travel companions, would you mind if I take stock of our situation?”
She laid back on the rock and stretched out her legs. “Sure, go ahead.”
“The good news is that as far as I can tell, the gorcs haven’t followed us,” he said.
“Good,” she yawned.
“The problem is that it is going to take us maybe two days to climb to the top if we can make good time. We haven’t had any snow yet, but it is going to get cold especially at night.” He paused and looked at her again. “Is that dress really all you brought?”
“Do I look like I’m hiding anything?” she said, resting back on her elbows.
Hilt frowned. “How did you get here?” She just stuck out her feet in response so he tried again. “Perhaps the better question is where did you come from? There are no villages for miles from here.”
“Pinewood,” she said.
“You walked all the way here from Pinewood? You would have had to travel all the way through the Tinny Woods!” He was impressed with the woman’s ability to survive. The place was crawling with moonrats and the foul creatures would eat anything alive or dead.
“I was in the woods when the prophet found me. He told me to go and I went.”
“But how did you survive?”
She sighed. “I don’t know. I just walked east. When I was thirsty, there was a stream. When I was hungry, there were berries. At night I dug under the leaves and slept. I never saw a single moonrat. I heard them of course, but never saw a single glowing eye. Since then I haven’t worried. The prophet said I could do it, so I know I can.”
“So what did he tell you?” he asked.
“I told you,” she said with a dull stare. “Climb the mountain.”
“What were his instructions?” Hit prodded, growing tired of her obstinance . “What exactly did he say to you?”
“He said, ‘Walk to the east. On the far side of the woods is a mountain. Climb to the top and you will find the answer you seek.’ I said, ‘When do I leave?’ He said, ‘Go now.’ I said, ‘Now? Wearing this?’ He said, ‘Yes.’ I said, ‘Shouldn’t I prepare first? Pack supplies?’ He said, ‘If you go now, you will have everything you need.’ I said, ‘Okay.’ Then I started walking.”
Hilt looked at her askance. “You’re fooling with me aren’t you?”
Beth threw up her hands. “Fine. Believe me or not. That’s what he said.”
There was truth in her eyes and Hilt had to accept it. “Very well. It looks like the prophet has provided our course. Nothing specific as usual, just, ‘go up the mountain.’ Let us see what means he has provided us with. What do you have on you, besides your dress? Anything?”
“And my underclothes, but no,” she said. “Thick wool socks on my feet, my shoes, and a needle and spool of thread that I had forgotten were in my pocket when I left. I had a hairpin but I broke it trying to pick the lock on the treasure chest I found back in the forest.”
“You what?” Hilt said, eyebrows raised .
“Now that time I was fooling with you,” she said, stone faced.
Hilt blinked at her, then laughed. “You did throw me off, there.”
She was unable to suppress a smile in return, “So the named warrior laughs?”
“You don’t know me. I am quick with a laugh,” Hilt replied. “But still, a needle and thread are a commodity to take note of. As for me, I am carrying my swords, a waterskin , a dagger, a blanket, a coil of rope, my flame stick, some leather strips, some parchment, a quill and inkwell, some dried meat, and half a hard loaf of bread. It seems we shall have to find nourishment along the way.”
“You carry all that in your little pack?” she asked, dubiously eyeing the bundle strapped behind his shoulders ,.
“I am an efficient packer,” he replied. Too much bulk or weight hampered his movements and he never knew when he might need to draw his swords for
She laid back on the rock and stretched out her legs. “Sure, go ahead.”
“The good news is that as far as I can tell, the gorcs haven’t followed us,” he said.
“Good,” she yawned.
“The problem is that it is going to take us maybe two days to climb to the top if we can make good time. We haven’t had any snow yet, but it is going to get cold especially at night.” He paused and looked at her again. “Is that dress really all you brought?”
“Do I look like I’m hiding anything?” she said, resting back on her elbows.
Hilt frowned. “How did you get here?” She just stuck out her feet in response so he tried again. “Perhaps the better question is where did you come from? There are no villages for miles from here.”
“Pinewood,” she said.
“You walked all the way here from Pinewood? You would have had to travel all the way through the Tinny Woods!” He was impressed with the woman’s ability to survive. The place was crawling with moonrats and the foul creatures would eat anything alive or dead.
“I was in the woods when the prophet found me. He told me to go and I went.”
“But how did you survive?”
She sighed. “I don’t know. I just walked east. When I was thirsty, there was a stream. When I was hungry, there were berries. At night I dug under the leaves and slept. I never saw a single moonrat. I heard them of course, but never saw a single glowing eye. Since then I haven’t worried. The prophet said I could do it, so I know I can.”
“So what did he tell you?” he asked.
“I told you,” she said with a dull stare. “Climb the mountain.”
“What were his instructions?” Hit prodded, growing tired of her obstinance . “What exactly did he say to you?”
“He said, ‘Walk to the east. On the far side of the woods is a mountain. Climb to the top and you will find the answer you seek.’ I said, ‘When do I leave?’ He said, ‘Go now.’ I said, ‘Now? Wearing this?’ He said, ‘Yes.’ I said, ‘Shouldn’t I prepare first? Pack supplies?’ He said, ‘If you go now, you will have everything you need.’ I said, ‘Okay.’ Then I started walking.”
Hilt looked at her askance. “You’re fooling with me aren’t you?”
Beth threw up her hands. “Fine. Believe me or not. That’s what he said.”
There was truth in her eyes and Hilt had to accept it. “Very well. It looks like the prophet has provided our course. Nothing specific as usual, just, ‘go up the mountain.’ Let us see what means he has provided us with. What do you have on you, besides your dress? Anything?”
“And my underclothes, but no,” she said. “Thick wool socks on my feet, my shoes, and a needle and spool of thread that I had forgotten were in my pocket when I left. I had a hairpin but I broke it trying to pick the lock on the treasure chest I found back in the forest.”
“You what?” Hilt said, eyebrows raised .
“Now that time I was fooling with you,” she said, stone faced.
Hilt blinked at her, then laughed. “You did throw me off, there.”
She was unable to suppress a smile in return, “So the named warrior laughs?”
“You don’t know me. I am quick with a laugh,” Hilt replied. “But still, a needle and thread are a commodity to take note of. As for me, I am carrying my swords, a waterskin , a dagger, a blanket, a coil of rope, my flame stick, some leather strips, some parchment, a quill and inkwell, some dried meat, and half a hard loaf of bread. It seems we shall have to find nourishment along the way.”
“You carry all that in your little pack?” she asked, dubiously eyeing the bundle strapped behind his shoulders ,.
“I am an efficient packer,” he replied. Too much bulk or weight hampered his movements and he never knew when he might need to draw his swords for
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