Damara awoke, aching all over. Nonetheless, she gathered herself up from the fallen leaves, testing her bloody bandaged leg with one, tentative finger. Rain drizzled through the bare trees, dampening her nose and catching on her lashes.
I should get farther away, she thought, apprehensively listening for anyone coming her way. The desolate forest rattled in the chilly wind. Dark brown twigs and branches stood out like cracks in the grey, overcast sky.
Will they hunt for me? she worried. Will Chasm come back for me?
Or am I really alone- free from all that held me?
She shuffled tiredly through the leaves, eyes to the ground, body swaying like the tough blades of grass sticking up in defiance of the fall. She had an idea of where civilization was and worked to move away from it.
With one bruised hand, she felt for her waist, thanking the Heavens that her dagger was still in its sheath. She found flint in the small, drawstring bag tied to her belt.
Surely I didn’t live through yesterday just to die today.
A nearby bush was weighed down with berries and she ate of them hastily, relieved as they brought energy to her limbs. The sound of rushing water crashed continuously in the distance and she turned her weary head to it.
The water, she found, belonged to a small creek that leaped over rocks and swept autumn leaves downstream. Terribly thirsty, she knelt beside it, dipping in her hands and letting the frigid water run down her throat. She removed the red fabric from her leg with care and submerged her calf, taking on the sting like a challenge.
With tentative fingers, she cleansed the gash of all the pebbles and straw that stuck inside of it, glad to see it wasn’t as deep of a wound as she’d originally feared.
It’s still bleeding, though, she noted grimly. It hurt to wrap up her calf again, but she did so with a fresh strip of cloth and tied it well.
She laid back, listening to the creek as it warbled on by. Her eyes searched the twisted branches above, looking for the birds whose songs crammed the air.
Where will I go now? she asked herself, gazing up at the overcast. Is there anywhere safe for me?
She found no answer in her weary mind.
Despite her situation, a strange sense of peace settled over her.
I am free, she thought.
But…free to do what? Die out here in the woods?
Motivated, she rose from the sandy banks of the creek, grimacing as pain shot through her leg. She had to pause as darkness crept over her vision, setting her off balance. Her hand gripped a tree branch and she waited for the faintness to pass, before limping back to the berry bush and eating some more. Looking up at a tree, her heart quickened as she spotted a bird’s nest.
Four eggs, she counted on tiptoe and ate each one raw.
Stepping back, Damara nearly tripped over a fallen log. She gazed down at the rotten wood infested with termite larvae for a moment, then picked one out and placed it on her tongue.
Tasteless, she observed, chewing the gummy insect larvae as she knelt to reach for more. The sky began to drizzle and she pulled her hood on, thinking she should build a fire.
With her stomach somewhat full, Damara got back up on her feet, returning to the creek where she found plenty of rocks for a fire pit. She cleared a dry spot under an overhang and sparked a fire with her dagger and flint.
With some coaxing, the yellow flames grew, ever unfolding as she rewarded them with kindling. Damara warmed her hands over the fire, grateful for its gentle heat.
I bring life to the flame and it brings life to me. She settled back, hope filling her as she considered her situation. At last, I’m free of Chasm. He shook me off. He’s done with me.
As it began to get dark, Damara fed the fire more wood, hoping it would last her through the night. Her injured leg stuck out from under her, and she was careful not to disturb its makeshift bandages.
She narrowed her eyes at a rather large moth that fluttered towards her and landed on her shoulder. Frowning at its soft greenish-white body and feathery antennae, she brushed it off with one hand. Despite her efforts to wave it away, the moth returned, flying into her face and tickling her nose with its dusty wings.
Damara sneezed, then tried to smack it out of the air. The pale moth was sent into the flames, letting off a peculiar cloud of smoke as it ignited, its entire body disintegrating in an instant. Damara scrunched her nose as she inhaled the smoke, coughing.
That’s strange, she thought, furrowing her brow as her coughing made no noise. Her tongue felt thick and heavy, like a dead fish. She opened her mouth to test it, but no sound left her lips.
Magic? She was bewildered, staring into the flames. Did that moth just steal my voice?
She tried to hum, whistle, even shout- but still she was mute.
I don’t suppose I have anyone to talk to anyway, she reasoned. But I should hope that this won’t last forever!
Perhaps with a good night of rest, my voice will come back.
Damara took shelter inside a hollow, its roof supported by a tangle of roots. She curled up, the feeling of utter solitude suddenly falling over her like a blanket, as she gathered her dress around her knees and waited for sleep to come.
. . .
In the morning, Damara awoke to find the forest invaded by a thick white fog. It took her a moment to remember where she was, staring out of the gaps of unearthed roots as the creek trickled endlessly nearby.
Shivering, she scooted out of the earthy hollow and limped over to the fire ring, where hot embers still glowed bright orange under a sheet of pale ash. With stiff fingers, she built the fire back up, taking a few minutes to warm up in front of the flickering flames.
Then, recalling the moth from last night, she opened her mouth and tried to speak.
Still no sound.
What?! Confounded, she pressed her fingers to her lips. How long am I going to be like this?
Maybe if I drink from the creek…She shuffled over to the water’s edge. In the fog, it looked as though the creek came from nowhere, only to run through and disappear into the abyss again.
It’s as though the sky has fallen, smothering the forest with its clouds, she thought, dipping cupped hands into the swift water. Her body tensed up and she breathed in sharply. It’s so cold!
Her tongue was still numb and she let the frigid water wash over it, coating her throat. She was just about to retreat back to the fire when she spotted something straight across the creek from her.
It was the teal dragon, crouched at the water’s edge like a mountain lion, eyes closed as he lapped from the creek.
Damara froze, unable to react as he lifted his head and opened his eyes to gaze at her.
“Please don’t be afraid, Damara,” he said, water dripping from his chin.
He knows my name!
The rest of his body was seemingly lost in the fog. “My name is Tide. I want to help you.”
He wants to help me? Why?
Did the Dragon Knight ask him to?
Damara opened her mouth, ready to stammer out a hundred questions, but found that her voice had still not returned. Biting her lip in anxious frustration, she stared at him helplessly.
“Can you hear me?” Tide asked with a worried expression.
She nodded slowly.
The teal dragon’s eyes searched her face as though trying to read her thoughts.
Damara opened her mouth and touched her lips, willing herself to speak. But then she gave up, face crumpling, disheartened.
“You can’t speak?”
Damara shook her head.
Tide blinked, clearly troubled.
Tell me what’s going on! she willed him, trying to speak through her eyes.
Tide gazed back at her. “I can see that you’re hurt. You need help. Will you come with me?”
Damara shifted uneasily, wincing as the gash on her leg was disturbed.
Taking a deep breath, she nodded.
Where does he want to take me?
Tid
e gave her a subtle smile, gliding over the creek to her. Standing right in front of him, Damara could see how much smaller he was than Chasm.
He’s still taller than me, though, she noted, looking up at him.
After stamping out Damara’s fire, Tide began leading her downstream, toward Swaine River. There, he told her, they would cross over into the upper kingdom and travel into the forest.
Oh, this is going to take a while, Damara groaned inwardly as she faltered after him. I might as well cut off my leg now!
Suddenly she tripped, unable to cry aloud as dry twigs dug into her injured calf.
Tide turned in dismay. “Are you alright?”
Grimacing, she nodded, but found that even just standing was excruciating now. It felt as though her ankle was sprained and she stumbled into the concerned dragon.
Tide thought for a moment and his face became sullen. “I suppose I’ll have to carry you there…”
Damara bit her lip. He was clearly just as reluctant about the idea as she was, but she couldn’t possibly walk all the way into upper Wystil herself.
Tide crouched down. With hesitant hands, she took hold of him and awkwardly hoisted herself up to straddle the base of his neck. Tide struggled to stand and she could feel him shaking underneath her. Her breath drew in sharply as he tipped and swayed.
Am I really that heavy?
The dragon took a cautious step forward.
Why is he having so much trouble?
Somehow, they managed to travel a few steps, wobbling like an off balanced tower of rocks. It seemed rather funny to Damara and she stifled her laughter despite her missing voice, hoping he wouldn’t feel it.
Tide kept silent, clearly disgraced, picking his way along the creek. Slowly he improved his stability and Damara kept her balance so as not to throw him off.
What a humiliating way to save someone, she pitied him, trying not to smile.
. . .
When they came upon the Swaine, Tide slipped into the flowing river without a word. A chill ran up Damara’s spine as she felt the cold water engulf both her legs, but the dragon kept the rest of her above the surface.
He almost seems better suited for the water, Damara puzzled, feeling each powerful stroke of his legs as he pushed against the current, reaching the other side.
She grimaced as she looked down to see water run red from the gash on her leg.
I’ll be fine, she told herself, looking ahead in determination. It can’t be long now.
. . .
Damara was wrong.
Even after crossing the river, Tide trudged on for a long time, carrying her through lush undergrowth and foggy trees. His foreclaws thumped the moist ground and soggy orange leaves, almost comically as he careened precariously along.
There was no particular route he seemed to be taking. It was all unbeaten- until he staggered over it. Damara twisted around to see all the bushes and grass, flattened beneath his clumsy feet.
This is the dragon who could pass by Chasm undetected?! With me on his back, he makes a lumbering cow look graceful!
When Tide finally decided to stop for the day, Damara nearly tumbled off his back.
The dragon gave a great sigh, his burden now lifted.
Dismayed to see her calf slick with blood, Damara hid it quickly, noticing Tide’s eyes settle on the wound as well.
I don’t want to cause him any alarm, she thought. I’m sure I can make it the rest of the way.
“Do you feel safe here without me if I go hunt?” Tide asked her, avoiding eye contact.
Damara furrowed her brow. I can’t respond to you if you don’t look at me.
The moment he glanced at her, she nodded.
Promising to be back before sunset, the dragon left with such nimbleness that it was hard to believe he’d been crashing through the undergrowth earlier. Damara gritted her teeth in biting determination, heaving herself up to build a fire.
With her voice stolen by the moth, her injured leg seemed to scream louder than she could.
By the time she had the flames going strong, Tide swooped in, a dead goat in his claws.
“Please, take as much as you like,” he said, dropping the carcass on the ground beside her before landing.
Damara looked down at the goat’s bulging eyes and protruded tongue. Chasm never caught me something this big.
She pulled out her dagger, smiling as she remembered who had brought it to her. Catching Tide’s eye, she smiled and raised the dagger in gratitude. He acknowledged her with a nod.
Damara sliced, hacked, and sawed away at one of the goat’s forelimbs. Finally, it came loose and she readied it, happy to roast it over the fire.
Tide asked if that was all that she wanted before tearing into the carcass like a true beast of the wilderness. She tried to ignore the sickening pops and splats of whatever the dragon’s teeth came across as he ripped off chunks and swallowed them whole.
And to think that he’s actually quite gentle, she snorted, biting off her own piece of meat and relishing its burnt flavor on her tongue. I suppose everyone reveals their inner savage at times.
. . .
At night, Damara woke up to the sound of rain pattering around her.
I should get to shelter, she thought at first, then realized she wasn’t getting wet. Slowly, her eyes adjusted to the dark and she started, surprised to see Tide’s open wing fixed over her, like a tent.
So kind…
It felt foreign to her, a dragon going out of his way to make her comfortable.
But then, didn’t Jacinth shelter me in this same way? she remembered as she lay still on the ground. Xander was with me then…
Turning on her side, Damara pulled her sore legs in close to her body, smiling wistfully. She felt the pleasant memory seemingly fabricate around her as she drifted off to sleep again.
‘I love you, Little Sapling,’ she heard her brother’s voice echo inside her head and a tear slipped out from under her lashes.
I love you, too. She wept.
Chapter 19