Meet And Greet

After several attempts to call Little Dak, Maya raised her hand to stop Eisza from whistling. It seemed that the mother and cub had left the north and moved away to more bountiful lands.

" What are you searching for?" Eisza asked as she spurred the horse to gallop. Eisza was probably wondering if she had lost her mind.

" The Volsa cub. I was hoping that he is still around" Maya shouted to make herself heard over the loud sound of the hoofs stomping the ground.

Eisza nodded but didn't have anything to add. Usually would have been a narky remark or something that would make her ears bleed.

The horse snorted and abruptly stopped, rising on his hind legs so high that they both fell off it, hitting the ground with a thud.

Eisza had cushioned her fall but was savvy enough not to let off the reigns. A loud snarl and the horse tugged on the reins, trying to escape while they tried to gather themselves off the ground.

Caell wasn't doing any better, since he was struggling to hold the horse still. Whatever had come, it was big enough to scare the life out of them.

Maya pushed herself up to stand and walked past the snorting horse, tugging on his reigns. Slowly she tugged on the blanket that she used to wrap, little Dak in while they journeyed to Ironstone. Terrified of the creature that had appeared, Maya hoped it would be the mother of the cub she'd nursed back to health.

With that thought in mind, Maya halted her steps and lowered herself on her heels to the ground.

" What are you doing? Have you lost your mind? It will eat before you even have a chance to squeal." Eisza barked from behind, pulling her sword out of the sheath.

Maya raised her hand and shushed Eisza " Be quiet" Maya whispered and stretched her hand forward holding onto the blanket.

She didn't have to wait long, for the small cub to waddle his way to her wagging his furry little tail off, whining, chuffed to see her.

And she was too. Maya picked up the little cub and hugged him to her chest, kissing his wet little nose and raised her eyes when the mother's breath brushed her forehead. She didn't even hear her move. The volsa was close, so close. Maya heavily gulped faced with the terrifying beast with large black eyes, and brown fur, barring her jagged teeth at her, drooling. She was a meal, and so were the horses, Caell and Eisza. With a frazzled smile, Maya placed the cub back on the ground, and pushed it to the volsa's feet, hoping that she won't see her as a threat.

" I need help" Maya tried her fortune, pleading at the volsa, despite the scoffs that came off Eisza's lips.

" You're crazy if you think a beast would help. You're crazy to speak to a beast. Never mind, you're crazy. Period." Eisza frantically huffed, how insane she was, but she didn't care. She had to try. It was the only way to find Dakran without grappling through the lands with no clue where to even start.

" Eisza, shut your trap" Caell grumbled from behind her. At least one person didn't think she was off her rocks.

Maya slowly pulled on the tunic she kept since Dakran left. It was the only thing that had kept her company during those lonely, cold nights.

And slowly pushed it to the volsa's nose, trusting that the volsa would help. She didn't attack, so she had nothing to lose. The volsa buried her nose in the tunic, sniffing the fabric. She encountered Dakran before, so she must recognise his scent. After a brief moment of snuffing around, the volsa raised its head and looked around, sniffing the air. Maya sighed relieved, it worked.

" Food" Maya raised her hand waiting for either of the two to give her something to keep the volsa interested.

A few pieces of dried salted meat were placed in her hand, and the sound of footsteps scurrying away broke the volsa's attention and turned to her.

Little Dak was the first to jump to her hand, sniffing, acquainted with the smells of scrummy food, all too well.

The mother didn't seem pleased or interested in the proffered treat or she was letting little Dak have it all. Not just a beast, she was a mother.

The volsa returned to sniffing the air around and turned, howling, frightening the horses that have settled down.

" I knew it. Soon will have an entire pack chasing us, up and down these lands" Eisza barked, irked, stroppy, flailing her hands up and down. Maya rolled her eyes, who would have thought that a battle-hardened warrior like Eisza would get so, iffy faced with an unknown?

The volsa growled and little Dak scurried at her side, leaving her empty-handed, after scarfing all the meat.

" Mount your horse" Maya stood up and turned on her heels, stuffing the blanket and the tunic in the bag. Caell nodded and mounted the horse keeping his eyes on the volsa.

Eisza scoffed " What if it leads us to the rest of the pack?" Eisza pointed out, incredulous and still very much stroppy.

Maya sighed " Which one is it Eisza? Make up your mind. Chased or led to our demise by a beast that can't even speak." Maya smirked, as she settled in the saddle.

Eisza grumbled, displeased. Whatever was giving her the jitters, she needed to shake it off. It wasn't a good time to get into a diatribe about how the volsa was scheming against them.

" Whistle, please" Maya looked over her shoulder " Not so loud, though" Maya smiled " Try a softer one, this time" She added as she turned around to the volsa who scouted the land.

Caell beat Eisza to the punch and whistled before Eisza did. She was becoming increasingly difficult to deal with. Her distrustful nature wasn't doing them any favours.

Caell spurring his horse, jolted her out of thoughts as he followed the volsa who sprinted at his signal. She'd been wrong about many things to that day, but the little battle she'd won just moments ago, marked a new beginning for her.