Theo (need a title any suggestions?)

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Thirteen
“You feel asleep this close to danger? You are a twit, Charmaine was right. I need to learn some type of protection to use while I’m sleeping. What if they had gone hunting and found me? I would have slept right through it.” I pause in the lecture to myself just in case the voice wants to jump in.
No one jumps in to yell at me or defend me. I at least notice the head isn’t pounding anymore. “Maybe doing magic uses energy and my body needs to refuel so I couldn’t help it.” I really don’t know this but it makes me feel a little bit better that I have an excuse for falling asleep.
Now that I am awake and my head is no longer thumping I better get off my butt and locate that camp, at least that way I’ll know where they are at and if I’m luck I might be able to snag myself some dinner. Hopefully I’ll be a better thief now then I was in the market place.
I slowly remove the branches from me, pausing ever so often to listen. So far the only sounds I hear are normal night sounds. This time when I hear an owl hooting in the distance I think about Charmaine. I miss having him as a companion even though he was an arrogant bird.
I creep along; the night is dark there isn’t much moonlight to light my way and what little moon there is keeps hiding behind the clouds. I let out a big sigh.
“Shhh do you want them to hear you?” comes a musical voice from the darkness.
I jump a mile high, the only voices I’ve heard in a while is mine and the one in my head. “Who said that? I hiss.
I feel a tap on my shoulder and spin around; no one is there. I feel it again and spin around and again no one is there. “This isn’t funny,” my whisper cracks, because I’m scared.
I feel the touch on my shoulder but instead of spinning around I slap it.
“Ouch, that hurt, let go of me?” I hear a muffled voice come from under my hand. I lift up my hand and there on my shoulder is a very upset Tamekia.
“What are you doing here?” I ask.
“Shh, you want us to get caught? Besides, I’m mad at you, you hurt me!” pouts Tamekia.
“I didn’t mean to hurt you. I didn’t know it was you and you scared me” I put my hands on my hips.
Tamekia is shaking so hard she almost falls off my shoulder. When she finally stops laughing, “it was so funny watching you whip around to see who had tapped you and when no one was there you kept twirling each time I tapped you. Tamekia spins around on my shoulder and starts laughing.
“Very funny! You still haven’t answered why you are here?”
She crosses her arms over her chest. “I’m not talking till you apologize for being so mean.”
“I’m sorry I didn’t mean to hurt you.” I apologize.
“You mean it, you’re really sorry?” ask Tamekia.
“Yes, I am really sorry, it is good to see you. I’ve missed having someone to visit with.” I admit to her.
“You were so lonely that I came to keep you company. Plus you were making so much noise I had to come and tell you to quiet down.” She tells me.
“What are you talking about?” I have no idea what she is talking about. “What noise? I’ve been asleep for the last few hours.”
Tamekia stands up very straight and claps her hands behind her back. “Not a physical noise, a magical one, it is like a disturbance.” She winks in and out.
“A disturbance?” I scratch my head, “I don’t understand.”
Tamekia wink in sitting on my shoulder. “You are dense in magic aren’t you?”
I blink back tears, “Great this is all I need an insult.
Tamekia fades in and out, faster and faster. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have said that.”
I wipe the back of my hand across my face. “That’s okay, I’m just tired, lonely and hungry. There’s a horse here in the forest that for some reason I know I have to help it and don’t know how.”
Tamekia sits on my shoulder with her head held in her hands. I’m sorry too, I forget that unlike me, a creature of magic, you have to learn how to use magic. Let me explain each time you or anyone uses magic it causes a disturbance. Like when you throw a rock into the lack and the waves move outwards. Most magic users know this so they put up shields to stop the ripples. That way no one knows that they are using magic.” She flies a little ways ahead of me.
I look at her and there is a bunch of swirling lights. “Come, follow us. We’ll guide you.” I hear coming from the lights.
We don’t go far before the lights stop and wink out. “Right up ahead,” whispers Tamekia right in my ear. I realize then that they have been with me most of the time. What I thought was wind in the trees was them watching over me.
“Thank you.”
“My pleasure,” she pauses and giggles. “You know, your friends are always here. When you needs us just reach out and we’ll be there.”
A huge weight lifts off my shoulders. I am not alone in this world. I do have friends. I can use my magic to help other and my friends will always be with me. Now find a good place to hide and a plan to rescue.
To make a good plan I need to observe the camp and try to figure out exactly what I am trying to rescue. I wish the voice in my head was back, telling me what to do.”
I sneak up to the campsite; they are all asleep around the fire. Off to the right the horses are tied just inside the tree line. I creep over to the horses very carefully, I don’t want to spook them and have them wake the whole camp. I find a bush not far from the horses and settle in whatever is in the sack is still inside but is no longer tied to the horse. It is between the campsite and the horses.
I poke my head out of the bush and try to get the horse’s attention. He is so beautiful, his coat is pure white and his mane looks like silver flowing. The moon slips out from behind the cloud and for a moment I almost think that he might be a unicorn but I don’t see a horn. His head is down pushing his food around on the ground.
“I wish I could talk to you I whisper to the air. The horse’s head pops up and his ears perk forward.
“Com on, wander over here to the bush and maybe I can get Tamekia to talk to you.” I whisper as I stare at the horse.
The horse’s ears twitch as if he can hear and understand me. “Come on,” I encourage, “look at this nice taste bush, come and try it out.”
“No thank you, those bushes don’t taste very good.”
Why am I always looking around to see who said that? I’m getting a little tired of hearing voices with no bodies attached. I press just above my eyes; there is a slight pressure.
“Between your magic an dine we can talk for a brief time. Your magic is untrained so it is a little unstable but I think we can do this.”
“Who are you and why can I hear you?” I speak quietly and think it as hard as I can.
“I am name, elvensteed to Graydon. The horse is looking straight at me.
“That doesn’t tell me much,” I think looking right into his eyes. “Except that you belong to an elf.”
“I don’t belong to anyone,” () throws his mane. “We don’t have time for this right now. I don’t know how long you’ll be able to hear me so listen carefully. In that bag is Graydon the elf I am with. We were on a mission when these men caught us. We have to get him out and away from these men. They also caught a cat who you must also rescue.”
“Excuse me,” I interrupt, “why do I need to rescue a big cat? Why not leave him to the men and maybe they won’t chase us.”
“No way,” Graydon stomps his foot and shakes his head. “The cat is a lynx.”
“Even better, they are so rare that the men will want to protect it and we can get away.” I argue.
“This isn’t up for discussion. The lynx is a keeper of secrets and has the knowledge of lost magic.” All is quiet. The elvensteed is still staring at me but I can’t hear him.