Tearful Reunion

Angela and her centaur group reached the town square to find it completely devoid of any life at all. Not even the squirrels were there – and it had seemed, by way of the random bits and pieces of trash along the side of the road, headed towards one general direction, that the direction was implicative of where the crowd had gone.

Sighing in a reunion that had not quite yet been made, Angela held herself strong and maintained her dignity as she walked through her half ruined town. The damage was entirely the dragon’s fault. And she could feel a not so small bubble of anger coming from deep inside, rising to the surface.

“Did he have to destroy so damn much? This town was historical.”

“Jaer-al-loh has never been good at landing. It’s kind of like asking a drunk man to stay faithful after a big fight with his wife.” Koru-ki-kluio pitched in. “Or that’s what I heard – he didn’t do much landing in the Grayness that we were stuck in for so long. To be honest, I don’t remember much about times before the veil.”

“Understandable.” Angela commented as they made their way down the street. “Can one of you give me a ride, maybe? Pick up the pace a bit?”

“Unfortunately, no.” Dav-ki-bras explained. “We’re not sure what the situation is out of here – will we get attacked? By members of our side? Your side? The wolves? We don’t want you – or us – to get hurt anymore than we are. We heal quickly, yes, but not that quickly.” The others murmured their agreement, and Angela nodded her assent.

“I know. It was a worth a try though. It seems like forever since I’ve seen my husband. I’m sure at least one of you knows how it is to go from seeing someone every day to even just missing a day with them.”

“We all do.” Haji agreed with her. “Alright, proceed carefully. I don’t hear the commotion of battle anymore – but I can’t imagine it’s completely safe. One side had to win, and if it’s not ours, then I don’t really want to rush in singing victory songs.”

“You sound more and more like American movie motivational speeches every time you talk.” Angela said to Haji, laughing. He glowered.

“Thank you, very much. Does someone want to scout ahead?”

“I will.” Dav-ki-bras said before Angela could raise any objections. “I am uninjured, and you are not. None of you are. I will take the risk.”

“That’s fine. You are well equipped for what may well not be a challenge at all.”

“Indeed.” Dav-ki-bras agreed, and strode off quietly in the direction of the police station.

“Why…” Angela pondered as Dav-ki-bras wandered out of hearing range, “Would all this war action and commotion be taking place at our local police station, anyway? Isn’t that supposed to be a safe place?”

“I think that they had mentioned the police station when I was there, what with the whole hostage situation and what not.” Koru-ki-kluio supplied as means of discussion.

“I hope everyone is alright. I wouldn’t want anyone to get hurt.” Angela said quietly as they waited for Dav-ki-bras to return.

“We don’t like to hurt anyone, either.” Haji-ki-toya commented to her, scanning the perimeter for any signs of malicious movement. “But earlier, it was us, or it was them. And it wasn’t about to be us.”

“No, I know.” Angela said. “Self defense is a wonderful thing. I wouldn’t ask anyone to sacrifice their own lives when being attacked like that.”

“I’m sure you make a wonderful wife.” Haji complimented her and she smiled at him, shaking her head.

“I try my best. But a lot of times, I trap myself in a little room and just write, and I keep going. And sometimes, I hate it so much, but other times, it feels like I’m truly going home. I know my characters so well, and the words just seem to be slipping out of their mouths, into my hands and onto the page.”

“Sounds like a lifetime of work. I’ve never been much of a writer.”

“Well, when you tend to write a novel per month, it can get trying.” Angela said, proudly.

“Sounds crazy.” Haji said. The two watched Dav-ki-bras walking back into their line of vision.

“Oh, it is.” Angela’s wrists ached at the memories. She pushed them out of her mind. “Well, he seems to be okay.” She said as he drew closer.

“Yes. He probably would have joined the battle if there was one left to fight.” Haji said, and Angela looked at him.

“He wouldn’t come back and let us know what’s going on?”

“I don’t think any of us would have.” Haji explained to her and shrugged.

“How nice.” She muttered, then greeted Dav-ki-bras with a smile. “Everything alright then? I can see my husband?”

“Well, everything’s not alright, but yes. You can see your husband.”

“What do you mean?” She asked as she and the other centaurs followed him on the way back towards the police station.

“Well, that black sea of oncoming death did make it here.” Dav-ki-bras sighed, then brightened considerably. “But I don’t think the whole ‘oncoming death’ thing played too much of a part in the outcome. Because they’re all dead.”

“That’s going to smell really bad in the morning. Both in camp and here.”

“I’m sure we’ll find something to do with the bodies.” The centaurs burst out laughing at Dav-ki-bras’s remark, grinning at each other. Angela shook her head.

“I don’t want to know.”

“Werewolf flesh is not a bad taste after a long hard day.” One of the others offered above her objections. She continued to shake her head, not bothering to respond.

The police station’s parking lot and the adjacent road reeked. It was as if waves of heat were rising off of the pavement and bringing with them the sights and sounds of burnt flesh and moans of pain. The pain though, sounded human. Angela’s stomach dropped and she broke free off the centaur, who immediately gave chase. She got perhaps twelve feet into the mess before Dav-ki-bras scooped her up and put her on Koru-ki-kluio’s back, who was on the other side of her.

“No. We travel together.” Dav-ki-bras explained as she glared at him. “We don’t know what the dragon missed.”

“It was nice of him to cook it for us, though.” Koru-ki-kluio commented, wincing as Angela slapped the back of his head.

“My husband.” She complained. “Where is he?”

“I think that most of the people were moved behind the perimeter of the battle. If he was here, you’ll find him there.”

“Well, I’m on your back, mister. You better start galloping, or I’m going to start screaming – and no one likes a screaming woman.”

“Just remember.” Koru-ki-kluio said, laughing, as he picked up the pace. “We are always here to make you scream if your husband ever forgets how.”

“Thank you for your offer.” She said drily. “I’ll threaten him with that the next time he annoys me.”

“Good.” Koru-ki-kluio said decisively. He slowed as they approached the line of shields that had been set up outside of the police station’s door. Seeing above them, he could make out the close to hundreds of people that had crammed somehow into the interior of the police station. It was just now that they were filing out.

“I am Koru-ki-kluio.” Koru-ki-kluio yelled as he reached the barrier. “I am a centaur, and I am returning a hostage. I am going to come through now.”

“You’re fine! We have bigger things to worry about.” Koru-ki-kluio saw an EMT yell in response. He called back his thanks and made his way through the barrier.

“I’m going to go look for him.” Angela said, trying to slide off of Koru-ki-kluio’s back.

“Don’t be silly.” He admonished her. “Being on my back gives you an extra foot or two to scan the crowd. It will go faster in this manner.”

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