Kitalia collapsed to the ground in the clearing where they finally stopped. Even the dragon seemed worn out as she plopped down very unladylike on the grass, taking several deep breaths as she did so.
“How… how long?” Kitalia managed between gasps. Her legs felt like lead and there was a fire kindling itself within her lungs.
This run had most definitely been worse than the second one. Not in terms of sheer exhaustion, but that crazy zig at the end had caused her heart to skip at least three beats.
Bel shook her head, “I’m not sure yet.” She passed her hand along the stray hairs of her head and somehow, each strand returned to its rightful place, neatly tucked and arranged as if she hadn’t been running through a forest all day long.
“Why did…” Kitalia took a deep breath to finish her question, but the fire in her chest caused her to cough instead.
Bel was behind her before she knew it, guiding Kitalia’s head between her knees and gently rubbing circles along her back. “Breath slowly,” she advised the Ylveryan girl. “Keep breathing like this and I’ll be back with some water.”
It was almost embarrassing to be coddled like this, but Kitalia didn’t argue. Somehow or other Bel would have her way, either this way or another, but it would be her way. It was just easier to go along with it and not fight it, especially since it seemed to be helping.
A few minutes passed and Bel returned with the cup from Kitalia’s pack, filled with cool spring water. That the dragon had been in her pack disturbed her, but not enough to call it out and make a scene. Truth be told, Bel has had numerous opportunities to rifle through her belongings but hadn’t, at least as far as Kitalia knew, so this wasn’t as big a deal as it initially seemed.
The water helped too, which softened Kitalia towards Bel some more, and along with the breathing exercise, Kitalia felt better than she had just after they stopped their stride.
Bel looked like her old self with no hint of exhaustion, but there was a line of worry crossing her forehead. That, more than anything else, worried Kitalia. Top on her list of things that were exceptionally concerning was anything that troubled a dragon.
“What went wrong?” she asked, broaching the topic she wasn’t sure she wanted to know. “Why did we change course all of a sudden?”
“Something was casting its gaze about, and I felt it best that we not be seen,” Bel said, as if that explained it all.
Kitalia waited, hoping the dragon would explain more, but she did not. Oh, how she wanted to throttle the woman. Dragon. Whatever.
“What was…” she started to ask before Bel promptly stood and started to walk out of the clearing. “I’ll go forage a bit for our dinner. If you could be so kind as to start a fire child, it would be greatly appreciated.” With that, the dragon vanished into the darkness still wearing the worried look, leaving Kitalia alone with her thoughts of what might be out there that had frightened a dragon.