Kiatana's Journey (Creatures of the Lands Book 1)

by Natalie Erin

  “Maybe.” He still looked perplexed.

  “I saw you give her an apple yesterday,” Lilja said. The pups had just woken up and were listening in. “Was it bad?”

  “I don’t think so,” Kia rushed, stroking her mare. “My dad sent them, but they were meant for me. He probably filled them with some sort of vitamins for me that pegasi can’t have.”

  “Or poison,” Ionan said. “In the least, that’s what I smell.”

  “What?” Kia snarled. “You’re all crazy.” She shoved the dragon’s head aside and moved closer to her pegasus.

  “How big was it? The apple?” Ionan asked.

  “Not very,” Kia said. “Tiny.”

  “You need to keep her walking,” Ionan said. “We can find an antidote if we hurry and if the plains contain it.”

  “What would be helpful?” Lottie asked, trotting up to her friend.

  “Look for a plant that has small buds, and is yellow. You do know what yellow is, correct?”

  “I’ve learned to tell the difference,” Lottie said. “Come on Lilja.” The two pups took off to find the plant but to no avail. The plains were barren as ever. Keota and Ionan returned hours later after flying far in every direction without a single plant. Kia looked devastated at their empty hands.

  “We’ll take turns watching her throughout the night,” Keota said. “To see if she gets worse.”

  “Not you,” Kia shot at him. “You couldn’t even tell when she got sick.”

  His face fell. Hurt, Keota threw a blanket over himself and leaned against a rock to rest.

  LATE THAT NIGHT it was Lottie’s turn to look after Snow Drop. She stood vigil and watched everyone breathe slowly, checking up on Snow Drop every few seconds. Lottie wandered through medical techniques in her head that she had learned from the pack healer long ago. Nothing seemed to quite fit Snow Drop’s ailment. It wasn’t a common Land poison, she knew that. Since only Ionan knew what it was, it had to be a foreign substance.

  Lost in thought, she didn’t notice something creeping up to the pegasus in front of her. It was too dark to tell who the figure was, and Lottie was quite sleepy. At the last second she saw that a small shape had appeared next to Snow Drop’s side, near her neck. She thought it was Kia at first, but this person was shorter and smelled different than Kia.

  “Hey!” Lottie yelled and charged forward to the figure, but before she could strike, whoever it was had vanished. Lottie looked Snow Drop over but as far as she could tell the figure hadn’t done anything. For the rest of the night, Lottie kept her eyes wide open.

  THE NEXT MORNING everyone was surprised. Snow Drop was eating and acting better than ever, prancing around and being her old sassy self.

  “Thanks for the antidote, Kia!” she said, dancing on her hooves. “I feel so much better now!”

  “Excuse me?” Kia asked, worried. “I never gave you any antidote. We’re out in the middle of the wilderness! We couldn’t find anything to help you.”

  “You gave me an antidote,” Snow Drop said, halting in her tracks. “Last night.”

  “I never did,” Kia protested. The group looked around at each other, confused. Lottie stepped forward with her tail tucked between her legs and said, “Somebody did, during my watch. I couldn’t keep my eyes open and they did something to her. I’m sorry Kia.”

  “A stranger helped? What if it’s something worse?” Kia shrieked.

  “Relax, Kia.” Keota smiled. “Does she look like she’s sicker? If you ask me, we should be finding this mysterious person and thanking them.”

  “You’re a blundering bubblehead,” Kia shot back at him.

  “Yeah, let’s go seek them out!” Lilja said eagerly. He went to bound forward but was stopped by Kia’s shaking head. “There’s no time for that,” she said. “We need to get a move on. We should still keep an eye on her though, just in case.”

  As the group started packing and Snow Drop gorged herself on grass, Ionan moved closer to Keota.

  “In any case, Kiatana should consider herself lucky. Snow Drop is much larger than she is, so it didn’t affect her as bad. If Kia had eaten the fruit she would have been dead before morning.”

  “Her dad made a terrible mistake!” Keota whispered back, furious. “Couldn’t he have checked to make sure the fruit wasn’t spoiled?”

  “I have a feeling those apples were meant for her,” Ionan said.

  “Could Casiff have intercepted the supplies and poisoned them?”

  “Possibly. Keep an eye on your friend, Keota.” Ionan gathered his breath. “Especially… especially now that she’s…”

  “Keota! Stop chit chatting and come help!” Kia shouted. He ran off to help her and Ionan sighed. It was no use.

  THE DRYNESS of the plains got worse and worse, so much that the travelers were choking on the dust. It became quite irritable soon enough, getting in their eyes and stinging their flesh, until all of them were filthy.

  “Isn’t there anything out here besides dust?” Keota yelled. He suddenly screamed as he tripped over something in his path. There was a clanging noise made by his boot as he stumbled. As he struck the ground they all rushed over to see what it was, babbling and neighing and barking.

  Ionan picked Keota up with his fangs and the pups wiped off dirt from a large, metal square in the ground. What Keota seemed to have tripped over was a handle.

  “It’s a door!” Lottie said. “A door in the ground!”

  “Don’t be ridiculous,” Snow Drop snorted, but that was what it was. It was large enough for two of her to fit through, and looked airtight.

  Kia used her hand to clean off letters that were embedded on the door’s middle. “Bomb shelter,” she read softly, rolling her tongue over the words.

  “What’s a bomb shelter?” Lilja asked, cocking his head.

  “How should I know?” Kia asked. “Does it look familiar to you guys?” she asked Ionan and Keota as they moseyed over.

  The dragon shook his head. “This is unusual to me. I have never seen anything like it in my life.” He picked up a claw and put it on the door. “Not even my talons can get through this wall,” he informed them.

  Keota knelt down and pulled the door open. They all looked down and saw nothing but darkness. Lilja got too excited at the prospect of more adventure and rushed down right away.

  “Lilja! Get back here!” Kia yelled, but he ignored her. You could hear the pup’s nails clattering on the metal floor and Ionan changed into a cat, going after him. Lottie stayed behind; she didn’t like the underground.

  Lilja came back out a few minutes later, panting and wagging his tail as Ionan pushed him up the stairs. “It’s huge down there! It goes on for a long, long time! There are endless rooms and tunnels, you could probably fit the whole forest in there.”

  “The whole forest? Is it really that big?”

  “Even better,” Ionan said. It seemed even he was interested. “If I am right, it is not inhabited. You could live a while underneath and be perfectly fine for quite some time. At least, you all could. Keota and I need sunlight.”

  “Let’s remember this place,” Keota said. “It could come in useful in the future, if we ever need to hide.”

  They marked the shelter with a big X on the map and then moved on.

  AS THE PLAINS began to end Kia halted Snow Drop in her tracks. Ionan stopped walking and Keota, who was riding him, turned in his seat. “Kia, what’s wrong?” he asked.

  “The forest,” she said softly, so softly that they all had to strain to hear it. “We’re getting close now. It can’t be more than a few days ride.”

  Lilja lifted his head higher. “You’re right. I can almost hear the trees in the wind.”

  “There’s a nice fresh smell too,” Lottie added before putting her paw to her nose. “Though the Night Death and these plains make it reek of decay.”

  “Let’s move,” Kia said, and she urged Snow Drop into a gallop, the wolves following at a sprint. Ionan reared up and struck out with
his hooves, braying a challenge before following the mare. Keota’s face however, was screwed up in confusion. Just as they had broken into a run, he thought he heard a small, suppressed laugh.

  CHAPTER TEN

  DISCOVERY

  T hey had made up a lot of ground in two days. On the last day, the one in which they would return, Keota noticed as they ran that Kia seemed to be growing weaker. She was barely holding herself up on Snow Drop, and every so often she clutched at her stomach, her hands shaking. What’s wrong with her? Keota wondered. He decided to ask Ionan, but not aloud.

  Accompanies and Changers were connected in the mind, and each pair could share thoughts, emotions, or images with one another. Keota sent a picture of Kia in his mind to Ionan as a question, her image ailing weaker each second.

  Ionan didn’t want to respond right away. He avoided Keota’s gaze and pretended not to notice him. Keota nudged him in the sides with his heels and asked in a whisper, “You know what’s going on, I know you do. You’re a Changer. You can sense it when somebody’s sick. Why is she so pale?”

  Ionan still said nothing. Keota was about to order him to tell before he saw that the trees were coming up fast.

  “There’s the forest! Let’s go!” Kia shouted, leaping off Snow Drop. Keota watched as she hurried into the woods, the two wolf pups rushing after her in a fierce charge. Keota clambered down from Ionan’s back, watching his Changer. Ionan’s horse form became an emerald dragon once more, and he raced quickly after them, knocking over trees that were in his way. Snow Drop was going the completely opposite way, but there was no time to ask where she was going. Keota braced himself for what he might see, and then dashed down the clear path Ionan had left behind him.

  Kiatana knew something was wrong. Altogether, it was too quiet. The wolf twins were even faster than she was, frightened at what could have happened to their new home. Ionan had found the battle stage of a dragon too difficult to hold while giving chase through trees and brush. He kept changing his form over in over in a flurry of emotion, a strong lion through the trees, a large rabbit down the hill, a raving wolverine through the bushes, a stag as he jumped over streams and logs, only to change into a ferocious hawk in mid-air...

  The forest had grown wild in her absence. It was obvious there had been struggles everywhere from Casiff’s raid. Dens were torn apart and the plants had taken over, growing over everything that lied in their path. The pups crawled under them all and managed to maneuver the decimated forest much quicker. When they were traveling Keota had been faster than most of them. But now that Kia was back in the forest she found him lagging infuriatingly behind Ionan. She needed him to go faster so he could help her fight Casiff. She couldn’t beat him alone.

  The pain in her chest was stabbing harder the closer she got to the heart of the forest, and there was an unknown aching in her stomach. The farther in she ran, the worse it became. What was left of a blackened tree caused her to let out a single dry sob. Signs of a struggle were everywhere. The dirt and twigs on the ground were kicked around in circles. Burrows had been dug out, and there were bloody claw marks on some of the trees. Some plants were left untouched, and others were dead in her path. Just as she wondered where everyone could be, she saw a little scarlet shape lying petrified on the ground.

  “Scarlet!” she cried, and scooped up the little red bird in the palms of her hands. Tears came to her eyes as she held the fragile little body, his wings spread out wide. “Scarlet!” she cried, “Answer me!”

  He must be...The thought was torturous to think. But her heart gave a rush of hope as the little bird’s head stirred and he sat up weakly in her hands.

  “Everyone’s gone!” he wailed. “Hope’s lost. Even Casiff has lost control. The sickness has spread so far. It’s too late to save anyone!” He sobbed into her palms and Kiatana herself wanted to break down and weep with him. But she felt Keota laid his hand on her shoulder. Ionan (a dragon again) said, “Do not give up yet. I sense that all is not lost. But we must hurry, for he speaks the truth. Death will come quickly within the hour.”

  “Keota, how much time do we have left?” she asked quickly.

  Keota looked at the position of the sun and groaned in despair. “Five minutes at the most.”

  Kia left out an anguished cry as she sank to the ground, Scarlet still in her hands. “We’ll never get to the heart of the forest in time!”

  “Yes you will,” a familiar voice behind her said. Kia turned around and stared as Vixen and two mighty unicorns emerged from the trees, one a soft violet mare with a crooked horn, and the other the knightly Dragonstar.

  “How did you get here?” asked Keota.

  Vixen giggled and shook her black-red hair. “Vixen knew you needed help, so Vixen chose her two strongest and bravest unicorns and came along. The balance of the Lands cannot be upset. We need the Verinian like we need you, princess.”

  “You were the one who saved Snow Drop!” Lottie said.

  Vixen nodded eagerly. “Yes, that was Vixen. Vixen always carries with her an antidote, to give to her unicorns if they get poisoned. She did not tell you before because she was afraid you would refuse her help.”

  “Well, thank you so much for saving the life of my pegasus,” Kia said. “But what about your own land?”

  “Vixen’s unicorns are strong and smart. They know how to defend themselves.” She beckoned the purple unicorn over to her. “This is Lavender,” she said. “She is the fastest and most sure-footed. Ride along with me to the center of the forest.”

  “But I’ve ridden Ionan as a dragon to the center of the forest before when we first came here, and it will take much longer with both of you on Lavender,” Keota protested.

  Vixen puffed with annoyance and said, “Vixen grew up with dragons and unicorns both. Unicorns are the fastest animals, even faster than dragon flight. And they can go much quicker through trap and twig and stream. Two fairies on one unicorn are faster than one Accompany on any Changer, believe her.”

  She strode over to Lavender and gave Kiatana a leg up. “You do not mind galloping, do you?” she asked as Kia put Scarlet safely inside her bag.

  “I have experience,” Kia assured her. Lavender took off at once and Keota watched the two leave. “Try to find others!” Kia called to him as she raced off.

  There was a rustle in the trees. All of them spun around as many creatures crept out of the bushes. The most prominent were a pack of six wolves that looked hungry for battle. “Tell us!” the biggest and oldest of them exclaimed. “Are you with Casiff or against him?”

  Keota didn’t know how to answer, so he responded with the truth. “We will never side with Casiff!”

  To Keota’s surprise, the group seemed to relax. The large gray wolf muttered, “Good,” and sat down on the forest floor. “Casiff’s forces are growing larger. We hoped you were not part of them.”

  “Who are you?” asked Lottie inquisitively.

  The old male wolf smiled at her and said, “I am Kikan. We’re all the animals that are left who haven’t gotten the sickness. It has spread to both lands quicker than anyone has expected. Everyone, even Casiff’s own, have grown weary, tired, and angry and have turned against him. My mate and I,” he gestured to a gray she-wolf beside him, “Were of Casiff’s own wolf pack, and the charging brigade on the forest. At first we thought it a great honor, as an opportunity to expand our territories.”

  He sighed. “We were wrong. The few that were not lost in the battle fell ill, and now we are all that is left of our pack. The other wolves from this land joined together with us, and now we are leading all healthy creatures and beasts from both regions in a rebellion against him. But now we have a bigger problem. Somebody, it seems, has awakened the Night Mares and the Night Terrors,” Kikan said.

  “Casiff,” Ionan growled, but Kikan shook his head. He stepped forward and said, “We know nothing about that, except that Casiff is not the culprit. He has never sold himself to control the Mares or the Terrors. All Casiff
ever does is pine for his Caini.”

  Lottie and Lilja both responded in one voice, “Caini?”

  “Casiff’s dear she-wolf. She died of the illness. We all despised her with a passion. She was very cruel to us all,” Kikan growled.

  “She,” replied Lilja coldly, “was our mother.”

  Kikan looked sympathetically at the two pups. “I grieve for your loss,” he replied gently. “Casiff cries and makes threats to kill Kiatana, your fairy, and is so maddened with grief that he refuses to eat or sleep. It doesn’t help that her spirit passes through the forest howling every night.”

  “What!” Lilja yelled. He turned with a look of hurt and anger at Ionan. “I thought you said she would be at peace!”

  “Don’t despair small one,” Ionan said and he put his right wing around them both. “Her soul will be at rest before this is all over, mark my words.”

  “Then who sold their soul to the Night Terrors?” Keota asked.

  “I’ve told you, I don’t know,” Kikan said. “It is already noon. The Mares and Terrors will arise and fight at dusk. Will you join us?”

  “We will,” Ionan rumbled.

  “We are fighting too,” Lottie said.

  Kikan looked at the pups in amusement. “You are only pups. How can we expect you to fight?”

  “I’ve fought before,” said Lilja. “My sister and I have killed Ortusans.”

  “That may be,” Kikan said thoughtfully, “But you know war is not a game or fun, nor noble and great, as many tales and stories make it out to be. Are you prepared to see your friends, even your sister, fall on the battleground?”

  Lilja looked into his sister’s eyes and knew that he was not, and never could be. But still he said, “We both would fight against the enemy in order to make sure this never happens again, to any land.”

  “I strongly go against it,” Kikan muttered, “but I can see your causes are good. I cannot deny that you help. But you will be under strict orders from me. Our soldiers cannot waste their energy protecting you. Night Mares and Night Terrors are ruthless. They will not pause to harm you because you are young. You are fighting a great evil. If all goes well, we should be able to push them back, and if not…let’s just say I hope it doesn’t come to that.”