Journey: Chapter 24

Coal, Bramble and Basil prepared for the journey to the Shadowmane tribe. They started packing what they could carry and all they would need for this journey. Bramble started with food while Basil was getting his things that he left, leaving Coal alone to pack what he might need.

As he did, Coal thought about what happened to his father. Grief hit him with such force at one point he couldn’t stand. He loved his father more than anything. Him and his father spent a lot of time talking and hanging out but as he grew up him and his family grew distant. He wished he spent more time with him. He wished he talk to him more. And he regretted a lot of the things he said and did.

Now he was Emperor of the Terror Bird Kingdom and he was ready, he was too young to be ruler, he was arrogant and a hothead to top it off. He didn’t want to be nor was he fit to be Emperor. Coal sighed as he got up, but he slipped on one of the things he meant to pack in his bag. He kicked it out of anger with his bad leg not thinking and causing his let to ring out with pain. Coal squawked in anger and he threw his sharp edged beak into the wall. He heard a cough from the other side of the room. Coal took his beak out and looked over to see Basil standing in the doorway.

“Are you okay?” Basil asked as he entered the room. Coal looked at him with solemnly.

“What am I suppose to say, peachy?” Coal said.

“I’m sorry that your father died, he seemed like a good man.” Basil said. Coal sighed

“He was… can we just get this over with. Go see if Bramble’s ready to go or not.” Coal said, Basil nodded as he left the room. Leaving Coal alone to remember what he could of his father. The good and bad times.

~

As night fell across Runheimr, and the three left Bramble’s borrow for the Shadowmane tribe. Coal had a difficult time keeping up with Bramble and Basil with bad leg. But he made due and was keeping his best up with the others. Howls could be heard throughout every part of the redwoods. The fenrirs had spread through the redwoods like a plague, probably hunting them down. Which made getting through Runheimr hard to take the quick paths to the tribe. They had to take the unconventional route around the coast. They needed to get out of the redwoods as fast as possible but it was difficult to do. Coal was getting tired of this, this wasn’t going to work. The fenrirs were everywhere and they both moving too slow and taking a route too long. Coal stopped mid track as they stood on the edge of the shore. Basil looked behind him and stopped after seeing Coal had stopped. Bramble stopped a few moments later.

“Coal, what are doing?” Bramble asked loudly.

“Quiet Bramble, do you want us to get captured.” Coal said sharply at Bramble, Bramble scoffed but remained silent. “This isn’t working, we wanted to find a place to hide, warn others and do something, quickly and safely. But with how many Fenrirs are in the redwoods, its not going to take long for us to get captured at this pace unless we change our plan. So were stuck.” Coal said, Bramble nodded, Basil looked at both of them.

“So that’s it? We aren’t going to do anything and just get captured. We aren’t going to warn the Shadowmane tribe?” Basil said, Coal shook his head.

“No, we are. We just have no way there without getting captured. We need another group that are in Runheimr that we can warn but can also warn the Shadowmane tribe without getting noticed something. We’re just stuck right now.” Coal said, Basil sat there for a moment thinking before his face perked.

“Well I have a plan B that we could possibly do.” Basil said, “Speak Basil, it’s okay.” Bramble said.

“Yeah, it’s not like we have any better options because I can’t think of any.” Coal said.

“Nor can I.” Bramble said.

“Well I know someone who was a major ally of the Five and he lives in Vardiland in place where it is highly protected. The one problem is, we have to find a Megachelon.” Basil said. The other two groaned at the sound of his plan.