I'd really like to improve my story (well, only to a certain extent) but would really like people to review and tell me what they like (preferably) and what they don't like (don't be too brutal).
-Chapter Four:
They had left early morning and the latest mile marker had said 2 miles to Hensville. They had checked out of Murphy Inn 6 hours ago. Hrimfaxi knew all the routes and she and the boy made good time on the road; maybe it was a little to fast a pace for Cleon, which would be understandable because Hrimfaxi frequently forgot that she was not traveling alone. She had not burdened the boy too much; he only carried his own bundle of clothing and the centaur's grooming supplies.
Hrimfaxi carried the rest of their stuff; her lute strung across her back, a pack filled with rations, several books she had picked up hoping Felosial could use them to educate Cleon, and in her hand held her shield and spear. The centaur was humming absently, but she was actually quite alert; she knew one a main road like this a single bard accompanied by a young boy would seem like easy targets. So far all they had seen was a herdsman herding his goats, a merchant bundling in his cart behind his oxen, and a small patrol of soldiers; still Hrimfaxi was wary. She could tell they were nearing the town and stopped by the side of the road to give the boy a rest and dislodge a stone from her hind hoof. Cleon flopped down on the ground, dumped the small packages he was carrying, and gulped down water from a water-skin. The centaur took a hoof-pick -a curved metal bar- from one of Cleon's sacks and lifted her hind foot; a very large foot with carefully trimmed chestnut fur. But as she reached around to take care of her hoof, the bruise between her shoulders -the one she had received from the orcs the previous day- pained her and no matter how much she bent her leg or twisted her back the stiff and sore muscles kept her from getting the annoying gravel out of her hoof.
"Can I help?" Cleon asked, coming over to Hrimfaxi.
"You must think this comical," she said with a snort as she stamped her foot down in frustration, and then wincing. Cleon didn't reply or seem to mind the centaur's snappy reply; he much preferred Hrimfaxi's sarcasm to Mr. Kutter's beating. Taking the hoof-pick he knelt down and ran his hand down her hock and pinched right above the hoof. Automatically Hrimfaxi lifted her leg and Cleon rested it on his knee while removing the rock from where it was stuck between the centaur's horseshoe and the V-shaped frog.
"I took care of the horses a lot at Mr. Kutter's Inn," he explained while standing up. "
"Well, I am not a horse," Hrimfaxi replied snappily, testing her foot out, but Cleon could tell she was pleased; she had been limping for the last quarter mile. Hrimfaxi walked a circle to test her hoof, but stopped midway and tensed up. Immediately her shield was in position and spear hefted. Cleon, alarmed, noisily corked his canteen and scrambled behind the centaur who was busy watching a shadowed group of people coming towards them. Slowly the group came closer and a faint 'Ahoy' sounded across the rise in the road. Cleon, fearing orcs, was surprised to find Hrimfaxi throwing down her weapon and galloping off delightedly, showering his huddled form with gravel raised by her hooves. In a matter of seconds Hrimfaxi had crossed the rise in the road and was fiercely hugging a slender elf. Cleon, struggling to carry his bundle and Hrimfaxi's fallen spear, tried to catch up to her. When he finally scrambled over the hill the centaur was hugging a small halfling. So eager was the bard that the halfling -wearing a curious vest all made out of pockets- was lifted off the ground.
"It's so good to see you guys!" Hrimfaxi was saying, rearing playfully. "Felosial," she said, addressing the elf with the smoothest complexion and glossiest hair, "You don't look a day older and Eldon," she said to the halfling, "I see Rurik didn't turn you into cleric after all." Felosial smiled brilliantly and Eldon laughed at Hrimfaxi's comment.
"If you grow any bigger, you're gonna crush us short people," a relaxed drawl informed Hrimfaxi. A short dwarf, dressed in a tunic with the hammer of Moradin knitted in it, stepped out from behind Felosial.
"If you grow any fatter your stomach will pop out of that belt your wearing," Hrimfaxi retorted, but shook the dwarf's equally large and calloused hand.
"This is not just any belt," Rurik replied. "This is a belt of a newly promoted Chief Cleric of the Temple of Moradin." He fingered the jeweled belt proudly; in the belt hung a large war-hammer that glowed lightly. Before the centaur could make a snappy comment he added after spotting Cleon, "I see you have a kid."
"I thought you said you hated every male centaur on the earth," Eldon reminded her with a wink.
Hrimfaxi, flicked her tail angrily at both dwarf and halfling and said, "He is not MY foal. I bought his indenture yesterday."
"You are taking care of a child?" Rurik asked unbelievably. "You know nothing about children."
"And I suppose child-care is part of your training Chief what-ever- you-are?"
"I can help Hrim," Felosial offered. "I'm sure I had enough practice when I was a younger elf babysitting so I could get enough money to pay for my wizardry lessons."
"I like playing games with kids," Eldon added. "And I'm small enough that I won't risk crushing him."
But Rurik continued teasing the bard. "So Hrimfaxi, the lone bard, finally realized she needed someone to help her."
"I didn't hire him because I needed the help," Hrimfaxi replied hotly; she was very proud of her independence from males and all other people.
"She rescued me from Mr. Kutter," Cleon suddenly broke in. He had been standing by the centaur and could see her becoming uncomfortable. Hrimfaxi, obviously a bit embarrassed, spoke to the other three in a language (elven) Cleon couldn't understand.
"You poor thing," Felosial said to Cleon after Hrimfaxi finished. Even Rurik looked a bit ashamed. Cleon, out of shock and partly because the centaur's spear weighed so much, collapsed on the ground. Large rough, hands helped him up. The dwarf was looking at him with critical gray eyes.
"You sure that taking care of him will not stop us from having a good time?" he asked, raising bushy eyebrows. "We haven't seen each other in so long and there is so much for us to do."
"The boy won't be any added trouble," Felosial said gently. "He can't be any worse then Eldon when he was his age."
"And besides," added Eldon. "You've rented the cottage for two weeks, that should be plenty of time for us to talk."
"But I'll be away for most of the time," Rurik said gruffly. "I was summoned here after all and will probably need to devote a lot of time for business." As an afterthought he added smugly. "It's probably very important if they need a Chief Cleric."
Hrimfaxi, disgusted, started walking down the road. "It's getting dark, we should be arriving at Hensville soon," she yelled over her shoulder. She took out a small portable watch -a relatively new invention- and looked at it.
"You aren't the only one who's up-to-date," Rurik said, catching up. "I'll let you know that my beard is cut in the latest fashion." He stroked his graying beard -curled, beaded and braided elaborately- proudly.
The centaur snorted contemptuously. "Yeah, right. I was just in Gerhurst -the height of fashion is found there- and I'll let you know that no one there," the bard paused, catching the pleading glance from both Felosial and Eldon. "that no one looked...um...half as up-to-date as you," she finished sulkily. While Rurik was busy being pleased with himself, Hrimfaxi caught Eldon's wink and taking her spear from Cleon slowed down until she was in the back with the halfling.
"Did you know you were being followed?" he asked her. He motioned secretively with his head in the direction where a man, camouflaged and skillfully hidden, was watching them. "He's been there for a while."
"Probably just a common road-pirate," Hrimfaxi said, but even she didn't believe it; this man was too well armored and was obviously a trained assassin to be an ordinary thief. "Should we warn the others?" She took a couple steps forward to try to get a better view. She was amazed Eldon had spotted the man; the assassin was cleverly disguised and perfectly motionless. The centaur must have been too obvious because the man suddenly leaped up and ran into the forest lining the road...and disappeared. Hrimfaxi snorted disappointedly but turned around. "Come on Eldon. At your pace we'll never catch up to Felosial and that dwarf.