Part 6
Wolf and Tony walked through Kissingtown in the dead of night. The streets were empty and the only sound was that of the rustling of nearby trees in the summer wind. Tony walked on, and suppressed a yawn. The last thing he needed to do was sleep and waste even more time. Virginia was counting on them, how could he curl up in a soft bed, when she could be out there starving or freezing to death? No, he had to continue on, even though it was awfully tempting.
Tony glanced over at Wolf, who held more of an unconscious look than that of his normal self. He looked just as exhausted. It must've been around midnight or so, and their trip to Kissingtown was long and grueling, not to mention the climb he went through. He gave it another thought. They really couldn't go on for a week or more without sleep. He had to say something, but Wolf beat him to it.
"Ok, well, now that we have the first crystal, let's see what the mirror says about the next one." Wolf said anxiously as he faced Tony as they walked.
"Wolf, wait a minute." Tony stopped walking and turned to Wolf who stopped as well. He looked at Tony quizzically, glancing to his pack slung around his shoulder loosely.
"What Tone?"
"We can't go on without sleep, why don't we find someplace to rest for the night, and we'll continue on in the morning?" Tony watched Wolf as his expression changed to one of shear determination and incredibility. Wolf would protest, he knew it, so he decided to pour more on. "I'm beat, and I know you have to be too. It'll do us no good to go on like this."
No use, Wolf still protested profusely. "Tony! How can you say that!? Virginia's counting on us, and you want to sleep!? We'll loose time! Every moment that we waste, she could be drifting further away or maybe even worse!" Wolf couldn't believe Tony. His own daughter's life was resting in their hands, and what did he want to do? Sleep! Huff puff! What was wrong with him!?
"Wolf, I know your concerned for Virginia, I am too. But we're no good to her if we fall asleep on the horses and fall off." He said with great emphasis, moving his hands to make his point clear. "We could get hurt, that'll delay us even longer. Let's just get a couple of hours, then we'll start out, first thing in the morning." He started back down the street, then turned back to Wolf who was thinking. He could tell he was really considering it, but he had to, Wolf had to understand he was right.
"First thing?" Wolf finally spoke as he looked to Tony.
"First thing. We'll head out, bright and early."
Wolf meditated that idea for a moment. As much as he was opposed and wanted to continue their journey, he couldn't fight sleep for weeks. It wasn't possible, even for a wolf. Finally, he gave up and nodded. They walked on for a few minutes, then chose a place to stay for the night.
Tony kept to his word, after they found a small inn, they awoke early with the rising sun. Even though it did take Wolf several tries to get him out of bed, they finally made it and went for their horses. They headed to the stables, and prepared them for another trip through the forest. If Wolf hadn't been so worried for Virginia, he might have enjoyed it.
It was a beautiful crisp morning. The sun was beaming down like spotlights, as they struck the surface of the ground, making amberish circles on its surface. The sunbeams slanted down through the trees that covered the outer edge of the town where the stables were. A soft breeze blanketed the area and the temperature was just right for the day. There was not one cloud in the sky and no threat of any sudden storm. They took off, and headed the opposite way that they came, to the North.
"So, what's the deal with these horses?" Tony asked abruptly after a few minutes of riding, obviously wanting to strike up a conversation. He didn't like it when Wolf was uncharacteristically quiet.
Wolf paused for a moment, taking off guard by the question, then spoke. "Well, these horses are made to be the best they can be. Many kings have these horses especially trained so that they can ride for days without becoming weak or tired. They're very handy in times of war when kings need to send a letter that must be received that same day."
"How do they do it?"
"Get them to go so fast? Well, the trainers work them very hard when they're very young. Making them run and go days without stopping for more than five minutes. Eventually generations adapted to this lifestyle and have very little trouble running grand distances." Wolf explained then patted his horse appreciatively.
"How much are they worth?" Tony asked, showing his normal cheapness.
"A lot. Way more than a lot, actually. There aren't many left throughout the Nine Kingdoms and it's getting harder and harder to train them."
"Why's that?"
"Well, the only ones that could train them so brutally to prepare them for long journeys, were Trolls."
"Trolls!?"
"Yes," He said almost reluctantly. "They were perfect actually." He sighed, then continued. "They forced the horses to run longer and faster, making them eventually become stronger, even though many died trying." Wolf growled audibly. Trolls were horrible to everything and everyone. They were the ones that took his Virginia away from him, he'd never forget that. There was not one single good thing about a Troll, no siree! He paused and then added angrily, "Because they have no conscience or decency in their insignificant heads, they felt no remorse for anything they did to the horses."
Tony sensed the harshness in his voice, and was too reminded of just who had taken Virginia in the first place. "Why is it getting harder? You would think that if these horses are so valuable, Trolls would have thousands of them."
"True, but Trolls have very little patience and training these horses takes much of it. Hundreds of years ago when this breed of horse was beginning to raise, Trolls were dying to get their hands on them, literally. As always though, Trolls aren't impressed or intrigued with much for long and soon the idea became boring to them. It's very difficult to train them and that's why only a few humans and some fairies are actually capable of doing it. Eventually, there won't be any more left." Wolf added quietly. Tony first thought it might be so that their horses wouldn't hear it, but that was ridiculous. Instead, he decided that Wolf was thinking again of Virginia and what had happened to her, because of Trolls. Time to change the subject.
Tony pulled his horse's reins, causing the trot to cease. Wolf looked back confused, then he stopped as Tony opened his sack and dug around in it for a moment. He checked his surroundings, then was reassured by a nod from Wolf.
Tony dug the mirror out from the bottom of his brown bag and revealed it to them. Wolf brought out the red crystal from his pocket and handed it to Tony. "Ok," Tony sighed. "Let's see where this thing leads us to next."
Wolf and Tony walked through Kissingtown in the dead of night. The streets were empty and the only sound was that of the rustling of nearby trees in the summer wind. Tony walked on, and suppressed a yawn. The last thing he needed to do was sleep and waste even more time. Virginia was counting on them, how could he curl up in a soft bed, when she could be out there starving or freezing to death? No, he had to continue on, even though it was awfully tempting.
Tony glanced over at Wolf, who held more of an unconscious look than that of his normal self. He looked just as exhausted. It must've been around midnight or so, and their trip to Kissingtown was long and grueling, not to mention the climb he went through. He gave it another thought. They really couldn't go on for a week or more without sleep. He had to say something, but Wolf beat him to it.
"Ok, well, now that we have the first crystal, let's see what the mirror says about the next one." Wolf said anxiously as he faced Tony as they walked.
"Wolf, wait a minute." Tony stopped walking and turned to Wolf who stopped as well. He looked at Tony quizzically, glancing to his pack slung around his shoulder loosely.
"What Tone?"
"We can't go on without sleep, why don't we find someplace to rest for the night, and we'll continue on in the morning?" Tony watched Wolf as his expression changed to one of shear determination and incredibility. Wolf would protest, he knew it, so he decided to pour more on. "I'm beat, and I know you have to be too. It'll do us no good to go on like this."
No use, Wolf still protested profusely. "Tony! How can you say that!? Virginia's counting on us, and you want to sleep!? We'll loose time! Every moment that we waste, she could be drifting further away or maybe even worse!" Wolf couldn't believe Tony. His own daughter's life was resting in their hands, and what did he want to do? Sleep! Huff puff! What was wrong with him!?
"Wolf, I know your concerned for Virginia, I am too. But we're no good to her if we fall asleep on the horses and fall off." He said with great emphasis, moving his hands to make his point clear. "We could get hurt, that'll delay us even longer. Let's just get a couple of hours, then we'll start out, first thing in the morning." He started back down the street, then turned back to Wolf who was thinking. He could tell he was really considering it, but he had to, Wolf had to understand he was right.
"First thing?" Wolf finally spoke as he looked to Tony.
"First thing. We'll head out, bright and early."
Wolf meditated that idea for a moment. As much as he was opposed and wanted to continue their journey, he couldn't fight sleep for weeks. It wasn't possible, even for a wolf. Finally, he gave up and nodded. They walked on for a few minutes, then chose a place to stay for the night.
Tony kept to his word, after they found a small inn, they awoke early with the rising sun. Even though it did take Wolf several tries to get him out of bed, they finally made it and went for their horses. They headed to the stables, and prepared them for another trip through the forest. If Wolf hadn't been so worried for Virginia, he might have enjoyed it.
It was a beautiful crisp morning. The sun was beaming down like spotlights, as they struck the surface of the ground, making amberish circles on its surface. The sunbeams slanted down through the trees that covered the outer edge of the town where the stables were. A soft breeze blanketed the area and the temperature was just right for the day. There was not one cloud in the sky and no threat of any sudden storm. They took off, and headed the opposite way that they came, to the North.
"So, what's the deal with these horses?" Tony asked abruptly after a few minutes of riding, obviously wanting to strike up a conversation. He didn't like it when Wolf was uncharacteristically quiet.
Wolf paused for a moment, taking off guard by the question, then spoke. "Well, these horses are made to be the best they can be. Many kings have these horses especially trained so that they can ride for days without becoming weak or tired. They're very handy in times of war when kings need to send a letter that must be received that same day."
"How do they do it?"
"Get them to go so fast? Well, the trainers work them very hard when they're very young. Making them run and go days without stopping for more than five minutes. Eventually generations adapted to this lifestyle and have very little trouble running grand distances." Wolf explained then patted his horse appreciatively.
"How much are they worth?" Tony asked, showing his normal cheapness.
"A lot. Way more than a lot, actually. There aren't many left throughout the Nine Kingdoms and it's getting harder and harder to train them."
"Why's that?"
"Well, the only ones that could train them so brutally to prepare them for long journeys, were Trolls."
"Trolls!?"
"Yes," He said almost reluctantly. "They were perfect actually." He sighed, then continued. "They forced the horses to run longer and faster, making them eventually become stronger, even though many died trying." Wolf growled audibly. Trolls were horrible to everything and everyone. They were the ones that took his Virginia away from him, he'd never forget that. There was not one single good thing about a Troll, no siree! He paused and then added angrily, "Because they have no conscience or decency in their insignificant heads, they felt no remorse for anything they did to the horses."
Tony sensed the harshness in his voice, and was too reminded of just who had taken Virginia in the first place. "Why is it getting harder? You would think that if these horses are so valuable, Trolls would have thousands of them."
"True, but Trolls have very little patience and training these horses takes much of it. Hundreds of years ago when this breed of horse was beginning to raise, Trolls were dying to get their hands on them, literally. As always though, Trolls aren't impressed or intrigued with much for long and soon the idea became boring to them. It's very difficult to train them and that's why only a few humans and some fairies are actually capable of doing it. Eventually, there won't be any more left." Wolf added quietly. Tony first thought it might be so that their horses wouldn't hear it, but that was ridiculous. Instead, he decided that Wolf was thinking again of Virginia and what had happened to her, because of Trolls. Time to change the subject.
Tony pulled his horse's reins, causing the trot to cease. Wolf looked back confused, then he stopped as Tony opened his sack and dug around in it for a moment. He checked his surroundings, then was reassured by a nod from Wolf.
Tony dug the mirror out from the bottom of his brown bag and revealed it to them. Wolf brought out the red crystal from his pocket and handed it to Tony. "Ok," Tony sighed. "Let's see where this thing leads us to next."