Digimon Fan Fiction ❯ Captive Complications ❯ Camping, Whee! a.k.a. Domestic Damsel ( Chapter 6 )

Disclaimer:

Don't own it.

Warnings:

If the fictional ingestion of batpig *coughpatamoncough* squicks you, run away now. *smirk*

Author's Notes:

The batpig thing (you'll see)... what can I say? My brain's twisted. However... as there is some minor spoofish correlation between this and DM, I think the batpig's fate is carryover karma. (Not that Patamon's shown up in DM. Yet. *winks*)

Enjoy!

Captive Complications

by Ice'is Blue

6. Camping, Whee! a.k.a. Domestic Damsel

Although it was still light when the group finally reached the Glen, the sun had already dipped below the horizon. The three were in a foul mood. Yamato was irritated that his guards had now drawn closer to him, Taichi was frustrated by Yamato's continuing idle conversations that weren't as unpleasant as they should have been, and Koushiro was jitteringly worried about the nymph.

Under the knight's recommendation and Yamato's agreement, they set out for the largest tree in the forest. Unless the nymph woke up, they'd have no way of knowing which was his, but perhaps an ancient tree or its keeper could lend its aid instead. The King's guards drew steadily closer as they moved deeper into the forest. The tree they'd decided on wasn't set prohibitively deep, but grumbles about wild beasts kept all the guardsmen on edge.

"This forest is sacred," Yamato reminded them. "Attack nothing that does not attack us first. We don't wish to call down the wrath of the gods."

More grumbling met this order, but when a blue wolf emerged from the brush, the men obeyed Yamato's curt, "Hold!"

The wolf eyed them from the far side of a clearing. It was blocking their intended path. King Yamato dismounted, then took a step closer to the wolf, seeing if it would move. It did move, darting from the path it hindered to a break in the bushes and back again. The wolf repeated the dance, then returned to its blocking position where it wagged its tail exactly once.

Taichi's horse had become skittish in the close proximity to the predator, so he too dismounted. "I'll check it out," he told Yamato.

"Your Highness, the prisoner should--" one of the guards began to entreat, but the King cut him off.

"Let him go." Yamato nodded at Taichi, who had paused and looked back at the protest. "Be careful."

The Prince raised his chin in acknowledgment, then continued. He disappeared from sight for a few moments, then his voice called back loudly. "There's another path here! Think maybe the wolf wants us to go this way?"

Koushiro's eyes narrowed in thought. "It is entirely conceivable that this forest has guardians. The main question is are they here to help or to hinder us. Taichi, you should return to the group until we are able to decide which course of action to take."

Yamato, fascinated by the wolf, kept focused on the creature throughout the knight's speech. The wolf was now tense, hackles raised, and looking in the direction Prince Taichi had left. Yamato didn't think it would attack, but still... "I agree, Taichi. Stick by us. It's safer."

"No, not yet. I really think there's something... AAHHH! BATPIG!!!"

Yamato would have laughed at Taichi squealing like a girl, had not his heart been in his throat and blocking all sound. Taichi shot out of the bushes closely followed by a orangish-brown swine-shaped blur much larger than he was and both of them were followed by a smaller golden blur. The wolf sprang into motion too, heading for the motley chase, but if the wolf intended to protect Taichi, even with its speed, it would be too late. The large creature was almost upon the Prince when the little golden thing skidded to a halt and let out an enormous fireball. Feeling the heat at his back, Taichi hit the ground in a roll that carried him all the way to Yamato's feet.

Now still, the golden blur was easily identifiable as a firedrake. None of the humans present had ever seen the smaller cousin to dragons. But the drake didn't realize that it was supposed to be only a myth, taking more interest in the twitching mass. A snout, hooves, and small leathery wings were all that remained visible through the blaze surrounding the carcass of the attacking beast. The wolf, which had backpedaled at the last moment to escape being burned, approached the fire with bared teeth and growled. The drake observed this behavior with one eye, then ambled over to the wolf's side. The two touched noses, snorted, and then the drake resumed its casual gait into the gap in the bushes from which it came.

The wolf drew closer, effectively separating the King's group from his guards, and seemed to want to be herding them to the gap as well. Yamato motioned for the two guards to aim their bows away from the wolf. He drew the sword at his hip, then fetched another from his saddlebag and handed it to Taichi. "Shall we try that again?" he asked the surprised Prince.

Taichi grinned at the challenge and swung the sword experimentally. It had excellent balance. He expected nothing less in quality from the King, but he was pleased he was being trusted with a weapon. It was a luxury few prisoners were allowed. Actually, it was a luxury no prisoners were allowed. "Let's go. I'm thirsty and there's a stream up there. I could hear it."

"Your Highness," one of the guards began, but the Master stopped him.

"If the King wants to trust his safety to wild animals and a little boy with a sword, then we have no place in arguing. We make camp here. This beast will provide us with a fine dinner. Get to work!"

Yamato didn't know whether to be annoyed or grateful for the lack of an escort, but he followed Taichi without another word. Koushiro was planning on staying near the rest of the group, protecting the nymph, but the wolf came closer and his horse spooked and ran after the two royals into the undergrowth.

After a short distance, Taichi met the drake at the bank of the stream. The creature backed up so that the Prince could approach the water, then it edged away to the perimeter, the water's close proximity seemingly making it nervous. Yamato quickly joined him, sheathing his sword, but a moment later the quiet moment was broken by the knight's wail and his bolting horse. Thankfully, when the horse dug in its heels at the edge of the bank, Koushiro was an experienced (or lucky) enough rider to keep his hold on both his seat and the slumbering nymph. The equine, faced with fresh water after a long journey, forgot its terror and began to drink. The knight heaved a tired sigh, then handed the nymph down into the King's waiting arms. Koushiro, however, had some difficulty in regaining solid ground.

The Prince had been expecting some sort of disaster and had just enough time to toss down his sword and catch the clumsy knight before he broke open his head on the ground. He set the knight down on his feet and let him cling to his arm until the shaking stopped. "Maybe you'll get it right next time, eh?" Koushiro gave him a chagrined smile and rolled his eyes at the overly optimistic statement.

The King, though his arms easily supported the nymph's weight, was searching the ground for a suitable place to put him. But there, near the bank... "It looks like a fire pit," he said, motioning with his toe.

Taichi bent and felt the charcoal remains. "It's cold now, but there's enough residue here to suggest it's used regularly." He flicked a glance at the wolf and firedrake that hovered at the edge of the smaller clearing. "If these beasties want to protect us, I think we can assume it's safe to build a fire here. If the owner returns, we can just apologize and share."

Before Yamato could nod agreement, a cry too high-pitched even for a bird's voice drew their attention to a large tree nearby. Something blue and glittering flashed in the leaves despite the darkness. The tree's roots formed a cozy-looking hollow. "Or maybe this place actually is the nymph's home?" Koushiro wondered aloud. "Here's as good as any, I guess," he said.

The King gave one last cautious look up into the branches overhead, and then another at the wolf whose hackles were down, and placed the nymph gently in a living nest of fern fronds that grew in the natural hollow. The knight, expectedly, rushed forward and began checking the nymph's condition. Knowing he wasn't needed further, Yamato turned and saw that Taichi had reclaimed his sword. "Like it?"

"Yeah. But it should be sheathed now, I don't think we'll be needing it. Not with them and those buffoons around," he said, angling his head first at the wolf and firedrake, then back at the clearing holding the guards.

Yamato smiled. "There's no way those pavilions will fit in this space and pavilion or not, the nymph seems to be improving. Let's get our supplies from the packs and set up our own camp here. With a fire going, the night should be warm enough."

Taichi nodded his accord, and after a brief argument with the Master of the Guard, they returned with their packs, tinder, and a striker. Upon returning to the small encampment, a fire was blazing. The blue wolf was nowhere in sight, but the firedrake lingered in sight for a brief moment before disappearing into the undergrowth. Taichi chuckled. "Little guy comes in handy, doesn't he?"

Yamato smiled, then made a shushing noise, nudging Taichi in the side and nodding his head over at the knight and nymph. Koushiro was fast asleep with Daisuke cradled in his arms. Without speaking, Yamato unpacked the knight's supplies while Taichi led the horse back to the rest to be groomed, fed, and bedded down. The Prince returned with a largeish pot and a juicy hunk of the beast that had been chasing him.

The King surveyed the items the Prince had returned with. "You know, that pot's more dent than pot," he said, referring to the lumpy metal object.

Taichi shrugged. "It doesn't have a hole in it. It's a pot. And this," he said, brandishing a juicy hunk of the beast that had been chasing him, "This is dinner. Now, in Koushiro's bag, we should be able to find some tubers and dried herbs."

Yamato handed him the requested items, then watched with a smile as the Prince prepared a stew. He wanted to say that Taichi looked incredibly domestic cooking in his ballgown, but he knew he'd end up suffering the guards' food if he said a word. Instead, when Taichi realized he was being stared at, Yamato recovered with a soft 'thank you.'

The Prince, who'd been expecting a smart comment, blinked at the quiet gratitude and then offered a small smile of his own. "It needs to cook for a while, for the ingredients to soften. The love-birds can sleep until dinner and since it's my first time in an enchanted forest, we can go for a walk and see the sights."

King Yamato discretely snagged a pack that contained a blanket, then trailed behind Taichi who was following the river. Indeed the sights were good.

TBC...