Chapter Ten:
They returned to the surface and Laguna asked Jea to retrieve their horses. She forced a smile and reached into her bag. Pulling out an ornately decorated crystal egg, she vanished. A few seconds later, she reappeared with the horses.
Without comment (although Ambermist eyed the egg speculatively.), they all mounted and set back out through the peculiar forest. Laguna kept casting glances at the ranger, not entirely sure what had happened in her past to affect her so severely. She had not volunteered the information, and it was against his personal code to pry. The ranger either did not notice his concerned, curious glances, or, if she did, she said nothing.
Dumbugg ambled along, occasionally pausing to pick fungi or berries and shove them in his mouth. Once, he even stopped to pick up some carrion. Ambermist gave him a disgusted look when he offered to share. "No!" she said.
Jea guided them back through the woods over the next few days, lost deep in the thoughts of her past. Though she didn't have any nightmare nightmares, she didn't sleep well, tossing and turning restlessly.
Wolf clung worriedly to his mistress' side, not even going off to hunt for fear of her mental health. He would often whine at one of the others when she was caught in the throes of a particularly bad dream in her troubled sleep.
Ambermist was debating whether or not Dumbugg had forgotten about the money she owed him—he was after all, an imbecile. He couldn't have that good a memory—right? Ambermist could hope.
* * * * * *
They were finally out of that creepy forest. Part of Laguna was highly relieved to finally be back on the regular road. Jea had perked up slightly once they had exited the woods, but still wasn't herself.
Their first three days on the road were uneventful, but the fourth day changed all that.
Jea, who was scouting ahead a little bit came cantering back to them on Lifeblood. "We've got company, folks! Six verbeegs heading this way! They're just around the next bend in the road."
Laguna had been wise enough to buy a light lance before they left town, and he pulled it out now, settling into place on Furret's saddle, readying the lance and his body for a charge. The other pulled out their various weapons too.
As they rounded the bend, Laguna dug his heels into Furret, initiating a charge. The verbeeg looked up in fury. The evil creatures were utterly unprepared for his charge and didn't have time to scramble for their weapons.
The armored knight crashed full force into one of the verbeegs, skewering it on the lance tip. Dropping the lance, he drew his familiar broadsword.
By then, the monsters had recovered, and his friends had caught up to him. One of the verbeegs swung at Laguna. Lucky for him, it missed his leg. However, it caught Furret in the chest, gashing lower part of the horse's neck and upper torso before severing the muscles and tendons of his shoulder.
Furret screamed in agony and went down. Laguna was thrown, managing, out of long association with equines, to roll clear and to soften the impact. Bringing his sword up to bare, he blocked another attack. Then he reversed his swing and impaled the giant through the stomach.
His friends were faring rather well. Ambermist's twin broadswords were whirling dangerously as she danced in and out of the verbeegs' ranks, carving slices in the beasts.
Dumbugg had a sadistic grin on his face as he hit the verbeegs with whatever he could—be it sword, head, or fist.
Jea and Wolf were working together, seeking to first disable their opponent and then slay it. Apparently this was working rather well, because two of the verbeegs were already dead.
The group had no problem dispatching the remaining monsters. Laguna, after making sure they'd killed all the monsters, turned to regard his wounded horse. Jea walked over to him and put a hand on his arm.
"Laguna?" she asked quietly.
"Is there anything we can do?" Laguna asked, trying not to let his emotion show through. Furret had been his horse for close to six years and he had gotten attached to the animal he'd raised from a baby.
The half elven woman knelt next to the horse, laying her fingers upon its neck. Furret whimpered in pain, and Jea shook her head. Turning back to Laguna, she whispered, "I'm sorry…"
Laguna nodded in acceptance, then drew his sword, preferring to end his friend's life quickly rather than let him suffer. When it was done, he prepared to leave, but Jea stopped him.
"Hang on a second, Laguna. I don't want to leave Furret's body here to rot."
Going over to the side of the road, she murmured a spell, making a digging motion with one hand. A large, rectangular hole opened in the ground.
Jea walked back over to Laguna and the horse's body. "Help me."
Somehow, the two people carried the horse over to the grave and placed him in it. Then the ranger cast the spell again, filling in the grave.
They returned to the group. Laguna looked at the two remaining horses. He needed a ride. Ambermist's little mare was too small to carry him alone, let alone both of them. Turning his head, he glanced at Jea and Lifeblood. 'Blood was big enough to carry him, but not quite big enough to carry both.
Laguna sighed and said, "Jea…Can I borrow your horse?"
The ranger woman's eyes narrowed shrewdly. "An' wha' do I ge' ou' o' it iffin I do?" she asked, imitating a Northern Isle Clansman's brogue.
Laguna groaned inwardly, realizing she wasn't going to give in that easily. "Um…well…" He trailed off for a moment, then made a monetary related offer.
Jea shook her head. "Wha' would I be needin' wi' money, Pally-boy? I 'ave more than I need."
Laguna thought for a long moment, but couldn't come up with any ideas. Realizing the possibly folly of what he was fixing to say, he took a deep breath. "Then what do you want?"
She grinned. "Let's say I do you this favor and loan you my horse. You'll owe me a favor in return—of my choosin'. Deal?"
He responded carefully. "As long as the favor does not violate my code, then yes, deal."
Jea shrugged, shook his hand, and gave up 'Blood's reins. Grinning at all, she closed her eyes in concentration. Shaggy, silvery fur appeared over her whole body and a tail grew from her spine. Her face pushed out into a canine muzzle and her pointy ears relocated. A few more minute changes, and another large wolf stood in front of them.
She sat on her haunches, tongue lolling at them in an amused grin. Ambermist burst out laughing as Laguna groaned, realizing he'd been had. A little too late, he remembered that some of the more experienced druids could shape-change at will.
Dumbugg was, of course, lost. He had absolutely NO idea what was happening. In fact he was busy decapitating all the verbeegs.
The crew sat out again for the city. There were no more run ins with anyone, but Laguna spent the next four days feeling stupid, wondering how Jea had managed to sucker him so bad.
She ran ahead of them, acting like a bundle of puppy like energy. She would race forward, then circle around and come up on Lifeblood's heels, yapping. In the evenings, she'd change back and lounge around the fire, thinking.
They at last reached the city of Iie Onamae Ciudad. It was mid afternoon, close to 4:00. The group went to an inn, The Bear and Badger. They snagged two of the nicer rooms; one for the guys, one for the girls.
In the common room, the group discussed plans. Laguna commented, "I have to return this relic to my temple."
Jea looked at him. "I'll tag along. I could use some exercise—and besides, you owe me a favor."
Ambermist laughed. "I have some work to do. I'll be back later."
Dumbugg just drooled on himself. "Hungry."
The group parted ways to do their separate activities.
They returned to the surface and Laguna asked Jea to retrieve their horses. She forced a smile and reached into her bag. Pulling out an ornately decorated crystal egg, she vanished. A few seconds later, she reappeared with the horses.
Without comment (although Ambermist eyed the egg speculatively.), they all mounted and set back out through the peculiar forest. Laguna kept casting glances at the ranger, not entirely sure what had happened in her past to affect her so severely. She had not volunteered the information, and it was against his personal code to pry. The ranger either did not notice his concerned, curious glances, or, if she did, she said nothing.
Dumbugg ambled along, occasionally pausing to pick fungi or berries and shove them in his mouth. Once, he even stopped to pick up some carrion. Ambermist gave him a disgusted look when he offered to share. "No!" she said.
Jea guided them back through the woods over the next few days, lost deep in the thoughts of her past. Though she didn't have any nightmare nightmares, she didn't sleep well, tossing and turning restlessly.
Wolf clung worriedly to his mistress' side, not even going off to hunt for fear of her mental health. He would often whine at one of the others when she was caught in the throes of a particularly bad dream in her troubled sleep.
Ambermist was debating whether or not Dumbugg had forgotten about the money she owed him—he was after all, an imbecile. He couldn't have that good a memory—right? Ambermist could hope.
* * * * * *
They were finally out of that creepy forest. Part of Laguna was highly relieved to finally be back on the regular road. Jea had perked up slightly once they had exited the woods, but still wasn't herself.
Their first three days on the road were uneventful, but the fourth day changed all that.
Jea, who was scouting ahead a little bit came cantering back to them on Lifeblood. "We've got company, folks! Six verbeegs heading this way! They're just around the next bend in the road."
Laguna had been wise enough to buy a light lance before they left town, and he pulled it out now, settling into place on Furret's saddle, readying the lance and his body for a charge. The other pulled out their various weapons too.
As they rounded the bend, Laguna dug his heels into Furret, initiating a charge. The verbeeg looked up in fury. The evil creatures were utterly unprepared for his charge and didn't have time to scramble for their weapons.
The armored knight crashed full force into one of the verbeegs, skewering it on the lance tip. Dropping the lance, he drew his familiar broadsword.
By then, the monsters had recovered, and his friends had caught up to him. One of the verbeegs swung at Laguna. Lucky for him, it missed his leg. However, it caught Furret in the chest, gashing lower part of the horse's neck and upper torso before severing the muscles and tendons of his shoulder.
Furret screamed in agony and went down. Laguna was thrown, managing, out of long association with equines, to roll clear and to soften the impact. Bringing his sword up to bare, he blocked another attack. Then he reversed his swing and impaled the giant through the stomach.
His friends were faring rather well. Ambermist's twin broadswords were whirling dangerously as she danced in and out of the verbeegs' ranks, carving slices in the beasts.
Dumbugg had a sadistic grin on his face as he hit the verbeegs with whatever he could—be it sword, head, or fist.
Jea and Wolf were working together, seeking to first disable their opponent and then slay it. Apparently this was working rather well, because two of the verbeegs were already dead.
The group had no problem dispatching the remaining monsters. Laguna, after making sure they'd killed all the monsters, turned to regard his wounded horse. Jea walked over to him and put a hand on his arm.
"Laguna?" she asked quietly.
"Is there anything we can do?" Laguna asked, trying not to let his emotion show through. Furret had been his horse for close to six years and he had gotten attached to the animal he'd raised from a baby.
The half elven woman knelt next to the horse, laying her fingers upon its neck. Furret whimpered in pain, and Jea shook her head. Turning back to Laguna, she whispered, "I'm sorry…"
Laguna nodded in acceptance, then drew his sword, preferring to end his friend's life quickly rather than let him suffer. When it was done, he prepared to leave, but Jea stopped him.
"Hang on a second, Laguna. I don't want to leave Furret's body here to rot."
Going over to the side of the road, she murmured a spell, making a digging motion with one hand. A large, rectangular hole opened in the ground.
Jea walked back over to Laguna and the horse's body. "Help me."
Somehow, the two people carried the horse over to the grave and placed him in it. Then the ranger cast the spell again, filling in the grave.
They returned to the group. Laguna looked at the two remaining horses. He needed a ride. Ambermist's little mare was too small to carry him alone, let alone both of them. Turning his head, he glanced at Jea and Lifeblood. 'Blood was big enough to carry him, but not quite big enough to carry both.
Laguna sighed and said, "Jea…Can I borrow your horse?"
The ranger woman's eyes narrowed shrewdly. "An' wha' do I ge' ou' o' it iffin I do?" she asked, imitating a Northern Isle Clansman's brogue.
Laguna groaned inwardly, realizing she wasn't going to give in that easily. "Um…well…" He trailed off for a moment, then made a monetary related offer.
Jea shook her head. "Wha' would I be needin' wi' money, Pally-boy? I 'ave more than I need."
Laguna thought for a long moment, but couldn't come up with any ideas. Realizing the possibly folly of what he was fixing to say, he took a deep breath. "Then what do you want?"
She grinned. "Let's say I do you this favor and loan you my horse. You'll owe me a favor in return—of my choosin'. Deal?"
He responded carefully. "As long as the favor does not violate my code, then yes, deal."
Jea shrugged, shook his hand, and gave up 'Blood's reins. Grinning at all, she closed her eyes in concentration. Shaggy, silvery fur appeared over her whole body and a tail grew from her spine. Her face pushed out into a canine muzzle and her pointy ears relocated. A few more minute changes, and another large wolf stood in front of them.
She sat on her haunches, tongue lolling at them in an amused grin. Ambermist burst out laughing as Laguna groaned, realizing he'd been had. A little too late, he remembered that some of the more experienced druids could shape-change at will.
Dumbugg was, of course, lost. He had absolutely NO idea what was happening. In fact he was busy decapitating all the verbeegs.
The crew sat out again for the city. There were no more run ins with anyone, but Laguna spent the next four days feeling stupid, wondering how Jea had managed to sucker him so bad.
She ran ahead of them, acting like a bundle of puppy like energy. She would race forward, then circle around and come up on Lifeblood's heels, yapping. In the evenings, she'd change back and lounge around the fire, thinking.
They at last reached the city of Iie Onamae Ciudad. It was mid afternoon, close to 4:00. The group went to an inn, The Bear and Badger. They snagged two of the nicer rooms; one for the guys, one for the girls.
In the common room, the group discussed plans. Laguna commented, "I have to return this relic to my temple."
Jea looked at him. "I'll tag along. I could use some exercise—and besides, you owe me a favor."
Ambermist laughed. "I have some work to do. I'll be back later."
Dumbugg just drooled on himself. "Hungry."
The group parted ways to do their separate activities.