Page 61 of Warrior Rescued

SHOW ME THE WAY

Elena

“They’re still swarming us,” one of the reptiles sniped, swatting at the lingering wasps.

She walked several yards to their right, because the pair of idiots kept agitating the winged beasties, even when they’d been weaving their way through the wasp’s towering mounds on the downhill hike.

“Your plants aren’t working,” the other hissed.

She planned on ignoring them but Spiny turned and glared at her.

“The plants don’t make you invisible. The bugs still know we’re here and are pissed about it. But they don’t like the plant essence even more,” she replied in exasperation.

There was really no point in trying to explain anything, since the assholes did whatever they wanted.

Spiny huffed, sounding like air being let out of a tire, and continued hiking.

“I’m sick of this ash.” The pilot shook his scaly head, dislodging the ash.

“The heat is more vexing.”

“The heat doesn’t stick to your tongue. The ash is far more annoying.”

“Are you fecking arguing with me about something so inane? Because if you want to discuss something truly annoying, the way you’re shuffling your feet is grating on my scales. Pick up your fecking feet!” Spiny snapped at the pilot.

She rolled her eyes as the pair continued to bitch and moan while they made the downward hike. They were like a pair of obnoxious siblings trapped in the back of the car on a long road trip. She wanted to find a sandal and take them to task. Her gaze slid to the gun strapped to the pilot’s waist, debating putting herself out of her misery.

All those times I wished for company on my hikes, this is not what I was thinking. Kill me now!

Finally, they made it to the base of the mountain and were greeted by a steaming plain as the ground plateaued.

“We’re reaching the hot springs. Avoid the pools, they’re hot. Hence the name,” she mumbled the last part under her breath.

The pair halted at the slight drop down to the field of hot springs and looked both ways.

“Obviously but what path?” Spiny demanded.

She surveyed the landscape riddled with boiling hot pools. These were definitely hotter than she was used to. It was doubtful any of them were temperate. It didn’t matter, the same rules applied. She was about to relay the information she’d given Payim then paused. Her gaze shifted from the paths where the ground was thick enough the earth had cracked to the deceptive smooth trails. The routes that looked solid were just a thin crust, while the paths that looked risky were the safest. This was the opportunity she’d been waiting for.

“It’s a web. Which path do we take?!” the pilot hissed in annoyance, pulling her from her thoughts.

She cringed at his menacing tone, but didn’t stray from the plan forming in her mind.

“We head that way. There’s less steam, so the pools aren’t as hot.” It was true, but north was also the way back to Payim. “And we need to take different routes to spread out our weight.”

She took her time climbing down the short ledge, watching as the reptiles studied their options, then tried to not smile when they leapt down and swiftly chose the routes that looked the safest. Which of course left her with one of the routes that appeared treacherous.

Don’t look so pleased. Slow down,she coached herself.

Feigning hesitance, she picked one of the wider routes intersecting with others in the web of land bridges between the pools. Slowly she stepped forward. Even though she was confident the cracked ground was solid, she tested it, recalling the days when all of this had been so foreign. The reptiles did the same, looking more assured in their choice of routes.

They continued hiking like this, cautiously weaving around the first few pools. At first the scaly bastards were blissfully quiet, but then they started up their belly aching again.

“I’m submitting for a transfer when we get back to Fuzyre. I don’t care if my fecking rotation isn’t done.”

“Agreed,” the other replied.

Holy mother of God!She tried her best to ignore their bullshit.

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