Chapter Twenty Two :

The Desert ( Part One ) /

I stayed at home for about three days, until I couldn't take any more. The outside world was calling to me. Dolion came with me (obviously) and we went into the forest behind my house. It seemed like a more comfortable or familiar journey, because I have always been very close with these woods. Even though they've changed. 

"Where did all the colors go?" I wondered aloud. Around me, the trees and grass had lost their otherworldy hues; now they were a faded brown-ish grey... The trees no longer possessed leaves, the grass was worn and short. Alot of trees were destroyed, laid helplessly on the deadened ground. Some of the grass and tree limbs were black with ashes, scorched? I couldn't understand how I wouldn't have noticed a fire raging through the woods right behind my house. 

We meandered for a long time (I didn't bother keeping track, I was too busy absorbing my surroundings), and then we found a door in the face of a large rock. I looked up at Dolion, silently asking permission to go. It nodded, and I approached the entrance. The antique door knob felt hot, and when I pulled the door open, I understood why. 

Inside the door was a desert, as far as I could see. Hill after hill of tan colored sand, reflecting the huge sun's golden rays. A few scattered palm trees grew in the valleys, along with cactuses and big rocks. I could see the tops of mountains a long way off, glinting in the sunlight. 

Seeing it all from the outside was the only good thing about it, because after only a few minutes of walking, I was sweating and breathing heavily. The brightness made me squint, and the unrelenting heat came in waves, along with a too warm breeze that swept up sand, making me cover my eyes with my hands. I should have brought sunscreen and sunglasses, I thought. 

In a short while, we came across a small group of tents in one of the valleys. They were a light white-tan color, made from some kind of animal hide, and a few clay pots sat outside of each of them. Silence hung over the scene like a blanket. "Hello?" I called out. "Is there anyone here?" 

A jackrabbit stepped out from one of the tents. "Hi!" She greeted us in an overexcited voice. "Come on in, and out of that heat!" 

Her tent was small, but welcoming. Little jackrabbits ran around, talking to each other in a foreign language and playing with wooden, handmade toys. "Don't mind my kids," She said sweetly. "Kids, say hello to our guests!" They stopped scurrying about and looked up at Dolion and I. They seemed shy, but waved at us anyway. "And, my grandmother." The mother jackrabbit said. "She probably won't say anything, but don't take it personally." She gestured to a section of the tent that must have been the living room, showing us the old jackrabbit sitting peacefully in a rocking chair with her eyes closed. Some knitting needles and balls of yarn sat beside her, which explained the countless colorful knitted throws that seemed to be everywhere in the tent - on the floor, draped over the sofa and chairs, wrapped around one of the little jackrabbits. 

The mother jackrabbit fixed us lunch (which was dinner for her and her family). "Thank you so much, you've been very sweet," I told her. "Oh, of course," She replied. "I think it's so sad that no one else in this camp is hospitable in the least." I thought for a bit. "Wait - you mean there's actually other creatures in those tents?" "Well, yes," She answered. "We just haven't seen them in... A couple weeks? Time goes by so fast, and we don't keep much record of it here." I nodded, puzzled as to why she never bothered to check on the other creatures if she hadn't seen them for that long. 

The grandmother jackrabbit joined us at the table, smoking something in a pipe. She had little pink rhinestone glasses perched on her nose, which she looked over to peer at me. She hardly gave Dolion a glance. We ate in near silence, besides the little jackrabbits sometimes leaning over to whisper something in each others' ears. 

After their meal, their mother sent them all to bed, giving them individual hugs and kisses. The grandmother returned to the living room, probably to knit. "I would love to talk with you some more, but I'm terribly sleepy and so I should be off to bed now. You can stay if you want, we have extra rooms, on that side of the tent." She pointed past the kitchen. I thanked her and then we went outside for a bit. 

The sun had almost disappeared behind the mountains, sending amazing streaks of red, orange, and pink across the dark blue sky. I took in a breath and let it out, relaxing as I laid back in the sand and Dolion sat beside me. I couldn't remember a time when I had felt so at peace. I looked at Dolion, whose glimmering silver eyes reflected the sun's orange hues. I wasn't sure if it felt the same peace I did; I could never tell what it was feeling or thinking. But as of now, what I did know was that I trusted it. I moved closer and wrapped my arms around its torso. "What's this for?" It asked me. "I trust you, and I want to thank you for being here for me." I responded. That small half-smile again on its pretty face. Dolion put its arms around me, and we sat in silence. 

But as someone once said (Or I thought someone said, something along the lines of this) good things never last. 

Because I heard a noise coming from one of the tents, like a snarl. It grew louder until it woke up the jackrabbit family, and the mother cautiously stepped out from her tent. "What's going on?" She asked fearfully. "I don't know, but stay in the tent," I warned her. "Keep everyone in the tent." Dolion looked down at me. "You should go in there with them, too." It advised. "But..." I started, and had no time to finish. The tent that the noise was coming from ripped open, and a coyote-like being leaped out from it. Because the tent was no longer whole, I could see a murdered sand cat family inside. The coyote growled ferociously, saliva dripping from its sharp teeth. Dried blood was in its grey-ish brown speckled fur. I could see hate and rage in its lime green glowing eyes, its pupils tiny slits. 

Dolion stepped in front of me, drawing a silver dagger from the sheath on its hip. I covered my eyes, because I already knew what was going to happen next.