Read Online Servants and Followers (The Legends of Arria, Volume 2) by Courtney Bowen - Free Book Online

dumbest.” Oaka
said.
    “… and the oldest
members amongst them.” Fato said, glaring at Oaka now. “That is why
you won’t see me flying around in a flock,” Fato said. “I like to
move fast, and I know that my messages are important enough that I
have to keep myself safe.”
    “ And I bet you that
you wouldn’t even be accepted into a flock if you wanted to be in
one,” Oaka said.
    “ I am a falcon, and a
bird like me gets some of the most important messages because I can
keep myself safe against almost anything, except for some threats
like Black Wolves and humans,” Fato added.
    Oaka rolled his eyes.
    “ I suppose I had not gotten close enough . ” Basha said again to
Fato, trailing off as he rode his horse Talan alongside Oaka on
Joko.
    “ It’s all right,
Basha,” Fato said, looking up at him. “I suppose one day you would
have gotten close enough to hear the sparrows speak.”
    Oaka had walked off
to bring back the horses from grazing, as Fato and Basha had talked
a bit, and he had wondered if Fato was telling the truth. If he
really was a royal messenger bird, if he really did have such an
important message, if … he never did ask any of these
important questions. He thought it was too soon, for one thing, and
he did not want to keep arguing with Basha forever, when they did
have to get going before night fall, because he did not want to
spend any more time near the place where Sir Nickleby was killed.
Especially if the Wolves came back, and … ate him at night.
    Oaka shuddered. He
had half a mind to go back home at this point, but he was
worried ; worried about what Sisila, his parents, and the rest of the
town might think if he abandoned Basha after Sir Nickleby was
killed. Even if he told them about Fato, they probably wouldn’t
excuse him , except for Sisila, of course. Plus, he was afraid of leaving
Basha alone with this bird if … he didn’t know what Fato was
doing. This was an odd situation, and he was determined not to
underestimate the royal messenger bird.
    Plus, he did not want to pass by the
place where Sir Nickleby was killed, and he did not want to face
those Black Wolves by himself again if they were still there.
    The first night
without the knight … they weren’t able to make the 55
miles necessary to reach Coe Anji before nightfall. Their route at
first from Coe Baba had been lined with small farmsteads, but after
awhile, those farmsteads had receded. At night, camping by the side
of the road, especially without the knight, smothered the young men
with forest darkness. Shadows prowled, triggering them to swathe
deep into their blankets as they tried to sleep, and meanwhile Fato
snored high up in the tree.
    “ For a little bird,
he can sure make a lot of noise.” Oaka muttered to himself, on
guard duty for the first few hours as they now watched for Black
Wolves. Fears, however, were usually forgotten in daylight, and
there was no sign of the Wolves.
    When the group got up
the next morning, Oaka remarked to Basha, “I had hoped to sleep in
a warm bed last night . ”
    “ Oh, you really are
pitiful!” Fato cackled, returning with a rabbit in his talons. “You
can’t even stand to sleep on the ground! Now I see you both need my
help!”
    “ What makes you
expert enough to insult us?” Oaka cried. “You’re just a bird! You
probably live in a nest and don’t know anything but this
forest!”
    Basha managed to
control the tension between them, but at least Fato was a good
hunter , that was one point in his favor, Oaka thought to himself as
he ate a bit of rabbit. Fato tore at the skull, and the other bits
of rabbit that the humans did not want to eat, but the falcon did
not seem to mind so much.
    At last, it seemed
that they were getting close to Coe Anji, traveling amongst
caravans of merchants all huddled close together to protect
themselves from petty thieves and bandit gangs, and Basha and Oaka
started getting excited. “Coe Anji, the first town we’ve ever