Dragons of the Watch - Donita K. Paul [8]
Ellie awoke with a start. Her elbow hurt from being pressed into the hard ground. The muscles in her neck complained of the inadequacy of a carpetbag for a pillow. A rumble came from her stomach, and her nose discovered that the wet goat was still a very wet goat.
She sat up. Thick, moist air clung to her skin. The rain had stopped, but now it seemed the cloud had settled on the mountain. She must have slept a long time. Getting to her feet, she shook out her skirt and found that one side was almost dry. She tiptoed to the front and took in the gray and soggy world.
Tak rose to his feet and pranced to her side. “Maa.”
“We’re going to the Hopperbattyholds’, and you aren’t to bellyache about having to go out in this squelchy weather. I’ve already missed my chance to meet them at the crossroads.” She snatched up her hosiery and boots. “I can’t wear wet stockings. I’d get blisters.” She opened the carpetbag and pulled out thick socks. She dropped the stockings, and Tak picked them up.
“Oh, no you don’t.” Ellie carefully worked them out from between Tak’s teeth. “You aren’t going to ruin them.”
She hurried to get her shoes on and her bag repacked and herself looking as decent as possible considering she wore damp boots, a damp dress, and a damper cloak. She clambered back over the rocks and stood for a moment trying to figure out where she was.
Tak reluctantly came out. He spied a tasty bush and wasted no time indulging in an afternoon snack.
“I’d almost eat that bush with you, Tak.” Ellie placed a hand on her hollow stomach and rubbed as if the pressure would ease away hunger.
She looked over her left shoulder but could hardly see the mountain, let alone the line of their descent. Fog blanketed everything. “We came down from there, and we were heading that way.” She turned back toward the direction they’d come from and turned again toward the path she thought they should take.
“The Hopperbattyholds’ should be easy to find. We’ll keep the mountain close and keep bearing to the west. I don’t want to spend the night up here, cold and wet and hungry. Let’s go, Tak.”
She headed the direction she’d chosen. Tak nipped off a last mouthful of leaves and chewed as he followed.
The thick fog hid every bush, rock, and landmark behind swirling gray mist. Noises echoed. The fragrances of soil, flowers, and grasses drifted past Ellie’s nose.
“Do you smell mint?” she asked Tak. He came up beside her and gave her a friendly head butt on the side. “It’s you! You found a patch of mint growing. Oh, I hope it wasn’t too far behind us. Where is it, Tak?”
He stood looking at her, and she groaned in frustration. “It wouldn’t have filled my belly, but chewing on it would have made me feel better.”
Seeming to agree with her, Tak worked the vegetation in his mouth, then swallowed.
“Come on.” Ellie sighed and continued their trek.
The ground leveled out so that they did very little up-and-down climbing. Ellie felt they had walked for hours. She hiked a lot doing her chores. But now her muscles ached as if she’d trimmed hoofs all morning and bailed hay all afternoon.
The cloud thickened, settling on the land. Ellie and Tak trudged up a rise, and Ellie laughed when her head popped out above the mist. A few more steps, and they stood on top of a knoll. As far as she could see, a haze like a gentle sea eddied over the land. Tops of hills poked out like islands.
Ellie turned a full circle, looking at the murky world.
“Tak,” she said.
The goat came close and leaned against her leg.
“I have no idea where we are.”
Tak made a guttural noise, tossed his head, and moved out as if he knew exactly where he was going. With no better options at hand, Ellie followed.
The land undulated in knolls and elongated hills. Ellie and Tak dipped into the mist and climbed out again at the next rise many times before Ellie saw something she