A Hero's Journey: It Takes Two - Part 3

     For the first several steps into the woods surrounding Meridell Castle, Jeran and Rohane walked in sullen silence. The beauty of nature was lost to them as they trudged onward, scorning full armour for simple clothing chosen for comfort and ease of movement. Both of them were armed with swords and packs loaded with provisions and supplies for their mission; after all, just because the woods were familiar to them did not mean they were completely harmless.

     A couple of Albats watched them as they followed a beaten path that branched into two different directions – one plunging into a dense clump of trees, and the other following a small stream past some small bushes and shrubs.

     “We better check the map,” said Rohane brusquely, folding his arms as he looked from one route to the other.

     “Some pathfinder you are.” Jeran could not resist the dig at the White Blumaroo.

     “Well, you’re no better,” Rohane answered. “So, where’s the map?”

     The Lupe glanced over his shoulder at the pack he was carrying before shrugging. “Why are you looking at me? I thought you brought it.”

     “I heard you mention something about needing a map, so shouldn’t it be with you?”

     The two knights stared at each other before rummaging around in their pockets and packs, frantically pulling out and returning various items like vials of healing potions, wrapped food, knives, and rope. The realisation dawned on them like a day they had hoped would not come.

     “I don’t have the map,” Jeran said in a strangled voice. Rohane shook his head in agreement.

     “What now? You’re the leader of the Order, aren’t you? I’m just following you.”

     “Hey, don’t pin this on me, you’re the one who would know these things!”

     “Shouldn’t you know them too? How long have you been living near these woods?”

     Jeran opened and closed his mouth before throwing up his hands and picking up his pack again. “Ugh, we’re not going anywhere at this rate. Waldo is out there, lost and scared, and we need to find him as soon as possible.”

     “Waldorf.”

     “Whatever! Let’s just pick a path and move on!” The Blue Lupe’s eyes flicked from the path with the stream to the one leading into the trees, and back again.

     Rohane pointed to the stream. “This one has water. Maybe he went this way.”

     “No, you’re not thinking like a kid,” Jeran disagreed. “Would the first thing he thinks of really be a water source?”

     “Well, those trees would look scary to a kid.”

     “I doubt it if he would willingly escape the castle.”

     The Blumaroo gave this some thought before sighing and running a hand through his ears. “Okay, fine, if you’re absolutely sure. But you’re leading the way, and if we get lost, it’s your fault.”

     * * *

     “I was hoping we could just follow the sound of their arguing, but I can’t hear any arguing for miles,” said Velm as he walked alongside Mipsy. Overhead, Talinia flew, shading her eyes from the sun and scoping out their surroundings.

     “Maybe they did learn to get along,” Mipsy remarked, stroking her chin. “Maybe by now, they’ve found the Baron’s son, and they’re on their way back to the castle!”

     “If they’re on their way back to the castle, why haven’t we run into them yet?” the Red Techo asked.

     “Oh, good point.”

     Talinia landed in front of them, brushing off her wings. “No sign of them. Some parts of these woods are so dense, all I could see were the treetops.”

     “Guess we’re not out of the woods yet,” Velm quipped before snickering. Mipsy grinned, but the Green Eyrie was not impressed.

     “I’m probably better off tracking them on foot. Let’s keep moving.” She consulted her map and pointed to a path between rows of trees and bushes. “This is the fastest way to the river. Jeran and Rohane may want to stay near a water source – and so do we.”

     “Aye, aye, captain!” Mipsy gave Talinia a snappy salute as they forged onward.

     A couple of Symols dove back into their holes as the three adventurers wended their way through the woods, while a Mortog croaked from its vantage point on a Lilypad in the middle of a small pond. Velm glanced around while Talinia held up the map, and Mipsy skipped cheerily ahead of them.

     Everything went smoothly until the Blue Acara screamed and fell into a pit that had been expertly concealed with loose dirt and a lot of dead leaves.

     “Mipsy!” Velm and Talinia cried at the same time. They hurried to the edge of the pit and found their wizard companion lying at the bottom, dirty from her fall and struggling to sit up.

     “Are you all right?” Velm called while the Eyrie flew down into the pit, cautiously avoiding its sides in case they had any more unpleasant surprises.

     The Blue Acara let out a gasp of pain and looked at her leg, which Talinia was already examining. “Ow…I-I don’t think so – no, no, not there, it hurts!”

     “Her leg is broken,” Talinia announced as she picked up her friend gingerly and began to rise from the pit, her beating wings creating dust clouds and upsetting forest debris in their wake. She frowned. “Someone set a trap here…there might be bandits in these woods.”

     “But we haven’t seen any!” the Techo exclaimed as Mipsy was laid in a sitting position against a sturdy tree for him to look at her leg. His eyes started darting this way and that, and he gulped nervously before focusing on the task at hand. Then he pulled out different healing potions and bandages from the healer’s bag at his side. “Hold still.”

     “I don’t think there’s anyone else nearby,” said Talinia, shaking her head. “The bandits probably set this trap here, only to move on.”

     “Move on to where?” asked Velm, his voice starting to rise. His movement nearly upset an open potion bottle beside him while he waved his free hand over Mipsy’s leg, creating a gentle shower of white sparks.

     The Acara brandished her wand. “If I see any bandits, I’m going to give them a – ouch! Velm, watch it!”

     “I’m sorry! I told you to hold still!” the Techo apologised as he began creating a splint for her leg. “But you won’t be giving them anything – we have to head back to the castle’s infirmary.” When he was done, he stood back up, supporting Mipsy as she favoured her good leg. Talinia moved to the Blue Acara’s other side automatically. “This is everything I can do for now; your leg needs more than my spells or potions.”

     Talinia just nodded. “Let’s go. We can’t risk it with Mipsy in bad shape.”

     “Wait!” Mipsy protested though she closed her eyes tightly as they began making their way back. “What about Jeran and Rohane?”

     Just then, a bolt of lightning streaked the already overcast sky, followed a few seconds later by the distant call of thunder. The three travellers’ faces fell as the first several droplets started falling.

     “They can handle bandits and a little rain,” the Green Eyrie answered. “Better than we can, at this rate.”

     “They can’t if they keep arguing!” Mipsy whined. “And we promised we’d look for them and help them all because that jerk baron won’t let the other knights help them…” She scrunched up her face in agony as her friends led her back the way they came.

     “Maybe,” said Velm steadily as thunder boomed again, “we should let them learn this lesson themselves.”

     * * *

     By the time Mipsy, Talinia and Velm made it back to Meridell Castle, sheets of rain were pouring down all over the countryside and the woods. The Techo immediately rushed the Acara into the infirmary, which left the Eyrie watching the inclement weather through a tall window in one of the castle’s corridors. Danner approached her, his brow furrowed in worry.

     “We’re sorry, Danner,” said Talinia. “We couldn’t risk travelling with Mipsy injured like that. Especially not if bandits are loose in the woods…and in this weather.”

     “No, don’t apologise.” The Blue Wocky shook his head. “I understand. But bandits…Jeran and Rohane have to find Baron Cuthbert’s son before the bandits do.”

     “I know they can do it.”

     Danner frowned. “It’s whether or not they can stop arguing long enough to do it.”

     “They have to.” Talinia moved away from the window to lean against the wall. “Jeran and Rohane have learned to put their differences aside once, haven’t they?”

     “Most of their differences,” Danner corrected. “As you saw on the day you came to visit, they got into a duel over war game strategy. They can stand being around each other now, but they still clash, sometimes.”

     “I can imagine. Rohane led our team for more than two years. He is not used to taking orders from someone higher ranked than him and is not the type to stay quiet when he feels he has to say something important.”

     The Wocky nodded slowly. “And Jeran is not used to having someone that vocal in the Order.”

     Lightning lit the sky, causing Danner to jump, while Talinia barely flinched.

     “But you’re right,” he continued. “They do have to learn to work together, and the Order – or you guys – won’t always be around to break them up.”

     “Still, I hope they’ll be all right in the rain – them, and the little Bori.”

     “Me too.”

     Danner and Talinia whipped around to find Velm standing behind them, and they asked, “How’s Mipsy?” at the same time.

     “She’ll be fine,” the Red Techo replied. “She’s chatting up the rest of the healers. I don’t know if I can say the same for Jeran and Rohane out in that storm with only each other for company, though.”

     “We’ll just have to trust them,” said Talinia. “Trust that they can set aside their silly little rivalry while searching for Wilfrith.”

     To be continued…