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~ Storms are furious and wild. There is no way to stop them. Not even if you run and shout into the eye with as much ferocity as a lion's roar. ~
Bast had pulled from his great collection a map; one from the days of his former care – giver, for magical cats in this world were not regarded as pets.
To this, the map spoke of a set of caves where a magical, nomadic creature dwelt. One that sprouted hairs so very fine and a tail that was no match for the flies to surround its dung. As unappetizing as this all sounded, the four travelers now had a plan, and off they went into the desert as the sunless hour led them deeper and deeper away from any hope for survival…
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The chasm was wide enough to find a way to the other side; even in darkness, the group traveled deep within the walls of the sacred cavern listed on Bast's ancient map. The buzzing locusts had let them be, thanks to a sandstorm that The World had decided to whip up, with its intentions far too unpredictable to time their escape all that well.
Riley spat out some more sand from his lips. He'd not gotten every grain out as the caking taste of grit made his mouth dryer, somehow.
Lily did not seem to have this same issue. Her civilization had found shelter in the desert, as if a second hide away from those who would do, she and her family harm. The desert was a wild mother and brother of the earth, so it had to be respected as such.
Wodin and Bast did however, not fare any better than Riley. They were not born necessarily of the rural parts of their worlds, where sand covered their hands or toes on a daily basis.
~I've heard of such storms, yet I have. ~ Squawked Wodin, as he hopped on ahead and hovered on and about while the group walked. He could not fly; it was too dangerous with these closed - in spaces being too tightly knit to attempt for the mysterious crow.
~I've lived through them, when my former friend of the southern tip traveled by caravan with his belongings from a long trip during the trading season. I was in the back of his carriage that day. ~ Bast stretched out his legs and then continued on with the group quickly.
"Your friend was a Creator, like me. Wasn't he?" Riley asked the cat.
~He was a magical - person. ~ The cat twitched its whiskers in thought, "Though, I refuse to label the man as having the role of a real Creator who was chosen by The World to protect it. ~
"Wait, what happened to him, then?" The boy stopped and waited for a reply. What would happen if he….Stayed?
~Well, from what I did gather of his story, he lived a long fruitful life, and then died. ~
"He, didn't get to go home?"
~Boy, you'd want to die IF you did. Why would you want to live a life unlived as a purposeless, whelp? Such as we all are to this, World? ~ The cat sniffed at the teenager.
"That's my choice! The world is kidnapping people like you, and Lily –
Bast meowed in his discontentment. ~I was already here! How dare you call me a victim, when you –
~Stop it! ~ Lily covered her ears and looked all around, at her companions and the walls of the cave.
~ Our task has already started. We cannot turn away now, knowing this. ~
~ Lulit! I am sorry fore this duo of bone – bodies! They wobble about, yes, they do! ~
~ And birds like you, cause enemies like the locust clan….to have the upper hand in FINDING our location! ~ Snapped the cat with a hiss at the black bird poking at his fury rump.
~ Skwaaaa!! You are just rushing to get back to your blue, puffy clouds and favorite pillows, kitty! ~
"AAAH! I can't do this!"
Riley ran away, this time to where the clouds had come about to rest lower, thick with sand and more grit, as this was no storm, but a wall of sand.
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~ Riley! ~ Lily dashed along until she screamed, her skirts pulled by the swish of a dust cloud from below her feet.
Darting along, Bast reprimanded even then, the crew for not keeping to this poorly written script.
~ We've woken a swarm! The humanity – should it ever be enough!? Quick! Sacrifice the feather – spewing one! He looks tasty –
Wodin bunched up his sandy plumage. ~ WA – Waa?? I am not edible as you…. you…. are as plump as –
~ We must run!! ~
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Even Riley saw that phenomenon his feet were slipping, sliding inward as the sand was quicker than he had allowed himself to have been. The World truly had what it wanted in mind, and Riley could not run from his fate. Nor could the three at his side.
He wanted to go home. His companions wanted to tag along.
Riley was surely stumped as he dragged along back, trying to fight the sandy whips to reach for his comrades' arms. He however had not made it in time, as this world was soon swallowed up.
Never to return to what it was before.
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Lily was crying, Bast had the map and was trying to stop Wodin from snapping at his sensitive ears.
Riley was sitting on a mound or a rock, with the caverns not yet far in sight.
The World….
Had sent them an hour backwards???
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~ The World is mysterious, yes! ~ Wodin nodded, bobbing his birdy head while Bast rolled his two multi – colored orbs. ~ We went through a warp, a time spell…could be due to the World's intention of prolonging your suffering. ~ Snickered the cat as he put his paw back onto the weathered parchment.
~ My old master wizard's relic speaks of a pass…yet if we should find the inhabitants of the rock there…~
~ Dwelling, within? ~ Lily gulped. ~ Are these creatures who live in this desert, hospitable? ~
~ No. ~ Bast almost said it immediately. ~ These creatures like to suck you dry, of thoughts. They are called Drone – Hornets. Or, something. A small few still exist, yet their clan is nomadic as our dromedary target. ~
"So…do we just, ask if we can go inside?" Shrugged Riley, a bit bothered by this new "boss."
"Do they have a queen or a hive?"
~No, as I said, boy…they travel and cannot be still. They have wings and see to only their needs in this WORLD. ~ The cat rolled up his map and sighed at the group. All three others looked to one another, then back to Bast. "We have to try. If we don't, I won't ever get home or do what the World wants…. we could be punished! And Lily; you wanted to know how you got here too." Riley reminded the young girl.
~ I do, yet this world protects us from harm." she wondered, "Could it then not keep those ugly insects from our path that leads to the caves? ~
"Unless it wants to test if we'll survive…" Frowned Riley with a pause. "Wodin? If you can get some air, maybe you can see over the cliff to see if we're on the right path."
~ The winds would hurt my delicate wings. ~ Replied the pampered black bird. Raven, crow…Whatever!
"You could do it!" Riley egged the bird to consider, though Wodin only put up with him. He really did not like the boy, period.
~ He won't. ~ Bast understood the game and played his part very well. ~ Because his feathers keep him looking precarious and vulnerable. Oh, he is not an eagle – He'd never… ~
~ I'll go!!~ The bird sounded, irritated for being called marshmallow soft.
Lily giggled and Riley nodded to the puffed – up being. ~ Then, we might just see the next road ahead if we can see. Be our eyes, soldier!"
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The bird flew up and up, until his wings touched tufts of white. Swooping down low, rainy bits fell upon his companions' shoulders. The draft was quick and swift as he, as the bird landed atop a sharp rock, pointing out with his wing to the path that would carry them away from their current rut.
~ Here we can go, I can see on ahead now. The World does not complain. Come! We must be quick! ~
Hurrying on after the bird, Riley was first to stop dragging his feet.
"Don't go on too far ahead!" Riley panted, and by that time they were already over the hump.
Yet, not past the hive mind.
Lily had to look this way and that. Enclosed between themselves, the sandy walls and the pass was shadowy corners where anything could come and attack.
Riley gingerly stepped, and as he did, he could feel a strange vibration under the places his sneakered feet touched.
Bast hissed as a feeler and antennae bothered to brush past his tail, the bird squawking and laughing at the cat's scrunched face in heightened recognition. This had to be the place they'd gone to and had narrowly escaped from.
Not at all the "bees – knees.
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Riley fumbled back, the snickering and vibrations and buzzing growing and growing loud as a motor car now.
A cycle, not like the vehicl…
Riley blinked, remembering something from his former world.
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~ Kid! Kid? Can you hear me? Help is on the way, don't worry. We've got you...just stay with us… ~
Sirens had sounded that night. Lights, flashing back and forth. A crying face beyond that troublesome blur as night became empty space for the one dreaming such dreams…
~ I needed to run, proving that I was going to be better off without them in my life. ~
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~ Riley! Help! ~
Lily called out this time and he heard, dragging his feet and dodging a stinger before it could leave him dinner to two rather large wasps.
Digger wasps, hornets.
~ Eh, is this is the guy the big boss upstairs told us not' ta eat? ~
~ Yeah, but he sure is skin and bones! Does he even look like a human to you? ~
Two, just two. A Ben and Jerry pair of nimrods who had decided to dig their way up for a late night snack.
Well, this was it.
"I, have to draw." Rasped Riley, and Bast overheard.
Then, try! ~
~ Try? As in, to take a bite outta' you?? ~
Riley thought. They'd be dinner for these creepy bugs…he had to try…to make them change their minds.
~ Actually, we are on a quest. ~ Riley began. ~ The World, your boss and mine, told me to "pluck" some of the hairs off of a magical camel's tail from those caves up ahead so I could make a brush out of them. You see, I'm what the World calls…A Creator! ~
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The bees looked at the boy, then his friends. They looked at one another, and then began to laugh.
~ Oh, oh so you got a magic power and you are supposed to "create" some big thingamajig out of sand? Here? You think we don't know about your –
~ I can make you anything you want! ~ The boy sputtered. ~ If I finish making the brush, if you let us all go past your caves and come back, I can create anything you want. I'm supposed to have my wish granted to go back home, then I won't bother you guys ever again. I, Promise. ~
Bast let his ears fold back into his skull, as the one hornet on the right thought about the idea of having a human genie to tap on the shoulder whenever they got bored. Or, hungry.
~Humm….. Neh, but we will keep you to grant us wishes once you finally let us eat your little buddies over there. ~
~ I taste terrible! ~ Bast shot out loud to the barbaric raiders. ~ Would you like to choke on my little bones, winged brutes? ~
~ Get em! ~
~ I have to draw! ~ Riley raised his finger, the sands rushing quick round the space as a spiral of it began to dance below the travelers' feet.
~ Riley! This has all happened once before. ~ Lily told his with a gasp.
Riley lowered his hand, knowing he had to…to….
~ Can we eat your little buddies, now? ~ The mouth pieces of these creatures were the end as Riley awaited the outcome with eye squeezed shut.
~ Caw, back at you too! ~
Riley opened his eyes, to see Bast and…and Wodin!
Working together.
~ They are fending off the scavengers. ~ Lily came to Riley's side as their animal allies indeed startled and clawed and bit at the bees' tough exteriors. The bees hated confrontation, letting their mighty tears gather in a pool as the sands beneath them became quite soggy.
The hole they'd dug was their own as the bees had no place to go while the world refused to let anything but gravity, take over.
Riley carried a wounded Bast, while Lulit did the same for her dear Wodin.
Together, the four dashed off towards their exit. Their only exit, as it led to a uniform number of caves to crawl into.
~I…Think…~ Riley felt dizzy, yet thirst here was impossible. He looked down and saw that he was not well.
A bee bite from before as his body swayed upon entering the dark, dank passageway.
Lily cried out, but it was already dark enough to go back to sleep.
And so, he did. For a little while.
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