For the next five days, we continue our path to the Northern Mountains. We have a little schedule by now that I actually look forward to. We would travel for some distance. Each taking turns riding or walking. When it got close to nighttime, Lupa would make a fire and catch us some food. Usually rabbits or other small animals. After that, she would ask questions about the Green Belt and anything else. Turns out I really enjoy talking to Lupa. There is just something about her naïve personality that makes me feel happy. She hasn’t experienced the world’s true evils. Some part of me hopes that she will never experience them.

I look up at the approaching mountains in the distance. Even through the very dense trees, the mountains presence is known. I stop Bruce just before the road ends. This is how the far the road goes. The people who built the road either stopped building it or the vegetation took it back over. I slide off of Bruce. Lupa hops down looking extremely excited. “I am almost home!” I nod taking off the remaining bags. We were lucky that Lupa found some edible plants. I do not know how long we will be in the Northern Mountains. I look at Bruce.

“Listen. Thank you for helping us get here this far but you won’t be able to climb the mountain. So, you are free to go.” I say feeling somewhat sad. Even though he has been a huge pain in my butt, we wouldn’t have gotten here without him. Lupa comes over to us.

“We ready to go?” I nod, but before I can leave. Bruce puts his head on my shoulder. He lightly nuzzles me. I pet him one final time and remove myself. Lupa gives Bruce the biggest hug I have seen. Bruce nuzzles her also and starts to trot down the path. Maybe someone will find him and give him a good home. I shake sadness from my thoughts. I look at Lupa.

“Let’s go. I would like to get a good start on climbing the mountains. It would be dumb to climb it at night.” She nods.

“Of course. We should make good time if we get to the mountain within an hour.” We start walking toward the enormous mountains. The closer we get to them; the forest starts to appear less lush. This was a new experience to me. All my life, I have been surrounded by trees and life. However now, there are fewer trees. We break the tree line into an open field. This was the first time I got a clear look at the mountains. They stand taller than anything I have ever seen. The go past the clouds that surround them. I look both ways across the field. The grass looks brown and dead within the field. The field itself keeps going past the horizon. That is my guess. The field is almost like a line that is dividing the Green Belt and the Northern Mountains. I stand at the edge of the field still looking at the mountains. Lupa is already across the field when she looks back at me. “Aren’t you coming?” I muster up my nerve and head across. Just before getting to the base of the mountain, I catch up with Lupa.

“So, is there anything I need to worry about before going in?” I ask. Lupa shakes her head no.

“There is nothing you need to worry about. Trust me. While I am here nothing is going to hurt you.” I make a face at that.

“I can take care of myself, Lupa.” She nods.

“I know, but.. It’s nice to have someone you can count on. Isn’t it?” She asks a little hopeful. I pause before I answer. I shrug.

“I guess?” I say it more of a question which causes Lupa to give me a look. I look at her a little annoyed. “What?” She laughs a little bit.

“Oh nothing.” I glare at her slightly as we reach the bottom of the mountain. Looking straight up I notice snow. We only get a couple of inches a year. The snow almost looks as white as Lupa’s hair. I look at her.

“Okay. Where to now?” I say ready to get this over with. The climb is going a pain. She seems to be analyzing the best path of going up. She looks at me.

“Okay, I am just looking for the right path way...” She keeps looking as I hear something in the distance. I look behind us and see a small group of soldiers emerging from the forest. Oh no. Why are they here? I grab Lupa’s arm.

“Lupa. We need to go now.” Lupa looks confused at me then looks behind us. She frowns as the soldiers notice us. I see her eyes turn a different shade of purple as she looks at me.

“I am carrying you. Get on my back now.” I frown and start to protest as an arrow sails past my head. I nod and quickly get onto her back. By now her hair is turning crimson. With one mighty leap, she sails into the air. I grip tightly to her body, so I don’t fall off. She lands halfway up the mountain. With another leap, she sails toward a minor peak. We land on top and I feel like an ice cube. I start shivering like crazy. Lupa notices and starts to run. I close my eyes against the wind. I start to feel weird. Like my arms aren’t even there. Soon enough my legs start to feel the same. I feel my body starting to shut down as my breath slows down. I lose consciousness barely able to hold on to Lupa.

I awake feeling like I just died. I slowly look around and notice that I am in some sort of cave. The walls of the give a gleam of light from the entrance around the corner. I try to sit up, but my body doesn’t seem to follow my commands. I go to talk but my voice won’t make a sound. I look around before I start to panic. I notice a fire that is a few feet away from me. I don’t see Lupa anywhere. This causes me to panic. I try everything with my might to sit up. I feel like I am killing myself as I sit up. I hear a clatter of something toward the entrance. I slowly turn my head to see Lupa. She was carrying wood but is now running toward me. She gets down and hugs me. Her touch feels really warm which causes me to lean into it.

“I... thought you died...” She says sobbing into my shoulder. I go to speak but I can’t get out the words. She pulls away from me wiping her eyes. “… I should have thought of giving you more protection… I didn’t think of how cold it is up here.” She lies me back down. She goes adding fuel to the fire and brings me a small bowl. She helps me drink and I finally feel my throat again. I cough trying to catch my breath.

“… Thank… you.” I barely say trying to get my voice back. She looks like she hasn’t slept in days. “What… happened?” Her mouth makes a straight line as she looks down.

“When I came to you were starting to turn blue, I.. panicked.” Her voice breaks slightly. “We were outside an old hunting ground that I knew. I found this cave nearby… I am… so sorry..” She hugs me again. I don’t mind the hug. I welcome it. I relax trying to regain feeling throughout the rest of my body. Lupa holds onto me lying down with me. Finally, after what seems like forever, I start to feel the rest of my body. I look over to Lupa to tell her I am okay now, but she is fast asleep. I pause looking at her face. Instead of waking her, I lie still. Thanks to Lupa, I am alive now. I start to look at all the times that she has saved my life. Then I think about all the times I was awful to her. I sometimes hate myself. Lupa would care about me so much that she would do anything to save me. What do I do? Try to sell her out. I shake my head in disappoint in myself.

Lupa wakes up a little later. She frowns instantly letting go of me. “… I am sorry. Are you hungry?” My stomach answers that question with a large rumble. She scoots over to a bag and pulls out some of the plants from the Green Belt. I have enough strength to eat on my own. She watches me intently. I finish the food and attempt to stand up. Lupa helps me steady myself. It takes a couple of minutes before I can walk somewhat normally.

“How long was I out?” I say after stretching slightly. It feels good to move around again. My body felt so stiff.

“… A day or two...” I frown at that. “Are… you sure you are okay?” I nod still testing everything.

“Yea.. I am fine.” I say trying to reassure her. She tries to hide a frown but fails to do so. I sigh. “Lupa. Trust me. You did a great job at keeping me.. alive.” Finally saying it makes me come to the realization. I can die out here. I put that out of my head the best can. “Anyway, what’s the plan now? Is there a place you know of that we would be safe? Like your family?”

“I.. don’t have a family.” Lupa say after looking away from me.

“What? What do you mean?” I say confused.

“My tribe died a long time ago. I been living by myself for years now.” She seems to be indifferent about this. I look at her in a different light now. She is just like me. Being all alone in the world.

“I.. am sorry to hear that.” She looks at me.

“That’s why when the Sister told me… um… never mind.” She pauses not wanting to make me angry. I am such an awful person. “I know a place a day away from here. The only issue is that there is a snowstorm outside now. With what you just went through, we aren’t traveling.” I nod understanding that it would be an awful idea. My body is just now getting back to normal. If I try to travel with no protection, it would be suicide.

“I guess we are staying here then.” Lupa nods at me saying this.

“I will be right back. I am going to get more firewood.” She looks reluctant to leave but she knows that the fire is more important. She leaves going around the corner out of view. Since, I have some time to myself. I decide to change into some other clothes. I quickly switch into the last pair of Nicolas’s clothes. This is the smallest set of clothes. It is a white shirt and some brown pants. I have no idea why he would keep this pair around. I turn around to see a man in robes standing there. Being surprised I throw a bag at him. “Creep!” I yell at him as the bag his him in the face. Looking at him again, he is looks about six feet tall covered in brown robes. He has a hood up covering everything except his mouth. He falls to the ground. I grab a knife and go to attack him. He holds up his hand. “Please! I mean you no harm!” His hood falls back to reveal a bald head and gray eyes. He looks like he is old. Not ancient, but old enough to be a dad. His white skin somewhat hugs tight to his skin.

“What are you doing?!” I say angry at him pointing the knife at him.

“I am making my pilgrimage to the keep. This is a rest area for us monks.” He says fast enough to the point I can barely understand him.

“Monks?” He nods just as Lupa runs in.

“I heard you scream…” She eyes the monk glaring at him. She goes and pins him down. “Who are you?” Even though she isn’t in her other form, she seems serious enough to kill someone. He looks scared for his life.

“I.. I… I am Aleem! Keeper of Knowledge. Holder of Truth.”