Strange Blessings - E. VI

Some ways down the road from Mal'ur's eastern gate was a trail that led into the depths of the Dragon's Peak Mountains. It connected to the main road, with a standing sign covered in old Standard scrawl.

Tobias shouldered his rucksack as he made his way up the rise in the road, keeping an eye out for the sign. He wore the same leather tunic he had arrived to Mal'ur in, and carried some personal tools and possessions, along with some food, in his sack. Over his other shoulder hung his blanket and sleeping roll. His waterskin had its own strap and hung near his hip, sloshing with each step.

He was supposed to meet the other pilgrims at the road sign. He wondered if they were young people like him, or if they were adults. Donna hadn't been specific about who they were, so they probably weren't from the school.

Tobias made it over the rise, cocking his head and spotting the sign. A humanoid sentient stood near it, and the closer he came, the heavier his stomach grew.

Miss Tal, the elven prefect, stood at the sign, wearing a shin-low traveling skirt, boots, and a tunic over top. Like him she carried a small load, and bore a knife on her right hip.

Tobias stopped a few feet off, wondering if he should even try to talk to her. She stared at him with a slight sneer on her lips, the wind teasing her dirty blond ponytail. He cleared his throat and worked up his dignity.

“Are you on your way to the valley too?” he asked.

“Yes.”

Tobias's crest rose. Why wouldn't Donna tell him one of her own assistants wanted to be a dragonrider? He waited for Miss Tal to say more, but she didn't seem eager to converse. She turned to the sign and pretended to be interested in the faded words. Tobias worked his claws against the dirt, located a small boulder to sit on, and watched the road for their last companion.

They heard the sound of rapidly thumping feet a few minutes later, and Tobias rose from his rocky seat.

“Finally,” Miss Tal breathed. She sent a glare at Tobias for some reason before resuming her watch.

Tobias lost hold of the groan in his throat as Jodrick trotted over the rise and cantered to the road sign. Dust rose from his hooves, which bore heavily studded ungra, or centaur horse shoes. He wore nothing on his torso save for a tribal necklace, but his horse body was strapped with several bags, sleeping gear, and a single sword. Tobias prayed that Jodrick was on his way somewhere else, was only coming to the sign for directions down the eastern road.

“What?” Jodrick called, halting and stomping a hoof. “You too, lupy? I expected Miss Tal here, but what in Cridosa's name––”

“Let's go,” Miss Tal interrupted, turning to the road. “We'll already be late for the first campsite.”

The centaur snorted, and Tobias met Jodrick's eyes warily. Tobias's heart thundered in betrayal. Donna knew they didn't get along; why risk putting them together on such an important hike? He took a deep breath and began to step after the elf when Jodrick surged forward, shoving Tobias to the side and taking his place behind Miss Tal. Tobias stumbled against his rock and caught his balance with a hiss. With a rumbling growl loud enough for both his companions to hear, Tobias marched into third place in line.

They immersed themselves into the trees, only the sound of their feet breaking the silence. The trees were beginning to turn brilliant colors of red, orange, and yellow, casting warm shadows over the students and broken only by the evergreens. The trail wound its way through the forest, and then opened back up into a hilly meadow that preceded the foothills, its yellow and green long-grasses rippling in the breeze.

“It's about a fifteen mile hike,” Miss Tal told them in a blank voice. “It'll take us a few days to make it.”

“It would only take a day for me,” Tobias mumbled.

“Shut-up,” Jodrick snapped.

Miss Tal seemed to ignore them, pressing quickly across the trail. It dipped up and down with the hills, and at one point the elf set into a jog, eager to reach the forest on the other side.

“Hey, why do you get to set the pace?” Jodrick said, breaking into a trot and staying a pace behind Miss Tal. Tobias let them run ahead a dozen feet or so before he finally gave in with another growl and sprinted to catch up.

Tobias kept his beak clamped shut about the pace and instead tried to puzzle together his companions. He could understand Miss Tal becoming a dragonrider, but Jodrick? He wasn't even humanoid; riding a dragon was out of the question for him, so why bother with pilgrimage?

His mind switched back to Miss Tal, although so far he didn't have much to think about with her. He hardly knew her, and Tobias found it ironic that he knew a bully better than a stranger that may or may not have had a kind heart.

All Tobias knew was that this was going to be a long hike, and already his wings ached for use.