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Chapter 27: Ambush of the Humanoids

My previous estimation of a month and a half was off by about two weeks. Horrible math skills again. Star explained that in another week, we’d be at the 2/3 mark, which was about halfway through the plains.

The morning that followed our departure from Vermendis was calm and sunny. We galloped along on our horses, happy to be off our feet for a change. Star lead the way looking back occasionally to see that we were keeping up as we traveled. We stopped for lunch a few hours later by a stream and let our horses rest most importantly.

“We’re deep in Humanoid territory now, so be sure to watch your back twice as much!” Star told us. We nodded firmly in understanding. We were all quiet as we listened stream run. The horses were drinking peacefully and finally, “What kind of weapon is that?” she asked pointing to my chain scythe.

“Chain scythe,” I replied taking a sip from my cup. “Hardest weapon to master, but I did it!”

“Wow! You must be really good!” she complimented.

“Eh, I guess,” I said with a modest shrug of my shoulders. After another hour of useless conversation, we mounted our steeds and trotted off. We rode alongside each other at the same pace we’d started at. Star and I talked quietly as Ashley held on to me, sleeping.

We were talking about family at the moment. “Sounds like your sister’s a real b***h!” Star giggled quietly. “I have a big sister too! She’s supposed to have a baby really soon,” she said looking off into the distance.

“I’m really sorry I have to drag you away from that.” I apologized. She shrugged it off and she blushed whispering, “As long as I’m with you, everything’s perfect!”

“You say something?” I asked thinking I heard her say something.

“Nothing,” she answered quickly, yet smoothly. I was the one to shrug and speed up, Star following suit. She closed her eyes and sighed, longing to express her true feelings about me.

That evening, we had set up camp and I was just leaving to go hunting when Star stopped me. “I’ll go with you!” she offered.

“Well uh…yeah, sure! You ok with hanging here by yourself, Ashley?” I asked.

“Yeah, that’s fine. I’ll build the fire and stuff so it’ll be ready when you guys get back. Besides, Star knows her way around here, right?”

She nodded and we walked off into the low, rolling hills where Star said there were known to be herds of deer grazing. Star brought her horse, but walked alongside it instead of riding. We came upon the masses, all with in bow’s range. Star stayed with her horse as I sat on a hill, lining up a clean head shot on a buck.

Ashley had the fire going, feeding it sticks as time passed. In the distance, arose the sounds of what seemed to be drums and yelling. The voices couldn’t have been human, for the speech, though distant, was indecipherable. Ashley had a horrible feeling in the pit of her stomach as she slowly stood.

Star had gotten the horse to sit as I loaded the now decapitated deer carcass onto its back. We were both starving and traveled back to camp quickly when we suddenly heard Ashley’s shrill scream pierced the evening stillness. Deer scattered, birds departed from their nests and branches into the vast skies. It seemed all forms of animal life knew what was going on and to get the hell out of the way! We hurried back as fast as we could, seeing what the commotion was about. Humanoids!