28 Saun, 720
"How are you liking Melrath so far?"
Mouse didn't look up while the wagon driver glanced at her. She had hitched a ride upon reaching the border, from where the ship she'd taken had landed on some shore and she hadn't looked back. It wasn't a port, it wasn't near a city, she didn't quite know where she had been dropped off but Mouse didn't care. As long as she was in Melrath.
Instead, she hummed and wrapped her arms tight around Sugar. The large white dog settled against her lap, to sleep despite the jostle of the wagon wheels over the rural dirt terrain.
The man clicked his tongue, then shrugged while he turned back to watch the donkeys pull them along. After a few minutes, he seemed keen to try again as he said, "So, you said you're from south of here?"
Mouse sighed. Noticeably, and she leaned against the edge of the wagon to stare out at the vast rolling hills of the Melrath countryside. In the distance she could see massive trees clustered in what looked to be a forest that led into a range of mountains. Finally, she said in a quiet voice, "everything is so green."
That launched the wagon driver into a long explanation about the recent storms that had nourished the grasses of Melrath, but caused trouble elsewhere. And many other things that Mouse did not care too much about. She stared at a particular foothill in the distance...
...the brunette gently requested, "please, stop."
Her heart beat fast, her breath shallow, but she said it. She ignored the cold sweat that gathered on her palms and along her arms, traced to her spine. Mouse repeated herself, once more, a little louder to actually be heard.
"Oh, I'm yammering on, aren't I? Ha, sorry about that, little miss. Not often I get someone to come along for these trips of mine. Not totally unknown, but most in these parts have their own ways of getting around, and- hey, where you going?"
Mouse had jumped off from the moving wagon. Sugar followed after her with a bounding leap. The brunette walked off the dirt path, with a small wave of farewell. It was obvious where she was going; to the foothills.
"You can't be traveling like that, all by yourself in these areas," warned the wagon driver while he came to a halt on the path. He watched her for a time, then seemed to give up as he continued on without any further attempt to try.
It was quieter without him, though. Mouse walked through the wild grasses. She wore simple clothing, travel attire of dull browns and beige, with her pack of few belongings slung over her shoulder. Sugar kept close, but sniffed through the meadow while they headed in the direction. A cool wind crossed over in gentle rushes that sounded like ocean waves which rippled through the green grasses. She could hear the trill of birds singing. A flock of geese crossed above, silhouetted against the bright blue sky.
Mouse kept her gaze toward the mountain ridges, and one peak in particular, while she hiked.
She nearly stumbled when Sugar went right in front of her. The dog dropped a stick in front of her. Mouse frowned slightly, then picked it up. The dog tried to snap at it, in a playful manner, so she tossed it ahead. Mouse watched while her canine companion bounded after, collected it, then brought it back to repeat the process.
They made their way together like this, while the suns cut across the sky - never to set. There would be light for the entire journey and so, Mouse did not understand the wagon driver's warning. What could be so dangerous out here? Melrath was not Gauthrel, and everything seemed...
...almost peaceful.
Mouse kept an eye out regardless, and as they neared the foothills, she readied her crossbow. For they approached the treeline, and soon left the open meadows to enter the forest.
"How are you liking Melrath so far?"
Mouse didn't look up while the wagon driver glanced at her. She had hitched a ride upon reaching the border, from where the ship she'd taken had landed on some shore and she hadn't looked back. It wasn't a port, it wasn't near a city, she didn't quite know where she had been dropped off but Mouse didn't care. As long as she was in Melrath.
Instead, she hummed and wrapped her arms tight around Sugar. The large white dog settled against her lap, to sleep despite the jostle of the wagon wheels over the rural dirt terrain.
The man clicked his tongue, then shrugged while he turned back to watch the donkeys pull them along. After a few minutes, he seemed keen to try again as he said, "So, you said you're from south of here?"
That launched the wagon driver into a long explanation about the recent storms that had nourished the grasses of Melrath, but caused trouble elsewhere. And many other things that Mouse did not care too much about. She stared at a particular foothill in the distance...
...the brunette gently requested, "please, stop."
Her heart beat fast, her breath shallow, but she said it. She ignored the cold sweat that gathered on her palms and along her arms, traced to her spine. Mouse repeated herself, once more, a little louder to actually be heard.
"Oh, I'm yammering on, aren't I? Ha, sorry about that, little miss. Not often I get someone to come along for these trips of mine. Not totally unknown, but most in these parts have their own ways of getting around, and- hey, where you going?"
Mouse had jumped off from the moving wagon. Sugar followed after her with a bounding leap. The brunette walked off the dirt path, with a small wave of farewell. It was obvious where she was going; to the foothills.
"You can't be traveling like that, all by yourself in these areas," warned the wagon driver while he came to a halt on the path. He watched her for a time, then seemed to give up as he continued on without any further attempt to try.
It was quieter without him, though. Mouse walked through the wild grasses. She wore simple clothing, travel attire of dull browns and beige, with her pack of few belongings slung over her shoulder. Sugar kept close, but sniffed through the meadow while they headed in the direction. A cool wind crossed over in gentle rushes that sounded like ocean waves which rippled through the green grasses. She could hear the trill of birds singing. A flock of geese crossed above, silhouetted against the bright blue sky.
Mouse kept her gaze toward the mountain ridges, and one peak in particular, while she hiked.
She nearly stumbled when Sugar went right in front of her. The dog dropped a stick in front of her. Mouse frowned slightly, then picked it up. The dog tried to snap at it, in a playful manner, so she tossed it ahead. Mouse watched while her canine companion bounded after, collected it, then brought it back to repeat the process.
They made their way together like this, while the suns cut across the sky - never to set. There would be light for the entire journey and so, Mouse did not understand the wagon driver's warning. What could be so dangerous out here? Melrath was not Gauthrel, and everything seemed...
...almost peaceful.
Mouse kept an eye out regardless, and as they neared the foothills, she readied her crossbow. For they approached the treeline, and soon left the open meadows to enter the forest.