Noir Hero part 3
#3 of Noir Hero
Part 3: The Bounty Hunter
There was a sudden noise that filled the air, and dragon roared again, but something was off this time. I opened my eyes to find the dragon had an arrow stuck in its eye. There was another noise and the dragon was struck again in the other eye: leaving it blind. In its pain it had taken its claws and pushed me aside, causing light gashes on my side. I held my side and saw a blur fly through the air. I third arrow had joined its brothers in the dragon's head as it collapsed to the ground in death.
"You, what is your name?" came a voice from somewhere. I looked around but saw no one
"I am Keba. Who are you? And where are you?" I asked quizzically. There was a rustling by some nearby bushes when a tall husky appeared. He worn normal clothing, but at a second glance I noticed A bow on his back and a sheath for a dagger at his side. His fur had a shine to it that made the white on his arms and face blinding, while the black on his head was glossy. The blue on his ears stood out amongst the black and white and where the same light shade as his eyes.
"I tell you my name when you tell me yours." He said with a voice as cold as Steal. I picked myself of the ground and wiped away some of the dirt before I said
"My name is Keba, just Keba. Now it's your turn."
"I'm Sir Milo Smith and you..." He reached towards me and roughly pulled on my collar. He pulled me till we were only an inch apart. From here, I could smell his musk. Call me crazy, but when I stared into eyes, something in them made me hold the gaze, never wanting to break away.
"... are just who I was looking for. " He pulled out a piece of parchment and unrolled it, revealing to me a wanted poster with a sketch of me on it.
Wanted: Escaped slave. Five foot and seven inches tall Wolf with white fur. Slave collar around neck. Is considered to be a violent creature. Return to Flame City Guard Tower if found.
There was a cruel portrait of the front and side of a canine figure that appeared to be angry and craving blood by the cold stare in its eyes. The bottom of the scroll read:
REWARD: 5,000 GOLD
"No! No! No! You can't take me back there! They will kill me!" I pleaded. I tried my best to pull away but Milo held his strong grip. The muscles in his arms bulging ever so slightly...
What am I thinking? This Fur was taking me back to the life I hated with a burning passion. Why was I thinking about him in such away? Milo had pulled a strap of cow hide and tied it around the ring on the collar. He pulled me up to my feet and tugged on the strap; a sign for me to follow. I did not struggle in fear that he would do the same to me as he did the dragon.
"Why are you doing this? Please! Just let me go free!" I pleaded. Milo kept walking straight ahead and simply replied in a voice as cold as the winter's wind
"I'm in it for the money, so shut it slave. Flame city is a week's journey by foot, so until then, I am your Master and should be treated as such." I didn't know what came over me, but I began to ball my eyes out. Milo simply back handed me and told me
"Look, just shut up. I don't want to do that anymore then I have to. Let's just get to Flame city, and get this over with."
I was taken aback by the slap, but I could tell by his voice that there was some form of sadness to it. There was something in his voice that held a truth he did not want to be let know. So I followed him without another word.
We had traveled for three days and I had kept my distance from him. At dusk, I would set up camp, and by day, we would slowly traverse the long path .I would set up his tent at his command and I would be tied to a nearby tree when finished. It was odd. With my previous masters, I would loath doing tasks for them, but for some strange reason my heart would flutter in my chest almost skipping a beat knowing that I was easing his burden. Easing the burden of the one who was taking me back to the life I hated, yet I did not hate him.
On our fourth day of travel we came upon a river. It didn't look shallow but the current was notably strong. We wouldn't have to tread far, a mere fifteen feet, but the dangers under the water were unknown to us. I was to go first and found no trouble at all; I was across in no time. Milo on the other paw, struggled. He would always seem to lose his footing and nearly fall in. It would have been comical if it weren't the last few feet. He had almost gotten the hang of it when he suddenly fell in. His head went underwater and did not appear till after seconds had passed but further downstream
"Help Me!
Time seemed to have slow down to a crawl in my mind. I had a choice to make. Run into the lush forest and hide out again, or dive into the river to save my captor. My life or his death.
I made my decision. I ran back into the river only to find that it deepened quite quickly, forcing me to swim instead of run towards him. I took little effort to reach him, letting the current carry me to him. I grabbed his scruff with my mouth and began to paddle us to the edge of river. I strained my muscles carrying both his and my weight but I eventually make it to shore. I hauled him up first then brought myself out of the river. Milo was shivering and I knew that I had to get him dry and fast. I ran for the woods, but only to grab sticks and branches to start a fire. I return to see Milo curled in a fetal position. I quickly set up the fire and moved him close. I scavenged around his supplies and found a sheep's skin blanket and then wrapped him in it. He is warmer, but I know he will be better in his tent. I hastily start putting it together as fast as I can. Dusk is approaching and the night will only worsen the chill. I went and picked up the huddled mass of shivering wet fur and brought him inside of his tent.
"Th.... Thank you, b-b-bb-b but why?" he asks.
"Because..... Because...." But I couldn't answer. Why did I do what I did? Why save him, if we were only going to take me to that otter. A part of me knew, but did not want to accept it, but I knew it was true. I cared for Milo somehow. That day when he saved me, he was my knight in shining fur. I just couldn't bring myself to tell him, but I had to. While choking back tears I finally said in a faint whisper
"Because, there is something that makes you special...." I turned away from him to not let him see my face, or maybe so I couldn't see his. I sat and waited for him to respond, but nothing happened. I finally turned around and saw him sitting across from me with his maw opened slightly. He looked around the tent as if to find something to change the topic. He finally coughed and said.
"Well umm, look, I am warmer now. Thank you for saving me .You should get dried off, otherwise you will freeze to. I'll start on dinner." And with that he got up and went to his supplies to found his stock of fresh meat, leaving me to my thoughts.
Did I say something I was not supposed to? Should I have just kept my mouth close and say it was my duty to protect. I took the sheep blanket when I realized the Milo had taken the task dinner upon himself, instead of telling me to do it.
During our travels together, I was responsible for cooking the foods, making the camp, and any other small tasks. I wanted to ask Milo if something was wrong with him, but he avoided me the rest of the night. He kept his distance from me; never looking at me or even uttering a word to me. The only thing he told me that night was I could use the blanket and good night. This was unheard of to me. I was left cold in the nights by being tethered to a tree outside the tent.
As I lay down on the blanket I tried to grasp what has happened in this one day. Milo was returning me to my Master in Flame city. He fell in the river. I didn't run for freedom. I jumped into the river and saved his life. He avoided me the rest of the night, but did the work that he usually required me to do.
When I awoke the next morning, I found Milo making a breakfast mix of berries and nuts. He handed me a small handful and returned to cleaning up the camp. It seems that even this morning I was to relax as he did my work. He packed the tent and we were on are way. I was not attached to the cow hide so I was able to walk free by his side. Again, I found myself in a position to run and guarantee my freedom and again I chose not to. I could not leave Milo's side. Some part of me wouldn't allow myself to just let him go. We walked in silence till dusk before Milo finally spoke to me since I saved him from the river.
"There is something special about you too..."