Still so Far

Amissa filled her canteen in the river.

She took note that the previous day's efforts had left it half emptied. She would half to be more careful in the future.

Luckily, this time, and hopefully, from now on, she would travel at night.

She took a moment to sample some of the wild fruits she had been given.

They were sour and hard, but they would keep well for it. She was glad not to worry about her food spoiling any time soon.

She looked back to the lingering storm in the distance. She thought once more of staying and waiting it out.

The thought passed, and she took flight.

~~~~~

Amissa looked at the thin sliver of the moon in the sky as it kissed the distant horizon.

She had been flying for hours already.

She looked up. The sky sparkled brightly above her. Stars shone like tiny holes showing a bright light through a deep navy canvas.

It was captivating.

She stared, not realizing that she had slowed down, ever so slightly.

Her attention was brought back by a low rumble that she felt in her chest. She wasn't sure how long she had spaced out for.

She looked to the storm. It was close now. The thunder was becoming far more audible.

She surveyed the mass of clouds, unable to spot an end. She wasn't sure if it was too dark to see, or if the storm truly was just so large that she couldn't see its end.

She considered going above to avoid the worst of the wind and rain, but being unable to see and end to the storm, and the speed at which it was moving, made her concerned that she could become disoriented and lose her way from the path. Worse yet, she could become trapped above the storm, forcing her to follow it south, or whichever direction the wind took it, until she found an end, shelter, or it dissipated.

As much as she hated the thought, she would be better off braving the storm directly, hoping to outrun the worst of it. If nothing else, she could set down, and follow the path on hoof, if it came to that.

She held on her course, hoping to the heavens that she could avoid that of the storm.

She flew for another thirty minutes.

The storm was within spitting distance...

In the dim starlight she could see the haze of a wall of heavy rain. She could smell the moisture in the air, and feel an electric buzz of lightning waiting to strike.

She kept low to the ground, not wanting to become at risk of lightning strikes, or high wind tossing her about.

The world was slowly becoming pitch black, as the stars were swallowed by the dark clouds.

The rain started.

Just a few drops at first.

Then more...

Amissa made sure her supply bag was sealed as tightly as possible.

A bright flash split the dark sky not more than a mile away. The sound following shook the world and caused Amissa's ears to ring loudly.

The rain was pouring down now. The drops were indistinguishable to the point that, had the downpour been any thicker, Amissa may have felt as though she were drowning.

She could only barely see the path, and struggled to maintain her course.

Again she was blinded, as the dark world was shattered by a bright flash, and a sound that nearly knocked her out of the sky.

The strike couldn't have been more than a couple hundred feet away.

The wind was violent and Amissa fought to keep her path.

She found herself being tossed around like a toy. The storm was a giant, and she was nothing more than a doll for it to play with as it pleased.

Another lightning bolt exploded directly ahead of her.

She had to land.

She set down on the muddy path.

She could barely see. Cold rain soaked through every inch of her coat.

She held herself against the swirling winds.

She wouldn't last forever in this storm. She had to keep moving.

She pressed on.