The artwork featured in the prompt and in this post is by Kotikomori, whose artwork can be found here: https://www.deviantart.com/kotikomori
The artwork featured is “Halt” by Kotikomori, found here: https://i.imgur.com/KmpjEoe.jpg
The rock beneath him wasn’t too bad of a seat. Anything felt better than one more mile of walking. He stretched his legs and sighed as a clear, cool breeze drifted by.
“Don’t get too comfortable,” said Aldri, “we’ve a long ways to go yet before nightfall.”
Tasryn chuckled at the large cat-like beast.
“You worry too much,” he said, “we’ll be there soon enough.”
He reached into his satchel and pulled Gadran the mouse from his hiding place. The mouse scurried up Tasryn’s shoulder and sat there, fiddling with his hair as it twirled it into tiny braids.
“You’re almost out of cheese,” said Gadran, “can we pick up some more at the market?”
“Of course,” said Tasryn.
“How much longer ’till we get to Lon Hill’s Gate?”
“If my hind leg were not injured,” said Aldri, “we could be there before the sun has touched the highest peak.”
The cat-creature made a noise of frustration even as it stretched out on the rock above Tasryn.
“Don’t even think of trying it,” said Tasryn as he pointed a finger up at it, “we’ll go to Lon Hill’s Gate, get the treatment for your wounds, and be on our way back by morning. We don’t need to make your injuries any worse.”
Aldri grumbled and preened its talon-like claws.
“Couldn’t you use magic to heal Aldri?” asked Gadran.
Tasryn chuckled and ran his fingers over the rune on wrist, faded but gradually returning to its brighter state.
“I’m only half-elf, Gadran,” he said, “magic takes a lot more out of me than a full-elf would.”
His eyes drifted as he stared into nothing.
“Besides, even if I knew any healing spells… I’d probably just mess it up,” he said.
Tasryn sighed and stood up to stretch his legs. As his back popped along his vertebrae, he felt something else – the rune on his wrist had returned to its full luster and brightness. His eyes lit up and he dug through his satchel.
“Where did I put it?” he mumbled.
Gadran crawled down his arm and hopped into the satchel again. A moment later and the mouse popped its head out, holding the small scroll in its mouth.
“Here it is!” squeaked the mouse.
Tasryn took the scroll from the mouse and offered his hand for him to climb back up. Gadran obliged, and peered over his shoulder at the scroll, his eyes wider than a mouse’s ought to be.
“Are you going to try it again?” said Gadran.
Aldri snorted and hopped off of its perch to stand behind Tasryn.
“Point it away from me this time, my fur’s only just healed from last time,” it said.
Tasryn nodded and looked at the scroll carefully.
“Right, right.”
The scroll depicted the proper motion for the most basic flame spell –
“One foot in front,” Tasryn read as he copied the motions, “one behind… arm out – uh, left! Left arm out… palm open.”
He copied the motion of extending his arm sharply without his palm open for a few seconds, then took in a deep breath.
He shot his arm forward with his palm open; as his arm moved forward he felt the surge of energy flow from his wrist, and heat gathered in his palm. A second later and a ball of fire as big as his hand shot out and collided with a nearby rock. The rock was singed, but otherwise unfazed by his attack.
“What?” cried Tasryn, “I did it? I did it! Did you see that?”
Gadran scurried back and forth between his shoulders with excitement. Aldri made a noise of approval and nodded.
“Has it weakened you as it did before?” said Aldri.
Tasryn shook his head and looked at the rune on his wrist.
“It was better this time; I feel like I could do a dozen of those and have plenty of energy!”
Aldri’s eyes glinted and it smirked.
“Good. You may yet need to be ready to defend yourself,” it said.
Tasryn looked in the distance; the sun was right above them now.
“You’re right,” he said.
“Of course I’m right,” said Aldri.
Tasryn tucked the scroll back into his satchel, and Gadran crawled back down his arm and into his hiding place.
“No, I mean, you were right – we should get moving,” he said.
They set off on the path again; Aldri’s makeshift splint held together well despite the terrain growing more uneven as they drew closer to Lon Hill’s Gate.
“You avoided my remark,” said Aldri.
“What?” said Tasryn.
“You will need to defend yourself one day; and if you do not have control over your magic -“
“I’ll be fine, Aldri. Our village is well-protected. What army would attack us? And the same goes for Lon Hill’s Gate – they even have some of the Queen’s personal army there.”
Aldri grumbled.
“You may be right, but I know what my dreams have shown me. And my dreams do not lie – it is not in the nature of my kind,” it said.
“Well, maybe they are different. You’re different, after all,” said Tasryn, “you were supposed to eat me, but you set me free from that trap.”
“I did not eat you because you would have barely made a mouthful,” Aldri said as its eyes glinted.
Aldri smirked.
“But you are right,” it said, “I have never much cared for the solitary life my kind leads… it is better to be in the company of friends.”
They continued on and listened to the birds call; the entrance of Lon Hill’s Gate was just ahead.
“I’ll do my best to improve my magic,” said Tasryn, “but it won’t be easy.”
“Nothing worth doing ever is,” said Aldri.
It paused.
“That is what you Humans say, isn’t it?”
Tasryn chuckled as they entered the gate of Lon Hill’s Gate itself.
“You’re learning fast; maybe there’s hope for both of us yet,” he said.
This prompt was found on the subreddit r/writing prompts here: https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/comments/gfrye6/ip_taking_a_break/
Wallflower Showcase 