Chapter 5: Travel, the journey begins
Valentina woke up feeling all stiff, still not used to sleeping on the hard ground. She sat up slowly, rubbing her neck. She noticed a young girl sitting on the other side of the dying fire. Kit… the name came flooding back to her along with yesterdays memories. It felt like a dream but the small demon was proof enough that it happened. She got to her feet and looked around for the bag with all the food in it. She found it by the small tree near their resting spot. She smiled hungrily and walked over, plunging her hand in and feeling around for something she deemed eatable. She found an apple; it was red and looked like it would have been shiny. Valentina licked the apple then took a small bite. Apparently, it passed her taste test because she proceeded to eat the whole thing, in the same manner.
Valentina chucked the apple over her shoulder. Kit was staring at her, trying to hide the bemused expression forming on her face. She skipped over to her in such a happy manner that if anyone else had done it they would have looked like a complete idiot. She did not. She sat down next to Kit, her tail accidently brushing her face.
“So…” began Valentina “Where are we going? When are we going? How are we getting there? What direction is it? Are we going to meet anyone? Is there going to be demons that we, sorry, you, are going to get? Do we have a goal? How long is it going to take to get there? Are we going by road? If not, what path are we taking? Or are we just walking…”
Kit looked her in the eyes and said in a clear, firm voice “Stop talking!”
“rando-” Valentina cut off in the middle of a word.
“We are going in that direction, and how am I supposed to know the answer to all them questions!” Said Kit, pausing before saying “You can talk again
“WHAT THE HELL DID YOU JUST DO TO ME?” Valentina shouted jumping with ease to her feet, to tower over the still sitting Kit. Kit looked up at her with hard eyes.
Instantly Valentina edged round to the other side of the fire and hid behind the tree that the food bag was leaning against, limply. The apple core was near, covered in dirt, saliva and the remnants of apple juice.
“Um…” she said sheepishly, attempting to look innocent. “I mean, what did you just do?”
“I hypnotized you”
“Oh… Why?”
“Because you were asking too any questions” Kit answered, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.
Kit stood up and picked up her bag. “We should get going” Valentina just nodded her agreement. Kit picked up her bag and started walking, leaving a shocked Valentina standing there. She came to her senses in a small jolt and quickly gathered the remaining items of the camp and ran after Kit, faster then humanly possible. The two of them walked, a small friendship, however small now, was already starting to bubble to the surface. Valentina, even though she had only known her for a day, at most, had never felt this close to anyone. Save her mother.
They continued on their way, Kit in her black boot-like shoes and Valentina, going constantly barefoot or in shoes that looked remarkably like black ballet slippers. Nothing much happened on their way until they saw…
“How dare you.” Said one boy, leaping forwards. The one that he was looking at grabbed him by the arm and threw him to the ground.
“Silly boy. You know better than to attack first. You just proved that I was right. You! Are! Afraid!” he shouted. The boy he had thrown to the ground had gotten to his feet, leaping towards the second boy aiming below the ribs. It was blocked. It was attack, after attack. They were soon both covered in bruises and small cuts, and one was nursing an injured wrist. Eventually they both stood. Kit and Valentina only then noticed two other boys standing a little back. Suddenly the first boy leapt forward and attacked, driving the second towards a steep bank on the edge of the river. The second boy got corned on the steep bank, then, suddenly, grabbed the first and swung him round, dangling the first over the edge. The two other boys moved forward, but they got hit as the boy that had been dangled over the edge got thrown at them. The three of them fell into a heap.
Valentina and kit had stood watching the whole fight, though Kit had wanted to move on, the petty human fights were of no interest to her. Valentina, not wanting anyone to get hurt, made a compulsive move to stop the whole thing. Her foot nudged a rock and it went tumbling into the water with a splash. He turned at the noise and as he did so, the bank began to crumble beneath his feet. A lock of shock passed over his face, the bank gave way, and he fell.
Without pausing to think, Valentina made a running leap across the river. She grabbed him by the arm and her motion carried him to the bank. He twisted in her grip and landed on his feet. The other three boys were running off. He looked up and without a thanks run after them. He didn’t even look back.
“HEY! DON’T I EVEN GET A THANKS!” Valentina shouted after him
