After that emotional confession and heart-to-heart, Savina and I mounted on Rakka's back and began to ride back to town.
Evidently, we came to the forest at a lovely time. The bird's and friendlier monsters were singing, the sun was shining and the weather was nice and mild. A beautiful day for a stroll...of course, I couldn't enjoy much of it due to Voxea singing in my head.
[Des yeux qui font baisser les miens/Un rire qui se perd sur sa bouche/Voilà le portrait sans retouche...].
[Voxea, what the aether are you singing?], I asked.
[Oh nothing. Just an old love song I listened to back in the day], she replied in a cheeky tone.
[A love song? What inspired you to start singing that]?
[Oh I don't know. Maybe because of the spring side of the valley, maybe it's the pleasant weather...or it could be that you and Savina just look absolutely adorable together], Voxea teased.
[Oh hahaha Voxea, very funny. I don't think of her that way and I'm pretty sure she doesn't think of me that way either], I fired back.
[Really? Because Savina looks pretty snuggly napping on your back while riding two-up on Rakka's back with you].
[Hey, it's more convenient if we ride Rakka together as opposed to just walking. He's a giant elk and a single step from him is like ten for the both us].
[Sure sure, whatever you say Sil-],"GOOOOOOAAASS"!
Before Voxea could finish what she was about to say, a powerful roar echoed throughout the forest. Rakka suddenly stopped and a result of the roar and turned his head towards where it came from.
"Mmm? What was that?", Savina grumbled as the loud noise stirred her from her nap.
"I'm not sure. It sounded like it came from the Valley's entrance, but we should probably avoid whatever majimonster can make a noise like that".
"Are you sure? What if someone's getting attacked?", Savina asked with a worried look on her face.
Looking at her concerned face, I couldn't help but grimace a bit. "Okay, fine", I said in exasperation, "Gimme a second, but if I don't hear anything human we are outta here".
I closed my eyes and began to focus my hearing towards the direction of the noise.
The first thing I heard once I focused my hearing, was something that sounded like several hundred feet rapidly stomping one after the other accompanied by a skittering sound akin to metal plates scraping against each other. On top of that, there was a growling sound that made angry bears sound games in comparison. Not a good sign.
The second thing I heard was the sound of hoofbeats from a horse, the rattling of wagon wheels and the telltale panicked screaming and panting of people being chased down by majimonsters. That's an even worst sign.
"Crap, whatever made that roar is definitely chasing down people. Looks like we gotta go", I said before kicking Rakka into a gallop.
_________________________________________
"Faster! Come on Strider, put some muscle into it"!
"Bo"!
"GOOOAAAAASSSS"!
"It's gaining on us"!
At the mouth of Equinox Valley, a bit away from Silvia and Savina, a majimonster-pulled wagon was currently being chased by a giant centipede-like majimonster.
The wagon in question was owned by a Mister and Missus Lobaine, a binder-merchant married couple who were on their way to Onryx to sell their wares and trinkets and buy up new wares and trinkets to sell. The majimonster pulling it was their silver grade Thunderhorn, Strider.
Thunderhorns are, in the simplest terms, large rhinoceros monsters infused with the power of lightning and thunder. They are normally very docile unless someone attacks them, this means, that any binder who has a Thunderhorn as a partner is guaranteed a fierce protector that will gladly smash, gore and electrocute anything that threatens them. However, such brute strength is rendered a bit moot when the monster chasing them is a gold grade Omukade that is big enough to swallow it, the wagon and the people in the wagon.
The Omukade is a mountainous centipede-like majimonster with the affinity of Earth and Fury. Their sizes range from being as small as a hill to being as large as a small mountain. Omukade's normally spend most of their days sleeping,however, they will relentless chase down and eat anything that disturb their slumber. In other words, this couple is doomed unless something dramatic and heroic happens.