Chapter Fourteen ~ Plenty of Questions, No Answers in Sight

The group sat around the fire, ravenously devouring Bruno’s turkey. Earlier they chanced upon a group of them. Wen was able to knock a few down, and it made for a good meal! Only Eva refrained from the meal, finding edible plants in the forest. On the road or at home, no one was making her break her vegetarian streak. Emily finished early, and claimed to “go to the bathroom”. Once safely hidden behind a few trees, she quickly commenced the orchestration of her next letter.

Dear Iza,

Solved another kingdom’s problems! We’ve been on the road for five days now, and are traveling at a great pace! At this rate we’ll reach the black knight’s “domain” in a few more days. I’m a little apprehensive though. When she (we think it’s a she) showed up at the castle, she gave us the deadline of the end of the month. There was still a little over two weeks left in the month! Maybe she underestimated our speed, but that doesn’t seem likely. Maybe I’ll mention that thought to Hazel. Anyways, are you able to write back? That’d be cool. You should try!

One way or another,

Emily

Whistle, Crescent, gone. The actions had become familiar now, although this was only her third time of doing so. Emily returned to the campfire with a smile on her face, keeping an eye on the sky for a particular raven.

“I can’t believe you people can eat something like that without thinking twice. What about the animals?!” Eva said after everyone had finished. “What about the animals?” Bruno asked, licking his fingers. “The animals who were perfectly happy before we found them. They eat plants, nature’s intended food.” she replied with contempt. “What about wolves? Owls? You don’t see them picking berries off a bush with their “pals”, the mice.” Hazel countered. “That’s because, like people, there are different types of animals. There are the peaceful creatures, and there are the brutes who gain sustenance from others.” Eva explained. “The world’s a tough place. Eat or be eaten. Whether you’re the smallest ant or the strongest of beings, we’ll all die someday.” Rowena muttered morbidly, making everyone suddenly relieved they had finished dinner. Comments like that tend to destroy appetites.

Iza read over her friend’s letter curiously. It was always interesting to hear her opinions, especially when she always made sure to state them. This letter focuses very much on the black knight, contrasting from her previous letters. It must seriously bug her, considering normally she branches off to other topics. Thinking about her request, she grabbed a sheet of paper and began to write:

Dear Emily,

That sounds tough! If I get any ideas, I’ll make sure I let you know. You don’t have to write me back immediately when you get this, just mention it in your next letter.

Wishing you luck,

Iza

With a smile on her face, she prodded the bird resting on her shoulder. Crescent flew into the air in front of her, taking the little scroll from her outstretched palm. “Find her.” she whispered. He cawed in response, taking to the air. Past Beth and Jacqueline, onto Irma. Iza continued to smile in the empty room. Time for some drawing.

Emily purposely positioned herself out of Hazel’s sight, knowing of her common insomnia. She was thankful for her precaution when she woke to a black bird resting on her chest, outlined by dark sky. In his beak was a piece of paper. The knight grinned, pulling it loose. With a flap of wings, Crescent retreated into the distance. After reading the simple note, she stared at the stars. One odd thought struck her right before she fell asleep: Maximus’s kingdom is back south… Why did Crescent fly north?