"Here." Dorl's hands shook as he extended the paper to Jorel who grabbed it and immediately put it back in his satchel.
"Ohhh, look snakes on the strangers body."
Tina pointed at Jorel, specifically his purple shirt.
"So the stranger is going to get bitten and die?!" She asked while tears filled up her eyes and tried to walk close to Jorel.
Jorel's face twisted not in fear but because of the way Tina said it so suddenly, but Dorl grabbed her by the hand while he nodded his head side to side gently.
Weird kid…
Jorel puffed at Tina.
"Well then that's done…" Jorel then turned around with his cape following him and moved towards the door with a warm fire lit in his chest.
"Wait…" Dorl forced his old bones to get up from the chair.
"At least let me escort you back and send you off…"
"...As the town's Kumigara." He smiled as he moved in closer.
…I don't see the harm in it.
Jorel looked at him over the shoulder.
"Whatever." Jorel's answered as he openee the door.
"Daddy can I follow?" Tina asked as she licks her own mucus.
"Hmm…" Dorl dropped his hands, relaxing his muscles as his smile returned back.
"I don't see why not."
Tina's face slowly glowed with a warm and fuzzy light with her incomplete teeth showed themselves. Then they all walked away from the house with Jorel following right behind Dorl and Tina.
Dorl formed faces and gesture at the Tina, and each time she smiled and slaps his face while Jorel was not even paying heed to them, he looked off to the side and was lost in thought.
If I remember the way correctly back to my horse…
Wait…!
I didn't even tie the reins to something!
…Hope it hasn't wondered off----The dumb animal!
They walked past the run-down buildings, the moldy stalls, and people that had their eyes on Jorel lock onto him again while sweat started to build beneath his skin.
But this isn't as much as before…
I can manage this…
Jorel breathed out slightly as he continues moving.
…
"I can't believe that you're going so soon." Dorl turned his head back and looked at me Jorel while he carried Tina.
"You won't even rest for a day?" He shook his head.
"The journey to get here must have been long and hard." He continued while Tina played with his beard.
"No, thank you." Jorel softly answered and dredged along the thick mud that he still hasn't grown used to.
"Tsk…Tskk" Said someone that leaned on the rotten wooden pillar of a shop, his gaze was sharp as ever, his hollow smirk was still prominent. Tina noticed the man as her body tingles lightly.
"Uncle Isan!" Tina shouted and jumped down from Dorl's body and darted along the mud and towards Isan.
Isan widened his hands and carried her into the air.
"Aww, how are you Tina?" He asked, his voice sounded surprisingly compassionate.
"I'm fine, I just saw snakes." She smiled with her eyes closed and head slightly tilted.
Isan, his face slightly wrinkled.
"Where?"
Tina pointed directly at Jorel and picked her nostrils.
"Oh him, he's a snake that's why." Isan, his warm smile then slightly widened at the edges and his head bent.
"A disgusting one at that." He went back to his warm smile and faced it at Tina but his eyes cursed at Jorel.
Excuse me?
The slight breeze filled the gap in Jorel's thoughts as his hair and cape danced.
Him! He made me touch the freaking mud!
And now insulting me? Infront of child?!
Jorel quickly grabbed the hilt of his sword, ready to lodge it in Isan's head, but Dorl put his hand on Jorel's chest, which stopped him.
"No" Dorl said as he walked ahead instead.
Jorel, his heart raced heavily as he can't help but just watch Dorl from behind who closed in on Isan and Tina.
"Isan that's no way to speak to our guest---especially him!" He placed a firm hand on Isan's shoulder and then carried Tina away from him.
"Hrmph!" Isan grunted as he spat into the mud, his eyes wanted to burst in Jorel's direction. Jorel then removed his hand from the hilt of his sword as his muscles relaxed.
Not worth my time to be engaging with him…
Don't want anything hindering me from leaving this place.
He continued walking forward and finally reached the area where he was with his horse last.
Whew… going to return home at long last.
He sighs with his loosened face.
But suddenly, Jorel's face twisted as his eyes widened and his mouth gaped. His horse was gone, no where to be found, not even much as a strain of hair.
"..." Jorel's brain was at a loss of words as he turned around and dotted his immediate surroundings. The mud, covered in too many horse tracks and footprints----making it hard for him to try and track it. The people around, their faces quiet with their sunken eyes.
Ughn, where could it have gone off to?
All my gear…
Jorel, scratched his hair as he squatted down and looked at the mud, he then stood up and looked towards the sky while he walked around.
Where is it?! Who could've have possibly done---
His eyes lookee at all the peasants there, some their faces down while others looked at his feet.
"Hey where is my horse?!" Jorel walked forward and his voice became more deeper.
At the corner of his eye, he caught a glimpse of Isan with his head tilted downwards as he chuckled.
Why would he…?
…!
---The end of chapter 16---