Ribbontail: Enter Emalia
Chapter 28: Desert Fever


Author's Note: Please read my artist's comments before continuing. :3
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That night Ribbontail slept rather fitfully, tossing and turning long into the midnight hours. More and more, during her time on Emalia, she could feel the auras of the others present. It was times such as these where she disliked the new ability: all around her the caravan carriage was swirling with angry, tense energy.

It was sometime around midnight that the young goddess actually managed to get to sleep. Her slumber was a black void, for once a dreamless expanse of nothingness.

Yet after only an hour of rest she snapped back awake, as there was somebody frantically nudging her back. Ribbontail moaned tiredly, turned her head, and found herself face-to-face with PuppetRibbontail. The magic light was out in the carriage. Even in the darkness she could see the little spirit’s eyes, wide and full of worry.

“What... is it?” she whispered, groggily struggling up into a sitting position.

Ribbontail strained her eyes in the darkness. Before she could get her eyes fully adjusted, though, PuppetRibbontail crawled over to the sleeping form of O’liday. He lay near the center of the room, curled up in a tight little ball. Ribbontail watched, squinting, as PuppetRibbontail nudged him with her angular nose. He did not respond.

“Hey...” Ribbontail breathed. She scrambled to her paws and crept over to him, prodding him with her nose. She whispered frantically, “Hey are you alright?”

Squinting down in the darkness, Ribbontail breathed a great sigh of relief as she noticed his sides rising and falling. He was alive and well, and even gave a little moan as he kicked in his sleep. But strangely he would not wake up; Ribbontail nuzzled him and patted him with the back of her paw, but she could not oust him from his slumber.

“That’s really weird,” Ribbontail projected to PuppetRibbontail, “Normally he’s a light sleeper. I can’t even get him UP.”

The frightened look on PuppetRibbontail’s face did not vanish. Puzzled by the spirit’s sudden anxiety, Ribbontail cocked her head. Then she turned back down to O’liday, flipped him over with her nose, and scanned the room for Infin. Surely she would know what to do.

However, the merchant was nowhere. Even in the darkness Ribbontail could see only two others- the sleeping forms of Scumtrot and Timothy. Infin was not in here at all. “Where is she?” she thought, “I could REALLY use her help right now.”

Ribbontail looked back down at her sleeping friend, her heart thudding as she attempted again to wake him up. Nothing seemed to be able to wake him: it was as though he was stuck in his sleep. “O’liday, please wake up!”

“Wha...? Huh...?” O’liday grumbled, almost immediately after his name was said. He moaned, pressed a paw to his face, then jerked back as he bumped into Ribbontail. “Dude-”

A little gasp of joy escaped Ribbontail’s mouth as she threw herself down upon her friend, welcoming him with a big, ungainly hug. The feliulf, still half-asleep and taken aback by this sudden gesture, shoved her away and yawned.

He opened his mouth as though to ask what was wrong, but at that same instant Infin’s voice hissed from nowhere, “What is the meaning of this?”

O’liday, PuppetRibbontail, and Ribbontail all jumped as Infin materialized from the darkness, seemingly from nowhere. She approached slowly, her eyes swimming with shock and confusion- and a little fragment of anger. The merchant glanced from O’liday to Ribbontail to PuppetRibbontail. “Why are you two awake?” she whispered, her voice stern, “You should both be asleep at this hour.”

“Where’d SHE come from? Wasn’t she not here a moment ago?”, thought Ribbontail, her golden eyes flashing with surprise.

“Well um...” the goddess gulped slowly, “PuppetRibbontail just woke me up-”

Lifting a claw, Infin briefly interrupted Ribbontail. “PuppetRibbontail was the one who awoke you? Does she keep a nightwatch on you three?”

“Um... y-yes. She’s my spirit guardian, so she stays up and watches us at night. She said that there was something wrong with O’liday, and when I checked on him he wouldn’t wake up. It was weird.”

Blinking, Infin turned her head down to the little feliulf. She regarded him with a thought-filled grumble. After a brief silent moment she made sure that the other two passengers were still asleep, allowing her to speak to them peacefully. “These desert nights, as cold as they are from the heat of the day...” she said quietly, “drive the body mad. Your sleep is far too deep; your dreams far too strange, sometimes too real. The phenomenon has no name, but I call it... desert fever.”

Infin paused for a moment and put a claw to her mask, adjusting it as she mumbled something to herself. Ribbontail and her two friends sat silent, still all half asleep, as they watched Infin turn back to her corner. Before the merchant returned to the shadows she waved a claw at them.

“It’s nothing to worry about,” she said, her voice filled with an odd mix of frustration and disgust, “Now back to bed, you lot. Don’t want to wake up grouchy like you were yesterday, huh?”

After the strange Emalian vanished into the shadows of her corner, Ribbontail sat with her two friends for the longest while. The carriage room was perfectly silent.

“Well that’s kinda weird...” O’liday meowed quietly as he turned back to look at Ribbontail. “I...had a totally trippy dream. I was, like, just sitting there, then Infin came out of nowhere and was all evil and monstery looking. It was crazy because it felt so real.  But then I heard YOU say my name and it all just vanished: she turned and ran away and...I woke up. Freaky!”

Ribbontail leaned down and nudged him with her nose, smiling and assuring him, “It must be that desert fever thing Infin was talking about. I’m sure it’s nothing.”

Offering O’liday a spot between herself and her guardian, Ribbontail lay back down in her spot by the window. The three friends then lay together as they always had, quiet and comfortable in their own company. This time around Ribbontail fell asleep a lot easier than she had before.
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Outside the caravan carriage the sun glared down, whiter and more furious than it had ever been before. Heat during the midday hours was always the worst, especially in the desert, on the third day of this trip it was almost unbearable.

Ribbontail gave a satisfied sigh. Outside was Infin with her camels, talking quietly with the ferret Timothy. “And thank goodness I’m not out there.”

Gazing broodingly out the front window of the stagecoach, Ribbontail sat with her two companions. Scumtrot shared the room, still sitting in his corner attempting to read a book. Ribbontail sat talking amongst her friends - or rather, Ribbontail and O’liday- had been sharing more stories and tales of their pasts and experiences.

Luckily the feliulf was in a better mood now. He’d awoken with his usual good-humored salutations and gestures, which seemed to either annoy or delight the other passengers. Setting down his tea and leaning back on Ribbontail’s haunches, O’liday gave a little purr. “I still wonder what that lady’s problem was last night,” he brought up suddenly, “she was acting kinda strange.”

“Who, Infin?” Ribbontail responded, flicking her ears, “I think she was just a little bit disappointed in you. You DID tell her off last night.”

O’liday clapped a paw to his forehead, spouting, “Aww dude, I totally forgot about that! Man... I bet she’s mad at me now, huh? I always get real weird when I’ve got a headache.”

Slowly Ribbontail nodded, patting her friend with a furry paw. “It’s okay. I’m sure she’ll forgive you. But just to make sure, maybe you should go and apologize later. She is giving us this ride after all, so you should at least show some respect.”

“Hehe...guess you’re right. Like, totally. Maybe later I’ll go an’ say I’m sorry.” In his usual manner, O’liday yawned then slouched further down against Ribbontail. “I’ll uh...get to that eventually,” he added with a yawn, as he pulled his festive hat down over his eyes.

Right after he did this, though, the carriage slowed to a stop. Just like last time, all heads turned. This time Infin did not come and open the door to give them orders. Instead, she called to them from the front of the caravan.

“Oasis!” came her voice over the groaning of the camels, “Anybody who needs a good drink, now’s the time!”

Ribbontail’s ears shot up as she turned to the window, pressing her nose against the warm glass. She gestured for O’liday and PuppetRibbontail to come take a look. “Check it out,” she woofed, “she’s right. There’s an oasis out there!”

Indeed, it was evident that they’d parked the carriage alongside an oasis. The ground here was more brown dirt than sand, and a nearby pond stood clear and crisp in the shade of a palm tree grove. Ribbontail smiled. Nothing was quite as refreshing as an oasis.

“Aww sweet,” O’liday cheered, “Can’t wait to get a drink of some real water, dude. This tea’s totally not doing it for me.”

By this time Scumtrot, the large hog, had already unfastened the door. Ribbontail and her friends crowded around him as he adjusted himself and flopped down. Outside Infin and Timothy were there to greet them all, Timothy for once showing signs of comfort.

“All right? The pond is right there,” Infin explained as she motioned behind her. As Ribbontail and her friends dropped out of the carriage alongside Scumtrot, they felt just how calm and serene it was here. “If you’ve got a canister or something, do feel obliged to fill up. There aren’t that many oases between here and our destinations.”

Infin nodded then turned and started towards the oasis, with Timothy still quietly mumbling to her. As they did this Scumtrot swiped a large hoof-fist over his brow, groaning. “Ugg... need some water.”

In shock, Ribbontail and her friends watched wide-eyed as Scumtrot took off for the pond, clopping along in a most ungraceful manner. He thundered toward the water’s edge, and as he passed Infin he threw out an arm, knocking her off her feet. Everybody around gasped as the merchant fell to the ground.

“Whoa, what’s his problem?” Ribbontail yelped as her and her friends all rushed to her.

Infin groaned, plaintively accepting Timothy’s helping paws. “How...ugh... how bloody rude!”

The entire gang turned to the oasis pool. Scumtrot had already collapsed by the water’s bank and was shoveling handfuls of water into his mouth. His stout form trembled as he sucked in water, looking much like a man who had not had a sip of water in weeks. Much to Ribbontail’s dismay, he didn’t turn at all to acknowledge Infin’s presence.

“What a jerk,” O’liday spat, stepping out from behind Ribbontail as he turned to the lady, “you okay, ma’am?”

Infin began brushing sand from her black robes, her downcast eyes filled with their usual mix of emotions. This time it was a blend of frustration and disgust. “Oh I’m doing simply smashing,” she replied, her wavering voice inlaid with sarcasm, “Just grand, thanks love.”

The merchant’s head tilted down until her mask met her chest. She seemed to be contemplating something, but after a moment’s breath she looked up and gestured back towards the oasis water.

“Well, off with you chaps. We can’t stay in one place for long, as we’ve got a schedule to keep. Get your drinks then let’s move,” she finished, but not before taking in a deep, pensive breath.

She tucked her claws into that flowing black robe, watching as Ribbontail and the others departed for the spring. In midstride, however, Ribbontail was pulled aside and held back with a single phrase: “Stay for a second, child.”

Ribbontail glanced quickly at her friends and Timothy, who were already finding their places along the oasis’ edge. She then turned, ears folded back, and looked up at Infin. “What’s the matter? Are you hurt?” Naturally Ribbontail had assumed this had to do with Scumtrot’s discourtesy.

Shaking her masked head, Infin shrugged.

“I’m fine. I’m used to that sort of treatment,” she explained, then more quietly, “But I’d like to ask a favor of you. That guardian of yours, I feel an evil essence boiling from within her.”

Silently Ribbontail followed Infin’s gaze. The gaunt and bony PuppetRibbontail stood alongside O’liday, gazing at them from afar. Ribbontail blinked her golden eyes up at the robed Emalian. “She’s nice, honestly she is. I read somewhere that she was an evil monster once, but now she’s as sincere and friendly as they come. She almost gave her life for us-”

“Hush, hush,” Infin interrupted, “I trust the little one just as much as you and your chum O’liday. But her presence is impeding my magical energy. Whenever she is near I feel my magic draining away, as though she is stealing it from me.”

Ribbontail’s ears folded back against her head.

“All that I ask of you,” continued Infin, patting Ribbontail’s shoulder, “is that you keep PuppetRibbontail out at night. She’s a spirit just like my camels over there, so I’m more than sure they’d all get along nice and well. The little darling wouldn’t mind walking all night, would she?”

A sigh escaped Ribbontail’s mouth. There was something in Ribbontail that relied on Puppet’s presence; she needed the little creature for comfort and protection. Yet at the same time Ribbontail figured that they would also need Infin’s magic. Whatever obstacles they’d come across could surely be resolved by the mysterious trader.

PuppetRibbontail was always having to make sacrifices for them, and now came another time.

“I guess that’s okay...” she said at last with a quiet and unsure voice, “If I explain it to her I’m sure she wouldn’t mind. I’ll see what I can do.”

“That’s a good girl!” Infin chuckled lightly, winking down at the little wolf as she gave her a pat on the head. “Besides, we don’t want the sweetie waking up the other passengers, do we? That would only make their attitudes worse. Haha!”

As if on cue, Scumtrot plodded by. He was screwing on the cap to a water canister he had strapped across his chest, and he totally disregarded the two as he passed. The large man was cursing to himself.

Infin turned and watched with fiery eyes as the hog clambered back into the carriage. “Someday he’ll get what’s coming to him, I know it. Folks with nasty attitudes rarely get anywhere in life.”

“What goes around comes around!” Ribbontail couldn’t agree more.

There was a soft whirling of hot desert wind. After it passed Infin flicked her tall brown ears, and she turned down to nod at Ribbontail. “Those are smart words to live by. Well come on, Ribbontail. We’d best get a drink ourselves before we’ve got to leave. ”