Norbert saw Azalea move, reaching out and holding her steady so she would not fall Norbert realised she was finally conscious again. Worried at how long she was out of it, the sun setting in the sky.
Azalea looked towards Norbert feeling the bandage wrapped around her head. "What happened?" she asked.
Norbert looked into her eyes, making sure nothing was off about them, that they were focusing on him and working as needed. Nodding his head in approval, Norbert recounted, "Wasn't able to make it over the ravine, hit the side and tumbled. You must have hit your head on something. Carried you out of there and stopped when we were no longer being chased. I placed you in the tree branches so at least I could see if anything came."
Azalea just nodded, wincing slightly from the movement; Norbert turned around, looking once more out over the horizon. "We'll stay here for the night. You need rest, and I don't want to be surrounded by raptors with only the moon's light."
Azalea, not putting up any resistance, started rummaging through her bag. Taking out some biscuits, she nibbled on one; Norbert opening his own bag and joined her in the meal. The two ate in silence, only the munching being heard. After placing the items in her bag, Azalea rested her back on the tree and closed her eyes.
Norbert watched her as the sun went down and the moon rose. The rays of light coming through the leaves and lighting her face up, Norbert could see the movement behind her eyelids; hoping that she wasn't having a nightmare, Norbert turned around, looking out into the night as he flipped a coin in the air, guessing what the outcome would be.
Thinking about how he could evade the raptors at the end, being shown the path out of there, Norbert thought back to the golden trail. Flicking the coin up, Norbert asked, "Luck, was that you today or something else?"
Waiting for a response, Norbert held his breath, ready to hear anything. Having no response, Norbert thought about the coin. Would Luck be able to talk through this anytime? Wondering about the actions of a god or gods always watching over his back, Norbert shivered, nearly losing balance as he grabbed onto the branch, calming himself with breaths.
Knowing that if he were being watched, he wouldn't be able to do anything regardless, how did someone stop a god of all things? Norbert was having enough trouble with ordinary things, let alone great things like this.
Shaking his head, Norbert held the coin. "Heads, it was Luck directing me, tails, it was something else", Norbert whispered, not wanting to wake up Azalea. Breathing again, Norbert flicked the coin in the air, seeing it flip around. Instinctually reaching out when he caught it, Norbert palmed it to the top of his other hand. Looking back on the side was the queen's head.
Shaking his head, Norbert looked at the heavens and the stars he could see, imagining Luck looking down at him from her window, smiling and cheering him on. Wanting to confirm it, Norbert asked, "If it heads or tails, then you can't hear me Luck, if it lands on its edge, then you can", Norbert said as he flicked the coin in the air.
Knowing that it would be impossible for the coin to land on its edge after him palming it to his other hand. Catching the coin with his right again, Norbert placed it on top of his left hand, feeling it flat against each other; it must have been a coincidence then.
Norbert moved his right hand up, revealing his palm with nothing on it. Flexing his right hand, Norbert felt the coin drop onto the back of his left, standing perfectly on its edge for a second before Norbert moved his hand and rolled off.
Placing the coin back, Norbert looked around, feeling like spiders crawling up his back as Norbert reached behind, trying to scratch them off and calm himself down. Looking up at the moon, Norbert whispered, "Guess we have more to talk about"
A mote of golden light came fell from a leaf, resting on Norbert's nose as he tried to look back at Luck, who he believed was staring down at him.
***
Light once more came up over the horizon; Norbert looked across and saw that it was the flat plains he had been looking at for the past several days. Turning around, Norbert saw Azalea awake, having gotten her book out and reading it. Looking up from her book, she snapped it shut, placed it in her backpack and jumped off the branch.
Norbert also jumped down, his butt grateful for not being sat on anymore. Norbert swapped his backpack around to the front.
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"Didn't know you were a follower of Luck?", Azalea said, surprise hinting in her voice.
Norbert turned around, staring at the woman before him. "What do you mean as a follower?" Norbert questioned.
"Heard you were whispering to her last night and flicking your coin in the air", She responded.
"And why would that be something strange?" Norbert asked, feeling like he was getting into more trouble by the second.
"Well, it's related to you winning big at the casino. Many people have tried before to increase their luck and win big, all getting caught on the way, either at the gate or being taken in custody while playing. But you were able to come out unscathed with enough silver for all the scouts."
Norbert scratched his head. "Well, I did get caught when I went back there, cause a big stir for a night then", He said, not even thinking about its implication.
"So that was you?" Azalea asked
"That was me what?" Norbert responded, not connecting the dots.
"You were the one that caused the casino to go on a manhunt all across the city", Azalea said, Norbert nodding in return. Continuing, "And you even got out with the coin?"
Norbert just nodded again.
Azalea began nodding, lost in thought. "So you were why Dousan didn't want anyone talking about it." She supplied.
Norbert looked shocked that they would be sticking up for him, not like Martitia said otherwise. "But enough about that; you said we are on the other side now?" Azalea supplied.
Norbert just nodded as he looked around. "Yeah, same on this side as the other, a couple more raptors milling around, but other than that, as empty as before."
Azalea nodded as she looked around, trying to spot something Norbert couldn't see. With her mind made up, she pointed in a direction Norbert assumed, heading to the right of the ravine. "That way?" Norbert asked.
Receiving a nod in return from Azalea as she jumped on his back, the two of them headed off once more, Norbert flying across the land.
As Norbert continued going through the grass, not seeing anything in sight, he wondered what the village they used would be set up here for. He had seen nothing that he could see, no mine, mountains, forests, or animals. Just the endless plains and the raptors; thinking he would ask Azalea on their next break, Norbert continued going forward at his steady pace, not pushing any energy into his body, going at a constant run.
Over the next few days, they continued in this pattern, Norbert finding out that on the other side of the village were fields of grain, easily used and planted on the flat fields. The villagers would usually also go and hunt the raptors when they were in single packs, importing out their scales to support them.
However, the raptors' sudden disappearance caused the first outcry before they started attacking the village enemas, with Norbert knowing the rest when he arrived there with destruction all around.
Going closer Norbert to the ravine, Norbert saw what he had found before, the ravine splitting even further apart here, going deeper and deeper into the ground, now able to run across the edge without getting spotted, as no raptors stayed on the sides of the ravine looking out.
Curious at what caused the split in the earth, Norbert continued forward, Azalea not saying anything about his curiosity about what did it. Norbert found some mil lying about as he continued to run, thankful the first time he saw one lay an egg. Thankful that there wasn't another queen somewhere they would need to deal with.
Continuing ahead, they camped out at the ravine edge, becoming more like a canyon as Norbert looked far below, seeing the raptors slowing down during the night. Thankful that they wouldn't be as active at night if attacked.
Though this was diminished by the worry of the sheer amount, having run for an entire day next to it and seeing no stop to them, wondering if even the traps set in one section would be enough against this wave, shaking his head and leaving it to the experts, he was just a scout who did not need to worry; he just found information and headed back.
During the night, Azalea rested sleeping on the ground, Norbert just stretching as he stared up a the sky, counting the numerous stars in the sky, not becoming familiar with their pattern after watching them for so long.
Gazing at the stars, Norbert saw something cover them, dismissing it as a cloud. Norbert continued to watch the sky.
CRASH
ROAR
Norbert whipped his head up, Azalea waking up out of her sleep. Norbert looked up ahead, in the moonlight of the waning moon, a creature diving into the canyon ahead of them. Only seeing a shadow move and the cries of the raptors bellow, the snaps of their bones being crushed before being eaten.
Reaching into his bag, Norbert fumbled, looking for a torch he had kept from before, wanting to glimpse the creature causing the panic. Finding one, he held it out to Azalea to light; seeing the torch before her, she shook her head. Norbert waved it out again, wanting to catch a glimpse before they rushed out.
Finally relenting, she held out her hand as it lightened up; now washed in light, Norbert threw it, wanting to get rid of it immediately. As it flew through the air, Norbert caught a glimpse of a giant black bat covered in fur, and its bright red eyes looked towards Norbert in the dark. Hearing a screech from above, Norbert grabbed Azalea, placing her on his back before he sprinted away, using the canyon as a guide as he ran as fast as he could.
CRASH
Norbert quickly looked behind him as the torch fell to the bottom. A second creature landed where they were standing before it dived into the canyon, chasing after the raptors inside.
Not turning around again, hoping a third wouldn't be following him, Norbert ran throughout the night, jumping over to the other side of the canyon on a narrow section, Azalea pointing him in the right direction towards the town.