Kalieth and Tasla

Chapter 3 - The Road to Salidar

© Copyrighted by Furryhart 09/02/2014 ©

Warning: This story contains content of a mature nature!

The Prince then sped off towards the caravan and Kalieth look at me and said “Well you said you wanted to visit far away cities, so let’s get moving, my mate.” I strapped down my things tightly on his halter and hopped up on his back and we then sped off westward towards Salidar. As Kalieth passed by our rock, I wondered to myself, if I would ever see it again and rubbed my belly. We traveled far the first day, stopping only a few times to drink some water and eat what food I had on me, which wasn’t much. As dusk approached we stopped by a small pool of water and Kalieth said “Let me try it first to see if it is any good.” I smiled at him and said “You don’t have to be so gallant, my love, I can tell if the water is good or not with this.” and reached into my bag and pulled out a small bottle of powdered senar bone and then collected some of the water in a small bowl. I then sprinkled some of the powder into it and the water remained clear and I said “The water is fine for us to drink.”

He looked into the little bowl and said “How can you tell if the water is good, simply by putting some powder in it?” and he looked at me curiously.” I showed him the bottle and said “When you pour some of this powdered senar bone in the water, it will show you any impurities or poisons in it, by turning a deep red.” He looked at me with surprise and said “How did you learn such a thing?” I smiled and filled my water skins and said “My old clan’s shaman use to teach me many things, when no one else was around. He was the only one there, who felt I could be something special, if given half a chance. When he found out I was leaving, he gave me a scrolls, with many useful things, like this, written on it.” He raised his head, in astonishment and said “You can read, as well?” I nodded swelling with pride and said “I can even write too.”

He looked at me anew and said “You are something truly special, I knew that when we first met and now I’m sure of it. You’re also my rider, my mate and especially the mother of my future offspring and that makes you even more special to me, my love.” I hugged him tightly and kissed him for the first time on his black lips and he touch his lips with his forepaw and said “I don‘t know what you call that, but I like it.” I kissed him again and looked deep into his bright blue gray eyes and said “It‘s called a kiss, it‘s used to show affection to someone you love.” He then gave me a long meaningful lick on my muzzle and said “That’s how my kind show affection to someone we love.” and I smiled, putting my arms around his thick neck and gave him a long slow sensual lick on his big black nose. He let out a lustful growl and tackled me to the ground, moving down between my legs and giving me many long slow sensual licks there. We then made long slow sensual love in the tall savanna grass, as the sun set. The air grew cold, but we were not, making sweet love to each other, as the stars twinkled above the cool savanna plains. We then fell asleep, cuddled into each other’s warm soft furred bodies, full of blissful love for each other.

The next morning we got up feeling hungry and decided to hunt for food. We headed westward and came along a small herd of dromo, a wild woolly creature of the plains, bigger than a senar and more dangerous, with big horns. We stalked them for a while, finding a last, one straying from the herd. We moved up on it slowly and I took aim with my light spear and hit it in the chest, from the side. It ran trailing blood and we gave chase, Kalieth catching up with it and lunging at it, while I jumped off of him, and brought it to the ground. It cried out, as Kalieth held it and I slit its throat with my short sword. It stopped moving, but we now had another problem, the dromo’s cry had alerted the herd and a large male, obviously the leader, came and roared in anger.

I took a stand drawing my hunting knife, also and Kalieth growled menacingly, baring his large fangs. It charged us and we split up, not wanting to kill it, but chase it away from our spoil. It turned to chase me and I turned and ran like my life depended on it, which right now it did!! It’s attention was on me, so it didn’t see Kalieth coming up from the side and then he hit it, jumping on it back and toppling it to the grown hard. It rolled over and laid there breathing hard looking up at Kalieth. Kalieth growl fiercely at him and it then shot up like a light and bolted off back to the herd and I began to breathe again. Kalieth, turned and looked at me angrily and growled out “You must strike faster, the male would have not been alerted to us, if you had just been quicker.” and I lowered my head, feeling angry at myself and realizing he was right.

We could have been seriously hurt, by that dromo male, if he had gored one of us with those big horns. He came up to me and said more softly” Sorry my love, but if you want to be my rider, I must discipline you, as your instructor, our survival will depends on it. You are a fine rider, my love and will be great someday, but it will take time.” I looked at him and said “I know you are right Kalieth, that‘s what makes me angry. I’m trying so hard to impress you, and not taking our training, as seriously as I should. I’m sorry Kalieth.” He put a paw on my shoulder and said “You have taken the first step to being a great Hestari wolf rider. Discipline is the key, you must train yourself, with what I teach you. To hear it only is not to necessarily learn it. It must lived as well, to be learned properly.”

I nodded and said “I will, Kalieth, I promise.” and turned and walked towards the dromo we took down. I could feel him watching me, as I walked away feeling down, for disappointing him. As I skinned the dromo female, I looked at it and realized, this could be me, if I continue try to do things on my own. It had wondered off by itself and now was dead, because it had to do thing its own way. I had grown strong on my own all these years, depending on myself. However, if I had been attacked by these scavengers in the wild by myself, I would be as dead as this dromo female. But with Kalieth’s training and help, we had taken on five of them and prevailed. As I cut up the dromo, I decided to not wind up like her and would take Kalieth training to heart and trust him, truly making him proud someday.

We ate in silence for a time and he looked up at me and said “You are quiet, my love, I have been much too hard on you.” I looked into his eyes and said “No, my love, you are right. If I’m going to travel with you in this world and live to bear your offspring, I must learn what you teach and use it.” He nodded and said “Yes… yes… you are learning, my love, I am pleased.” He smiled and then looked to the west and said” We must leave here soon, if we wish to get to Salidar. It‘s border is still a league, or more away, but we may get close before nightfall.” I got up and stood there by him, looking westward and said “What will we find there Kalieth?” His laughed and said “Adventure galore, my love, more then you could ever want. But we must be on guard, for not all people there are friendly and some might try to harm us. Thieves and rogues lie in wait on the roads and forests to attack the unwary travelers and take their possessions. They also use little females like you for their pleasure or to sell them to slavers.”

I bared my teeth and said “Let then try, they will find their ball lying in the dirt.” Kalieth smiled broadly and said excitedly “That’s the sprit, my love! Now let us get a move on.” I salted and wrapped what meat I could put in my pack, in some tanga leaves. I often kept them in my pack to help keep meat fresh to a day or two. I then tied down my full water skins and my light spear, to his harness and climbed onto Kalieth. He then headed westward and we ran like the wind across the plains and my heart soared, as it always did when we ran like this. We watched the herds of senar, dromo and other plains animals and birds take flight, at our approach. We made good time and by nightfall we could barely make out a distant line of trees. I had never seen so many trees in one place, in my life, as the plain’s trees were sparse and far between.

We then stopped for the night by a wide river that separated us from the forest. I looked at Kalieth, as I dismounted and said “How will we ever get past that.” and pointed to the river. He looked south and said “To the south there is a bridge, over the Emeron River, nearby, guarded by the king’s guard. It will be safe to cross there.” We then sat silently and ate the raw meat that I had brought with us and drank some water, before we finally bedding down for the night. Kalieth looked at me and said “Tomorrow we will be entering the lands, belonging to the King of Salidar. Follow my lead, when in the presents of his guards and especially in his presents, if we ever get that far. Do not take anything that we don’t pay for, when in this land. Keep your eyes open for trouble and do what I tell you to do. I know these lands well and know how to behave and react to trouble in them.”

I nodded and said “How long has it been sense you were last here?” he thought about a moment and said “At least five months or more.” I looked at him concerned and said “What if things have changed, as people often do.” He looked into my eyes deeply and said “Then just simply trust me, as I trust in you, my love.” I smiled and nodded snuggling in him and said “I do trust you, my love.” He got up and laid down in the tall grass and I laid down beside him and held him lovingly. We then snuggled into each other and nuzzled each other, listening to the sounds of the river and a few night birds. I felt safe and warm by his side, but was still a bit troubled about what tomorrow would bring. I wished I could be as assured, as Kalieth was, but an uncomfortable feeling began to stir in my mind, an unknown dread and I fell into a troubled sleep.

I was awaken, sometime in the night, by the sounds of something trying to move silently through the grass, towards us and looked over at Kalieth to find him already alerted, but he remaining very still. It was still very dark and I quietly climbed onto his back and drew my short sword, grabbing the grip on his harness and we waited, silently. I could feel Kalieth’s muscles tense beneath me and tightened my grip on him, as he prepared to leap to the attack. Suddenly, they were on us, but Kalieth sprang forward, knocking one down and trampling it, as he ran over it. I slashed at another with my short sword, felling a warm splash of its blood on my leg, as it cried out. The others were taken completely by surprise, but turned to engage us. Kalieth let out a fierce roar, as he turned to them and some of our attackers fled, leaving only six, to engage us in battle. In the dark I couldn’t tell what they were, but I knew they were not scavengers.

Four of them charged us again, but two held back drawing their bows. I motioned Kalieth to dodge right and an arrow whizzed by my head, but another, meant for his chest hit Kalieth in the shoulder instead, making him stumble a bit, but he still charged their ranks. I grabbed my short bow and quickly fitted an arrow and fire at one of the archers, hitting him in the shoulder, spinning him around. I then held Kalieth, leaning forward against him, as he hit one of the fighters, biting into his throat and dodging a sword strike by another. He dragged its now lifeless body some distance away and dropped it, turning only to be hit by another arrow in the rump. I saw red and quickly fitted another arrow and let it fly, catching the other archer in the head with it and he hit the ground.

Dawn was breaking and the fighters were upon us now and Kalieth battled the large one, while the other two came at me. I dodged the one’s sword strike, but the other tackled me to the ground and held me there. I could see now that it was a coyote and he grinned and said “I’m going to have fun using you for my pleasure, dog.” I grit my teeth, grabbing my hunting knife and said “Have fun with this!” and ran him through with it and then kicked him off of me with my feet. He was flung back, but the other was ready for me and slashed at me while I was still on the ground, I rolled, but the edge of his blade sliced my back, cutting through my leather top, as well. I stood up and my top fell to the ground exposing my soft furry breasts. He hesitated, staring at them and I swung around and kicked him in his nuts, dropping him. I leaned down picking up my top, giving him yet another kick to the head, knocking off his leather helmet and laying him out. I looked at him, apparently a feline and said “Males.” and picked up my short bow and went to help Kalieth.

He was locked in mortal combat with a large bear and they were going at it with tooth and nail. The bear was large, but Kalieth was a fierce fighter and seemed more skilled. I fitted my arrow and was trying to shoot the bear, but they were to close together, to get a clear shot. Then suddenly, I was tackled from behind by the archer that I had shot in the shoulder earlier. He was a black wolf and was very strong and rolled me over and held me down with my hands above my head and said “Now your mine. “I then felt something touch me between my legs and screamed out “NO!!” Then I heard a roar like death itself and looked up to see Kalieth lunge at the bear’s throat and rip out a chunk of it. Blood splattered everywhere and he turned his bloodied maw towards us and I hardly recognized his face, so savage and terrible it was to behold. I closed my eyes, forgetting all about the wolf and trembled, beneath him.

His body was swept off of me and I heard his horrible screams, as Kalieth ripped him apart. I laid there my body trembling with fear, until there was nothing but a dead silence. I heard him quietly approach, but dare not to look up at him, until I heard him say in a gentle voice “Tasla you are safe now, my love.” I looked up and saw, once more, my Kalieth, covered in blood and smiling at me, as if nothing had happened. I got up and slowly looked around and then spotted the body of the bear and the mangled body of the wolf and hid my face. I then heard him say solemnly “The blood fury, inside of me, is a terrible thing to use and I only use it when I have to, fearing it myself, sometimes. But I know how to control the rage inside of me and would never attack an ally or…” and he lifted my head with his gentle forepaw and continued “…someone I loved dearly.”

I then through my arms around him and cried into his bloodied fur and he winced a bit, as my arm brushed the arrow in his muscular shoulder. I quickly grabbed my pack off of him and took out a bottle of junamint, a mild local numbing paste for bad wounds such as this. As soon as I applied it to the wound, Kalieth began to relax and I was able to just pull the arrow out. I looked at it and he said “Don’t touch it… its poisoned. “, and I quickly stuck it in the ground and said “What do I do, I don’t have anything for poisons.” Kalieth than said “Don’t worry, my love, I’m immune to its affects, but it stings quite a bit, that’s how I know it’s there.” I breathed a sigh of relief and said “What about the one in your rump?” He looked back at it, half broken off, but still stuck in him and said “That one‘s not poisoned.” I rubbed some more of the junamint on that wound too and waited for him to relax and then pulled the broken arrow, out of him as well.

As I began to tend to his other wounds I noticed many scars on his body and said “You’ve been in many battles, haven’t you Kalieth?” He sighed, looking at me tiredly and said “More than I ever wanted to be in. Sometimes I grow weary of it, then other times I relish it. But it is part of me and what I am, whether I like it or not.” then he looked at me, while I was tending him and said “The time I spent with you at our rock, however showed me another aspect of my life that I had all but forgotten. I hope to return there, with you some day, raise our children and live out the rest of my live with you, in peace, love and the blessings of Cajha.” Then he looked eastward and said “But first I must make our land safe for us and chase these scavengers back to where they came from. Only then can we find peace there, at our rock.”

I put my arms around him and said “You mean we must make our land safe.” and he laughed and said “Yes, we.” he then put his paw on my shoulder and I was suddenly reminded of the slash on my back and winced a bit. He looked at me and said “Your hurt, let me look.” I turned my back to him and said “It’s only a scratch.” He looked at it and sniffed, saying “The mightiest warrior can die from a scratch, if it is poisoned. However this one is not.” and then he began to lick it clean. I closed my eyes, loving the feeling of his soft warm wolf tongue moving along my soft furred back. Any pain, I was feeling, slowly went away replaced by a warm feeling inside of me, for him. He finished and said “There that should help, it’s not too bad though, but your top seems to be missing.” I looked down at my bare breasts and realized I must have dropped it, when the black wolf tackled me. I got up and went to where he had tried to take me and found it laying there.

When I reached down and picked it up, something caught my eye from where the remains of the black wolf laid. I got up and walked over to it, trying not to look at the body and picked up a piece of his red leather chest plate. To my horror, it was a golden wolf’s head. I ran back to Kalieth with it and showed it to him. He looked at it, then went over to the bear’s body and said “These were the king’s men, but it cannot be, they behaved, and fought like roughs not knights. Something’s amiss here.” That’s when I remembered the feline I had knocked out, but did not killed and said “There is a feline I had knocked unconscious back there, if he has not awakened yet, maybe he can shed some light on this.” Kalieth nodded and I lead him to the unconscious feline, fixing me top, as best I could and putting it back on.