Ancient Ruins V

The man who stepped forward called himself Zed. He was a tall man and towered over her. Slim and lean, he looked like he’d been half starved, but he was older and that might have just been his way. He walked with a tall stave that he seemed to rely on it to hold up his frail frame. She couldn’t imagine him wielding it as a weapon without falling over. Then again, fighting had a way of shoring things up and perhaps he was playing coy.

The most impressive thing about the man were his clothes. He wore a kind of leather that she took for armor. None of the others behind him had anything quite as grand. That, coupled with him being the one speaking, she took him for their leader. The she considered the word, turning it over in her mind, and everything it might reveal about them. Leader, it spoke of a primitive people, disorganized, slow, unfocused. A people out of touch with themselves and, most likely, the soil as well. There was more disdain than she really wished in these thoughts, but then, they were not her kind and they were not predators.

“Do we owe ya thanks, or should we be fearin’ all the same?”

“Both,” she said, with sweet voice none of them expected.

There were murmurs in the group as Zed looked at her nervously. A moment of awkward silence fell between them, until he broke the tension. “What should we call ya?”

She noticed the tremble in his voice, although he tried to sound strong. “Nothing, you should go back to where you came from and never look upon me again,” She said. There was coldness in her voice that contradicted the sweetness.

“Beggin’ your pardon, but we can’t be doin’ that,” Zed said, looking down when he finished. He hands were now fidgeting in front of him, playing with a button on his coat. He looked almost like a child who had been forced to admit he did something wrong.

“Oh? You can’t?” She said. Her head cocked a bit to one side appraising him.

Zed’s eyes rose to meet hers. He stopped fidgeting, but it took all his will power to steady himself.

“To understand, you’d have to know our tale, which we’d gladly be tellin’ if you’d listen, but the short answer is no. Either with you or without you, we’re head into the ruins, come what may,” he said, still holding his eyes to hers.

She only nodded at this, she was mostly indifferent to their presence now. The liability they represented was real, but her concern was more for their safety, although she didn’t know why. She knew they wouldn’t last much longer, perhaps not even if they were with her.

She held his gaze for a few seconds, considering. “Arr’rea Shi, but you will call me Shi,” she said. The dar’rak chirped behind her. “He is Sha’let, but best give him distance.”

Zed managed a meek smile and nodded.

“And tonight, you will tell me your tale, and what of the rest in your village who you’ve left behind,” Shi said.

Zed nodded again, too nervous to speak and jeopardize his people as he stood on what he thought of as thin ice.

“Now, gather your things, we need to move,” Shi said and turned away from him. Sha’let followed. As he passed Zed his head dropped to stare face to face with him. Zed cringed back a little. The dar’rak let out a puff from its nostrils that blew back his gray hair, as it did it made a low clucking noise.

To me Sha’let, Shi thought, and the dar’rak trotted after her.

Shi and Sha’let had almost left the plaza when a voice from the group called out. “What about our wounded?”

Zed shot the man a harsh look, Shi stopped and turned to look at him, the dar’rak continued on.

“The soil is always welcoming,” Shi said and watched as the man began to comprehend what she was telling him.

He looked away and she turned to leave again. Behind her, she could hear the discussion commencing and she knew it would grow more and more heated as she continued on. They didn’t know it yet, but the wounded were as good as dead, she was not the only one who poisoned her blades and if those man survived at all they’d only slow the group for other predators to consume. Still, she thought the poison would be lethal and wondered how painful the living would will their deaths to be.

To be continued…

P.S.

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