Emberwood many the miles

For the most part, Lucas was content to keep on walking, so he found Moorhen's insistence on breaks a little trying, but he knew it was for the best. He would walk until his legs were sore and then walk some more if he had his way. It was just his nature to wander, as it was most males before him in his combined bloodlines. He felt certain Currituck, who had also done a fair amount of traveling in her life, was just as well equipped for this as he was, but the others[mdadh]particularly the gentle Koi and the fragile-seeming Szymon—didn't seem quite as up to the task. For their sakes, he was able to still his wanderlust for these rest stops.

The forest was magnificent even in winter, and he felt quite sure he'd seen one like it when he was traveling with the troupe. Maybe it was the very same one. That would mean they were getting close to Bearclaw Valley, and that made his stomach giddy with excitement. It seemed impossible to settle down enough to rest with that on his mind, so for a time he paced through the forest, sticking close to the group but ranging far enough that he could hear nothing but the susurrus of the wind. Eventually he did return to them, selecting a spot near where Koi was dozing and curling himself into a giant fluffy ball of Lucas to try to catch a few winks.

But he didn't fall asleep; anyone who approached him would see his pale blue eyes drifting lazily across the trees, defying him the peace of slumber.