True Friends: Chapter Twelve

Chapter Twelve

I am going to die of old age before we get there. 

I stop for the hundredth time that morning, pretending to look around. The landscape is beautiful, lush green hills leading up to mountains covered in dark forest, their towering peaks making even me seem small. A great view no matter where you are is one of the pros of being a giant. 

Having to travel at the pace of humans? Con. 

Finally I allow myself to glance down at them. It isn't their fault I can cover twenty feet in a single step. Still, I am getting tired of wandering around and inspecting things, or pausing to gaze at the mountains around us, or taking one too many drinks from neighboring streams despite not feeling thirsty, not to mention the way too many bathroom breaks following those drinks.

Despite all of that I feel like I've been doing more standing than walking. Maybe I can have Sage use the amulet to wish up some horses tomorrow instead. I turn my gaze back to the horizon, the sun is going to be setting soon, we've been traveling for most of the day. I look back towards the direction we came from and groan inwardly. I can still see the edge of the forest my grandmother's house is nestled in. Shaking my head I wonder if I was always that slow as a human. I guess so, but it could be worse. 

"I'm tired, can we take a break?" Violet's voice chimes in. Why do I even let myself think these things? I clench my hands in frustration, then release them. Easy Cole. Turning around, I blink, surprised at how far I am ahead of them. Though to be fair it only took me a few steps. 

Gideon is standing with his hands on his hips, surveying the landscape. He nods.

"Sure thing Violet." He turns and beams at her and Sage. "I think we're making good time." I fight the urge to groan loudly, and make my way back to them, sitting down on the grass abruptly. I don't even acknowledge Violet's yelp. Gideon looks up at me quizzically as if to ask, what's wrong? A raven flies down, landing on my shoulder before I can answer, which is probably a good thing considering my mood. Marin smoothly morphs into his dark haired human form, laughing loudly. Violet gives him a haughty look. 

"What's your problem?" He flashes a devilish grin and leans back against my neck, crossing his feet in a leisurely manner. 

"You."

"What about us?" Gideon inquires, accepting a metal canteen from Sage. He takes a few gulps before passing it off to Violet and glances back and forth between me and Marin, looking confused. 

"Cole is getting impatient, we're too slow." We all turn to look at Sage, who blinks calmly. "Well it's true isn't it?" I nod, feeling suddenly more sheepish than impatient. Gideon looks at me as if something great and miraculous just dawned on him.

"Oh, I didn't even think of that..." Sage rolls her eyes, her face morphing into her why-do-I-even-know-such-a-knucklehead look. Gideon rubs the back of his head and tries to laugh off his stupid moment. 

"Well I suppose you could carry us, we'll probably make much better time. You take big steps." He considers my legs thoughtfully. Then looks up at me, nervousness in his eyes. "That is, if you're okay with carrying us of course." I blink in surprise, looking over them all, which is probably more unnerving to them than I would like for it to be. The air feels suddenly tense. A thick fog of apprehension settles in. Everyone being terrified of you: con. 

"No." Violet's cry of angry alarm rings out, breaking the silence. I would be lying if I said I hadn't been expecting it. Sage puts a hand on Violet's arm, trying to console her. 

"It's okay Violet, he won't hurt us." She sounds like she is trying to convince herself as well. Gideon shuffles his feet in the dirt, not looking at me. My mind flashes back to the last time I carried them, cooped up in my necklace pouch and running for our lives. Not to mention I threatened to crush Violet, which must have been terrifying, lie or not. Suddenly I can't blame them. I probably wouldn't want to be carried again by me either. 

"Pansies." Marin sticks out his tongue at them, sitting up. I tense, not really happy about him making fun of them for being timid. He must have sensed my muscles tighten because he quickly makes an offer to appease me. Who's the pansy now. I can't help but thinking smugly. Your actions being far more intimidating as a giant, well, both pro and con. 

"If it helps, I'll turn into a horse and take the whiny one." Violet stiffens like a board and glares at him for calling her whiny. Gideon steps in front of her before she can start a fight. 

"That would be great Marin." The shapeshifter nods and jumps from my shoulder, sprouting wings and landing in front of Violet. A large black horse sporting an even larger pair of feathered wings trots in a circle around the three humans, looking smugger than a horse should be able to. 

"Up you get." I raise an eyebrow, seeing a horse talk isn't something I thought would ever happen to me. Then again I never thought I'd be sixty feet tall either. My life is strange. Violet hesitates, then glances at me and decides that maybe the shapeshifter isn't so bad after all. Marin kneels down fancy show horse style, making it easier for her to get on. Then he rises and trots past me merrily.

"Good luck." He practically sings out as he trots by, Violet riding sidesaddle on his back. I resist the urge to poke one of his legs out from under him and settle for an annoyed glare instead. Although I'm more annoyed about the fact that I will need luck than the fact that he pointed it out. I turn back to Sage and Gideon, inhaling deeply to steady myself. I suddenly feel very self conscious. What if I'm not careful enough? What if I drop them? Or my hands aren't steady enough- I grit my teeth, shutting up the thoughts. You can do this Cole.

I decide to just go for it, shifting my weight so I am kneeling, I slowly lower my hand in offering. It hovers low to the ground, I can feel the soft grass brushing my knuckles, it feels so different at this size, more like small fuzzy hairs than grass. The hairs analogy makes me think of Squeakers, and I feel a ping of sadness, wishing I was at home with my family and best friends, about to pick him up instead of them. At least Squeakers wasn't afraid of me. I pull myself out of it, and mentally slap myself for comparing my friends to my pet mouse. Again. The past is the past, there is no changing it now. 

You can do this Cole. 

Sage takes Gideon's hand and they step forward. She places her hand on the tip of my little finger, looking more curious than afraid, we make eye contact and she seems to relax, as if remembering it's me and not some mindless beast she is trusting her life with. Without another moments hesitation she lets go of Gideon's hand and steps into my awaiting palm bravely. Several emotions flow through me, ranging from not believing that I am holding another person, to this tickles, to extreme gratitude at the amount of trust she is placing in me. The soft fabric of her skirt spreads out over my palm as she settles down, making herself comfortable. I offer my thumb and she grabs onto it, smiling at me as if she is approving of that fact that I still contain manners as a giant. I fight the urge to snort. Forever a mother hen. We both turn to Gideon. 

He stands quietly, his face stone like and unreadable. I don't pressure him, I know what he is thinking. His entire life he has been the giant slayer, the one to protect us from the heartless beasts who only seek to destroy and kill. Now he is being ask to surrender everything he knew and step into the palm of one of those very beasts. I imagine him sorting through the memory of every giant, flashing teeth, sharp claws, the ground shaking, men screaming, the crunching of bones. I remember the stories, I remember sitting up with him at three in the morning after a failed mission as he quietly grieved for a lost soldier in the privacy of my bedroom. I look away, suddenly feeling very sick with myself. 

Gideon steps into my hand.