A Journey Always Begins With The First Step

[Nayt]

"Okay," Kei nodded. She could live with that.

Discussion during their journey down this road, a wide dirt road through the forests just north of Ceildh, was mostly devoted to Hrothgar. Kei wasn't one to talk about herself much, and kept most small talk, those getting-to-know-you questions, mostly aimed for Hrothgar. She didn't seem defensive about it, however; rather, she just didn't seem to much like talking about herself, at least in any productive way. The details were easy to forget, indeed; the crisis on their hands, as well as the negative excitement of the night prior, made the next several hours something of a numbing exercise. Talking was merely an easy way to get their minds off of it.

They were investing in something of a gamble, though. Neither of them knew for sure where the next town was, only that they were on a road. Roads led to towns--this road, especially, which was something Kei stressed during their talks (while mentioning nothing of Aiden or their need to reach another town, of course). This road was wide and seemed well traveled enough to keep the weeds trampled. She deduced that there had to be some sort of trading hub nearby.

Conversation died off by the time the forest became bare, and ahead of them lay a steep and challenging hill. Kayli Narasc and Hrothgar Reid, carrying the young Aiden Raine, quietly took the next steps in their winding and wistful journey.

[The road to recovery]