Rose Tolan's Arc

Chapter 5 of 8

Morning light spread across the sugar hills. Rose woke by the dead fire and stretched her stiff arms. The cat-dragon curled against her side, warm and purring. Jackie was already up, packing her tent. Rose reached for her bag and checked inside. She found the map, a spare sock, and nothing to eat. Her stomach growled. The crown lay days away across the snow. She had no food for the trek. "Jackie," Rose said. "I didn't bring any food. Not for one day, let alone the whole way." Jackie stopped rolling her tent. Her grin dropped. "Days out there with nothing? That's a graveyard walk." She dug through her own pack and pulled out a heel of bread and two strips of dried meat. "This is all I've got. It won't feed two people and a dragon past tomorrow." Rose's chest tightened. She had survived the cold night only to face starving on the trail. The chihuahua barked and ran a few steps, then looked back. Rose knew that look. "Mocha wants us to follow again," she said. She got to her feet. Jackie grabbed her walking stick. "That dog found you in the dark. I'd bet on his nose." They followed Mocha over the rise. The small dog led them to a flat rock beside a windbreak of stones. On the rock sat a large basket, purple and blue, its handle wrapped tight. Beside it stood a blue thermos. Rose lifted the lid. The basket was packed full. Sandwiches wrapped in paper. Red apples. A loaf of crusty bread. Bags of crackers. Purple grapes. Her mouth watered. She unscrewed the thermos and steam rose from hot coffee. "Who leaves this out here?" Rose asked. A deep voice answered from behind the stones. "A friend who figured you'd need it." The large fur-covered creature stepped into the light. Rose knew him at once. He had guided her past the cliffs to these hills. Sassy Jones crouched by the rock, his overalls dusted with snow. "Saw your fire last night. Two travelers heading past the hills need more than a campfire." He patted the basket. "Packed it myself. Enough for the long stretch." Rose threw her arms around his thick arm. "Thank you. We had nothing." "Now you've got plenty." Sassy Jones stood. "But hear me. The ground past here turns to ice. That basket keeps you fed. It won't keep you standing on a frozen slope." He pointed toward the white ridge ahead. "Watch your footing. One slip out there and food won't save you." Jackie hoisted the basket. She tested its weight and nodded. "Heavy, but worth it." She looked at Rose. "We eat now, then move." Rose bit into a sandwich. Her fear of starving fell away. But she stared at the ice-covered ridge Sassy Jones had warned about. Food was solved. The frozen slope ahead was not.