Glaukos had brought the trio (
@Mercedes,
@Djinn) as far as he was willing to go with them; now he was building a final camp, intent on getting the old woman and her young charge situated so that he could disperse from their company in good conscience, and take himself home to Moonspear. He had found a secluded gully that led in to blackwood forest, with the mountains ranging high and impassible behind it; this would do, he thought.
They had traveled far and they were hungry. Djinn kept themselves quiet about their needs, focused more on the youngster at their flank, and when it came time to settle for the night there was a sigh of relief. It had been quite the journey across the valley — one which took far longer than anticipated — and now that they could bed down for the night, Djinn ahd a sneaking suspicion that the guardsman would try to flee before morning. They kept an eye out as they rested on their laurels, appearing exhausted and addled, playing the part of an elder quite well.
Mercy wasn't tired. If anything, she was filled with an animus which flavored her every action and reaction. The man, Glaukos, had kept their pace up at a clip which was not sustainable to everyone in their party, and the girl was furious with him — as well as tired, and hungry, and a touch overwhelmed.
The world around them turned from desert to grassland, and from grassland to swamp, and now it was choked with trees and cloistered by mountains! She had never seen such things before; adding to that, there was snow falling sparsely around them, and what should have been a beautiful scene was more doom and gloom to Mercedes.
The flecks looked more like ash than snow, not that she knew what either was like.
Are we to sleep here?
She called to Glaukos, and busied herself beside Djinn to make sure the elder was comfortable, before focusing wholly on the brooding man.
He turned around to see the elder and the youth organized together, and the girl Mercedes seemed adamant about something. Glaukos nodded in his solemn way.
I'll make your camp, find something for you to eat, and that is where we part ways.
He had places to be, people to get back to. His tone left no room for argument.
This place is sheltered. The fields to the east will be full of wintering geese, maybe herds as they cross. You will be fine.
With a huff, he continued on his way to patrol and to do as intended, seeking fresh meat for the pair.
They looked to the man when he spoke, as he rarely used his speech through their travel, and Djinn could now glean some understanding to the man's logic. He was not wrong to assume this place would be a good resting place, and Djinn smiled as he observed the trees - their tops dusted with snow; it was dark here but not altogether unwelcoming the more they studied the surroundings.
They could feel the girl growing insistent, tense, annoyed; and so they reached out and patted them softly as an old person might calm a child, and quietly murmured to them that it would be alright. This was a good place, a fine end.
Here? They were to stay here and-- the man would leave them? Mercedes immediately recoiled at the suggestion because she was incapable of seeing the good in this situation. Here was Djinn, weak and old, and herself, who had only survived so far because of the assistance of the adults! How was she supposed to keep the old man alive? How was she suddenly expected to explore this alien environment? Her hackles were up and she stepped - lunged, more like - towards Glaukos as he moved on.
Djinn distracted her long enough with a word, and with their attention, so Glaukos made his escape before Mercy could catch his direction; he went off in to the dark of the woods, and when she looked again, was gone.
Ohh! That man! He is supposed to be helping us, and now he's leaving?!
She wanted to shout and scream! But the sensation didn't find purchase in her throat; besides, Djinn didn't need such volatility around them.
I will scout for something, and be back soon. But if you need me, call? I will come running.
As she always did, and always would; that's how you show respect for your elders.
They could not stop the youngster from reacting, of course. Only temper what came flowing free. Perhaps it was this presence that urged Mercedes to put her energies elsewhere? They wondered; and then when the girl moved to disperse for her own exploration, Djinn was happy to see her go. They would settle there, to rest and to wait, and if energy levels permitted - scrape out a place for Mercedes to sleep nearby, and take in the forest in their own time.