Chapter seven: Links and Meenings

“Darrow are you sure you want to go?” Mallik stood at the entrance to Darrow’s wagon the morning sun bright behind him. Darrow sat at the back of the wagon packing what he would need. “This is a dangerous thing you are doing, you must think this through, you don’t even know that girls name and you are fallowing her and that boy off to who knows where. Why are you trusting them?” ask Mallik sadly.
“I trust her. And I am doing it because somehow I know she is the last person on earth who would try and harm me.” Darrow stood. He had made his decision and had no intention of getting talked out of it. He didn't really trust the girl as much as he claimed but Mallik didn't know that.
The sun capped the peaks as the group struck out from the wagon camp.
“So, how far is this place we’re going to?” Darrow asked turning to the girl.
“Not very far, four-five days”. She glanced over her shoulder with a smile. Staylec frowned.
“You’re going to take us the slow way?” he asked. “Why?” Her smile spread.
“Because if we go the other way, I would have to protect him from the Gralec.” Turning to Darrow she said “Unless you dont mind me melding with you?”
Darrow studied the girl. "What do you mean?"
Silence.
"My mind would bind with yours... I would see into you and you into me...among our people it is considered a very intimate bond, once you connect with someone you always have the connection, you can never undo it. The Gralec has a similar ability to enter another persons mind, he however can invade, strike and leave without haveing any trace connection. Most creatures living in these mountains have some version or another of this ability, it is a benefit of long therm exposure to the stone when its active." Darrow frowned.
" A stone cant be active, its a stone, it isnt alive."
Staylec snorted and mumbled something under his breath.
The girl ignored him. Takeing out the pendant that hung about her neck.
"This isnt stone like what you walk on in the street. It is living. Like a plant." She hummed something softly and a silver light apeared swirling around her hand. There was a tingling around Darrows neck and he reached for his pendant. It was glowing when he pulled it out.
Staylec's eyes hardened but he said nuthing.
“How long does it take if I agree to that? How long to get there?” Darrow asked uncertainly.
“Three days” answered Staylec.
“Okay, I’ll do it” said Darrow. The girl smiled.


The path they followed was no more than a thin animal track overgrown with strange plants of every color, winding its way through the thick growth in such a way as to disorient one after only a few paces. To add to this was the ground. Rocky as it was, the path was uneven and sudden dips in it were many times covered by then mossy webs. All in all Darrow was completely exhausted by the time they made it to a clearing and immediately sat down to catch his breath.
Darrow sat on a long thick, hollowed out log, his hands on his knees, panting for breath. He had been running to keep up with Staylec and the girl for the last 20 minutes.
“How can you two keep that pace and not be tired by now?” he gasped.
The girl smiled, “We do this all the time. We’re going slowly today so you can keep up.” She stated with a shrug.
Darrow rolled his eyes in exasperation.
Staylec sneered
“We are wasting time, we should carry him. It would be faster.” As the last was said, a deep rumble filled the air. The sound resonating from the log on which Darrow sat.
“Darrow, get up and walk slowly over to me” the girl said quietly. The log shuddered. “Gralec is that you?” The sound stopped, and a small head popped out of the logs mossy end.
“Not you again!” The creature spat. The girl smiled.
“Darrow, this is Gralec.”
Gralec stood three inches tall and one inch wide, looking more like an angered chipmunk than anything else. His black-brown hair, slicked back, covered him from head to toe. His beady black eyes, placed close together, made him seem almost cross-eyed. Gralec’s fur bristled.
“Who is this! You would bring a muck piling flatlander here, defiling my home!” Gralec’s eyes blazed. A bolt of pain went through Darrow’s mind sending him to the ground gasping in pain. Amber stepped between the two.
“You should stop now.” The girl placed a hand on his forehead and a wave of comfort came over him cooling the pain in his head. The Gralec snarled.
“ what is he to you?” The girl gave Gralec a meaning full look. “He is a link.” The Gralec froze, all previous anger forgotten. A thoughtful look covered his tiny features. Then quite suddenly he was at Darrow’s side trying to help him up.
Staylec rolled his eyes and the girl stepped forward.
“Will you let us pass now?” The Gralec wiped his eyes and studied then thoughtfully.
“I must come with you.” He stated quietly. Staylec glared.
“You can’t. We need to be fast.” The girl turned calmly to him. “That is not your decision.”

New Chapters from 2012

Hi there! Don't worry I didn't stop writing. chapters 7 thru 19 will soon be up I intend to post at least 7,8,9, and 10 before the end of the week so stay tuned! Once I've caught you guys up with 2012s chapters we can start with some from this year. Thank you for reading and I always love to hear what you guys think of my writing and any interesting twists that I haven't thought up yet!
With Love,
The Dream Writer