The afternoon went by, with everyone peacefully riding their horses or making them run for a while, for a change of pace. Sarutahiko Okami was in the middle of the group with Suijin, and Alex was at the back, with Anika Wright happily chatting with him, while he listened to her very attentively. Okami frowned, because she wasn’t liking to see him so interested in the conversation of another woman, but she then noticed that from time to time, Alex’s Magic increased a little, as he sent a gush of air to the path behind them, like if he was searching for something.
Okami disguised a smile. She understood that even if he seemed focused on that annoying Mermaid, it was only a facade because he was deeply concentrated on the wolves and the Humans that were following them.
When they finally reached the rock wall that Sarutahiko Okami described, Gabriel Dawson began searching for wood for the fire, and Okami rode her deer to a few metres ahead in the clearing. She dismounted and placed her hand on the ground, creating a large semicircular canyon as protection. She then mounted the deer again and returned. When the others were looking at her in amazement, she made a slight movement with her open palm pointing to the canyon, and a tall rock wall appeared that separated them from the canyon.
She looked at Alex and asked, “I think this will be more than enough to prevent any attack. What do you think?”
“Yes, thanks for that. We just need to be careful about the sky, in case some flying Monster chooses us as his meal.”
“At least it’s only one direction we should worry about. It’s way better than having to worry about every direction. After dinner, I can also create a shelter made of sturdy and thick rock. Not even a Giant Orc will be able to enter.”
Alex nodded. “Yes, that would be better indeed. Don’t forget to leave a small opening at the top to act as a chimney for the fire.”
James Macdonald was staring at the rock wall, and he gulped. “What precision with the canyon… and that mountain… How much Magic do you have in you anyway, Miss Okami?”
Sarutahiko Okami winked with a smile. “I am sorry, but that’s a secret. You don’t need to worry, I have enough Magic to use, even after creating that canyon and wall.”
When the food was ready, they ate and talked among them, with James Macdonald telling a few of his funny adventures in his youth, way before he became an Adventurer.
After cleaning the dishes on a pond of clear water that Anika Wright created with her Magic, Okami made a sphere shelter of rock around them, with a small opening at the top, for the smoke of the fire. It was just in time because it started to rain. The shelter was big enough for them, the horses, and Okami’s deer and boar. Suijin’s bear was near the wall, eating a sizeable chunk of roasted meat, and Alex stared at him, wondering where did Suijin get all that meat, considering that he didn’t hunt during the voyage. He brushed off that thought, realising that Suijin probably brought the meat from the City for the first day of travel, and that would mean that bear needed more meat or fish for their voyage, and for that, Suijin would either take care of that or ask someone else to do it.
While Alex was still thinking on the voyage ahead, James Macdonald divided the guard watch for that night, and Alex was chosen to be the first one, with Anika Wright raising her hand, volunteering to keep him company, and receiving a warning from a very annoyed Sarutahiko Okami that told she was the one to accompany him for the first shift.
As the others went to sleep, Okami approached Alex and whispered, “Suijin told me we are being followed. I think… you were worried because of that, and that was why you lost your temper with me when I returned.”
“It helped a bit, but I lost it because of you and you alone. You are too pushy, Okami. I don’t like that side of you. You never consider my mood, my feelings or me, actually. You only care about satisfying your wishes.”
“That’s not… entirely true. I agree I can be a bit selfish, but that doesn’t mean I don’t care about your feelings.”
Alex stared blankly at her. “If you considered my feelings, you would realise when you returned how worried I was, instead of making one more of your advances. And if you are so itchy down there, you should try hitting on the other men around and let me be.”
Sarutahiko Okami bit her lower lip and whispered back, “I mean no harm, you know that. I always had a problem keeping my feelings under control, and it seems you are immune to my seductive ways. Either that, or Shinatobe already has your heart, and I don’t stand a chance.”
“Shinatobe has a very special place in my heart. You, on the other hand, only have a bit. I think it’s funny how you do things, how you lose your temper so quickly or do something on a whim, but it is also tiring having to deal with you. There is a girl on Earth that is a little like you, but she also has a kind and sweet side, and she is slowly breaking my shell. I am feeling a little divided between her and Shinatobe, and having you in the mix, it’s a little too much for me.”
Okami used a small stick to make a line on the ground to start a drawing and asked, “You mean you are feeling divided between two women, and you probably think that you are cheating them? With me, it would be one more woman to be worried about cheating or not? It’s what is making you so nervous and worried?”
“Well… yes, but it can also be because I am not used to women. Your gender was always a riddle to me. I have a few friends that are girls or women, but I always had difficulties understanding them on many occasions.”
Sarutahiko Okami muffled laughter, “Pfft!… Welcome to adulthood, Alex. Every man out there has problems understanding women! You have an advantage over me and Shinatobe because of our contract. You feel what we feel, and most of the time, you can almost read our minds. I guess… that’s also why you are having problems with my boldness. You can feel what I feel when I am near you, all the heat on my body and a strong desire to grab you and make you mine. I suppose it can be a little overwhelming, but I can make an effort and try to lower a bit my desires and dirty thoughts. I can also try to be calmer and conquer you little by little. How does that sound?”
“It sounds like a very good idea. This voyage will be long and full of dangers, I am afraid. I don’t want to be worried about the next time you will grab my butt or squeeze your boobs against my back.”
“Gotcha. No butt grabbing and no boobs. What about talking and some light touches on your cheeks, hands and arms? Or one light kiss?”
Alex nodded and put another piece of wood over the fire. Okami continued her drawing and spoke, “I bet Shinatobe is laughing like crazy, with our talk.”
“Probably not, considering she is not here. She went to look at the wolves and to see if she can find the reason why those Humans were also following us. Maybe she returns before our shift ends, or she will tell me tomorrow morning what she found out.”
Sarutahiko Okami nodded, and they spent the rest of their three-hour shift talking about their previous adventures.
…
Morning came, and Okami dispersed the shelter around them while James Macdonald was taking care of breakfast. As she went ahead to take care of the rock wall and the canyon, Shinatobe’s voice whispered behind Alex’s right ear, and he disguisedly went to the horses while listening to her, “Alex, the wolves gave up. They stopped near the canyon during the night and I think their alpha ordered them to find easier prey. As for the Humans, they will follow us until the border. From their conversations, I got the impression they are agents from another country. Which one, I am not sure, because they never mentioned it, but they are waiting for reinforcements. They will probably wait for us to return with the Princess to act. I heard some weird sentences about changing the alliance strength and aiming for a different future, where their country would never be looked down ever again.”
“As usual, Humans are worse than Monsters. At least Monsters attack people to eat or to hear them scream while Humans always have a hidden agenda.”
“You forgot that Monsters also like to rape men, women, children, and animals. I never understood why they do that, but I guess they don’t have many females available where they come from or something.”
“They don’t have a place in this World. I wonder what it’s like in the World or the dimension from where they come. Maybe it’s a living hell, and that’s why they cause a lot of killing when they arrive. If they wanted to live in peace, they wouldn’t attack every being they saw like they normally do, and risk getting killed. Well, no point in wondering why they do it, we just need to kill them and keep on trying to find out why and how they come from those Voids in the sky.”
Shinatobe sighed from behind Alex’s ear. “Yeah… I still found nothing in that department. Every time a Void appears, the sky and the wind get so messed up that I can’t find a reason for those weird things. Better if you get ready. I sense that the others are coming for their horses to continue the voyage, and that annoying Mermaid is approaching. She doesn’t give up, she is getting on my nerves!”
Alex put the saddle on his horse and rubbed his head. “Are you ready, big guy? We have a long ride ahead, but what do you say if we make everyone run after us for a change?”
The big dark stallion made a loud neigh as if he was agreeing, and when Anika Wright got near Alex, he was strapping the last belt of the saddle. He helped her put the saddle on her horse, and when everyone was ready, Alex went to meet James Macdonald at the front of the group and after asking him, they made the horses run and spent the rest of the morning alternating between runs and walks.
As the days went by, Alex spoke a little with every member of his Party, with Okami taking care of making rock shelters for safety during the night and Suijin hunting for everyone and his big grizzly bear.
By the end of the afternoon of the third day since they left the Capital City of Keldunes, they crossed the gates of the border City of Haukagil, a City right at the border of the ‘Kingdom of Bouria’ and ‘The Republic of Beliersia’, with one main entrance on each country and the large main street that crossed the City from one side to the other, connecting the two countries.
Haukagil was a big trading City, almost as big as the Capital Keldunes, but with more caravans of Merchants coming and going, making it a good place for people to live.
The City of Haukagil was not as expensive as the Capital, but it lacked the number of soldiers to defend its citizens properly from Monsters or bandits, hence the importance of the Adventurers that made a living there, or the occasional Party that stayed for a day or two, resting before continuing their voyage.
As soon as they entered, the deer that Okami was riding and the grizzly bear of Suijin gathered all the attention, and Alex couldn’t stop looking around, admiring the different Races that were walking on the sides of the roads or in front of their shops, looking at the new Party of Adventurers that arrived. Alex saw a few Lamias, Elfians, and a group of four young Dog-kind, happily playing catch with two laughing young Cat-kind girls. There were also inter-racial couples of Elfian and Human, or Dog-kind and Human. Like in many other Cities that Alex visited along his journeys, Humans had no problem finding partners among the several half-human Races that existed in Azurath. There was even a tall Rabbit-kind male, walking while holding hands with a young Rabbit-kind kid, with his Human mother holding the kid’s other hand.
When they reached the front of the stable on the right side of the Inn, two Dog-kind young boys came out running, and they both made a big smile when they saw a familiar face in front of the group.
One of them almost shouted in excitement, “Mister Alex! Long time no see! How have you been? Are you staying for long? Do you need a room for everyone? I can take care of that! I bet your group would appreciate a nice hot bath in our communal baths. There is one for women and another for men! Or I can ask for a private hot tub to be put in each room, but that will be more expensive!”