Last of Her Kind

Chapter 5 ALORA

"Elysor, we have to hurry. We need to be back by nightfall.”

Alora had just finished gathering one last bunch of poppy flowers and bulbs and was tenderly putting them into her bag. A few yards away, Elysor did the same.

The two finished up and headed back into the forest in the direction they had flown in from.

“Wait.”

Alora held out a hand and stopped Elysor before he could go any further. She pointed toward south. “Let’s go this way a bit so that we don’t run into anyone that might be out looking for a dragon.”

Elysor nodded and they headed in the direction Alora had indicated.

They had hiked a little more than a mile before they decided it was safe enough to begin traveling back toward the mountains again. The pair walked slowly and in silence while they continued scanning their surroundings for other plants that might help their cause. The poppy would only help with the pain. Elysia needed a cure.

Alora reached into her bag and grabbed the sample she had brought with her. Opening the container, she wafted the scent of the poison in an attempt to find it’s major notes. Maybe, if she could find that same scent, she would be able to find the poison’s main ingredient.

The journey continued with no avail. Occasionally, Alora thought she smelled a hint of what she was looking for, but would lose the track of it soon after. They were able to gather a few known herbs along the way, Elysor had found a few that he hoped might be able to help.

At one point, Elysor was heard mumbling to himself, “If only I hadn’t missed the full moon.”

“What was that?” Alora asked.

Elysor sighed, “If only we hadn’t missed the full moon last night. There are certain, rare plants that flower only during the full moon. They are said to have elements of magic that might be able to help cure Elysia. If I hadn’t been so distressed, I could have looked for some.”

“Last night, but Elysor wouldn’t that mean -”

Her words were cut off by the sound of horses approaching. A group of men dressed in what appeared to be hunting garb appeared before them, each of them armed with a sword or a bow. A dark, bearded man, who appeared to be their leader, broke rank and approached them.

“Tell me travelers, what are you doing in the woods today?”

Alora put her hand on Elysor’s now shaking arm to keep him silent.

“We are healers,” she began, “who own an apothecary in a mountain town up north. We’ve started running low on a few of our supplies, mostly our poppies, so we came south to harvest. We’ve just come from the poppy field that lies in the east, and now we are weaving our way home slowly as we continue our search few other herbs.”

The leader looked down suspiciously at Alora and then Elysor from atop his horse. “I see. Well we are on a hunt, as I am sure you can tell, for an older dragon is seems. Have you seen such a creature lurking about?”

Alora let out a small laugh. “A dragon? Why, that’s impossible. Weren’t that last dragons slain years ago by the the great slayer Baldorf?”

The group of hunters began laughing at her question.

Alora looked up at them incredulously. “Why do you laugh? It was the cause of great celebrations across the land. Even the eastern isles feasted on dragon meat for a week.”

The leader joined in on the laughter at this. “You’ve heard such lavish stories, my dear. The eastern islands never got an ounce of meat from those dragons. Such barbaric imbeciles, the whole lot of them.”

“Still, the last of the dragons are gone. Are they not?” Alora looked up at the man on the horse in front of her.

There was a small glisten of excitement in the man’s eyes as he looked down at her. “Not anymore.”

The group laughed again.

The man spoke out above them all, “The dragons have been in hiding, my dear, waiting to rear their ugly heads once again. Only this time,” he winked at her, “I have something up my sleeve.”

Alora looked him dead in the eye, “What do you mean, ‘something up your sleeve’?”

“Nothing for you to worry your pretty little head about, my lady. You and your father should just be careful about these parts. I shot the beast down about four miles from here. There is no telling where he’s hiding, waiting to devour something as scrumptious as you.” He winked at her again.

“I think we’ll be alright, but thank you for your concern,” Alora stated coolly.

The man squinted down at Alora and Elysor. Alora had the feeling he was not the type of man who trusted easily, nor should he be trusted easily.

“Still,” he feigned musingly after a moment of silent contemplation, “I wouldn’t be able to get to sleep tonight without knowing you and your father here were safe. Your town must be very far indeed, and the sun will be setting soon. With that beast lurking about, who knows what trouble you might find yourself getting into.”

Alora shook her head and interrupted him, “I don’t think we’ll be finding trouble. Besides, how do you know it is a dragon you’re looking for? We’ve been out in these woods all day and never had any suspicion of one lurking about.”

“Well, that may be true for you and your father. Then again, maybe you spent a little too much time in that poppy field and lost your senses. Whatever the case, we have evidence of a dragon afoot. Not that it is any business of yours, but the old fool seems to have scratched himself up on the way down.”

Elysor subconsciously reached up and rubbed his shoulder. Alora shot him a look that forced him to quickly put his hand back down.

The man was opening his pack, as he continued to speak, “Amongst the wreckage, we were able to retrieve this.” He pulled out a cloth bundle which he began to unwrap.

He presented the open bundle to Alora who looked down at the sharp, concave pieces of glass that were nestled inside.

“Dragon scales. Four of them, to be exact.” The man snatched them out from under Alora’s nose and wrapped them back up. “Which is more than enough to prove to the council that I should reinstate slayer training techniques into our daily itinerary.”

The men behind him clapped and nodded at this idea as he continued on, “It is also more than enough to prove to you and your father that these woods are not safe at this time. Allow some of my men to escort you back to the city. There you will be safe for the night and tomorrow, I will have another group escort you back to your town.”

Alora, gave him a thin smile and thanked him through gritted teeth. The man turned and signaled for a couple of his men to accompany them. Two men broke rank and trotted their horses over to Alora and Elysor who exchanged concerned looks. Elysor spoke up.

“What about our harvest? We can’t look for the plants and herbs we need if we are being escorted.”

The man smiled down at Elysor’s wrinkled face. “We have plenty of apothecaries. You will be able to stock up on whatever you need back in the city. In fact, Eli, take them to your father’s shop. My fiancé and her dad have the best stock in town.”

One of the escorts nodded his head at the command and then turned his horse towards the direction of the city. “Follow me,” he said and began trotting off.

Alora and Elysor had no choice but to follow the man, Eli. While the other hunter came along in the rear, making sure they didn’t dip away.