Chapter 4-4

“Hello again, Zakhin'Dakh,” Garkhen said, as he approached.

The griffon raised a talon and shook it in what seemed to be an attempt at a wave, combined with a screech that sounded friendly. Seeing this, Almonihah snorted in bemusement.

“Well, we should get moving,” he said. “I'll saddle up Zakhin'Dakh, and we can go.”

Soon enough they were in the air, flying to the northwest. Soon signs of cultivation and grazing grew thin, and the land grew rocky and mountainous. 

 

So what look? Zakhin'Dakh screeched.

Almonihah, precariously positioned behind the saddle, replied, “Don't really know what we're looking for, Zakhin'Dakh. But not many good people around here.”

So people bad if see?

“Should at least check 'f we see someone,” the half-dragon agreed. 

 

“We would not wish to be hasty in assuming ill intent,” Garkhen cautioned, “But it is true that anyone seen this far from civilization would be suspicious. Certainly it bodes ill that they are traveling towards the Madlands.”

Almonihah grunted. “Where else 're you going t' go with a stolen chaos artifact?”

Garkhen nodded. “The only question is if they are in control, or if it is influencing them. Either way, we must stop them as soon as possible.”

They flew for a time without seeing anyone, in spite of three pairs of eyes searching. Finally Garkhen sighed.

“We may well have missed them—northwest is a very general direction, is it not? It seems unlikely they would have traveled this far.”

“'less they used magic,” Almonihah growled. “Wizard could get pretty far in a day.”

“True,” the other half-dragon agreed. “It seems we again must hope that the Archivist's team can give us more direction.”

Almonihah was silent a long moment, head-frill stiff. Finally he muttered, “Don't like waiting on them. Don't know which ones t' trust. Let's keep looking.”

“Of course we shall keep searching for so long as Zakhin'Dakh is willing to bear us,” Garkhen replied.

Zakhin'Dakh shrieked a happy agreement.

*****************************

Late. Bed. Good night.