Dar Travelers

Author's Note: You're wonderful, really, you are. Such comments and interested questions I've received - a writer can't get much more of a compliment than that. It lets one know that you are under their spell, so to speak. All will be revealed, never fear. But for the time being, you'll just have to ponder. :)

A special thanks to Dixiedevil67 - she was kind enough to illustrate a scene from this story. And she also put up with my nit-picking, heh.

It turned out beautifully and I'd love if you'd take a moment to go check it out: It's in the Author's Hangout/Visual Arts sub-forum on Literotica's Bulletin Board.

I've tried several times to include the link - and for some reason it just won't work, which means this chapter was rejected several times. :/

She's very talented and I may have to bother her again in the near future. ;) Thank you for being such a lovely audience. Now lets get to it, shall we?

P.S. Sorry about the wait - I kept having to fix link issues. -.-

Ginnnnnnnna!

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Kirik watched the woman in front of him. He observed the lines of her body and how her hips swayed back and forth enticingly as she moved.

Anatomically speaking, they were quite similar to the women of his kind, just a bit smaller scale. It really would have been a shame to cut her to pieces and, privately, he was rather relieved that it hadn't come to that. What a waste it would have been of such pretty skin.

She was also showing remarkable resilience despite the situation. It probably wasn't an easy transition from freedom to prisoner in so short a time; not that he would know. He began to ponder just how strong she was and, in turn, just how strong her race was as a whole.

From what he'd seen thus far; the human males were pathetically inept. Two had fallen now, with minor effort on their parts. His juvenile brother had brought down an adult who'd been one of their supposed authority figures.

He glanced over at Kael now, who was peering up at the tree tops as they followed the village wall, and fetched a sigh. The youngster was still too easily distracted; he should be keeping a watchful eye on his charge. It wasn't wise to let your guard down around an unwilling captive. And the younger sister was anything but willing.

"Kael," he began.

Kael blinked and turned to look at his brother, eyebrows raised in silent query. Kirik pointed two fingers towards his eyes and then to Andi. Kael's mouth thinned but he nodded curtly and turned to keep a better watch on the blonde girl in front of him.

"We're almost around now and it's still rather early," Anya began without turning. "And it's the middle of the week and snowing, the clearing by the Falls ought to be deserted. We'll most likely be able to cut onto the mountain trail without anyone spotting us."

"How long until we arrive at this wizard's dwelling?" Kirik asked, mulling over what she'd just said.

"Usually it'd take a day or so by horse and cart, but we've neither. I imagine it'll be about three to four days walk - not counting any stops we must make."

Anya glanced over her shoulder and found that Kirik was watching her intently. Her skin prickled and she felt a rush of warmth heat her cheeks once more.

"Your face turns red whenever I study you, woman. Why?"

"I-I guess it embarrasses me. I'm not used to being stared at," she replied, facing forward again.

"Shame makes you turn red, does it? Anger must as well, then. Your sister was angry and grew red when Kael doused her earlier. Do humans turn any other colors?"

Anya thought about it for a moment, "we turn white when frightened. Some people can turn rather yellowish if they are anemic - infants especially - or if their liver begins to decay. And we'll brown when we spend too much time in the sun."

Andi was listening and had to bite her tongue when Kirik called attention to her humiliating ordeal again. Best to keep quiet, she'd seen their savagery first hand and had no wish to be on the receiving end of it. But it wasn't easy.

"What about the spots on her face? What are those?" Kirik asked, pointing at Andi.

Anya glanced at her sister and almost chuckled despite herself. Andi touched her cheek self-consciously and risked a look back. Kirik seemed genuinely curious. Anya nodded at her, encouraging her to respond.

"They're just freckles," she mumbled reluctantly.

"What are they for?" He continued.

"Decoration," she said flatly.

Kirik was quiet for a moment and then said something to Kael. The youngster looked incredulous and then replied, sounding amused. "He told me to tell you that those are the ugliest decorations he's ever seen," Kirik told her.

Andi whirled around, mouth open to defend herself, "yeah? Well you tell him that he's just ugly in general."

Anya covered her eyes with a hand but Kirik merely shrugged and began to speak to Kael. The young male stared thoughtfully at Andi for a moment, and began to reply again; this time staring directly at her.

Kirik grinned as he translated, "he said that quite a few females back home would tend to disagree with you."

Andi glowered at Kael and turned again, unwilling to look at his wretched face any longer. She heard him speaking to Kirik again.

"He wants me to ask you if you are spotted anywhere else on your body."

"That's NONE of his business!" Andi cried, pulling her coat a bit more tightly around herself.

Kael snickered when Kirik translated her words. That had bothered her. He thought about this as he examined her. She was less muscular than the females at home and her bone structure was much more delicate. Powerless, really; she would be useless in a fight. She was also colored so strangely; her skin didn't even have a hint of violet in it. And then there were those blemishes on her cheeks; those were considered adornments?

Ludicrous.

Idly, he wondered what she'd do if he took it upon himself to find out if those speckles were anywhere else on her skin. His small smirk grew a bit wider at that thought. She most likely wouldn't be pleased at all, considering how she'd reacted when he was watching her undress.

The image of her smooth, flat stomach flashed into his mind's eye and he felt an odd tightening in his groin. He paused in mid-step, appearing to stumble and he widened his eyes slightly.

He gave his head a sharp shake, disgusted with himself, and the image dissipated. He could wait for a bit of ass until they'd returned home; where attractive women were waiting for him.

Kirik cocked his head at his sibling, wondering why he seemed so agitated. Kael noticed this and avoided eye-contact. He'd no wish for Kirik to discover what he was thinking about. The ridicule would be never ending.

Kirik narrowed his eyes, "is everything well with you?"

Kael nodded, eyes ahead, "yes. Fine. I'm fine." And he was, except for the small ball of unease that was now growing in the pit of his stomach.

Kirik appeared dubious but said nothing. He watched Kael curiously for a few moments more, when the dark-haired woman suddenly stopped and knelt to the ground in front of him. She appeared to be digging at something.

"What are you doing? We've no time to play in the dirt," he began.

Anya glanced up and gave him a calm stare. She held up her hand, showing him a small handful of long, thin, green stems. "This is onion grass and it's very good for treating colds. Seeing as you think we're so repugnant now, what do you suppose we'll be like if one of us falls ill? It's bound to happen if you keep throwing water on us in this weather."

Without waiting for his response she finished digging up another handful of the wild onion and tucked the stalks into a pocket of her pack.

Yes, they were good for preventing illness, but her real motive was to leave the pile of disturbed earth and snow. Pleased with her creativity, she stood back up and dusted her hands off. That done, she began to walk once again.

Kirik arched a brow and frowned at her back, not much caring for her haughty demeanor. He said nothing, however, and merely started after her once again.

Andi also gave her sister a funny look. Anya usually bought their cold remedies from the market, she couldn't ever remember her digging up wild plants for medicine. Andi wasn't about to question Anya's motives, however, but reminded herself to ask her about it later.

If there was a later.

11.

Anya had been correct. The clearing was deserted. No festivities would be held until the outcome of the harvest was certain. The town wall had ended a short while earlier. Anya led them through the thicket until they were in sight of the road once more.

Upon Kirik's insistence, though, they remained in the woods out of sight, traveling parallel to the trail. Before long, the sound of rushing water greeted their ears. She stopped briefly to fill their water jugs again, not knowing if they would happen upon any streams once they left the river.

She lifted her nose and smelled tangy sea-salt. She smiled faintly, memories dancing through her mind as the scent filled her nostrils. She'd frequently gone fishing here with her father when she had been small. She'd play in the sand and collect pretty shells to bring back to Andi while her dad would patiently wait to catch their supper.

The mountain trail was rarely traveled on any longer, most people preferring to use the Path Through Stone. Chances of being discovered before they got too far away were becoming slimmer.

Anya refused to give up hope, still intent on leaving signs of their passage. Earlier, she'd let her coat snag on some particularly nasty thorn-bushes, leaving a small swatch of material behind. Not to mention a bit of skin. Now, she kicked at a loose-looking rock pile that had fallen to the side of the mountain path, sending small stones skittering over the trail.

She pointed at these, "we have to be careful. No one uses this road anymore and there hasn't been any maintenance done on it for a long while. Try not to knock any boulders loose as we make our way up, and stay away from the edge. There is no safety fence."

Kirik eyed the steep path. It looked a bit treacherous indeed. He nodded and gave her a slight push to get her moving. Anya batted his hand away with a slight huff of annoyance.

"You're being very rude, woman," he said softly.

"You're not much better yourself," she responded coldly.

He smiled in spite of himself and gave her another light shove, "you have quite a large mouth on you, for such a little being."

She shot an irritated glance over her shoulder at him and tightened her jaw, trying not to respond, despite his prodding. She didn't particularly care for the predatory gleam in his eyes as he stared at her this time. He appeared to be sizing her up.

"You have my apologies," she said with some difficulty.

His smile grew wider but the intensity of his gaze didn't lessen, if anything, it grew brighter and sharper. The prickles were back, making her skin feel crawly. She felt her heart beat a bit harder, her body instinctually recognizing the silent threat.

After a moment of consideration, his eyes dimmed and he chuckled softly, "accepted."

They climbed steadily for awhile before the trail evened out. Andi puffed a bit, unaccustomed to such a steady climb upwards. She gave a soft sigh of relief when the ground leveled out and she leaned back against a boulder to catch her breath.

Anya also slowed to a stop and pulled up a bit on each foot, stretching her thigh muscles. She was going to be very sore in the morning. She glanced up at the sky, no clouds. The sun was out and, although still cold, the gathered snow was slowly melting, covering the ground with a thick, slippery slush.

It was nearing late-afternoon and she felt her stomach grumbling, which surprised her. She couldn't remember a time when she'd had less of an appetite. Regardless, they would need to eat soon. She hoped they would find a suitable place to stop before long.

Kirik was also growing rather hungry and tired; it had been an eventful few days and he hadn't had time to eat or sleep for several nights in a row. He began to glance around for any signs of game and told Kael to do the same.

The young male had jogged up and over several large rock formations and was now peering down at the three of them from a small ledge. Andi, keeping a close watch on her antagonizer, had observed his progress with her mouth slightly ajar.

He'd moved as swiftly and lightly over the uneven terrain as a mountain goat would. He noticed Andi staring up at him and he made a face, tossing a small handful of gravel down in her general direction.

She sidestepped these and shot him a frustrated glance, crossing her arms. She moved to join Anya's side when a small patch of melting ice made her foot skid. Her feet slipped out from under her and she landed hard, sliding rapidly off the path towards the edge of the cliff. She screamed and tried to claw herself to a stop but was unable to find a stable grip.

"Andi!" Anya shrieked in horror, attempting to lunge for her sister.

Kirik quickly snatched Anya back by an arm and she rounded on him viciously, biting at him and clawing at his face. He swore and slammed her back against the mountain side, momentarily stunning her.

Kael started at the scream and he leaped off his perch. He landed on both feet and also began to slide over the icy ground. He pinwheeled his arms once, eyes widening in minute surprise, then regained his balance.

Using the momentum to his advantage, he positioned both of his boots sideways and bent at the knees, gaining speed. He threw himself forward the last couple of feet and grabbed her ankle just before she tumbled over the side. He drew a sword with his other hand and slammed it between two adjoining boulders, wedging it securely, jerking them both to an abrupt halt.

He straightened up carefully, lifting Andi back up by an ankle and dangling her in the air in front of him. She stared up at him, face pale and eyes still wide with fear. His mouth thinned and he tossed her lightly into a large snowdrift that had not yet begun to melt.

Anya had shaken off the impact and her struggles increased once again. She finally managed to wrench herself out of Kirik's grasp, raking her nails down his face one last time. She ran to her sister's side and proceeded to pull her further away from the edge of the cliff.

Andi was pale, silent and trembling, her brush with death leaving her utterly terrified. She clung to Anya and buried her face in her sister's stomach, shoulders heaving in silent sobs.

Kirik arched a brow at his brother, who had regained his footing and was struggling to pull his blade free. Finally successful, he examined his weapon for any damage before glancing over at the two women and then at his brother. Kirik was giving him a knowing look, and smiling.

"You said to keep an eye on her, did you not?" He said, displeased by Kirik's scrutiny.

Kirik smiled wider and rubbed his cheek, where the woman had gouged her nails at him. "I suppose I did at that. Well done."

Kael didn't reply and avoided his brother's amused gaze as he made his way towards the females. Anya stared up at him and cradled her sister protectively.

He stared down at them stolidly then glanced at Andi's boots. He squatted and grasped her ankle again, lifting her foot to peer at the soles of her shoes. The boots were well used and the soles were almost smooth. The treading had been almost completely worn down.

He mumbled something, giving his head another shake, and he took a small dagger from the belt at his waist. Anya gasped and Andi glanced up, alarmed, and tried to pull her foot out of his grip.

Kael jerked her forward roughly and gave her upper thigh a sharp slap. She ceased her struggles and watched with wide eyes as he brought the knife closer to her foot.

He made short work of scoring the bottoms of her boots. It may not bring their grip back completely, but they would be better than they had been. Perhaps now she would be able to walk without killing herself.

Andi stared up at him, eyes still huge, not saying anything. Anya silently helped her to her feet and gave Kirik a nervous glance. Several long scratches now adorned the side of his face, one of which oozed that odd greenish blood, and his arms sported several deep bite-marks.

He quirked a brow at her and rubbed his face again, "you attacked me."

"You were trying to prevent me from helping my sister."

"I was trying to prevent you from going over the edge with her, stupid woman," he said rather crossly.

"As I see it, we're square. You attacked us first," she replied, still holding a trembling Andi.

"I let you live - we were even. As I see it, I now owe you one," he said quietly.

Anya swallowed nervously and looked away. Andi continued to gaze at Kael, still pale and shaken. The young male glowered at her, irked, and pushed her down, speaking harshly.

She landed in another snowdrift, and glared up at him. He said something else, advancing another step and she cringed back, shrugging, unable to understand.

"He said, 'the next time your clumsy ass decides to fall off a cliff, don't expect me to intervene'," Kirik translated, eyes still on Anya. "He also would prefer if you'd stop staring at him."

Andi climbed to her feet and crossed her arms, turning away from him with her head held high. "Fine by me."

Kael's expression darkened further and he tightened both hands into fists. He was really beginning to loathe that smug little attitude of hers.

Kirik's ears twitched and he suddenly pulled one of the blades from his belt. In a swift motion he'd thrown it in Anya's direction. She felt the wind on her face from its short flight and she let out a yelp. She looked over her shoulder and saw that it had embedded itself in a large mountain hare that had mistakenly come out of hiding a bit too soon.

Kirik grinned, pleased, and went to retrieve his catch. He stopped in front of Anya, leaning in and reaching past her, staring directly into her eyes. He grasped the handle of the dagger and lifted the writhing creature into the air, watching its death throes.

The impaled, squirming animal slowly ceased its struggles and soon hung limply, eyes glassy and lifeless.

He smiled at her shocked expression, "looks like I caught us some dinner for later."

Still watching Anya, he knelt and slit the dead hare's stomach, letting it bleed out. He shook it a few times, remaining blood flying out and streaking the rocks, and tied a length of rope around its back feet. He attached it to his belt and stood again, grinning in satisfaction. He stared at her expectantly.

Her face was a bit white as she watched him, still unbelieving at how close that dagger had been to burying itself in her, rather than the unfortunate hare. She was certain that he'd done it intentionally, and she shuddered slightly.

His expression became surly, "well? What are you waiting for? Show's over, woman, get going." He pointed up towards the trail ahead.

She jutted her chin out, eerily resembling Andi, and turn on her heel without further comment. She took her sister's arm and led her along the road again, making sure Andi was well away from the cliff. Andi faced her as they walked, her face was strained and unhappy.

"I want to go home," she said dully.

"I know how you feel, Sweet. I do."

"I almost died just now, Anya," she went on, tonelessly.

"But you did not. Try not to think about it," Anya replied, feeling hot tears beginning to gather in the corners of her eyes.

She struggled against them and managed to bite back the sob that was threatening to issue from her throat. If it escaped, there would be no holding back and she would simply break down. She had to remain strong, for Andi's sake. She curled an arm around her sister's shoulders and held her close as the day wore on.