The Green Grass Fox

After what seemed to be hours, Tora woke up. She noticed she wasn’t tied up. She also saw that the fire was rebuilt, despite it was sometime in the morning and that the sun was out. She got up and looked around and saw Vagon lying on the ground a few feet away from her. At that moment she heard someone coming.

Tora turned to see a boy coming. She recognized him from Loran’s village as the one who had gone in near them. In his hands were two dead rabbits. “Are you ok?” He asked her.

“I think so. Who are you?” Tora asked.

“I’m Carver. And your name is?” The boy asked.

“Tora.” Tora replied in a small voice.

Carver went to the fire. “You and your friend had a nasty run in with two Shadow Warriors.” He began skinning the rabbits.

“How is he?” Tora asked, looking at Vagon.

Carver looked up. “One of the Shadow Warriors sent a blade through the side edge of his heart. He wants to talk to you.” Carver told her.

Tora went over to Vagon. Vagon looked at her. “Tora. I am near death. Do not cry.” He told her as he saw Tora starting to cry.

“Why? You’re about to die.” Tora asked.

“Your tears can heal wound. But they will only work on the one who you’re destined to fall in love with. Preserve them till that moment.” Vagon answered.

“How?” Tora asked.

“Take a small bottle. Put your tears in it.” He told her.

“We don’t have anything. The Shadow Warriors destroyed everything.” Tora said, looking around the camp. Everything was gone, except for her sack, and the mask. Even the horses were dead.

Carver walked up behind her. “Take mine.” He said, giving Tora a diamond bottle.

Vagon looked at Carver. He knew who Carver was but he wasn’t worried. “Boy, as a way to say thank you, I want you to have my sword, if you don’t mind the blood.” Vagon said, giving Carver the sword from his side. As Carver took the sword, the blood vanished.

Vagon smiled. “You are also destined for great things as well as Tora.” He turned to Tora. “You must rescue your father with a new plan. You must destroy The Fire Prince. But to do all of that you must trust Carver. And Carver, for you to do what you are destined for, you must trust Tora.” Vagon then closed his eyes. The air around Vagon grew cold.

“Vagon?” Tora asked. There was no answer Vagon was dead. Tora stood up, crying. Her tears fell into the bottle. “We’ll have to bury him.” She told Carver.

Carver nodded as he took his hood off. Tora noticed that his hair was night black. “I’ll bury him. You need some time alone.” Carver told her. Tora left while Carver began digging, by saying, “Holos” Tora overheard him.

As Tora was walking around by herself, she saw something approaching her. She gasped as she recognized it as Vagon. “I thought you were dead.” She said.

Vagon smiled a sad smile. “I am.” He told her.

“Than how can you be here?” Tora asked.

“I’m a ghost. And I believe you had questions still you wanted answer.” Vagon told her.

“Yeah. I want to know what that word Carver said meant. ‘Holos’.” Tora said. It was the first question she could think of.

“Morgon, Warlocks mother, is a sorceress. She always knew a bit of the magic language. When I was your age, I was her apprentice for just a month. I left when I found out that she was going to teach me dark magic. Carver must have learned that one word from her and who knows what else he learned from her. But you need to trust him.” With that Vagon vanished.

After Tora returned to the campsite, Carver finished up Vagon’s tomb. Tora took a hand size rock and her knife and carved into the rock: Here lies Vagon. A great friend and who was like a father to me. She then put the rock on the grave.

Carver left and returned with the meat he had caught earlier. “I know this might be a bad time but are you hungry right now?” Carver asked Tora.

“Why?” Tora snapped at him, not because she was angry, but because she was still upset. She turned from Carver.

Carver took a step back then said, “It’s midday. You probably haven’t eaten since last night. Tora shook her head no.

Carver went to his horse that was just next to the trail, and took some cloth and put the meat into it. “We need to get going south.” He told her. He went to Tora and helped her up. “You can ride with me on my horse, seeing that yours is dead.” Carver offered.

Tora smiled a little and Carver helped her get on his horse. He then got on in front of her, and the two left.