Nanowrimo 2021 Day 2 - Word Count and Favorite Bit (Patreon)

Today I added 2410 words to Seek The Oasis, making my current total word count 5028!

The air stilled, but no sound caught Aysel's ear. She frowned, standing in her stirrups to scout the nearby sands. Nothing. Frowning, she spurred Sonnak onwards.

"Just a little longer, friend," she assured him when he made a noise of protest. "Just a little longer."

The light faded over the horizon, dancing stars taking the sun's place in the sky. The moon stared down at the desert, staining the sand a shade of silvery white. She could see a few rocky outcroppings in the distance, their sharp forms jutting out from the sand like spears through the flesh of an enemy. That seemed as good of a place as any to make camp for the night.

She clicked her tongue at Sonnak, urging him towards her chosen shelter, but the movement of a silent shadow over the sands made her pause. The creeping dread that had been plaguing her morphed into a sudden, violent terror. She turned her eyes skyward just in time to hear the hunting screech of a great desert owl as It dove towards her, talons out. Cursing under her breath, Aysel reached for her spear. But the bird was too fast, knocking Aysel from her mount before her fingertips could even touch the wooden shaft. She rolled across the sand, Sonnak snarling at the owl. Groaning, Aysel pushed herself up, only to throw herself to the sand as the owl dove once more. She would not survive the encounter at this rate. At least…not using her tribe's usual methods.

She spotted a few cacti out of the corner of her eye, and she knew what she had to do. She reached out toward the plant, sensing the moisture stored just beneath Its smooth exterior. She pulled at what she found, a thin stream leaking from the plant at her call. Tesni had called these abilities weird, and Aysel would not argue with her, but she wondered what her sister would think If she saw Aysel using them this way.

She tightened her hold on the moisture, hardening It Into a singular, frozen spear. The owl screeched, diving towards Sonnak with talons bared. Aysel screamed wordlessly, willing the spear to fly true.

The owl's screech was cut short as the spear lodged Itself deep Inside It's chest just below the wing. Blood trickled down the weapon, dripping down onto the sand and mixing with the water that melted off the Ice. The great owl beat Its wings once, twice, before collapsing Into the sand.

Aysel held deathly still, waiting until the chest of the owl stopped moving, until It gave It's last, stuttering breath. When all was quiet, she pushed herself up once more with shaking hands. She…had not expected that to work. Wide, golden eyes stared at the unmoving form of the great owl, watching the Ice slowly melt -- watching the blood slowly pool beneath the bird's massive form.

Sonnak bumped into her, pulling her from her thoughts. She pressed her face into his long, furry neck, breathing deeply to calm herself. Hands still shaking, she climbed back atop her saddle. Clicking her tongue, she urged Sonnak just a little bit further.

The rocky outcropping did not provide much shelter, but It would be better than sleeping In the open. It blocked much of the frigid wind that whipped up desert sand at night, and for that Aysel was grateful.

She fed Sonnak a handful of dried meats and cactus fruits, wrapping herself in her blanket. She did not dare make a full camp, did not dare make herself too comfortable. This was only the first of what would be many obstacles in her journey. And Aysel had a feeling It would be the least of the dangers she would face.