@olympicpatron
The woods were unusually cold for the time of year. It was a damp and miserable chill that reached into your skin and laid needles of ice beneath the flesh and wetted your clothes until they felt like ill fitting weights dragging you down into the earth. It could have possibly been the elevation or a sudden cold snap---but more likely it was her own weakness amplifying the crisp air beneath the canopy until it was causing her physical pain. The Earth was doing what it could for her, but there was no way she’d last another week separated from her familiars. Especially not while hiking through rugged wilderness.
Bringing her familiars with her hadn’t been an option. Partially because wandering around the woods with a lizard the length of three men was loud enough, and any more company would only bring unwanted attention, but perhaps even more importantly she had left them in Cora’s capable hands after her new “friend” attempted to swallow her cat whole.
Beck looked back at her companion and winced. It’s scales had taken on a dull, pallid look. There were unnatural spaces between them too, showing off taught exposed skin as it stretched over bone. The only color left on it were the deep rust stains around its scarred neck, where a barbed collar still imbedded itself. She had tried everything she knew, and the creature was patient enough, but she hadn’t had the strength to remove the metal monstrosity from its neck. In its eyes was a similar weariness that sparked a twinge of guilt in her for wallowing in her own pain.
It blinked at her, and though its face was reptilian and unmoving, she felt its doubt pressing against her. Beck forced a smile that she knew lacked the reassurance she wanted it too and turned to carry on.
They carried on like that for two more days until she felt the quality of the wilderness change around her. The woods felt older, and rather than unfurling for her like a flower as they usually would have, they looked back at her with mild annoyance. As if she were an unruly child dropped off suddenly at the door of an aged grandparent, she felt their annoyance along with a begrudging acceptance. The creature with her took notice of the shift in atmosphere, and began to thrash its tail and raise its head in alarm.
An unusual spike of anxiety rose up in her at that. Normally she didn’t fear any creature, neither magical or otherwise, but she was simply too tired. If it came down to a test of her magic verses the beast, she was certain she’d come out the loser.
“Easy friend. This only means we’re close.” She said in the steadiest tone she could muster. With one hand she brushed back her sweat drenched hair, and with the other, she cautiously stroked the scales of her companion until it could be coaxed forward.
After another hour, she slumped down against the creature’s side and sighed. Her hand covered the rough paw of the beast as she patted it. “Well... If someone’s here, I guess they’re going to have to find us.”
