The tall and cracked pines sway their tips back and forth, dancing wildly to the flow of the increasing wind as it scuttles up layers of fallen cones and debris. A cold front blows from the east, pushing at the party's backs, dropping the ambient temperature dramatically.
"Sounds like we're getting wet again tonight", Laeroth mutters, barely audible over the crackling thunder of the storm clouds overhead. The backdrop of the forest canopy above fills quickly with a miasma of black and grey. He tightens his grip on his pack and continues to trudge forward, quickening his pace. He hated the rain.
"Wonderful...", Rowan replies sarcastically, swiping her long and braided silver hair behind her to look up at the gathering turmoil above. "...We'll need to find cover soon. Unless we're feeling feisty today? Anyone up for a stroll through some puddles?"
"Again with the rain??! Gods, give us a break, please!", Zarafein proclaims to the sky. Large droplets of acid rain begin to fall and accumulate on the soft curves of her dark face. "That's three days in a row, and I'm tired of drying my boots! Yours, too, Laeroth!" She shoots him a glare through her pale blue eyes; the kind that pierced your soul and made you feel artificial guilt.
Keltree covers his brow and focuses his gaze along the winding forest path ahead of them; the clouds had obscured the full moon above, darkening their way forward.
"Blame the sky above, Zara. At least we're not far from Strohm...maybe another day or two, I'm sure, but with the coming rain, these roads are going to get fucking muddy. Rowan? Any clue as to where we are exactly?"
Rowan smiles softly, masking some slight pride. "More than a clue. Falwood, my home, is due west of here. I recognize this land. If we decide to continue, we should certainly clear the Overpines by dawn. Though, we must keep our eyes open - the tales of missing travelers have not ceased circulating."
Sid - who had remained quiet for some time - chimes in, his voice seeming to resonate from no particular point of origin on his large, metallic body. "If we are meant to deal with that problem, Rowan, the Gods will make it so. Do not go seeking trouble. We have a mission to fulfill. The villagers in Strohm need us." Sid's orange eyes shift to a soft blue, indicating melancholy. He continues to speak his mind...or whatever it was he had hidden inside his metal frame. "Rowan, we heard what Cyrde had said about the village...the situation sounds contemptable. People are destitute."
Rowan's smile disappears. "People make their own destiny. Besides, the Dark Oath would not take kindly to us veering off-course for pleasure. Especially Cyrde, the Keeper himself...I hurt to imagine being on his bad side." Rowan's body slightly convulses at the thought.
"His bad side isn't anything more than what his duty requires of him. He leads the Dark Oath with a kind of honor I've not seen in some time", Sid replies.
"That's because nobody has any honor these days, what with the aftermath of The Shatter. You forget that brigands and bandits are as common as copper...but enough of this. I'm hoping we have an uneventful, peaceful, meditative environment for the rest of the journey."
"I share your wishes, Rowan."
The group presses forward, their boots sloshing and squishing through the earth and rain, tiring their already weary legs. Rowan steps lively and passes Laeroth at the front, leading them off the road into the dense thicket. She stops briefly, turning her head to the group. "This way; I remember a cave...we can use it for shelter tonight."
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The campfire radiates a welcome warmth - nothing compared to the warmth of several pints of ale in your stomach, nor a packed tavern and a roaring hearth to accompany them. Instead, the stone walls of the cave collect the heat of the campfire and radiate it back out, providing a comfortable - and welcome - respite through the stormy night. For now, it'll work.
Keltree crunches down on some roasted rabbit, slurping a piece of skin that tried to escape the clutches of his teeth. He finishes chewing and gulps the mouthfull, his groans of delight starting to get on Rowan's nerves. Picking at his teeth with a fractured rabbit bone, he praises Rowan.
"Mmmm - delicious. A quality meal. Wait, when did you even veer off to kill this rabbit, Rowan? I swear you were with us the whole day."
"Shows how much you pay attention", Rowan replies softly.
"Uhh, wow, that hurts...I'm constantly keeping an eye out, Rowan. It's not my fault you opt to go off on your own when you have an obligation to let us know your moves. Shows how much you care about your comrades feelings."
"You're right; I don't care about your feelings. Feelings don't come into play when you're with the Dark Oath. You do what you're told; nothing more, nothing less, and you serve the living with your skills. My skills involve hunting. We need to eat. See my point? I don't need your permission to find, kill, and eat dinner."
Laeroth, having finished his meal minutes before everyone else, lays on his back and chimes in with a slight fatherly tone.
"Now, children...let's all behave. We all should be thanking Rowan for her contribution to the cause; I, for one, thoroughly enjoyed the meal, so I applaud her for it. But now that we've found a warm place for the night, and we've all been fed to fullness, I think we should turn in and get some sleep. We have more ground to cover tomorrow, and we need our rest. Good night, everyone. Sid, you've got watch." Laeroth shifts into a prostrate form, clasping his hands behind his head; mere moments pass before he is sound asleep.
Zarafein leans against the wall of the cave polishing her oaken bow, legs outstretched, her boots warming near the fire. "Agreed. Bout time, too...I'm bushed. Sid, wake me if you want a break", she says. She pulls herself forward and places her bow to the side, sliding her backpack under her head to serve as a pillow. "Good night, my fellow fools", she says, as she shifts into a comfortable position for sleep.
"Well, I think that's it for me, too...sweet dreams, everyone", Keltree mutters as he rolls over on his left side with his back to the fire. Snoring follows quickly.
Rowan begins to position herself for sleep, laying out and stretching her legs parallel to the fire. She props her head up on an arm and stares at the conflagration in front of her. Thoughts of struggle pervade her psyche. Minutes pass before she decides to break the silence.
"Sid, what if we can't help the people of Strohm?", Rowan questions.
Facing the mouth of the cave, Sid turns his head slightly to respond. "I do not believe the Dark Oath would send us on a mission that we would easily fail."
"Right, but people are often wrong."
"Is this insubordination I'm sensing?"
"On the contrary. I'm merely pointing out that we are Novices within the Dark Oath, and only those who prove themselves can advance in rank. This is our first mission together. We barely know each other. You call that a recipe for success?"
"I have faith that we will succeed. It's in my nature to maintain faith."
Rowan leans up and balances on an elbow to face Sid, insisting on talking to the back of his head. She speaks softly. "I'm willing to bet that the doctrine of faith you hold so dear will waiver when faced with the real horrors of the realm...I'm surprised it didn't shatter into a million pieces when you first gazed upon Keltree's face."
Keltree barks loudly at the ceiling, his words breaking through even the downpour of rain outside the mouth of the cave: "You chatty fucks can stop with the inane horseshit anytime now, thanks."
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