Sol kneels down and takes up some ashes and dirt into his fingers. Sols sniffs the dirt and then sniffs around the area.
"He's definitely been here... but there was someone else" Sol snarls.
"Has anyone ever told you how ridiculous you look when you track? it's like those old wiki files with the Native American trackers." Nalin remarks.
"Kiss my ass Nalin."
Sol springs up, grabs Nalin and lifts him by the collar.
"You shouldn't joke about the Native Americans... They were lost with most of the other cultures during the Race Wars."
Nalin smirks as he clutches Sol's hand and begins to crush it. Sol winces in pain and flings Nalin away.
Nalin maneuvers in the air, twisting and turning his body to land on his feet. Nalin looks Sol dead in the eyes."You done?"
Sol looks away in shame.
"I'm just saying... you should show some respect."
MEANWHILE...
Ulysses and Audri arrive in a small town just north of the forest. The town is dusty and barren with dirt roads and wooden structures. The moon light only makes the town seem more empty. Ulysses points to a small house at the end of the road.
"That's my house kid, we'll settle there for the night so I can figure out what I'm gonna do with you"
Ulysses and Audri walk down the road towards the small house. Audri looks around as they pass the other homes. He can see people peeking out of their windows staring.
"Where are we? This place gives me the creeps."
"That's not important right now. We won't be here that long"
Ulysses and Audri arrive at the front door and step inside the house.
"But I thought this was your house."
"It is... but I'm kind of like a nomad... I'm always on the move so it's easier if I establish myself in more than one place."
Ulysses puts a kettle of water on to boil.
"Do you like tea?"
Ulysses turns to Audri who is turned away from him and sitting in a corner.
"Kid?"
Ulysses walks over to Audri, who's crying.
"Come on kid... I can't deal with crying... I... Kid..."
Ulysses sighs and Audri quickly wipes his tears.
"I'm sorry... I just... I just can't believe my mother's dead... I didn't want to cry in front of you... I'm sorry"
Ulysses goes to touch Audri's shoulder but refrains.
"I know it's probably hard to talk about it, but I've been meaning to ask you about what happened."
Audri wipes his tears again and looks up at Ulysses.
"why were those men after you?"
"I don't know"
"Well...How did you run so fast"
"I don't know"
"Ok...What did they say to your mom?!"
"I don't know!"
The water starts to boil and steam begins billowing out of the spout. Audri begins rocking back and forth.
"Why did they kill your mom?"
"I don't know!!"
"You have to know something!!!"
"I DON'T KNOW!"
The tea kettle is whistling like a train and the steam is violently rushing out of the spout. Ulysses rushes to the stove and turns off the fire.
"Sorry kid... I don't mean to hound you but for you to be in such deep..."
Ulysses' attention is stolen away by something.
"Did you hear that?"
"I didn't hear..."
"Shh..."
Crashes and screaming are heard outside the house and the smell of smoke fills the air.
"What's going on out there?"
Ulysses runs to the door and swings it open to see the town alive with chaos. People are running around frantically putting out fires and screaming for help.
"Kid... grab as much food and supplies as you can find. I'm going to help them."
Ulysses gives Audri a stern look
"And whatever you do...Don't leave this house."
"But..."
"Just do it!!"
Audri starts running around the house putting food into bags. Ulysses runs out and starts rallying people up to form bucket passing lines to extinguish the fires. The town's people gather and under the leadership of Ulysses, the fires begin to die down. Audri has the bags of food and supplies and he runs up to Ulysses.
"I did what you said"
"Apparently not, I told you to stay in the..."
Just then, two figures appear through the smoke.
"Ossan... I didn't think you'd be here."
Ulysses sharply looks at the man speaking from beyond the flames.
"Only one person calls me by that name..."
Nalin and Sol emerge from the smoke. Ulysses stands at attention then pushes Audri behind him.
"Stay behind me"
Audri's eyes become big and the memories of his mother's death come flooding through his mind. Audri's petrified. He can't breathe and he begins to tremble. Ulysses gets face to face with Nalin.
"What's your deal with the kid? I've never known you to be a school yard bully"
"Strictly business, I get no pleasure out of chasing some kid."
"I see you have a Bestian with you"
"Sol? He's merely the blood hound"
Sol slams his hand against the corner of a house. A large chunk of the house smashes into kindling.
"HEY!! I'm standing right here!! Don't talk about me as if..."
Nalin whips his head around and gives Sol a look with so much killing intent that Sol stops mid-sentence; the shock is felt down through his bones. Nalin looks back at Ulysses.
"I'll be taking the kid now."
"No, I don't think so. In fact you're going to leave this town. You and your pet should just be scurrying away with your tail between your legs."
"Big talk for a has-been"
"You're still as cocky as ever. You won't leave with this kid; I promise."
"You're making a big mistake Ossan, but you leave me no choice."
Nalin cocks back and swings his fist. Ulysses barely dodges the attack but the force alone was enough to knock him back. Nalin's punch hits an adjacent house and the entire house shatters into splinters. Ulysses grabs Audri as he steps back.
"Hey kid, I know you're fast but can you fight?"
Audri is in a daze, overcome by fear, he's paralyzed.
"Great..."
Sol and Nalin stand side by side in fighting position. Audri starts to move and he mutters something. Audri squirms and falls to the ground as his memories flash through his mind. Ulysses tries to snap Audri out of his horrified trance.
"Kid?!"
"We're gonna die..."
"Kid!"
"We're gonna die..."
"KID!"
"We're gonna die..."
"KID!!"
"We're gonna die!!"
To be continued...
NEXT CHAPTER-
Audri's Escape
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