The next few days were filled with bumpy roads and sparse country sides. Each night Frederick met with the top men of the group to decide where they would travel next. It was a poor idea, to travel to the unknown, but the maps lacked in the direction they went, which was away from civilization. So they travelled blind, but had one of the girls, Medea, Frederick believed her name was, sketching out their path and any landmarks. She was the dark haired daughter of Maud, and an excellent artist, though Frederick didn't take too much to the tiny sketches of rabbits along the edges of the map.
They had stopped along the side of a road that seemed to lead no-where, thought it was paved with stone somewhat. When they rested for the third night, Dane pulled Frederick aside, towards an old well and an altar that was surrounded by white arches.
"This place feels odd," he said finally, when Frederick looked to him. When Frederick raised an eyebrow, he continued. "The altar does not speak to any Gods that I know of, and the water in the well is sweet smelling. Water is not sweet."
Frederick leaned over the edge to examine the bucket of water hanging in the well. A deep sniff told him that Dane was speaking the truth, and that the water had a sugary scent to it. He nodded, "Tell the others, and don't have them drink the water. Tell them to stay away from the altar as well. I'd rather not anger a strange forest God." Dane nodded."What else?" He asked, when the other man seemed to pause. "Are there more pagan altars about?"
"Let's go to the right when we travel tomorrow. There is an old path between the large rocks there that seems to be less traveled. We may find what we're looking for down that way."
Frederick thanked the man for his help, and assigned him first watch of the night. While Dane walked away, he thought deeply about many things.
"This place feels odd," he said finally, when Frederick looked to him. When Frederick raised an eyebrow, he continued. "The altar does not speak to any Gods that I know of, and the water in the well is sweet smelling. Water is not sweet."
Frederick leaned over the edge to examine the bucket of water hanging in the well. A deep sniff told him that Dane was speaking the truth, and that the water had a sugary scent to it. He nodded, "Tell the others, and don't have them drink the water. Tell them to stay away from the altar as well. I'd rather not anger a strange forest God." Dane nodded."What else?" He asked, when the other man seemed to pause. "Are there more pagan altars about?"
"Let's go to the right when we travel tomorrow. There is an old path between the large rocks there that seems to be less traveled. We may find what we're looking for down that way."
Frederick thanked the man for his help, and assigned him first watch of the night. While Dane walked away, he thought deeply about many things.
Night came soon enough. The beds had been set up near the water, so that the horses were contained and watched over. Freshly caught fish were frying over the fire.
Frederick watched as Dane threw some more wood on the fire and sat down for first watch. The man drew out a dagger from a sheath and began to drag a stone down the edge to sharpen it.
The campers slowly drifted off to sleep.
Frederick watched as Dane threw some more wood on the fire and sat down for first watch. The man drew out a dagger from a sheath and began to drag a stone down the edge to sharpen it.
The campers slowly drifted off to sleep.
Tobias caught a glimpse of his wife by another campfire and came to her side. He caught her in an embrace. Irt was the first moment of privacy they had had all day.
"What do you think of our travels so far?" he asked.
"Wonderful," she smiled. "I mean, it's the first day only, but I feel so ... alive away from the city!"
"So you don't miss the city at all?" He frowned.
"Of course not! The space, the air ... I even enjoy the small creatures. Did you know Morrys caught a little rabbit? He didn't kill it, it was far too small, but still-" She talked for some while, until she ran out of breath to speak.
Tobias blinked slowly at her speech on the fuzzy animals of the forest. "Well, yes ... " He said slowly, "But what of the other creatures?" She looked blankly at him. "Love, there are things like bears, or mountain cats out here."
"O-oh." Her smile faltered. "I doubt we'll see any of that out here though." She looked determined. Oddly determined for a woman in a strange forest. At least she had himself and the other men to protect her. He shook her head. She was flighty. Perhaps he would be able to show her the dangers.
The next few days were eventful for the group. Most never having been outside of the city walls, the journey was an eye opener.
Several days later the group found a potential campsite tucked away between multiple large stones. The floor was softer, Jeph argued, and so they set up camp. Joseph tried to argue against the campsite, but was over ruled. His argument that the plants were odd was quickly struck down. It was decided that plants could not be 'odd' enough to not warrant not setting up at a perfectly good campsite.
"But the colours ... " Joseph tried again. The others shook their heads at the young man's folly. He did not have the benefit of their wisdom.
Tobias had wandered away, tired of his wife's sighs about the beauty of nature. To his delight, he found grapes, a sweet, uncommon delicacy.
Gathering some up, he sat down to gorge, but was interrupted by Dane stumbling upon him.
Dane, a man knowledgeable about nature more so than anyone else, had separated from the group earlier to hunt. He had asked the group to camp somewhere and that he would find them. Frederick decided not to ask how he would find them. Dane seemed to enjoy the mystery around him.
"No!" He had shouted, seeing Tobias.
It turns out the purple fruit were close to grapes, but were the highly poisonous kind. Dane informed the others as warning, but most took the chance to mock Tobias. It was only made worse by his wife comforting him.
Camp was moved elsewhere after the grape look-a-like incidence, and after it was shown that Medea had picked some of the bright flowers and developed a strange rash on her arms.
It was decided that camp should be moved, as most of the bright plant life was deemed dangerous.
"But the colours ... " Joseph tried again. The others shook their heads at the young man's folly. He did not have the benefit of their wisdom.
Tobias had wandered away, tired of his wife's sighs about the beauty of nature. To his delight, he found grapes, a sweet, uncommon delicacy.
Gathering some up, he sat down to gorge, but was interrupted by Dane stumbling upon him.
Dane, a man knowledgeable about nature more so than anyone else, had separated from the group earlier to hunt. He had asked the group to camp somewhere and that he would find them. Frederick decided not to ask how he would find them. Dane seemed to enjoy the mystery around him.
"No!" He had shouted, seeing Tobias.
It turns out the purple fruit were close to grapes, but were the highly poisonous kind. Dane informed the others as warning, but most took the chance to mock Tobias. It was only made worse by his wife comforting him.
Camp was moved elsewhere after the grape look-a-like incidence, and after it was shown that Medea had picked some of the bright flowers and developed a strange rash on her arms.
It was decided that camp should be moved, as most of the bright plant life was deemed dangerous.