Rise of the rejected tamer

The Chase

The hunters were closing in.

Kael could hear them behind him. The thundering of hooves against rock. The shouting of men giving orders. The barking of tracking hounds. They were getting closer. Every moment they were getting closer.

He pushed forward. His legs burned. His lungs screamed. Zephyr was draped across his back, heavier than it had any right to be. The creature was still weak from its awakening. Its wings were mended but not strong enough for flight. Its legs could barely hold its own weight. Kael had to carry it. He had no choice.

"Keep going," Mira shouted from behind him. "Do not stop. Do not look back."

Kael did not look back. He kept his eyes forward. He scanned the terrain for any advantage. Any hiding spot. Any escape route. The mountains were unforgiving. Steep cliffs. Loose rocks. Narrow paths that dropped into nothing. One wrong step and they would fall to their deaths.

But falling would be better than being caught. Falling would be better than letting the hunters take Zephyr.

"I see a pass," Mira called out. "To the left. It looks narrow. They will not be able to follow us on horseback."

Kael changed direction. He headed toward the pass. It was a gap between two cliffs. So narrow that only one person could fit through at a time. The walls were sheer rock. The floor was loose gravel. It was dangerous. But it was their only chance.

They reached the pass. Kael pushed Mira through first. Then he followed, carrying Zephyr on his back. The creature's weight made him stumble. He caught himself against the rock wall. The sharp edges cut into his palms. He did not stop. He could not stop.

Behind them, the hunters reached the entrance of the pass. They shouted to each other. They dismounted their horses. They drew their weapons.

"There they are," a voice called out. "Do not let them escape."

Kael kept moving. The pass was dark. The walls blocked out the sun. He could barely see where he was going. He stepped on loose rocks. They crumbled beneath his feet. He slipped. He caught himself. He kept going.

Mira reached the other end of the pass. She turned and looked back. Her face was pale. Her eyes were wide with fear.

"Kael, hurry," she shouted. "They are coming."

Kael pushed himself harder. His legs were on fire. His back was screaming. Zephyr was so heavy. So impossibly heavy. But he could not drop it. He would never drop it.

He stumbled out of the pass. He fell to his knees. Mira grabbed his arm and pulled him up.

"Keep moving," she said. "We cannot stop. Not yet."

Ahead of them was a forest. Dense and dark. The trees were tall. Their branches interlocked, forming a canopy that blocked out the sky. The ground was covered in dead leaves. It was quiet. Eerie. Perfect for hiding.

Kael ran into the forest. Mira followed. They did not look back.

The hunters emerged from the pass. They saw the forest. They hesitated. The trees were thick. The shadows were deep. It would be easy to get lost. Easy to be ambushed.

"Spread out," the lead hunter commanded. "Do not let them escape. The commander wants the beast. Do not fail him."

The hunters spread out. They entered the forest. They moved cautiously. Their weapons were drawn. Their eyes were scanning for any sign of their prey.

Kael and Mira hid behind a fallen log. The wood was rotting. Covered in moss. They pressed themselves against it. They held their breath. They did not move.

The hunters passed by. They were so close. Kael could see their boots. He could hear their breathing. He could smell their sweat. One of them stopped. He looked around. His eyes scanned the area. They passed over the log. Over Kael. Over Mira. He saw nothing.

He moved on. The hunters disappeared into the trees.

Kael let out a breath. He felt like he was going to pass out. His heart was pounding. His hands were shaking. He had never been so scared in his entire life.

"We have to keep moving," Mira whispered. "They will realize we are not ahead of them. They will turn back. We have to be gone before that happens."

Kael nodded. He could not speak. He did not have the strength.

They crawled out from behind the log. They moved through the forest. They stayed low. They stayed quiet. They took a different path. A path that led away from the hunters. A path that might save them.

Zephyr stirred on Kael's back. It made a sound. A soft chirp. It was waking up.

"Shh," Kael whispered. "Be quiet. We are hiding. We cannot make any noise."

Zephyr opened its eyes. Its golden eyes. They were brighter now. Stronger. It looked at Kael. It seemed to understand. It closed its eyes and went back to sleep.

Kael kept moving. He did not know how long they walked. He did not know how far they went. He just kept putting one foot in front of the other. He kept moving forward. That was all he could do.

Eventually, they emerged from the forest. The sun was setting. The sky was orange and red. The mountains stretched out before them. Silent and vast. Empty.

Mira collapsed against a rock. She was exhausted. Her face was pale. Her hands were trembling.

"We lost them," she said. "I think we lost them."

Kael lowered Zephyr to the ground. He sat beside it. His body was screaming. Every muscle ached. Every bone hurt. He could barely move.

"We cannot stay here," he said. "They will keep looking. They will not give up."

Mira shook her head. "I know. But we need to rest. Just for a little while. We cannot keep going like this. We will collapse."

Kael looked at Zephyr. The creature was sleeping. Its chest rose and fell. Its scales were bright. It was healing. Getting stronger. Every moment it was getting stronger.

"Look," Mira said. She pointed at Zephyr. "Its wings. They are fully mended. They are complete."

Kael looked. She was right. The wings that had been cracked and broken were now whole. The scales that had been dull and lifeless were now shining. Zephyr was changing. It was becoming what it was meant to be.

"It is getting stronger," Kael said. "Every minute it is getting stronger. Maybe soon it will be able to fly. Maybe soon we will not have to run."

Mira touched his arm. "We will make it through this. I know we will. We have each other. We have Zephyr. We are not alone anymore."

Kael nodded. He was grateful for her. She was the only friend he had. She had risked her life for him. She had stayed with him when everyone else had abandoned him.

"Thank you," he said. "I do not deserve you. I do not deserve any of this."

Mira smiled. It was a tired smile. But it was real.

"You deserve everything," she said. "You chose Zephyr when no one else would. You fought for it when everyone told you to give up. You are the bravest person I have ever met. And I am proud to be your friend."

Kael felt tears in his eyes. He blinked them away. He would not cry. He would not show weakness.

"We should move," he said. "Before they find us again."

They stood up. They gathered their things. They picked up Zephyr and continued their journey.

The mountains were dark. The sky was black. The stars were out. They looked like tiny diamonds scattered across the heavens. Kael looked up at them. He felt small. Insignificant. But also hopeful.

He had a beast. He had a friend. He had a purpose. That was more than he had ever had before. That was enough. For now, that was enough.

He would keep fighting. He would keep surviving. He would keep hoping. And one day, the hunters would be the ones running.