November Story Contest

Land of the Barren Oath part 3 part 2 part 1
By: Keely
Age: 14

Kehrilo halted, she wiped trickles of sweat off of her forehead and rolled her shoulders. She turned to Jacovy and unbridled him and attached the lead rope to the halter. She then opened one of the saddle bags and placed the bridle in she the went to another one and opened it.
 “Oh, no!” Kehrilo cried out. Jacovy turned his head and looked at her curiously.
 “I forgot water! I'm such an idiot!” Kehrilo slumped to the ground by Jacovy. Suddenly Jacovy was on his knees, his forelegs digging into the warm sand.
 “Jacovy, what in the world are you doing?” Kehrilo leapt up away from the flying dirt.
 Jacovy grunted in reply. Kehrilo watched for a while and wondered what he was doing.
 Suddenly she realized that Jacovy was digging for water. She ran in front of him and started scooping out handfuls of damp earth. Suddenly she felt water and both her and Jacovy ceased to dig, the hole filled with water. Jacovy lowered his muzzle and took several deep droughts of the slightly gritty water.
  Kehrilo crouched down and scooped some water and sipped it. She made a face as she felt the grainy sand move in her mouth and down her throat. She then took the saddle off of Jacovy and set it on the ground. She scooped up water and sprinkled it on Jacovy”s back. He nickered softly.
 Kehrilo giggled as Jacovy shook.

*****

 “Well, sir, she was asking me “˜bout Soufaxia.” Geoffrey responded truthfully to Patrick.
 “Patrick! You said she wouldn't do anything stupid!” Eugenia suddenly burst out.
 “I didn”t think she would do this!” Patrick protested.
 “You didn”t think, that”s what you always say!” Eugenia glared at her husband.
 “Eugenia, maybe we should save this for when we”re in private.” Patrick whispered, noticing that they where getting curious looks.
 “Alright,” Eugenia sighed, “but when we find Kehrilo, she is going to get it!”
 “I know Eugenia, I know.” Patrick agreed.
 Geoffrey watched with interest, “need to know anything else?”
 “Hmm? Oh! Do you know anything else?” Patrick was brought back to the present.
 “Well, she was interested in the traveler, who brought the news of Soufaxia.” Geoffrey replied.
 “Kehrilo is gone?” asked a teenage titan-blonde girl.
 “Mariah, we think she went to Soufaxia, through the barren land.” Patrick explained.
 “Oh, I see. Well, I need to be going!” Mariah walked away. She walked quickly to her house, which was in town.
 Mariah opened the front door and softly closed it behind her. She quickly walked to the kitchen and grabbed a canteen, a pan of corn bread, a few apples, and a can of canned peaches. She stuffed the food in a bag, and hefted the bag up on her shoulders, she grabbed the canteen, filled it at the pump outside. Mariah then went to the stable and started tacking up a palomino paint mare named, Ceara.
 Mariah tightened the girth and swung into the saddle, she nudged Ceara into a gallop.

*****

 Kehrilo paused and looked back the way she and Jacovy had come. Her forehead wrinkled in confusion for swiftly approaching was a cloud of dust, a cloud created by only a galloping horse.
  Quickly an indistinct form of a horse with rider started to show. Within a few minutes the horse and rider where pulling up by Kehrilo and Jacovy.
  “Mariah? Ceara?” Kehrilo blinked as she looked at the sweating, dusty duo.
  “Yep! That”s us!” Mariah smiled as she pushed her hair back.
 “What are you doing here?” Kehrilo asked astounded.
 “We came to join you!” Mariah grinned.
 “Why?” Kehrilo was confused.
 “Kehrilo! Because I”m your friend! Friends stick together, right?” Mariah swung off of Ceara.
 “Oh. Well, then, we better start making dust then!” Kehrilo smiled.
 “Let”s GOOOO-OOOO!” Mariah shouted startling Jacovy and Ceara.
 Kehrilo grinned and rolled her eyes. Mariah and Kehrilo set off, with Jacovy and Ceara trailing behind, nickering to each other.
 “Wonder what they”re talking about, huh?” Mariah said to Kehrilo.
 “Maybe they”re talking about how much you eat.” Kehrilo joshed.
 “And you think they don”t know how much YOU eat?” Mariah snickered.
 “O-oh? Well, you eat more!” Kehrilo protested.
 “Uh, not!”

*****

 “Kehrilo, Mariah, Jacovy, and Ceara are gone!” Patrick informed the Sheriff of Jaodfen, Earl.
 “Hmm”¦when did they leave?” Earl asked his voice deep and tired sounding.
  “Kehrilo left sometime last night or early morning. Mariah left sometime later today.” Spoke up Will, Mariah”s father.
 “I see, I see.” Earl said slowly, “do you know where they went?”
 “To Soufaxia” Eugenia quickly said.
 “Hmm”¦interesting, what do you want me to do about it?” Earl blinked.
 “You”re the sheriff! You”re suppose to know what to do!” Fiona, Mariah”s mother, cried out.
 “I”m sorry Fiona! But with rumors of war, and it is nearly harvest time, there just aren”t any men to be spared!” The sheriff suddenly burst, the strain showing in his sharp voice.
 Fiona lowered her head, “I am sorry Earl, it just is, it”s my daughter out there! Out there, who knows where!”

*****

  A tall dark haired man looked out on the flat expanse surrounding the tall gray mountain his eyes focusing on some movement, he saw two shapes no larger then ants from the distance, he frowned. Who was on his land? The land he had owned? How dare they! They would pay. A cruel smile twisted his lips upwards as he smiled to himself, yes, they would pay dearly. A low guttural growl forced him to turn around.
 “Yes, Lamrath?” He asked his voice low.
 “Sir, Zirrian, there are reports of two humans and two horses traveling through the desert.” The creature looked at Zirrian.
 “FOOL! You think I didn”t not see them?! Really, get news to me before I see it for my self!”
 As Zirrian strode through the building his servants ducked into the shadow fearing his wrath.
 “Kachane!” Zirrian shouted, his voice reverberating throughout the castle. A small hunched over mousy looking man scurried up to him.
 “Yes, Your, Royal and most high and most impressive and most feared, Majesty?” Kachane said in one breath.
 “Keep watch on the strangers I want to know why they”re here.” Zirrian said coldly.
 “Why of course, Your, Royal and most high and most impressive and most feared, Majesty!” Kachane blinked looking up at Zirrian.
 “Cut the flattering you know how that annoys me.” Zirrian said as he drew his dagger studying it in the wane light that came from the lamps.

A/N I AM SOOO Sorry for not having this for October, I kinda forgot about it... Oh well, so this is nice and longish... I think... :D Thanks for reading!