Neoma (3)

They had walked for half an hour before coming to a very small clearing; there was absolutely no way anyone would know where the small camp was located unless they were idiots blindly thrashing through the woods. Dmitri had led them through a thorn briar, a shallow creek, and a dense area of trees. Natty figured this was why he had looked so travel-worn when she had first seen him.1

The camp took up the entire space of the clearing. There was a small, unlit, fire in the center and four lousy beds were scattered around the hearth. Natty could make out some supplies heaped in a pile next to the extra wood. A ditch a meter deep by a meter wide ran the circumference of the clearing so no animals, or spies, would try to get in.2

"Hold on," Dmitri said when they reached the ditch.3

"Do we have to jump?" Charles asked.4

Dmitri, who walked over to the edge of the ditch and peered down, ignored Charles's question. After surveying the leaves and things down at the bottom, he looked over to the opposite end and swore loudly.5

"Yes," he said finally, turning to face his passengers. "We have to jump."6

Natty sneered. "Where's your traveling partner?"7

"Out, she won't be back for a while. At least, that's what I'm guessing."8

Dmitri and Charles took a running start and both made it to the other side. Natty, however, was being pessimistic and wouldn't jump.9

"Girls don't do crap." Charles joked. "They can't even jump a meter!"10

A flash of fear flew across Dmitri's expression in an instant and was gone. Like a bolt of lightning, Natty stood in front of Charles, holding his throat. Her already pale knuckles turned to the color of pure snow steadily and the color drained from her captive's face.11

"Stop! Stop, Natty, I need both of you alive! Stop!" Dmitri cried, trying to pry Natty's hands from the man's neck.12

"It's his own fault for insulting me." She said simply, glaring at both men.13

Charles had staggered back, clutching his neck. After regaining his breath, he began helping Dmitri start a fire. The sun was setting and the mysterious partner had yet to return. As the men set up the fire, Dmitri scolded Charles for his actions.14

"Never ever say anything insulting around Natty. You never know how she'll take it."15

"How d'you know what she's like? She's a filthy murderer!"16

"Yeah, the one who killed your master none the less." Dmitri replied. "You gotta promise me to never do that again. You might not be so lucky next time."17

Charles threw logs on the baby fire with such force, that a few sparks flew up into the sunset. Without even turning around, Charles knew Natty's deadly glare was directed at his back. "Bloody demon."
When Dmitri woke the next morning, Natty was already up and was moodily stoking the fire, which had been diminished to a pile of glowing embers overnight. A thin mist swirled and danced around the woods as rays of sunlight steadily crawled over the Earth.18

Dmitri turned his head a fraction to his left to the spot they had jumped the night before. A tall girl around eighteen with a medium sized sack thrown over one of her shoulders. The girl looked up and caught his gaze. She smiled broadly and motioned him to come closer.19

“Hey,” she said when Dmitri was at the edge of the ditch. “I got some food from the market.”20

She tossed Dmitri the bag and he nodded. “I also seem to have appeared on the wrong side of camp. The board is over there, I suppose.”21

Yeah, I ran into that problem as well list night.” Dmitri motioned for the girl to jump. “C’mon Rachel, jump!”22

Natty had been watching the two talk for a while. She didn’t seem to trust the new girl, but she had been traveling with Dmitri for a far longer time than she or Charles had. Maybe she could be trusted…23

The girl named Rachel jumped with a clumsy grace onto the other side of the ditch. She flicked a strand of her golden brown hair out of her face before dusting herself off and set then set to work with breakfast.24

“So… Dmitri,” Rachel sighed before settling back and watching the porridge cook.25

“Yes? Ah, you’re probably wondering why I chose these two over the hundreds at Cot, aren’t you?”26

Natty’s ears perked up when Dmitri spoke. Yes, he had a point, why had he chosen Charles and her? She glanced over at Charles, who was snoring gently in the makeshift bed to her left. Natty returned her stare to Dmitri somewhat patiently and narrowed her eyes. Yes, she thought. Tell us why.27

“But,” Dmitri smiled darkly and glaring menacingly in Natty’s direction before continuing. “I can’t tell you if front of this company yet, Rachel, I’m sorry.”28

Yet? Why couldn’t he tell everybody now? Natty scowled and turned her back to the fire. She grabbed the stick she had used to poke the fire with and scrapped at the mud absentmindedly.29

Rachel turned her gaze from Natty back to Dmitri. Charles had jerked awake and smoothed back his hair. His eyes flicked over the camp and looked Rachel over quickly before he sighed and stared at his lap sullenly.30

“Will you never tell me why you picked these two outcasts to come with us? And why are we going to the capital anyways?” Rachel sighed, stirring the porridge slowly.31

Dmitri shook his head and grinned. “Maybe. I know I’ll have to sometime, but not now… I’m still not sure about some things. How about breakfast?”32

Rachel laughed, her doe brown eyes twinkling as she served breakfast. This is going to be an interesting journey, she said to herself. Very interesting indeed.