Chapter 7 - Only an Hour Away

Ash took off in a sprint, trying his best to keep Rasp in sight. He couldn't afford to fall behind.

But the dragon had only ran a few dozen yards before coming to a halt at the edge of sunlight, and Ash immediately caught up. He bent over, gasping for breath, a sudden and unwanted cold sweat trickling down his temple.

"Thank the gods," he panted, wiping his brow. "Please don't do that to me, ever again. Please!"

Rasp, however, was utterly indifferent to Ash's struggle. His snout was raised high, nostrils flaring as he followed his nose, right around a thick tree and out of the boy's sight. Sniff-sniff-SNIFF?

Ash started making his way around to see what had interested Rasp. Only to walk into a thick, sickly sweet, putrid stench. Accompanied by a dark cloud of buzzing flies disturbed by his partner.

GROSS! What the hell!? The boy recoiled back, his nose wrinkling, and he gagged involuntarily. "Ugh, Rasp, WHAT did you find!?" Pinching his nose, he forced himself forward. He rounded the tree and finally saw what had drawn Rasp's attention.

A dead man!

OH CRAP! “Oh crap!”

The forest, a place of adventure, all of a sudden seemed to loom in oppressively around Ash. He felt his skin crawl as he nervously scanned the surrounding area.

The body was that of a lean man clad in leathers, lying face-down in the dirt, limbs askew. An arrow jutted from his back. Rasp was curiously snuffling around the body, his slitted eyes glinting.

Panic seized Ash, and he hurriedly backed away, calling for Rasp to follow. "Come here, Rasp! Get away from him!"

When Rasp obeyed, Ash wrapped his arms around the dragon's scaly neck, seeking comfort in the warmth of his partner. He took deep, calming breaths and tried to rein in his rising fear.

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Slowly calming down, the boy cautiously, Ash took another look at the body. It was clear, upon closer inspection, that the man had been dead for some time. Just from looking at the arrow wound.

The bloodstains look old. He knew all about bloodstains thanks to cleaning Rasp's trough. Whoever killed him probably didn't stick around... Probably?

Now Ash found himself torn between fear and curiosity. He knew he should be afraid, but he couldn't help but want to see. To see the man's face. Drawing his knife, he roughly hacked off a low-hanging branch from a nearby tree. Summoning his courage, he approached the body and used the stick to roll it over.

The boy snapped his mouth shut and fought back the urge to vomit as a black swarm of insects again erupted from the disturbed flesh. Peering at the revealed face, Ash then felt a wave of horror and his gut roiled. He recognized the man.

Is that Vickers?! Oh god, it is...

The man was Vickers, one of the scouts who patrolled the woodland area between the fort and the nearest towns. Ash had been required to meet with all of them before these assigned forest excursions, to eliminate possible confusion if they crossed paths in the woods. And Vickers had been nice enough, if a bit gruff.

And now he's dead... Refusing to vomit once again, the boy turned and dashed away from the clearing. Back to the moss-covered boulder. Rasp emitted a confused raspy growl and then followed, to nuzzle at the boy.

In fresher air away from the clearing, Ash began to heave. Despite knowing and wanting to be stationed at the frontlines eventually, he'd never pictured the death of a fellow soldier. He'd always imagined rows of enemy fallen, laid low to his and Rasp's power.

Not someone he knew. Even if only by name and rank. And not even an hour away from the fort.

Only an hour from the Skyfort?!

Ash straightened up in shock. Duty then took hold, and he began scrambling his way back to the creek. Rasp sensed his urgency and followed closely.

By the time he returned to the water, he'd picked up a few scuffs and bruises from unfortunate tumbles thanks to his frantic pace.

Allowing himself and Rasp a short respite to drink, Ash then pointed to the sky, his voice resolute, "Rasp, into the air. We need to go now!"

Rasp, sensing the boy's urgent tone, didn't need any more encouragement. The dragon launched himself into the sky on dark wings, while Ash did his best to speed along the slick and rocky creek bank. A mix of fear and determination was driving him to push forward. Despite his desire to go faster, it was only once he set foot back onto the road, was he finally able to fall into a full uphill run.

The Skyfort was within sight, but it suddenly seemed like he couldn't arrive quick enough.

The commander needs to know!