Chapter 3

It took her most of the next day to gather what she needed to bring with her. It was very difficult to leave her life behind, and the choices were very difficult. She really tried to stick with items she would need while traveling. With all the items she needed to bring for Ikhaya, what she would bring for herself was very little.

She decided to leave that night. If she waited any longer, the council would be knocking on her front door. Leslie would have reported her refusal to turn over Ikhaya, so they would be planning an invasion. She wrapped Ikhaya in her sling, and mounted her sturdy mountain pony, the milking goat tied to the bridle. The packs and saddle bags carried food, water, clouts, and spare clothes, enough for a journey. She had no idea where they were going; she just knew they couldn’t stay here.

“I thought you’d run.” Sophie jumped and turned. There stood Jessica Ralston, or Jessie, clad in her usual outfit of leggings and flannel shirt, tied with a leather belt decorated with assorted knives. A bow and quiver hung from her back and her golden hair was in a simple braid. Most notable to Sophie though, was the traveling pack she carried.

“No.” Sophie said as she shook her head. “I don’t have a second horse and…”

“I can walk faster than that pony any day, and probably just as long.” Jessie said, with a snort. “You and I both know I’m a better hunter than you, quieter too since you insist on using that damn rifle.”

“Why?” Sophie asked, curious.

Jessie shrugged. “Never did fit in here much.” she said practically. “Pa did his best, but after he passed this winter, there’s not much here to hold me.” She nodded to the baby in her sling. “You have a mystery there. I don’t think I’ll ever have a babe of my own, thought I could share your burden a bit, help you out. Maybe find somewhere nice.”

Welcoming, she meant. She was leaving for the same reasons Sophie was running. Jessie had always been the odd-girl-out, pretty as she was. Sophie had always liked her.

“If you can keep up, you can come,” Sophie said, with a smile. “It’ll be nice to have company that can talk back when I say something.”

The two departed. Sophie allowed herself one last look at the farm she had run on her own for years; had lived on all her life. A hand squeezed her ankle and Sophie looked down at Jessie. “I’m ok,” she assured her, not believing herself anymore than she was sure Jessie didn’t believe her. “Let’s go.”

At first they had no set destination; they just headed away. They discussed briefly crossing the mountains and heading into the plains, but the path was difficult and long, too long maybe with an infant in tow. Down hill seemed better than up, and so down they went. Both women were perfectly comfortable camping and, since it was late spring, the weather remained warm as the season eased into summer. They used the tent only if it rained, Sophie or Jessie taking turns to take care of Ikhaya. All in all it was a pleasant trip, easier in many ways than running a farm.

Until their pony threw a shoe. They were three months in their travels and the last town they passed was a full two days behind them. According to their information, the next town wasn’t for at least another day.

“I had no idea the world was such a big place,” complained Sophie as she stood behind Jessie, who was looking at one of the pony’s feet. “Three days between towns?” She placed her hands on her hips and tapped her toes impatiently. The goat bleeped at her. “Oh hush, you. If we didn’t need you so badly, you’d be dinner,” she snapped at her.

“Don’t take it out on the poor goat,” Jessie chided with a smile, standing and turning. “I just have to go ahead is all. We’ll set up camp back from the road aways; I’ll take the pony and the shoe and be back lickety split.”

Sophie crossed her arms to hide her nervousness. “I don’t like it.”

Jessie cocked her head and asked, “Do you have a better idea?”

She didn’t and that was annoying, but the idea of splitting up in an unfamiliar area scared her. Ikhaya, riding on her back in a sling, grabbed a handful of hair, shrieking happily while yanking. Sophie winced and Jessie laughed while she went to help untangle them.

“Leave Mama’s hair alone,” Jessie told the baby, unwinding brown strands from chubby brown hands. “Sophie, I don’t like it, but that pony can’t walk weighed down with packs for a day. Don’t like her doing it unloaded for one, frankly.”

Sophie sighed, conceding. “Two days. I’m sure we’ll be fine.”

They moved back off the road, wading through underbrush. They had entered a giant old growth forest a week ago, trees towering over them, dense pockets of brush, saplings, vines. It was gorgeous and very unlike the pine forest they had grown up with. Layers of leaves lined the forest floor proclaiming deciduous trees in abundance while providing a crackling accompaniment to their steps.

“Hopefully this means no one can sneak up on us,” Sophie wished, knowing anyone or thing living here probably accounted for the leaf litter.

“Look, there, a clearing.” Jessie pointed, and they turned in that direction. A clearing it was, created in the death throes of a giant oak. It had taken several smaller trees with it as it fell, creating an open space in the canopy. An outcropping of rock was toward the back and they made camp there, keeping the rock to their back.

“It’s too late to start, won’t make it before dark. I’ll stay the night,” Jessie said, digging a pit for the fire.

“Wait,” Sophie said.

“No, it’s better-”

“No,” Sophie said again. “Hush, stop. Do you hear that?”

Jessie froze and listened. “Yes, it’s...it’s so faint, but there’s something.” She cocked her head, trying to find it’s location. “It’s that way.” She stood and faced behind her. “Music?”

Sophie turned to face that direction, but froze. “There’s someone watching us,” she said in a strangled voice.

Jessie slowly turned and followed Sophie’s gaze. “What is that?” she asked softly.

Sophie had no idea. It wasn’t human; it was much too tiny. It seemed childlike to her, it’s face taken up mostly with dark eyes and round cheeks. It was staring unblinking back at her in a way that made her skin crawl. She backed up slowly, and then trusting Jessie to watch it, spun and snatched Ikhaya from her blanket where she was playing. Every instinct in her body was screaming at her to protect the baby and she quickly wrapped her in the sling.

Jessie hadn’t even twitched. Sophie looked back at the creature, which finally blinked sideways. “Um,” Sophie managed instead of screaming.

“It’s hunting you, or rather they are. They hunt in packs, you know,” The voice came from above them sounding obscenely loud. Jessie had her bow off her shoulder and an arrow nocked before Sophie could yell in surprise.

“Whoa!” the man said, holding up his hands, demonstrating that he wasn’t armed. Or at least not holding a weapon. “Shoot the -” He cut off as Sophie yelled as the thing in the tree charged at them. As it leapt from the tree, it spread its arms, revealing them to be winged appendages instead of actual arms. It screeched once before Jessie’s arrow hit it in the chest, knocking it out of the air.

“Shit!” Sophie said, reaching back to pat Ikhaya who had whimpered and buried her face in Sophie’s hair. “It’s ok, baby, Auntie got it.” She leaned forward to get a better look at the thing. “Ew, that is unpleasant.” It was too, a green/black feathered body with a human like head capped with short feathers.

“It’s talons are poisonous,” mystery man added helpfully.

“Wonderful,” Sophie wrinkled her nose and stepped back a pace. “Wait, you said they.”

He shrugged. “Usually a pack hunter. Since we haven’t been dived on from others, maybe he’s a loner.”

The women moved back to back anyway, slowly circling, eyeing the trees and brush for any sign of the ugly creatures.

“What, you don’t trust me?”

Both women ignored him. Sophie said to Jessie, “I don’t see anything, do you?”

“No, let’s deal with our other problem.”

As one they turned and stared at Mystery Man. “Who are you and what do you want?” demanded Sophie, hands on hips.

“I’m Ryan,” he replied, jumping down and brushing his hands off on his trousers. “I tracked that,” he jerked his chin a the dead thing, “and found you when it did. Good shot, by the way,” he said to Jessie.

“I’m very good,” she said calmly. “Good with knives, too.”

Ryan looked at Sophie, as if he expected her to help. She merely arched an eyebrow at him and said, “I’m a great shot with a rifle, and I can throw a knives better than anyone I know.”

He stared at them for a moment, obviously taken aback. “Uh,” he said, uncomfortably.

“If that’s all you wanted, we’re obviously fine. You can go.” Jessie made a shooing gesture with one hand.

“Uh,” deciding that Sophie seemed the friendlier of the two, he looked at her. “My camp is just back that way. There’s safety in numbers, especially in these woods if you aren’t familiar with them.” The women didn’t say anything. “And there’s a blacksmith.” he added with a grin.

They shared a glance. “How many people are in this camp?” asked Sophie.

“There you are! Ryan, where have you been, your wife is-” a non-human of unknown race appeared behind Ryan, short and slim with eyes of solid silver. “Oh! Goodness, what have you found? Oh, yes, do please come join us!” Her bubbly nature and bright smile seemed to brighten the whole clearing and both women found themselves smiling. “We’re just settling down for the night and the music has just started!”

They shared another glance. Jessie shrugged. “We’ve had worse offers.”

Sophie laughed a bit and then turned with a smile. “Let us pack up. Thank you.”

And that’s how they found a home with the Travelers. It was a group of people who, for a number of reasons, had left their homes and had found one with each other. They travelled together and used their skills to make money as they went. Ryan had spoken truly: there was a blacksmith, as well as a tailor, baker, even a magistrate who could notarize and write contracts. There were humans of all nationalities and religions, Brownies, a Dwarf, a very dour looking Tree, and even an Elf. Sophie and Jessie stared at the Elf so long that he finally had asked why, to which they, embarrassed at being caught staring like children, stuttered that they believed all Elves had gone extinct. Instead of anger, he had replied with a wide grin and a lesson in Elvish history, leaving them both even more in awe of him.

It was perfect. Everyone accepted everyone for what they were, no more, no less, and Ikhaya created little comment except how pretty and adorable she was. While it was a nomadic way of life, their home was carried with them in their community and family, and so in it’s way was as steady and stable as living in the same city or house. It was there that Ikhaya was raised and it was there they found her.

Next Chapter: The Jewel of the South