Hanna POV - The old city
1270 Words
When I wake up someone was hugging me from behind. It takes me a second to remember where I was and with who. Then I remember last night and realizing I am still naked I blush. I try to move as slowly as I can because I don't want to wake him up. When I think I am free from his embrace he puts an arm around my waist and brings me closer to him.
-Good lighting, my hearts, he tells me.
-Good morning, I say to him.
-Do you want to eat? And then I can show you around a bit.
-Sounds good to me, I say.
Once I am dressed we go out to one of the cooking areas and a beautiful elderly female was already there, making and serving food. She waves at us and Da'r takes my hand into his and he smiles at her.
-Good lighting, Da'r, she says. I see you have finally found your mate.
-Good lighting to you too, M'ana. And I did, he says looking at me and then he looks back at her. This is my hearts, my H'na.
-I am so glad that he found you. He has been looking for you for a long time, she tells me.
-I, um, am glad to be found, I say. You have the same wing colors as another young x'lem I have seen two days ago.
-That is my daughter, K'li. I hope you will become friends.
I am amazed by these people. They accepted us and helped us without asking anything in return.
Once we eat Da'r shows me around, and I try to learn my way around. He then brings me to where my friends are.
-My hearts, I have to leave you with your people, but I will be back soon.
-You are going out? I ask.
-I must hunt something, now I have more people to take care of, he tells me and for a second he looks tired.
-I will come with you. They are my people as well, I say.
-No, I will not put you in danger.
-Look, if you want this between you and me to work you will have to accept that I hunt. Besides, I, well not me but Artemisia saved your life.
He frowns not understanding everything.
-Trust me, ok? I am much stronger than I look. You have seen how big Artemisia is. She is special. A white wolf is the strongest of the wolves. I will be safe.
He studies me for a bit and then nods.
-But you will listen to whatever I tell you and do as I tell you.
-Deal, I say barely containing my excitement.
I know that this is something that I used to do with my dad, but I have already mourned his and my pack's deaths. I know they will want me to be happy.
K'li gives me some of her clothes made for hunting and I thanks her. To my surprise, they fit me, even if the back has two holes to accommodate wings.
We prepared two bags with some dry meat and fruits, we each take two waterskins and weapons. I take a bow and a quiver full of arrows, and when Da'r insists I take a spear too. He takes a bow, a dagger, and a sword. Once we are ready we leave.
I observe we are going the same way we came yesterday.
-We are going to the desert? I ask.
-No, just the Little Forrest, he says. We will check traps, see if there is some animal to hunt. If not, we will decide there what to do.
-Sounds like a plan I say.
He asks me about Earth and my life there.
-Earth is beautiful, even if bad things happen there. My life was simple but me and my pack, my tribe we always had to run and hide.
-Because of "hoomans"? he asks.
-Humans, yes. But not all of them are evil. Some humans lived in my pack-tribe and they were good people, I explain.
We continued talking and he asks more questions about Earth and life there and before I know it we are already in the Little Forest.
-First, we check the traps, he says.
The pit traps are still intact while in two snares some wired-looking creatures hanged upside down. They looked like rabbits with smaller ears and reddish fur.
-Hoppers, Da'r says. They make excellent meals.
He takes the hoppers and puts them in a bag. We wait for a while in the forest but except for the hoppers we are not very lucky in our hunt. When the sun starts to go down I see Da'r getting nervous.
-The Fire Globe is going down, we should leave. There are many creatures that will hunt us when the darkness falls.
-I assume the Fire Globe is the sun and the darkness is the night because this is what the translator tells me. I guess we can go home and hope we have a better day tomorrow.
We exit the forest from another place we entered and I look around to take in the view. On the horizon, I think I see something.
-Da'r, what is that? I ask pointing at something that looks like a wall, but it is too far to be sure.
-That is the Tribe of the Ancestors, he says looking at what I was looking at.
-Does anyone still lives there? I ask.
-No, it has been abandoned for a long time. Many generations ago. Even before the orroks came to G'tha it was already abandoned.
-We should explore it, I say.
-No! It is full of dangers.
-Please! We won't go inside today but take me to see how it from up close. Please, I say. We can explore another time.
He looks at me for some time and when I think he will say no he nods.
-Thank you, thank you! I say excitedly and I give him a quick kiss.
-You will listen to me and do as I say at the moment I say, do you understand? he asks with a serious face.
-Yes, captain, I say.
-My name is Da'r, not Captain, he says narrowing his eyes.
I manage to supers a giggle.
-It's just an Earth saying, I explain.
He takes my hand and we start walking toward the old city. I didn't expect to be so far because we had to walk a while before we got there.
Up close the abandoned city is big. A stone wall stood between the city and danger. Where once two big wooden doors stood, only one remained. And from what I can tell from the entrance the city is big. Al the houses, the small and the big ones, are made from stone bricks. In the middle of the city is a fountain that still works. Fruits tree were in from of a big mansion. There were houses connected one to another giving the impression of one big square U, and then there were two more rows of houses, one to the left and one to the right, while the big mansion was built opposite to the entrance in the city. In the middle of the houses is was a plaza and the water fountain in the middle of the plaza. Even if it is abandoned, the city it's still beautiful.
All of a sudden Da'r growls, then he lifts in his arms and starts running into the city, going straight to the big row in the shape of a squared U.
- Writer
