Jennifer was the first down the hill, running and letting gravity do its work. Even though she'd never stepped foot here before, the place seemed familiar. Like she was destined to come here.
It just felt right.
Farondil joined her and examined the ground.
“What is it?” Jennifer asked.
Farondil ran his fingers through the dirt and smelled it. “The barbarians definitely came through this way.”
“Will you be able to track them?”
Farondil laughed. “Tracking loud and sloppy barbarians will be easy work. Defeating them will be hard.”
Jennifer nodded and they continued on.
The group of adventurers conquered hill after hill with no end in sight. Farondil followed the tracks with no difficulty. The green seemed to go on for eternity. The sun set over the land and night fast approached.
Arkan sat his pack down at the base of a hill. “This should be a good place to make camp for the night.”
Jennifer was exhausted from the day's travel. Her feet ached, her back ached, her entire body ached. She brushed her sweaty hair out of her face and sat down on the soft grass. She looked at each of the Rangers and they looked no more tired than when they first started the journey.
“We're not stopping because of me, are we? Because I can go on,” she asked Arkan.
“Of course not. It's not safe to travel in the dark. It wouldn't be good to be ambushed by a tribe of barbarians or whatever else lies in these lands.”
Jennifer saw his logic but thought he was still lying. There was no use arguing when she was so exhausted.
Demorac approached Arkan. “Sir, I'd like permission to scout on ahead. I can follow their tracks and maybe find their camp.”
Arkan looked out at the expanse of hills. “It's too dangerous, Demorac. We're not familiar with these lands. I'm going to need everyone of you when we go up against the barbarians. But you can take first watch tonight.”
“It would be my honor, Arkan.” Demorac slammed his chest with his fist.
“Anyone hungry?” Belim bellowed.
Jennifer felt the empty pang in her stomach. “I could use a little food.”
Belim smiled. “Wonderful!” He unwrapped some of the dry meats from Icebor.
“Remember Belim, we don't know how long this journey will be so ration the food,” Garel said.
“Of course. Of course. But we need our sustenance to get through the next day of endless hill climbing.”
Farondil began gathering sticks and brush from the surrounding area to make a fire. Jennifer sat down on a flat rock as the fire was started with the strike of a stone.
Belim handed out the pieces of beef jerky to each member. Jennifer chewed the tough meat, the strands of fat getting stuck between her teeth.
“Not bad,” Belim said.
Demorac stretched a piece of meat with his teeth as hard as he could until it finally snapped. “Could be a little better.”
“Tomorrow we can hunt for some game if we don't come across the barbarians,” Arkan said.
The thought of eating rabbit or even deer made Belim's mouth water. Jennifer yawned and warmed her hands near the fire.
“We should all get some rest because we set out again at dawn. Demorac will take the first watch and I will the second,” Arkan said.
Jennifer took out a bedroll from her pack. She placed it close to the fire and lay down, staring up at the stars in the sky.
Arkan set up next to her, laying so close they could almost be mistaken for man and wife. Jennifer felt the heat emanating off Arkan's muscular body. Her fingertips tingled as she remembered the kiss from before.
“Legends say that each glowing orb in the sky is a god watching over us,” Arkan said.
“Seems a little chaotic with so many different gods watching over us all at once.”
Arkan chuckled. “You're probably right.”
Jennifer turned her head to face Arkan. “Do you think we're going to find my parents tomorrow.”
“I don't know. I thought the barbarians bordered our kingdom but now it seems that intelligence was wrong. I promise, I won't rest until we find them.”
Jennifer smiled and fell blissfully asleep.
Arkan looked back at the stars. He never expected to meet anyone such as Jennifer. He watched her mouth slightly open as she exhaled. She was fascinating. The sky of light was beautiful but nowhere near as bright as this woman before him.