//------------------------------//
// Ch.8 Tall grass part 1 
// Story: The Epic of a Diamond Dog 
// by Ravencrofte 
//------------------------------//

	A low mist covered the ground. It clung to everything, leaving cold, wet droplets that twinkled in the first light of dawn. I was impervious to the cold: safe and warm under the blanket with a small feathery bundle pressed up against my side. Unfortunately, it was well past time to get a move on.
I slipped out from under the blanket. I stretched first, hearing joints pop and stiff muscles start to loosen. A night spent outdoors, without the comfort of my mattress, probably the first of many.
Retrieving the saddle pack, I took a bite of the dried sausage. I chewed slowly, savoring the flavor, before swallowing. My stomach growled indignantly as I placed the rest back into the pack. I needed to make it last.
I gently rocked Kitty Hawk awake. She raised her head, looking at me sleepily.
"Breakfast," I said and offered her the feed bag. "Eat quickly, we’re moving out soon."
Reluctantly, she shrugged out of the blanket.
Once she finished eating, I packed everything away and buckled on my sword belt. The belt felt awkward, since it was trying to occupying the same space on my hips as the saddle pack. Finally, I looped the belt over my left shoulder and buckled it across my chest.
I started off at an easy trot; Kitty Hawk prancing along beside me. It was only a brief silence before she started asking those questions. Are we there yet? How long is it going to take?
She was just like an excited puppy on his first adventure outside the village walls.
I sighed inwardly, trying to answer her questions as best as I could.
We curved inland, leaving the river and the hunting grounds behind. By going this way, I hoped to cut the curve of the river, decreasing the distance and saving time. There was also a better chance of avoiding other Diamond Dogs if we were away from the main hunting grounds.
As we continued inland, the land flattened. The usual red earth was replaced by brown, gritty soil. Thick grasses grew here, tall enough that I couldn’t see over the top. I took the lead, mashing a path through the grass for Kitty Hawk to follow.
A stiff wind was blowing from the south.  With the wind came numerous clouds that condensed overhead. I silently prayed for it not to rain.
I was having difficulty plotting a straight course. The grasses obscured the horizon; all I had was the sun to guide me. A slight bump rose above the land. I changed our path to meet it.
Climbing to its crest, I trampled the grasses there, enough to afford me a view. Sure enough, the rise was just high enough for me to look out across the swaying sea of green. As I did so, I found myself fixating on an object directly in front of me. Smoke, which should have alerted me to its location, was blown away by the breeze.  I had discovered a Diamond Dog village.
We were way too close!
I instinctively crouched.
“Ember, what is it?” asked Kitty Hawk.
I brought her up beside me, and showed her the village.
“Oh...” she said. I motioned for her to go back the way we had come. I followed her on my belly.
We ate lunch at the base to the rise. Kitty Hawk munched happily on her grains. I sat, tense, taking only small bites. My paw twitched towards my sword hilt every time a blade of grass danced playfully in the wind or a group of foliage rustled slightly. I expected to see Diamond Dogs leap out as us.
It felt like it was a little past midday, but it was hard to tell; the clouds had completely obscured the sun. They swirled en masse overhead, seething and writhing as they grew dark with power. A growl of thunder announced their intentions.
It was definitely going to rain.
We finished eating and packed away the food. Striking off, we started the long trek around the village, giving it a wide berth. It didn’t take long for us to reach its northernmost edge. Now we could start heading Northeast again and meet up with the river once more. Maybe we would get to the hunting grounds and find a tree to shelter under before the rain hit us?
That was the plan, until I heard voices.
I pulled Kitty Hawk next to me and we crouched low, both of my ears tracking the sounds through the grass.
“Ember, do you think-” said Kitty Hawk, but I held my paw over her mouth, silencing her. She looked at me questioningly. I shook my head. The message sunk in, and she remained silent.
There were two of them. I could hear them clearly. They were but a short distance away! Their path would take them directly in front of us, luckily with neither of them being the wiser.
I felt the breeze blowing from behind me. Darn it! We were downwind of them. Any moment they would smell us and come to investigate.
I slowly drew out my sword.
I saw Kitty Hawk’s eyes widen at the sight of my naked blade.
“Ember, please don’t,” she hissed, pleading.
I said nothing, focusing intently on the voices.
Keep going, and do not stop! Do not make me kill you, I silently begged them.
I heard one stop, and then the other shortly after.
“I smell sausages,” said the first.
Great!
“You always think you smell food,” chastised the second. “I’m surprised you don’t eat the whole village into a famine. Come on, let’s get back to the village before it starts to rain.”
“No,” insisted the first, “I really do smell sausages.”
He started crashing through the grass directly towards us!
I crouched even lower, willing myself to be sucked into the earth. My paw was gripping the hilt of my sword so hard that it shook. Kitty Hawk was pressing into my side, trembling.
Silently, I counted the seconds until he appeared. 
Five.
I could hear the sniffing of his nose that was leading him directly to our hiding spot. 
Four.
I saw the gleaming tip of a spear sparkling in the sun.
Three.
He was nearly on top of us, I could scarcely force myself to breath. 
Two.
I could smell him; of grass and meat, dust and sweat.
One.
A black paw reached forth and pushed aside the last clump of grass.