“WAAAH! Where am I?” a female voice cried out. Everyone jumped and looked around quickly, with the sound of a horse quickly racing out of the grass with a rustle behind them and onto the path being heard. Alyssa looked back to see a small dust cloud from where it came from, with Daniel leaning over the other edge and seeing some tall grass rustling on his side as well.
“Somebody’s riding through the fields back there,” he said looking to his friends. Triska quickly sheathed her sword while Specca darted up to the front of the cabin, with Alyssa hopping over across Daniel and grabbing onto the edge of the ride while she leaned over the edge. She scanned the fields of grass to their left, seeing nothing moving among them as Lucky continued to pull the caravan along the path.
“I don’t see anyone,” Alyssa said shaking her head.
“WAAAH! Which way?” the female voice cried out. Again there was a rustling of grass behind the group, with Alyssa and Daniel looking back over the edge of the seat to seeing some of the tall grass bent around while a small dust cloud was kicked up again. Squeak blinked then looked back over the other side of the caravan, seeing a figure quickly darting into the fields of grass on her side. She squeaked and pointed over to it, with Triska then rushing back to the rear window and looking around for what was moving near them. She only saw the dissipating dust cloud and the wavering grass but nothing else.
“She’s riding through the grass behind us, I think she’s lost,” she called up to the others.
“Where is she?” Daniel asked looking around the area. Alyssa hopped over to Squeak’s side and leaned over the edge, looking around behind them for any sign of the wayward rider. The sound of a horse running along through the grass started to be heard nearby, with Squeak and Daniel looking around at the field carefully. Specca adjusted her glasses then glanced to Daniel.
“Should we stop?” she asked.
“I don’t think its bandits, it sounds like there’s just one,” Triska said as she made her way up to the front of the cabin.
“WAAAH! I hate this place!” the female voice cried out before there was a rustling sound behind the caravan again, the group then looking back to seeing another dust cloud flowing by across the path while the grass on both sides of the trail swayed from something darting through them.
“She’s running around in circles back there, she must really be lost,” Specca reasoned.
“Hey! Can you hear us?” Daniel called out. All they heard were the wheels below them, Lucky running along ahead of them, and the wind blowing by and rustling the tall fields of grass all around them.
“What should we do, we don’t even know where she is or where she’s going,” Triska asked.
The group then heard the galloping sound of a horse drawing closer along with the female’s voice again.
“WAAAH! Where in the world am-” she cried out before apparently crashing right into the side of the caravan, with the ride rocking violently to the side as a loud thud was heard from the impact. The group jumped a bit from the collision while hearing the female rider screaming before falling further behind them.
“Oh my god, we hit her,” Specca said with surprise.
“You mean she hit us,” Triska said while quickly running back to the window. She saw a dust cloud billowing up behind them along with a figure falling back into the tall grass on the side of the trail.
“I think she’s down, stop the caravan,” Triska called back to the others. Squeak nodded then snapped the reins with a squeak, causing Lucky to neigh before slowing down.
“Great, Squeak’s first time driving and she runs over somebody,” Alyssa said dryly while leaning over the edge of the seat, looking around for the rider they hit. Squeak looked down with remorse and squeaked softly while Daniel looked to her with concern.
“It wasn’t her fault, that other rider was going all over the place before she ran into us,” he defended.
“I hope she’s alright,” Specca said worriedly.
Lucky and the caravan came to a stop before the group quickly jumped off and ran back towards where the grass on the side of the trail was bent over.
“Hey, are you alright?” Daniel called out.
“Where are you, say something,” Triska called out as they saw a large opening in the tall grass where the rider tumbled through. Looking down on the ground they saw some of the stalks of grass bent over and rustled with a girl lying on the ground with a dazed look in her eye. It appeared to be a girl around Triska’s age, although her height couldn’t be seen as some of the large grass was knocked down over her lower body. The girl wore a belly bearing brown top with green edgings, which barely held her rather large bust size which were easily bigger than Squeak’s, and had gold intertwined spiraling arm bracelets around each upper arm. She had long brunette hair that went down past her shoulders that had light green ribbons tied up at the top of her head with a few clear gems in them and light green eyes that were having trouble focusing after her tumble. The group watched as she was lying on her side while groaning weakly to herself.
“Ow… what was that?” she whined as she slowly sat up and rubbed her head. After a pause she quickly looked up to seeing the others watching her curiously.
“Are you alright? That was quite a fall you took,” Daniel asked with a worried smile.
“Yeah, you ran right us, what were you doing back there?” Alyssa asked.
The new girl blinked then looked at Alyssa with discontent.
“What do you mean, I didn’t run into you, you just got in my way is all!” she snapped.
“That only confirms that you ran into us,” Specca pointed out.
“How did we get in your way, we were traveling on the only path, you were the one riding around through the fields and smacked right into us,” Alyssa shot back with annoyance.
“No I didn’t, you ran into me! You did you did you did!” the other girl yelled out while thrashing around. She then flinched and held a hand down past her waist with a whine.
“Are you alright?” Specca asked as she stepped closer.
“No I’m not alright, I was nearly run over by crazy people!” the other girl snapped loudly at her, causing the nixie to back up again.
“Again, you ran into us!” Alyssa yelled back. Triska held a hand past her to silence her then walked over towards the new girl.
“Are you ok? Can you stand?” she asked gently.
“I’ll be fine, just leave me alone!” the new girl snapped back at her. Triska stopped walking and just looked at the girl with a raised eyebrow.
“I’m just trying to help,” she said defensively.
“You can help me by leaving me alone, you’ve already done more than enough by getting in my way like this,” the other girl scoffed while still lying down on her side, her eyes looking down at her lower body as she tried moving all the tall grass off of her. Daniel looked around then to the new girl curiously.
“Where’s your horse, did it run off?” he asked. The girl blinked then looked to him with confusion.
“What horse? I don’t have a horse,” she said shaking her head. The group looked at her puzzled from that.
“What do you mean you don’t have a horse, we heard you riding one just now,” Specca asked. The new girl looked at her with annoyance then started to get up, the group watching with growing surprise as she then stood up on her legs.
All four of them.
“I mean I don’t have a horse, did I stutter?” the girl snapped as the group stared at her with wonder. From the waist down she had the body of a horse, with brown fur on the top and white on the underbelly. Now that she was on her feet again it was seen that she stood at least a foot taller than Triska and Daniel. She had a long dark tail that swayed around behind her, the monster girl brushing off some of the stalks of grass from her lower body before looking back to the group with annoyance. On her lower body near her human waist she had a large leather saddle bag, and attached to a small belt around her waist was a coiled brown bullwhip.<
br />
“What the… she’s not human,” Triska said in wonder as she backed up to the others.
“She’s a centaur,” Specca said with wonder as she slowly adjusted her glasses to look at the new monster. The centaur looked around the area carefully then to the group with a glare.
“What’s the big idea getting in my way like that? I’m on a very important mission and I won’t be stopped by anyone. Are you after my belongings, is that it? You think you can just ambush me and take it without a fight?” she dared before grabbing her whip and snapping it loudly at her side, causing the group to back up cautiously as the centaur turned to face them while keeping ready to strike with her weapon.
“If you think you can steal from me, you’ve got another thing coming. It’ll be a cold day in hell when lowly bandits like you steal from the legendary courier, Kroanette!”
Chapter 7
The Wayward Courier
The saying ‘Never judge a book by its cover’ stood as true for humans as it did for monsters. Even if they appeared friendly, hostile, or just plain scary upon first seeing them, it didn’t necessarily mean they were what they appeared to be. A monster could be as small as a little girl, yet possess great power and actually be more dangerous than one would assume. They could appear as deadly and devious as one could imagine, yet in reality may actually be quite harmless or weak in combat. Although it was common to label all monsters as antagonistic and dangerous, not many took the time to really understand if they were or not. Just because they appeared brash, unpredictable, or aggressive, it didn’t necessarily mean that was all there was to them.
Sometimes they were much more than they seemed from appearances alone.
*****
Daniel and his friends slowly took a step back, with Triska carefully reaching for her sword while Squeak held Daniel behind her with one arm. Alyssa flexed her hand a bit while keeping on guard while Specca quickly darted back behind Daniel for protection. Standing in front of the group a centaur was watching them with a harsh glare, a bullwhip held in her hand as she grunted while kicking back some grass with her rear left hoof. The new monster girl, who addressed herself as the legendary courier, Kroanette, had made it perfectly clear that nobody would be stealing her deliveries from her, however that only raised more questions with Daniel and his friends.
“Um, wait, what?” Daniel asked with a weak smile.
“What is she talking about?” Triska asked carefully.
“Legendary courier?” Alyssa questioned. Kroanette scoffed at her while having a proud stance and posture.
“That’s right, and woe to any who think they can take what has been entrusted to me by my clients. You want my treasure? Then prepare to fight for it!” she declared before snapping her whip hard. Daniel held his hands out defensively while quickly shaking his head.
“Wait, wait! We’re not trying to steal anything from you, we-”
“Silence!” Kroanette yelled before she charged towards them. Squeak grabbed Daniel and threw themselves over to the side into the tall grass while Triska grabbed Specca and pushed her over as well. Alyssa jumped over to the other side and rolled into the grass as the centaur charged past them and onto the worn path with a furious yell. She quickly turned around and skidded on her feet before racing at the group again. With a mighty swing she snapped her whip towards Daniel, the lash slicing through the grass in front of him as he, Triska, Specca, and Squeak darted back further away from the enraged centaur.
“Neither rain, nor sleet, nor thieving bandits shall stop me from making my delivery!” Kroanette yelled as she struck her whip again and again through the grass, the lash cutting through the tall stalks and sending them flying into the air.
“She’s out of her mind!” Specca cried out as she and the others were backing up into the grass, watching as the flying whip and severed stalks of grass were whipping by in front of them. Triska unsheathed her sword while Squeak kept pushing Daniel back behind her, acting as a shield for the boy as she watched the centaur continuing to advance on them.
“Wait, can’t we talk about this?” Daniel cried out. Another strike from Kroanette’s whip sliced through the grass in front of them, with Specca holding onto Daniel’s back and shaking her head.
“I don’t believe she wants to talk right now,” she pointed out nervously.
“Hey, knock it off!” Alyssa yelled as she held her hand towards the centaur. A distorted ripple of air wavered and vibrated around Kroanette, with Alyssa watching in surprise as her magical energy was deflected around the monster. The ground was carved up slightly in an arc around the centaur and loose pieces of grass fluttered away, however the monster girl remained untouched by the magical force. Kroanette turned to Alyssa with a grunt then galloped towards the witch with her whip held back.
“Thieving scoundrel!” she yelled as she struck her whip at the witch. Alyssa screamed and dove to the side of the charging centaur, with the grass behind her being sliced apart from the snapping flail before the monster girl charged on past with a mighty shout. Alyssa rolled back onto her feet and waved both her hands towards the centaur, watching as all the grass in front of her swayed and bent outwards from the magical force plowing through. All the plants parted and swayed around Kroanette as the centaur skidded to a stop, the monster looking back to the witch with a glare while all the magical energy parted around her.
“What the hell? I can’t even touch her with my magic!” Alyssa cried out. From nearby Triska raced on out from the overgrown grass with a yell, having her sword held back as she charged the centaur. Kroanette turned to face her while gearing back with her whip, striking it towards the teen who rolled to the side to avoided the cracking lash. Triska dodged another strike then another before rushing forward and thrusting her blade towards the monster, stopping just short of striking through the girl’s neck. Kroanette stared at her with frustration while severed grass slowly fluttered and dropped around them from the scuffle. Alyssa kept on guard while Daniel and the other girls came out from the grass and watched as Triska kept her blade held at Kroanette while the centaur had her whip held in hand down at her side.
“Would you please stop doing that? We’re not trying to rob you, we don’t even know you or what you’re doing out here, so knock it off!” Triska yelled out. Kroanette watched her carefully as the teen slowly stepped back and then sheathed her blade. Triska glanced to her friends then to the centaur with annoyance.
“Before we say anything further, know that if you ever attack Daniel like that again I will not hold myself back, do you hear me?” she sternly warned. Kroanette glanced over to Daniel as the boy was watching her worriedly while Squeak kept him and Specca behind her. Triska snapped her fingers twice to get the centaur’s attention again then crossed her arms with discontent.
“Now, all we were doing was making sure you were alright after you ran into us. That’s it. We’re not after your belongings or anything, we just wanted to make sure you were ok,” she said plainly.
“You’re not after my treasure?” Kroanette asked cautiously.
“No, we never were,” Triska answered. The centaur looked at her carefully then glanced back to her carrying bag.
“You’re not trying to rob me?” she asked looking back to Triska.
“We’re not bandits, we don’t rob anyone,” Triska said shaking her head. Kroanette narrowed her eyes at her then glanced to the others.
“We stopped because we were worried about you when you got hit, that’s all,” Daniel said with a small smile. Specca and Squeak nodded in agreement while Alyssa continued to watch the centaur carefully. After a moment’s hesitation Kroanette slowly coiled her whip up and hooked it back on her belt.
“Very well, if that is truly your reason for being here, I suppose I can forgive you for getting in my way this one time, I am a fair centaur after all,” she said modestly.
“Again, you ran into us,” Triska corrected with a raised eyebrow.
“However, please do not inter
fere with my work again, I am a very busy centaur with a strict schedule to keep, I don’t have time to waste with anyone,” Kroanette declared as she dusted off her shirt and arms. She fluffed her hair a bit then looked to the group with a slight smile.
“Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have to be going. Good day,” she said before dashing into the grass with a fast gallop. The group just stood there as the sound of grass rustling away from them was heard, followed by a scream and some sticks snapping. Triska looked over to the others with bewilderment then ran after the centaur, with everyone else then following closely behind her. They made their way through the field of tall grass before coming to an abrupt drop into a ravine that was also filled with tall grass. And below the drop-off they saw Kroanette sticking out of some crushed and bent grass, or at least her rear end with her two hind legs twitching a bit in the air. A weak groan was heard from the centaur as everybody just stared at her with troubled expressions.
“Um, are you ok?” Specca called down.
Kroanette slowly got back up while wiping dirt and grass off her face, spitting a few times before shaking her upper body to get the bent foliage off of her.
“I’m fine, a little fall won’t keep me from making my delivery on time,” she said snootily. The centaur then raced off into the field, with Daniel and his friends watching the parting line being created through the tall stacks of grass as the monster girl plowed through them.
“What was that about?” Specca asked.
“Who knows,” Alyssa said carelessly with a shrug.
“Centaurs are couriers?” Daniel asked. Alyssa nodded as the group watched Kroanette racing off through the field of grass before vanishing from view.
“In the monster communities they’re hired for deliveries and used as messengers, they’re some of the fastest monsters out there, most of them can even outrun horses,” she explained. Specca nodded while looking out to where the centaur had ran off.
“Yes, although their services don’t come cheap. They are very quick and prompt with their jobs, I believe if a centaur is hired for a delivery it can almost be assured that it will make it to its destination on time regardless of where it is, however they charge quite a lot for their reputable speed,” she mentioned.
Chronicles of Eden - Act 2 Page 21
