. She scampered around the trees, up onto the beast's back. Its other two heads tried to get her. She slammed the hilt of her sword into one's jaw, punched the other on the snout. She stabbed down, between its shoulder blades, feeling it jolt and fall limp under her feet. It crumbled, like it was supposed to, leaving her in a pile of ash.
Sword shrinking, she looked over at Storm, raising an eyebrow. "You OK?" Storm tilted her head, huffing.
Are you? Louisa offered a shrug of a shoulder. She hopped from the ashes, wiping her sneakers clean on the ground. She motioned to Storm and they set off, once more walking in silence.
