~ And to What That Is

Silvia was thrown over the man's head and she waited for the explosion to take her over. She waited for the pain to envelop her and to be rid of this cursed world but nothing happened. She opened one eye then heard one of the men screaming. She found herself being flung up by her head and then down hitting the ground hard. With her open eye she put together the scene and looked over to the wizard with strength abilities. His hands were both burned and his face full of agony.

Silvia looked past him and tried to find the boy that almost got away on the horse but she couldn't find him. The angry man that held her had seen something terrifying and with some unladylike words he threw her to the ground and took off into the woods with the coward of a wizard. She took a second to let her head stop pounding as she felt her head. A major part of her hair had been pulled out and she could feel the pain leaking into the rest of her body as she sat and bit her tongue.

No sounds. Stay quiet and he won't come out. No sound. no sounds.

Waves of pain finally disappeared and Silvia sat up and looked around. She was alone again. There seemed to be no danger and wherever the boy was he was no longer here. She stood up and wobbled over to a tree. She used it to balance before looking for the mountains.

Follow the mountains and you'll be free.

That was what one of the other children told her. The one that risked her life. Silvia hoped with all her soul that that one lived and ran away like herself.

There they were. Silvia stared at the giants looming off in the distance. She willed herself to start walking. If she listened to the stories that one told her, she would be able to live on. Right?

To start though she had to take a step. She looked down at her feet to make herself take that step but found herself jumping. Surprise filled her and confusion followed. A wolf pup lay at the roots of the tree she had rested at.

It was cute and black. She got onto her hands and knees before crawling closer and reaching out to touch. She paused right before she touched it. Was it safe? Her curiosity got the better of her and she touched it. It was hot but not body heat warm but like fire warm. She put her hand on it and bit back a cough. It burned but it was nice. Heat, something that was rare in her life. She started to pet the puppy and soon she could pet it without having to bite her tongue or lip.

She moved closer and started to feel safe. Soon she had put her back to the tree and lifted the pup up onto her lap. She had seen dogs before and puppies but this was a wolf because it was huge but also puppy-like. It took up most of her lap and still his hind paws were on the ground. She sat there petting it until she finally got up. Her head no longer pounded but hurt less and she was losing daylight, she had to start.

She started to pet the wolf one more time before walking away. Its steady breath was relaxing and the heat it emitted was like a warm fire. She regretted not taking it with her but it was too heavy. She turned and started down the path and soon found that something wasn't right. She had seen some of the foliage and trees before. When observing and investigating she figured she had gone the wrong way. She stopped and looked around for the mountains. Tall spruce trees made her path hard to understand as she tried to figure out where her mountains were.

Frustrated she started over toward a tree and climbed it grabbing branches and pulling herself up and over. The bark was dark and sap soon made her hands sticky but she kept clambering up a branch then shimmying up into a stand to grab another branch. Soon they were closer together but smaller. It was kind of nerve-racking but she was determined.

When she could see over the other trees she stopped and looked around. Her mountains were back the way she came and the town was nearby. In her head she called herself an idiot.

One more look around and she called it good until she heard a snap. She turned her head and saw the horse. Its reins were caught in a bush and the pretty thing was trying to get free to graze on the grass.

Silvia quickly climbed down tripping on the last branch and face planting. It wasn't the first time and not the last so she got up and dusted herself off. As she came around she looked at the horse. It was gray and had the same brown eye color she had. She looked around for the men but no one was there. Was this real?

One step at a time she came closer. When she was near the horse she grabbed a handful of grass and offered it up to the gray. Gray took it and munched happily before shoving its head into her arms looking for more. Silvia almost giggled but caught herself and covered her mouth. Mind-numbing pain filled her thoughts as she looked around.

Did she speak? Was she found out? No sound, no sounds.

The horse nudged her and seemed to be asking her if she was alright. She smiled and nodded but she knew the fake smile and lie would not get past the horse's superior understanding. Even though she lied to it she was met with kindness.

It didn't take her long to untie the horse and figure out how the reins were supposed to work. She looked at the saddle. It was daunting but the reason she was caught last time was that she hesitated. She put her foot into the foot holder and wiggled up and into the saddle. Then the horse started to move. Panic made her tip over the other side and she found herself upside down in a bush. How was this ever going to work?

She tried again and again and the horse would always start to walk forward. She then tried to brace herself halfway up and used one hand to hold herself while pulling on the reins to stop it. It worked. The horse stopped and she scrambled the rest of the way into the saddle and sat on the horse like she was meant to but the foot things were too far down and the horse had started to move again this time it started to pick up speed. She pulled on the reins and it slowed down. She looked around and found the path making sure she was going the right way this time before pointing out the direction. That way she thought.

The horse started forward but not in the right direction. Silvia grumbled in her head then looked at the reins. She lifted one and pulled the head one way. The horse followed its head and walked that direction. Soon she had it going the right way. She smiled and wondered if her luck had really turned for the better.

A little time passed and then she saw the wolf pup. It was still sleeping so she stopped the horse. Getting off was just as complicated as getting on and she fell off. To keep the horse from wandering away she held on to its reins. She walked over to the wolf and pet it. It didn't stir. Was it okay? She felt bad for it and picked it up. It was heavy but not as bad as water jugs she would have to haul around. The horse smelled it and for a second Silvia was worried the horse would get scared.

Would Gray panic and run away?

The horse smelled the pup and snorted then smelled again before turning and putting its head down and nibbled the grass. Hope-filled her and she moved to the saddle. She put the pup on the saddle, it was harder then she thought it would be. She was huffing as she looked at the horse who seemed completely fine with it on its back. She was halfway up the back of the horse when she saw something on the ground nearby.

This time she had gotten off before the horse started to move so she could investigate. She led the horse over to the object watching to see if the pup was still in the saddle. The thing she was so interested in was a pack. Her luck was truly changing. She kneeled down and opened it looking inside. Food, water, and a blanket as well as some clothes. Those were somethings she thought she would have to find on her journey. Her luck was finally starting to become good.

She put the pack on and looked at the horse. After two tries she got up and held the horse at a stop then let the reins down. It started forward and soon she was on the path to the mountains. Her hope was rising and she wondered maybe she could live on as that one told her to do.