HOME | DD

Description
“I swear…I despise trees…they all look the same.” The large beast grumbled to his rider as they made their way through the forest by way of the medium sized dirt road.

“Yes, well, you’re not exactly designed for forests, Ulah.” The woman sitting in the saddle on his back said. “Just remember we won’t be here for long.” She added patting his powerful shoulders fondly.

Ulah growled slightly, “Still too long.”

“You Manticors…so very grumpy.” The woman commented with a small smile.

“I am not grumpy!” He snapped.

The woman covered her smile with her hand. It wouldn’t do to laugh at your fighting companion; especially when he was in a bad mood. “Of course you’re not, Ulah. I don’t know what I was thinking.”

Ulah turned his head to look back at his rider with strange reptilian eyes. “You’re in a good mood, Iara.”He said, revealing rows of sharp teeth as he spoke.

Iara shrugged. “I suppose I’m just happy to get out and about for once.”

Ulah made a strange ‘whump’ noise in the back of his throat that Iara understood to be his version of a sigh. “Humans…” He muttered before turning his eyes back to the road in front of him. “I’ll never understand you.”

Iara smiled again. Ulah was definitely in one of his moods. Iara ran her hands through Ulah’s thick mane, knowing from experience he would calm down a bit when she did. Ulah made a slight rumbling purr of appreciation at her actions.

The two of them traveled for quite some time in a comfortable silence. One of the reasons they worked together was because neither of them felt uncomfortable around the other. Around midday Iara finally broke her silence, “We should stop for a while, Ulah. Want to find a nice little grassy area to rest in?”

Ulah grunted a bit. “Very well.”

Within ten minutes, the two of them had stopped in a small flat area next to the road. Iara rummaged around the saddle bag that they had brought with them. She finally pulled out a wrapped piece of Highway Bread and a small hunk of salted pork. Putting her lunch on top of the bag she went to the straps of Ulah’s saddle and helped the Manticor out of the device. Ulah shook to get rid of the feeling of the leather pressing against his back.

Iara put the large saddle off to the side and sat down to use it for a back rest. “I’m going hunting.” Ulah announced before he bound off into the shrubbery, his spiked tail waving slightly at the action.

Iara started eating her meal as she waited for Ulah to return. It was probably better for her appetite that way. Manticor weren’t the most polite of eaters. As she ate, she leaned back across the large saddle to look up at the sky. The clouds were bright white and fluffy against the royal blue sky. It was a magnificent day, no matter what Ulah said about it or the current scenery. But then again she couldn’t blame him for his dislike of the area. Manticor are more prone to wander the Wastes and the jungles that surround it.