Mystic

Chapter 9

Taryn woke up next to Neve the next morning. She rubbed her eyes, the events of last night flooding back into her mind.

"Did you sleep well?" Neve asked, sitting up as she yawned.

"Yeah," Taryn said, a faint smile on her face.

"Wait a minute, are you-- are you smiling?" Neve joked.

Taryn rolled her eyes. "Yeah, alright? I can smile if I want,"

Neve raised one of her eyebrows. "Alright then, if you say so."

Taryn rolled her eyes again and stepped out of the tent.

Andre and Zeph were already up cooking breakfast, the fire sizzling in the middle of their camp.

"Did you sleep well?" Andre asked, glancing towards Taryn.

"I did indeed." Taryn said, cracking a smile. He smiled back.

"Looks like someone's made up," Neve smirked.

"Something like that," Andre said, shaking his head with a smile. "On a different note, we're running short on food."

"All of it?" Taryn asked.

Andre nodded.

Taryn turned towards Neve. "Is there a Northern controlled town around here?"

Neve shrugged. "Maybe, probably not though."

"We're further North," Taryn pointed out.

"But the Southern army is ruthless."

"There's not one?"

Neve shrugged again. "I don't know, my maps are old."

"Where to next?" Andre cut in.

"Well normally we'd just move on to the next Southerner town and free what prisoners we can, granted our plans have been a little... mixed up since you two arrived."

"Count me in," Andre said.

Taryn spun around. "What?"

"I said count me in," He repeated. "I've experienced the wrath of those soldiers firsthand, I'd be more than happy to give them a taste of their own medicine."

Taryn swallowed hard. The last thing she wanted from Andre right now was to get caught up in a battle with the Southerners.

"I appreciate the thought, I just think--"

Neve's arm gripped onto Taryn's shoulder, pulling her in closer. "We just think it would be great to have you with us," Neve finished for her.

Taryn tried to smile, though her heart sunk in her chest. Zeph caught her looks and gave her a sympathetic smile, something she didn't need from a ten year old.

"Fine," Taryn said. The last thing she wanted to do was lead him on that there was something wrong, especially after last night. "But I want to hit a smaller town first, then maybe we can step up our game,"

"I'll see what I can do," Neve said, walking back towards her maps.

Taryn sat down as Andre continued cooking breakfast.

Zeph sat down next to her, eating some fruit from their diminishing food supply.

Once their food was done cooking, Andre dished up everyone's food and with a limp, walked it over to everyone.

Taryn thanked him as she started eating her food, which consisted of some leftover meat from a couple nights ago and a small piece of bread.

"I think I've got it," Neve said part way through breakfast. Her food sat untouched next to her as she scanned through her maps. "There's a town called Madinia not too far from here, it looks pretty small."