Zenora
43. The Cave

The next days I trained myself with push-ups, running around on the mountain and hunting together with Bastet. I was getting faster and stronger by the day, I could even outrun Bastet when she was running on the ground. My arms were stronger than they ever were, so I could shoot more and faster arrows before they felt tired. My legs could easily take me up to thirty kilometres a day.

We slept on several places where it seemed safe but returned to the cave every now and then. The cave was the most safe place, as there were no flying creatures or other animals, since there was nothing to eat here.

We had to hunt for some animals though. I didn’t like to kill any deer or rabbit, but I needed the iron in their meat to keep my stamina up. The rest of the days we just ate berries that I’ve found, and drank water from a small creek in a field between the mountain’s ridges. It was a beautiful place with a very nice view. The sun was always shining during the day and at night a heavenly sight was to be seen in the sky, due to thousands of stars.

From the edge of the field, I could see a pack of rhydian in the far distance, walking on the dry lands. I guess that was the border between Terralon and the Kingdom of Agravine. Danger wasn’t something I was trying to find, so I never steered Bastet into that direction.

That evening I thought about all the things that happened so far and the love that Brock and I had shared. I still couldn’t believe that he just let me go that easily. Why was he so distant to me? Tears filled my eyes and soon they dropped on Bastet's fur. As she came sitting next to me, when she heard me cry.

By now, the others should be really worried, I never told anyone where I was going. Even I didn’t know where I was exactly. When we left, I just let Bastet fly and when I saw the cave, I guided her there. Somehow, I didn’t feel guilty for leaving all of them though. I was hurt and my head was overloaded with every single experience and information that was shared with me the last two months. The thin air here, did clear my mind a bit though, I was calm now and physically really strong at the moment. I liked how I felt and I didn’t want to go back to the castle yet.

While we both sat on the grass, I heard a strange, loud and long roar in the distance. What was that? I looked around me but there was no other creature besides Bastet, and she didn’t make that sound. Then I heard it again, it sounded like the creature was in pain, but I couldn’t exactly pin point where the sound came from as it echoed between the ridges of the mountain.

After quite a while of waiting, to maybe hear that roar again, I decided to go back to the cave when it turned a bit darker. I ate some meat and got Bastet a healthy meal as well. Again, she laid down on the ground with me against her fur. I noticed that some purple feathers had fallen out and her fur had some bald patches as well. But she didn’t show me any weaknesses or sickness at all, so maybe she was just shedding into a new coat. I took the few purple feathers that were laying on the ground and put them in my bag.

The next morning, I got woken up by loud screams and squeaks from Bastet. I noticed I was lying with my head on the cold, hard ground and got up immediately. I took my bow and quiver and walked outside to where Bastet was, and aimed in the direction she was screaming at.

“Am I glad that I have found you, Princess!” The doctor said.

He was alone, and sat on a small angry looking gryphon. Bastet snapped at him a few times, I guess she didn’t like the gryphon much. “Bastet, get here.” I said to her and I lowered my bow.

“I have been searching everywhere! I’m happy to see you, all safe and sound. Can I talk to you for a moment?” He said while looking strangely towards Bastet.

He was talking with a gentle voice and didn’t push me to come with him immediately. So, I figured that he wanted to take it slowly to get my cooperation, as I eventually had to get back with him. We sat inside the cave for a while, where he talked about the worries that everyone had, because I had left the lodge more than two weeks ago. A lot of the troops were sent into different directions but came back without the result of finding me.

“I don’t want to worry you much, but the small group of men that were led by the general got attacked by Orcs and he got badly injured. When he woke up, he asked me to find you here, as this was the last place they haven’t searched yet.” He told me suddenly.

Why didn’t he tell me that at first! I mean I was still really mad about the way that Brock had treated me, but that doesn’t mean that I wanted him dead. I still love that man; nothing could change that. I got angry towards the doctor and walked around in circles, since my head was completely startled at what he said. What am I to do now? Should I go to the castle and see how he is? Was I really ready for another rejection if he saw me? Well, I didn’t want for him to be dead, before I got the chance to see him again.

“Let’s go back to the castle then, but you have to lead the way, since I don’t know where I am right now.” I said to him and I grabbed my stuff. When I had packed my bags onto Bastet we flew off. That gryphon of the doctor was quite slow in comparison with Bastet. I guess the small gryphon didn’t fly often.

Bastet really didn’t like him, she snapped at his tail every once in a while, as we were flying behind them. I tried to soothe her, but she kept squeaking softly. I couldn’t understand why she did that though.

“Let’s have some breakfast down here, before we continue.” The doctor said after an hour and I simply followed.

There was a small abandoned farmhouse and we both tied our gryphons to the fence. I put a good knot in the reins as I didn’t want Bastet to attack the doc’s gryphon. I even sneered at her a bit for being so rude.

The inside of the house was dusty and messy, like someone attacked this place many years ago. The roof was open on several spots and rays of sunshine poured in. The table was cut in half as the two parts were folded downwards right in the middle. The chairs laid on the ground, but I found one that was still able to be sit upon. The doctor had some bread with him, which I hungrily ate, since I lived on berries and meat all this time. He also had some wine in a leather bag, which I took a few sips from.

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