If travel is searching,
And home what's been found,
I'm not stopping...
--Bjork Hunter
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Clouds scudded across the late summer sky, casting alternating blotches of shadow across a lone figure seated, chin in paws, on a grassy hillock that overlooked the vast plain to the east of the farm.
Bratis watched the other creature from a distance, and sighed.
Apollo had grown into a moody, somewhat antisocial young creature, always seeming to be in a snit about something, even when he was happy. He seemed anxious and uncomfortable.
Celia, Apollo's adoptive mother, had died of pneumonia last winter. The strain of that had been hard on everyone. It had made Lepidus somewhat bitter and mournful. It had made the other children snappish and uptight, trying to console their father. It had made Apollo confused and depressed.
Celia and Lepidus (against Bratis's better judgement) had told their children a few seasons earlier the truth about Apollo, that he was adopted, but that hadn't really affected their relationship until now.
With his mother gone and his father desperately trying to carry on with the farm, Apollo had been forced to turn to his siblings for affection and attention. That was a tragic mistake. Instead of comforting their highly emotional brother, they had scorner him. Not only that, but from that point on they seemed to go out of their way to mistreat him.
And Apollo, though he continued to work hard at his studies, grew more and more unhappy.
Bratis strolled over to where Apollo sat, feeling a fresh breeze ruffle his fur. "Apollo," he said gently.
"Hi Bratis." mumbled Apollo without looking up.
Bratis sat down next to the young hare. "Apollo, go up to the house and get packed. We're going on a trip."
Apollo's ears pricked a little. He turned and looked at Bratis with half-lidded, apathetic eyes. Something seemed to curl at the corner of his mouth, like a smug little beginning of a sneer...But maybe it was just a trick of the light. "Where to?"
"The city." Said Bratis.
Apollo brightened a little. "The city? Yeah, all right. I'll go get ready." He got up and ran off towards the house.
Bratis shook his head. There was something about Apollo that was faintly disturbing, but he still wasn't able to say exactly what it was. * * * *
Five days later, when they entered the city, Apollo was amazed in spite of himself.
He had seen towns and villages, of course, but never anything like this. The sights, the sounds, the smells... It was all strangely stimulating.
As they wound through the busy streets, Apollo would alternate between staring nervously at his paws, and dumbfoundedly at the strange new world around him.
Thousands of creatures were moving about, some on foot, some in antelope-drawn carts, some even on strange, two-wheeled contraptions that were propelled with pedals.
Buildings were crammed closely together, with only narrow spaces between them. At the open market, vendors had booths set up all along the sides of the streets. The streets themselves were paved with cobblestones, though some of the smaller side-streets were made of dirt.
Smells assailed the nose from all directions. The smells of other creatures mostly, intermingled with the vendors' fresh fruits and herbs, strange spices, smells of mud and tar and wood and metal, smells of in and out, up and down, busy, busy, busy... Smells of fear, discomfort, ambition, anger, impatience, injured pride, hope, despair, progress, decay, love, hate... It was all there. Jumbled into one overwhelming mass.
Most of the way, the noise was tremendous, too. Everyone seemed to have something to say, but no one could hear them say it because they themselved were making to much racket.
However, as they neared the middle of the city, things seemed to quiet down. Instead of jumbled stores and run-down apartments, the streets were lined with nicer houses, trees and grass reappeared. The smells were softer, muted, and the sounds of a bustling city died a way a little.
They walked up a lane that went through a small stretch of parkland and up to an enormously huge stone wall with a massive iron gate complete with a guard tower set in it.
Bratis walked up to the gate and called to the guard, "Ho there! Two travelers request permission to enter!"
A creature poked its head out the small window in the guard tower. "What?" He was a tough-looking leopard with a scarred face. He eyed the two weary, drty creatures with distaste. "And who are you that you demand entrance?" He growled.
"I am Sir Bratis DeRenyath," called Bratis, "and you are Sir Kumitan of Bundran, you spotted ninny." He grinned mischeviously at the leopard.
The cat looked at them in surprise. "Bratis? Is that really you?" He asked.
"No, it's a twelve-toed skink, silly. Of course it's me!"
Kumitan laughed. "Of course! On moment and I'll have the gate opened, old friend!" The leopard vanished back into the tower.
Moments later, the cat reappeared with a huge key and unlocked the gates. He gave a mighty heave and swung the left on open. "Come on in." He said.
Bratis shook Kumitan's paw. "Thanks, Kumi. Good to see you again." He said.
"Good to see you too, scraggle-fuzz." Said the leopard, giving the fox a good-natured swat on the side with a large golden paw. "Who's your little companion?" He asked, glancing at Apollo.
Apollo tried to hide behind Bratis, shying away from the big cat's long fangs and powerful claws. Despite the fact that he was friendly, Kumitan frightened the young hare terribly.
"This is Apollo Thinuthilthlay." Said Bratis, pulling Apollo around in front of himself. Apollo trembled a little, but extended his paw politely.
Kumitan nodded as he shook the hare's paw. "Well met, young Apollo." He rumbled. Then he turned back to Bratis. "You can go on up. They won't give you any trouble. You're well-remembered here, Bratis."
"Thanks, Kumitan." Said Bratis with a nod. Then he turned and walked towards the massive stone building that stood withing the wall. Apollo followed quickly behind.
* * * *
The castle that stood as a fortress in the city was newer than the now destroyed castle where the king and queen had once resided, but it was larger and a little more pleasant, to Bratis, anyway.
They had been here for a week now, and Apollo seemed to be doing quite well in the new setting. Here he was surrounded by knights, both old and new, but all creatures of honor and all willing to teach a young creature like Apollo anything he was willing to learn. Apollo was still leery of other creature's company when he wasn't in a learning situation, but he seemed to enjoy the place more than he had the farm. And so when Bratis came and told him it was time to leave...
"Bratis, I'm not sure I want to go home."
Bratis wasn't really surprised, but he blinked. "What? Why not?"
Apollo was leaning against a stone column in the airy courtyard. "Well," he said, "It's just... I dunno, I kinda sorta like it better here." He shrugged.
"But your family..." Bratis prodded.
Apollo snorted. "They all hate me anyway." He was getting a little upset now. "I'm just a nuisance to them anyway. I can do more good here."
Bratis tilted his head, not giving away any opinions at the moment.
"And besides," Apollo continued, "I can learn things here." He checked himself. "Er, not that I didn't learn things from you, Bratis, I owe it all to you, after all, but here I could be learning all the time, not waiting a whole month for your visits." He looked down at his paws a little guiltily.
Bratis sighed. "Well, Apollo, I guess it's your descision, really. I can't say that I necessarily approve, but... It is your choice." He shrugged.
Apollo looked up, half-gratefully, half... something else. His mouth seemed to get that expression again. Almost an I-told-you-so look, almost mocking... but you could never be sure with Apollo.
Bratis Went up to the young hare and embraced him tightly for a moment. Then he withdrew and looked his pupil in the eyes. Apollo looked uneasy, and glanced away. "Yeah," he mumbled. "Thank you, Bratis."
Bratis clapped the hare on the shoulder. "You behave yourself, all right?"
"All right." Apollo smiled a little genuine smile.
Bratis shouldered his pack again. "I'll come and see you sometimes," he said.
"I'd like that." Said Apollo.
And with another shrug and a secret sigh, Bratis started off again, wondering, as usual, if he was really doing the right thing.