The Rainy Day Trip
Part IX
By Saphron
A/N: Howdy peeps, I know that I've been promising you the big battle scene for ages, but once again, this isn't it. However-it is a key chapter that has to do with 'the battle scene.' And note this, I've told y'all that I wasn't sure how the beast is going to be defeated, the only way I could imagine it happening was if it swooped down from the sky so that they could kill it. Only that seemed kinda far-fetched and 'yeah right, that would never happen.' Which was why I was procrastinating on writing this for so long. But thanks to NOEL I've now got a plan! A real, live, actual plan, that explains a lot, will be much more exciting, and make this story somewhat longer than anticipated. (Good thing I hope.) I've taken a mixture of some of your ideas and mine, and put them with Noel's wonderful plan, to create the story line. Oh what a happy day! So anyhow, thank you all, especially Noel, for your wonderful ideas and for being so kind as to review. I just hope it turns out all right…
I'mnottakinganycreditwhatsoeverbecauseitallbelongstotamorapierce: (Ie: Disclaimer: I couldn't think up another word for disclaimer! *gasp* So I had to settle on a word I made up myself…hee-hee, spellcheck really doesn't like me…) Anyhow, like I said in my made up word, which is obvious but also ineligible, so I'll repeat the jist of it, I take no credit, everything belongs to Tamora Pierce. Well that's over with finally. Onto the story!
A/N/N: Oh sorry, quick note. I was going to include this in the summary, only I can't do that nay more because of the chapter thing, so I'll say it here. This chapter isn't very exciting. It's kind of the midpoint of the story, like the last chapter was 'book one,' which involved getting there, but here is 'book two,' saving the day, y'know? And 'book three' would be going home again (presuming everybody lived…ooh-cryptic message!) Anyhow, this is like the prologue to 'book two'-Saving the Day, as I shall now call it. So it's, well, not very action packed and pretty short. It will get better, I promise! (Stay with me here, I've had an relevation and who knows what could happen?!)
*
The three shadowy silhouettes walked back to camp and sat down on some washed-up logs. There was a small, crackling fire going, it was small because they didn't want the beast to notice them, but it was cold atop the mountain, and although diminutive the fire still provided much warmth. Plus the meat that had been caught that day needed to be cooked.
While everyone was gathered around eating either mackerel (caught by our heroine, go Kel!) or venison (caught by Joren, go figure) or bear (caught by the men), and hesitantly eyeing some interesting red berries, Raoul stood up to make the nightly announcements.
"There's good news and um, 'interesting' news people. Good news, we've caught, dried and salted enough meat to last us for at least two days, if not more, and some berry bushes have been found not to far from here. Sam of Burgeon, (hee-hee, 'burgeon' is a real word, anyone know what it means? Hint: Has to do with plants…(I'm doing the JK thing) our local plant expert has deemed them entirely edible." The men leaned forward to reach the bowl of berries much more eagerly. They all new Sam, and knew that he knew everything there was to know about plants of every kind.
Raoul continued, "Yes, well, while you were all away looking for food, me, Iness, and Michael solved our little secret." Forks were dropped onto tin plates as ears perked up all round the campfire. He took a deep breath, "well, as you all know Michael is a mage, and today, about an hour after everyone had left hunting, while we were taking a break from guarding camp to fish, he got a sensing." All eyes turned to a small man modestly staring at his shoes. "Well, not a sensing exactly-but there is really no other way to describe it. It was, well, I'll let you explain, Michael."
Michael stood up shyly; he wasn't used to making speeches. "Well, today, I got a feeling. Two actually. The first one was-well, I think it was the beast. It was calling out to me, ah, with it's mind, I think. It was really hard to tell what it was saying though; it was all kind of foggy and unclear. And it seemed pretty far away. I only caught I few words…" He stopped and looked up, all eyes were on him and he shifted nervously in place, "Help, man, something-o-nette, (if I told you it would give away what the beast was-so I'm settling with 'something') gold and help again. And that's about it…" The men glanced at each other, something was wrong. The creature, whatever it was, could communicate with Michael, but not completely. And the words it sent weren't exactly what you'd call comforting.
Michael continued, "The second sensing was, well it wasn't words. It was just a feeling of powerful magic. While I was standing in the water, a great wave of magic came towards me, it was coming from that direction." He pointed with his finger to the northwest, "it was weird, evil almost…" He stopped talking abruptly, and shuffled his feet; "I didn't like it."
One of the men called out, "Eh Michael, how come ye didn't hear this 'feeling' a'fore? Like when we's first got 'ere?" (Do men of the King's Own have accents? Or is every single one of them nobles? I dunno, for this story I guess some of them will speak common.) Michael was looking uncomfortable now, the man hadn't doubted him, but he didn't sound very convinced. "I think it has to do with the seawater. It helps to channel magic and energy." (This is totally true, check your Wild Magic books if you don't believe me-ah! Another reason for the salt-lake…)
Michael sat back down again after a nod from Raoul, who stood up and spoke again, "Now, I'm not sure what this strange feeling Michael got is exactly, but I'm guessing it has something to do with the beast. So," he said slowly, "we are going to find whatever is making these ripples of magic, and deal with it." The men didn't sound completely indoctrinated, but they totally respected their leader, and besides, they had no other lead and nothing else better to do. So they all agreed that the next day they would pack up camp again, and head northwest in search of the 'ripples' as the strange sensing had come to be called. They finished their dinner and prepared for bed.
*
As Kel was taking out her bedroll from her bag a small pouch fell out. She stared at it, wondering how it had gotten there. She undid the laces and opened it to see the tiny, lucky, Yamani 'cat' she had bought in the village. It was still the same grayish-silver, but as the sun went down she thought she saw tiny streaks of gold. Deciding that it was just a trick of the light, she unrolled her bedroll and went to sleep, the 'cat's' jeweled eyes peering out from the empty darkness.
***
~*Saphron*~
A/N: Does it look like I've got anything here? I mean, I was originally just going to have them slice the beasts head off and then go home, but that seemed kind of dull and pointless, so I'm now going to change it! There were still be a bit of bloodshed eventually I'm sure…but not till later. Once again, thank, thank, thank you to everyone who read/reviewed/gave ideas! I got so many, that I actually couldn't even use them all! You're all wonderful people.
Special Thanks to NOEL!!!!!!!! Without whom this chapter would not be written. Gracias amiga.