Maicyn waits impatiently as Azril arms himself. "Let's go. Quickly." Exiting the armory, she makes her way carefully into the woods.
He follows as quietly as he can, though the supplies in his pack clank every once in a while. Robin joins them with a cheerful wag of his tail.
They travel through the woods. Maicyn seems to know her way quite well, but Azril has a little trouble in the dark. As the night goes on, they start to get far from Paladeen, breaking out of the forest and onto the grassland, heading to the northwest.
He follows as quietly as he can, though the supplies in his pack clank every once in a while. Robin joins them with a cheerful wag of his tail.
They travel through the woods. Maicyn seems to know her way quite well, but Azril has a little trouble in the dark. As the night goes on, they start to get far from Paladeen, breaking out of the forest and onto the grassland, heading to the northwest.
Azril glances over his shoulder for one last look at the new home he's already leaving.
They travel through the woods. Maicyn seems to know her way quite well, but Azril has a little trouble in the dark. As the night goes on, they start to get far from Paladeen, breaking out of the forest and onto the grassland, heading to the northwest.
Azril glances over his shoulder for one last look at the new home he's already leaving.
He can see a faint twinkling light from the top of the tower. It passes out of sight as the press on. As dawn approaches, Maicyn leads Azril into a hidden spot nestled between some rolling hills and a thin copse of trees. Azril is surprised to see a thin layer of bedding and some dried food. "We're going to sleep during the day for a little bit until we're farther away. I set up this place a while ago, but until we get to our destination we're on our own after this."
Azril glances over his shoulder for one last look at the new home he's already leaving.
He can see a faint twinkling light from the top of the tower. It passes out of sight as the press on. As dawn approaches, Maicyn leads Azril into a hidden spot nestled between some rolling hills and a thin copse of trees. Azril is surprised to see a thin layer of bedding and some dried food. "We're going to sleep during the day for a little bit until we're farther away. I set up this place a while ago, but until we get to our destination we're on our own after this."
He can see a faint twinkling light from the top of the tower. It passes out of sight as the press on. As dawn approaches, Maicyn leads Azril into a hidden spot nestled between some rolling hills and a thin copse of trees. Azril is surprised to see a thin layer of bedding and some dried food. "We're going to sleep during the day for a little bit until we're farther away. I set up this place a while ago, but until we get to our destination we're on our own after this."
"Good idea... What's our destination, exactly?"
"The mountains. I need to talk to the dragons there."
"The mountains. I need to talk to the dragons there."
"Dragons?" He whirls around to stare at her. "You know those guys have been known to... y'know, eat people?"
Maicyn laughs. "I've met a lot of dragons and none of them have ever eaten a person. Besides, Olifin and Aretgarlja have relatives there. Half of them are practically family."
"Dragons?" He whirls around to stare at her. "You know those guys have been known to... y'know, eat people?"
Maicyn laughs. "I've met a lot of dragons and none of them have ever eaten a person. Besides, Olifin and Aretgarlja have relatives there. Half of them are practically family."
"Oh... well, then..." He laughs nervously. "Onward to the dragons!"
Maicyn laughs. "I've met a lot of dragons and none of them have ever eaten a person. Besides, Olifin and Aretgarlja have relatives there. Half of them are practically family."
"Oh... well, then..." He laughs nervously. "Onward to the dragons!"
Maicyn just smiles and shakes her head. "Good night, Azril."
Maicyn just smiles and shakes her head. "Good night, Azril."
"Goodnight, Maicyn." He settles down on his own space of bedding. Robin continues sniffing around for a while before joining Azril.
Dawn sets in soon after they fall asleep. Azril struggles to keep resting through the light, but the Sun is soon covered by building storm clouds and the shade of their shelter helps to mitigate the rest. Before long, he is able to achieve a peaceful slumber.
They wake up before the day is through and Maicyn runs through her plan for this first leg of the journey. "It should take us about three days to reach the mountains. Until then, we'll move mostly by night Once we're there, we can start traveling in the day and we'll follow the river north until we're close to the dragons. That's about three weeks." She hands Azril a heavy gray cloak. "This should help a bit with the rain. It's going to help us avoid getting spotted, but it'll be harder for me to identify landmarks, especially in the dark. But as long as we can find our way north, we'll get to the river in about a day. Ready to go?"
"Goodnight, Maicyn." He settles down on his own space of bedding. Robin continues sniffing around for a while before joining Azril.
Dawn sets in soon after they fall asleep. Azril struggles to keep resting through the light, but the Sun is soon covered by building storm clouds and the shade of their shelter helps to mitigate the rest. Before long, he is able to achieve a peaceful slumber.
They wake up before the day is through and Maicyn runs through her plan for this first leg of the journey. "It should take us about three days to reach the mountains. Until then, we'll move mostly by night Once we're there, we can start traveling in the day and we'll follow the river north until we're close to the dragons. That's about three weeks." She hands Azril a heavy gray cloak. "This should help a bit with the rain. It's going to help us avoid getting spotted, but it'll be harder for me to identify landmarks, especially in the dark. But as long as we can find our way north, we'll get to the river in about a day. Ready to go?"
Dawn sets in soon after they fall asleep. Azril struggles to keep resting through the light, but the Sun is soon covered by building storm clouds and the shade of their shelter helps to mitigate the rest. Before long, he is able to achieve a peaceful slumber.
They wake up before the day is through and Maicyn runs through her plan for this first leg of the journey. "It should take us about three days to reach the mountains. Until then, we'll move mostly by night Once we're there, we can start traveling in the day and we'll follow the river north until we're close to the dragons. That's about three weeks." She hands Azril a heavy gray cloak. "This should help a bit with the rain. It's going to help us avoid getting spotted, but it'll be harder for me to identify landmarks, especially in the dark. But as long as we can find our way north, we'll get to the river in about a day. Ready to go?"
He gives a firm nod. "Ready."
They set out into the storm, doing their best to orient themselves northwest. Brief flashes of lightning illuminate the landscape, but for the most part the deep darkness of the sky forces them to move slowly lest they injure themselves. As the first thin rays of dawn begin to seep through the cloud cover, Maicyn instructs Azril to begin looking for a sheltered spot to camp. Still a ways away from the river and mountains based on the path they've taken, the best they find is a steep, rocky hill they can lean against, protected from the right angle and out of the mud. On the rough ground with ran pelting down, it is a fitful rest, even with a makeshift tent from their cloaks. Sometime during the morning, the rain lets up slightly, but it is back in full force by the afternoon. Azril feels as if he has just managed to close his eyes when Maicyn shakes him awake, passing over a portion of their food supply. They are still soaked to the bone and both are shivering heavily as the next night's miserable trek begins.
