The Lore Wain and Her Nephew Pt. 32

The moos were right at their heels before the ridgerunner leapt into the air and grabbed a low hanging vine.

Cynthia held onto her for dear life as she could hear the jaws of the toothy cows nipping at their feet as they hung there momentarily.

With a bit of struggle, the female ridgerunner started to climb upward, mumbling a sort of prayer that the vine would hold the two of them long enough to get to a safe destination.

Thankfully, the vine held fast and they reached a treehouse like structure. Once at the top, the ridgerunner set Cynthia just inside the doorway of the house and stepped outside again.

Cy watched as the ridgerunner started take rocks from a pile on her deck and chuck them at the toothy cows below.

"GO HOME, SLOBBERY SPOTS!" She shouted with a hiss.

The cows mooed in anger but left immediately for they hated the rocks pelting them from above.

Once they left, the ridgerunner returned inside and lit a small candle on her short table. It smelled like lavender.

Cynthia observed her rescuer curiously, obviously thankful for the help she received. However, she was still unable to communicate that.

As stated previously, this woman ridgerunner was taller than Cynthia- approximately 5 feet tall. It was the tallest ridgerunner Cy had ever seen. She had awfully fluffy and messy brown hair. Her clothes were raggedy and her hazel eyes looked tired. Instead of her long nose hooking down like Zarabean's, it perked upwards. However, she looked a little younger than Zarabean as she didn't have as many defined lines on her face.

Noticing she was being stared at, the ridgerunner spoke to Cynthia, "Suppose I should introduce myself..." She cleared her throat, "My name is Till. Do you have a name? You sounded... gurgly before."

Cynthia tried to form words but it still sounded like utter gibberish.

"... Hm." Till tilted her head and squinted her eyes as if thinking a moment. Her eyes suddenly became really wide. "Hold on." She got very close to Cy and checked her neck for something. "... That's why you're talking strangely. They got you with a dart, didn't they?"

Cynthia nodded in response but her head almost flung back too suddenly because her neck was floppy.

Till sighed in controlled anger. "Those stupid ridgerunners." She walked to what was presumed to be her kitchen and started looking through cabinets. "Always going around- stupid stupid stupid! I can't... Nooooo, they had to!-" Till ranted to herself in both shouts and mumbling.

Cy took a seat by the small table with the lit candle on it and watched the tall ridgerunner rummage through her mess.

"Ah, here it is." Till said in an almost pleasant voice before walking back to Cy and crouching down beside her in the demeanor Zarabean usually does. "Here, this will help you. Open your mouth, I need to put it under your tongue." She said while holding a white leaf in one hand.

Cynthia looked confused but followed orders anyway, considering Till just saved her life.

Till placed the small leaf under Cy's tongue and had her close her mouth over it.

To Cy's surprise, the leaf completely dissolved in her mouth. It tasted horrible at first but afterwards there was a sweet honey taste.

"You should get some rest while you can. You look awfully pale..." Till said, backing away from Cy.

Cynthia coughed a little bit before trying to reply. "I'm... so tired..." Her voice sounded raspy but at least it was becoming understandable. She could feel her vision and earing slowly getting better as well. "But... My friends... They got shot with the darts too..."

"... They did?" Till looked concerned. "The um... the poison has different effects on everyone... Like how it doesn't harm ridgerunners. But it can have some permanent effects to some that aren't of our kind..." She looked down and then back at Cynthia. "Do you remember which direction you came from?"

"No... but... Do you know where the big apple and cherry orchard is...?" Cy asked with raspiness.

Till nodded with relief. "I know just where that is." She looked at Cy intently. "What's your name?"

"Cynthia." Cynthia replied.

"Well, Cynthia, you somehow managed to make it half way into the forest while loopy. Do you dare to take the trip back tonight?"

-

"The girl is missing now too?" Kinabrick asked, seeming concerned.

"I-I... I turned my back for a moment... I didn't see her go..." Nala said with guilt in her voice.

Alagatha sighed, "Ye had others to help, no one can blame ye for being distracted. This whole thing is bizarre for sure... Ridgerunners that attack people out of revenge... Crazy."

Kinabrick looked toward the back door. "It's pitch black out there thanks to the moonless sky. It would be dangerous to go looking for her and the ridgerunner..." He looked back at Alagatha. "Maybe if I head back now, I can get some soldiers."

"Then what?" Nala asked, "They are many in number. It wouldn't be wise, they know this territory better than most farmers who've lived on these lands for decades."

"Maybe it's best we stay put and... Try to get the others to come to." Alagatha suggested, still holding Nibble's unconscious head in her lap. "Poor Nibble hasn't even opened his eyes once..."

Janner looked down at Nibble. "They shot him twice. He could be out for days..." He sighed. "They know Fangs... They're afraid of them the most. I just hope the poison doesn't kill him..."

Alagatha looked sad at the thought. "No, it can't happen. He's such a good fang! We can't just let him die..."

Kinabrick paused a moment before looking at Nala. "Is there a cure to the poison?"

"Only the ridgerunners of that tribe know the cure... Outside them, no one else knows." Nala stated with sorrow. "The best we can do is make them comfortable and pray they'll survive the night..."

Kinabrick paused again before standing to his feet. "I'm going to stand watch. Call me if anything changes." He said before walking out the back door.

Janner and Nala looked at each other with worry.

"Aye, let's pray." Alagatha suggested, seeing how worried everyone was. "What's the worst that can happen? The Maker says no?"

And so, the three of them began to pray.