ArHi FF:13: The BEASTS and the BLEEDING ROSES - Page 80

Chapter 325: A Little Repose

The General strode forward, his keen eye locating the quickly fading tracks of the carriage. He had discerned that the hoofprints that raced alongside the carriage tracks were of Shadow's.

As he made his way across the wilderness, he looked towards the horizon before them, where the sky touched the land, and knew they would not be far.

If only Lightning's hoof was not getting worse with the walking... He had to increase of breaks they took mid-voyage because he couldn't risk her in the middle of nowhere.

He looked over his shoulder and noticed Lady Anjali alighting from Lightning's back.

Frowning, he strolled towards her, "Get back on the horse, Anjali. We are not stopping until an hour's ride more."

"It is cruel to have Lightning ride me in this manner," affirmed Lady Anjali, "I can walk. We'll continue onward on foot."

"No, you won't!" refuted the General, "When I tell you to ride, you do so and nothing else."

Lady Anjali only tightened the strap of her quiver across her shoulder and walked forward, leaving him and Lightning staring after her.

"This woman!" muttered the General under his breath.

And then he followed after her, Lightning cantering slowly behind them.

An hour later, in the late afternoon, they were resting under the shade of a single tree that grew in that vast emptiness.

There were strange looking fruits growing on that tree. The General plucked some and gave a few to Lightning before sitting down to eat some himself.

They tasted like peaches but were in appearance as small as grapes.

At least, they aren't poisonous.

He offered some to Lady Anjali who offered him in return a slice of bread that she'd kept in her knapsack.

There was an hour or two more before the sun set and the world became dark again. They couldn't afford to lose more daylight so the General decided to make the break short.

They silently sat beside each other, around the tree, their backs leaning against it as they enjoyed their meagre meal of fruit and bread.

When he was nearly done, Lady Anjali held out her clay bottle to him.

He hesitated a moment and she was almost certain he would refuse.

And then his hands reached for it.

Their fingers brushed momentarily as he took her offered flagon.

The contact dispelled something in him and he frowned to himself.

He took a hasty swig and returned it passively back to her, careful not to touch her fingers even accidentally again.

As she bent forward to replace the clay bottle into her knapsack, a slight smile lifted her tired features.