Ribbontail: Enter Emalia
Chapter 16: Shade

Author's Note: Please read my artist's comments before continuing. :3
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When Ribbontail awoke it was already morning, with the amber sunrise glimmering in her face and the cold desert-night chill still clinging to her fur. Ribbontail was wedged tightly between O’liday and PuppetRibbontail.

So tightly compacted were the three that Ribbontail could barely move. But carefully the girl wriggled herself free, pleased to see her two friends unconsciously snuggle back together in her absence. She squeezed her scroll-halter back around her shoulders then slowly padded away to stretch, admiring the serene grassland scenery as she did.

A slight shifting in the grasses behind her caused Ribbontail to spin, at the ready. But all that was there was PuppetRibbontail, her face raised and staring at her.

Undeniably the little creature was still watching out for Ribbontail. Even after having been sent to attack Screech the prior day, PuppetRibbontail remained as loyal and obedient as ever.

Fondly, Ribbontail shot a smile at her guardian. The little creature had already risked its life for Ribbontail; she deserved a break. “You can go back to bed.” she said mentally.

PuppetRibbontail seemed to register this energy, and she nestled her head back down among the grasses. With a contented snort Ribbontail waited for a moment before turning to gaze at the expanse before her.

Early morning mist had enveloped the savannah before her in an eerie gray cloak, but the golden sun cut through the clouds. And, as Ribbontail had expected, the single glimmering star could still be seen in the sky.

Ribbontail eyed it carefully. “That’s the way to go” she reminded herself, “and still so much more ground to cover.”

Yawning, Ribbontail let her eyes shut as she ran her mission through her head again. In the morning, when the sun burned low, she could relax and be at peace with herself. Only a week in this mortal world had tired her out immensely; her paws and legs ached, and she had multiple cuts and bruises.

But still she felt energized, willing to take the day by the throat. “Without you,” the dragon in her dreams had said, “all of Emalia would collapse under the weight of the Eclipsians.”

Ribbontail shivered. The thought of the nightmarish OmenBeast still lurked deep in her mind, tormenting her. Such a fierce monstrosity. But even with it looking for her, the dragon Sasha still believed she could last.

“I can’t be scared of anything now,” the girl said aloud, eyes fixed on the twinkling daystar before her, “This world’s depending on me.”

Contemplatively Ribbontail laid down and began- reluctantly- polishing her clawnails with her tongue. But she had just finished this sordid cleanup job when a paw suddenly patted her side, startling her out of her daze.

It was O’liday. “Dude I’m bushed!” yawned the sleepy feliulf, “But I had a totally bogus dream. Dreamt I was a teacher, I did, only the kids were teaching me stuff.”

Ribbontail cocked her head at the cat. He was still half-asleep, evidently, as he lay on the ground and stretched pitifully.

“Shoulda finished high school...” he added with a yawn, rolling over onto his back and patting his belly.

Puzzled, Ribbontail thought to herself, “They have school here?”, but said nothing. Instead the little goddess chose to scratch her ear with a hindpaw, a nervous habit she had quickly developed.

“So where we going today, kid?” O’liday meowed curiously after a great yawn escaped his mouth. “Just more traveling, I guess?”

Ribbontail glanced once at the blood-red morning sun before turning and nodding down at O’liday. “Yeah. I guess that’s just about all we’re doing.” Pausing for a moment, the girl threw a random question at her companion, “How big is Emalia? I was told that I had to travel across ‘the desert’, but I’ve yet to see any sand.”

“Bigger than you’re used to, it sounds,” O’liday yawned, “But don’t get too amped about the desert. The dunes are at least ten times as big as this savannah, and even less rad.”

Tiredly, the feliulf clenched and stretched his limbs one-by-one. He then turned, wiped his mouth, and added, “But it feels like we should be getting’ into desert land soon, if that’s what you’re asking.”

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As before, O’liday was indeed correct. By midafternoon the three had traveled long into the day, and the foliage became sparser and sparser. Soon instead of grass, warm sand bit at their paws. But it was O’liday who felt the most from the abrupt change- with no greens within reach, he quickly began complaining of hunger.

“I swear,” huffed the feliulf, “that I could curl up an’ die. Thirsty as hell and hungry too. Seriously, dude.”

Ribbontail clenched her teeth as she felt O’liday slump over between her shoulders. Both her and PuppetRibbontail were immortal, with no need to eat. O’liday, however, demanded food.

“I... I’m sorry,” woofed Ribbontail, “We’ll try and find something to eat soon.”

Gazing about, Ribbontail sighted the skeletal remains of an old beech tree, which she promptly sought shade under. She was tired from traveling so constantly, and she finally had the nerve to show it; it was here where she collapsed onto the cool sand, her pink tongue lolling.

As was expected, the silent PuppetRibbontail approached and prodded Ribbontail with a shy nose. Their eyes met, and Ribbontail  lifted her head and gave her guardian a weak smile. “Thanks Puppet,” she sighed, “I just need to rest for a bit.”

There was a long pause. Ribbontail paused and watched as the frail wolf-zombie lifted her head and pointed out across the distant dunes. Then the thing turned back and stared down at her master. Though expressionless, the body language seemed to declare a single strong message: “Over there.”

“I think SHE wants to go,” sighed O’liday, who saw this too.

Ribbontail licked her lips. For her stark fear of Eclipsians, she didn’t want her guardian to leave them- even for a short time. But the ghoul seemed to have an idea of some sort, and her gesture and stance made it apparent that she was sure of it.

Shifting her weight uneasily, Ribbontail finally gave her guardian a command. “Okay,” she woofed, “If you think there’s something out there, you can go look for it. But PLEASE come back.”

In a quick motion Ribbontail rose to a half-stand. Much to the beast’s surprise, the goddess then gave PuppetRibbontail an unsteady wolf hug.

“Please be careful,” she added.

Then PuppetRibbontail was off, turning to hurry off across the dunes.

O’liday watched her go before he stood up, brushing the dry sand from his curtains of fur. By now his scarf and hat had both been discarded, as he now wore them draped over his back haunches. He gave Ribbontail a pat on the shoulder. “Been a while since I got a good taste of snacks, dude,” he pouted, “Wish I could just go back. Totally bummed... I shoulda just stayed back in Keyhole.”

“The forest?” Ribbontail sprawled in the shady patch. “Sometimes I wish I’d stayed there too. But a very special person told me that I’ve got to keep my mind on the goal, because there are people counting on me. Right?”

“Totally,” yawned O’liday.

When Ribbontail realized that this was all the feliulf had to say on the matter, she added another question. “Where were you going again, before you met me? Weren’t you going to visit somebody?”

“Uh, yeah, sure,” O’liday shot Ribbontail a nervous grin, “Just my bro down in the city of New Bazaar. He’s this totally uncool dude: a lawyer, see. Money, high profile stuff, a house... His birthday’s coming soon, right, so I wanted to go and visit him.”

“You have a family?”

The feliulf grinned, flashing Ribbontail a weak thumbs up. “Sure do! Don’t we all?” He waited for an agreeing nod. “I just don’t like hanging out with them, as I said. They totally cramp my style. Why live with your parents when you can go out and see the world?”

In a melodramatic fashion the small feline jumped to his paws, grabbing a stick and parading about with it clutched in his paw. He held it as a walking stick of sorts, his thin chest puffed proudly.

“See the world! Fight Eclipsians! Surf the waves! Grab life by the horns!” he declared with pride, “And who needs your family to hold you back, right?”

“You should consider yourself lucky... I don’t have a sister or brother. I barely have a mom.”

At this O’liday dropped his stick and returned to his friend’s side, his pride suddenly smothered by compassion. Here he gave Ribbontail’s shoulder another comforting pat but said nothing else. But after a  brief moment he leaned in and asked her a question, grabbing her ear with his soft paw.

“Say kid,” he whispered in her ear, “When you an’ me met a few days ago you never told me where you come from. You know- what you really do. What your life is like without the O’liday treatment. Can you tell me now?”

The little goddess lifted her head away from the feliulf, then stared down at him with a shocked face. “I would tell you, but I don’t think you’d believe me. I barely believe it myself.”

Vexed, O’liday sat back on his haunches and scratched his head. “Well,” he concluded, “That’s kinda weird, dude. Why’s that?”

“It’s just a really confusing. I’m sorry... but maybe I’ll tell you later, when I’m more sure of it.”

Empathy was apparently one of O’liday’s greatest strengths. The feliulf nodded before pitching his head to the side, cleaning sand from his blond hair. “No worries, my friend,” he purred, “Don’t have to tell me anything really, I was just itching to know.”

“Thanks, O’liday.”

With a sigh Ribbontail rolled onto her side, for once feeling at home in her canine body. She could sprawl lazily on the ground in this form; in a human body doing such a thing would be a strange sight indeed!

This silence was short-lived, however, as once more O’liday began his usual chatting. “There is Sandstone, dude,” he meowed suddenly.

Ribbontail opened a tired eye and watched as O’liday once more tramped about, head held high despite his apparent hunger and thirst. He spread his arms wide in this bipedal stance, his paws turned upward as if he were catching light upon them.

“Beautiful beautiful desert. All o’ this desert and nothing to eat, honestly.” Then with a sigh he returned- once more- to Ribbontail’s side. He seemed to want her attention. “Deserts suck, you know?”

Silently the girl nodded. For a mortal the dry conditions were uncomfortable. An immortal being like herself, though, had no need for food or water. She was perfectly content despite her soreness and exhaustion.

All was silent like this for a moment before O’liday finally called out, “Hey it’s Puppet, back already. Sup dude?”

Ribbontail lifted her head and turned to see PuppetRibbontail come plodding to them, head up and at attention. Smiling, Ribbontail called out, “What’d you find, Puppet? Anything...promising?”

The skeletal creature, silenced by the ragged stitches along her mouth, nodded slowly. It was as enthusiastic as she could ever get, with a hopeful glimmer in her pale eyes. Ribbontail rose to her paws and gave her friend a quick nuzzle of thanks.

“Looks like that’s that- good old Puppet’s found something, dude!” O’liday clapped his paws twice and clambered back onto Ribbontail’s back, kicking her as though she were a horse. Ribbontail groaned at this; her sides still hurt from traveling so hurriedly. “Let’s go see what it is, eh?”

And with that, the three were off once more.