Chapter 32: The Nesting Grounds

“It looks like our next destination is the East Scarlet outpost,” Rose said as the wagon carried them along.

The group was in high spirits due to their accomplishments so far. Cole and Kali had the additional mood boost of being in each other’s company for the trip. Rose was happy for them. With the weather being a bit cooler, Rose decided to wear a light robe to keep the chill off of her skin. The delight of being naked was still ever present, and she intended to enjoy it as much as possible, knowing that the opportunities would be minimal back in the capital.

As night came and they made camp, the warm fire reminded Rose of her night with Oakley. She could still feel the minor aches where he thoroughly planted himself inside of her. Like Elliot and Ivan, though, her time with Oakley was nothing more than temporary pleasure. She pushed the memory from her mind and focused on the upcoming assignment. The East Scarlet Outpost was a small fortification that housed some soldiers. Rose’s goal was to assess the fort and determine if additional troops, supplies, or upgrades were needed.

They broke camp at daybreak and continued toward the outpost. It was a long day’s travel to get there, so the plan was to take a longer break at midday and then continue on until they reached the outpost late in the evening. An hour after noon, they stopped in a wide, open field where the sun gently warmed their skin against the creeping chill. After they finished eating lunch, a couple of hunters were seen walking along the road. Rose and Kali were just able to robe themselves before being too exposed.

“You haven’t seen any game around here, have you?” one of the hunters asked.

“We haven’t seen any wildlife at all,” Rose answered, and now that she thought about it, it was strange.

“There are usually many herds of creatures around here during this time of year,” the man said. “We’ll find them,” the second man added.

“Good luck to you both,” Rose smiled.

Rose waited for the men to pass and then retrieved some clothes from the wagon to dress properly in. Between the chilly air and the possibility of more travelers using the road, she figured it best to be fully clothed. Kali followed Rose’s lead and did the same. While the others rested, Rose stood and gazed over the field of grass in one direction before crossing the road and looking the other way as well. There wasn’t a single animal to be seen, not even a bird. As she crossed back toward their camp, she saw a flock of birds way off in the distance.

“We need to pack up and leave now,” their driver, Salt, said with urgency in his voice.

“What’s wrong?” Rose asked.

“That,” Salt said, pointing at the flock of birds that were drawing nearer to them.

Salt doused the fire with water and began hurriedly packing the camp supplies into the wagon. Cole and Kali assisted him. Soon, what Rose thought to be birds were growing larger as they moved closer and closer. There were a dozen or so eagles or hawks, much larger than any bird Rose had seen, even in Scarlaria. But, no, these creatures had the bodies of humans, even if they did have large wings. Rose turned and grabbed items to load into the wagon, but just as she sat a rolled sleeping bag down, an eerie yet beautiful sound washed over them.