(( 10 Guardian, 41 Dragon, Mid-Morning, Vandi ))
Two weeks of travel felt like a much-needed vacation for Mara. At least, it would’ve been if it wasn’t clouded by worries and worse dreams than usual. She could no longer count the number of months that had passed since the last time she’d been through Redcliffe, but she could still remember the face of every Warden that served there. The thought of them made her heart ache, and even though every step brought her closer to where they were, there was no telling what she would find there.
The wind bit cold and crisp at her nose and ruffled the fur on Kitten’s back. After yesterday’s hunt, she had plenty of energy to burn as she bounded back and forth ahead of Mara. These lands were growing more and more familiar to the big cat as they neared Redcliffe. Kitten had spent much of the early morning on her own, probably exploring her old territory as Mara pushed on towards their destination. Having grown bored of finding everything much the same, she’d returned to Mara not too long ago for a quick snack before taking on her zig-zagging pattern in the front.
It worked well enough for Mara. Left to her thoughts, she tried with each step to recall better days in an effort to keep the worrisome what-ifs at bay. All those monotonous patrols with quiet Adam, Kitten’s first hunt with Vandi and Dane at her side - even that time she’d sprained her ankle and had to let Theo and Leo carry her home. The twins were still competing over who was the Pun King at the time, and both were determined to win while she was a captive audience.
Now she could only wish for those days back as the sun rose higher and higher and shadows grew shorter. Recliffe wasn’t far, and she was certain she’d reach it before the day was out. After that, there was no telling what she would find, if anything at all.
Mara kept her gaze on the ground, loosely following Kitten’s enormous pawprints in the muddy soil. Mara’s own bootprints bridged across each zig and zag until suddenly they stopped zigging and turned into one big zag. Whatever Kitten had found, it’d sent her darting off to the right, and quickly.
“Kitten!” Mara dashed after the pawprints, nearly slipping in a puddle before steadying herself against a tree and hurrying on. Between the trees she could make out Kitten laying on the ground, a tall human standing beside her. The Warden’s heart skipped a beat as she drew her bow and picked up her pace.
“Step aside, n- Vandi?” Mara skidded to a stop a few meters from the other woman. Her bow dropped to the ground beside her. Eyes wide, she took in the sight of Kitten flopped on her side, her own eyes round and ears pointed expectantly at Vandi. Mara rushed to the other woman, stealing a quick embrace before she could protest.
“Maker, I’m glad to see you!” She stepped back, chin tilted up to look the taller woman in the face and make sure this was really, really her old friend. Kitten flopped over to her other side before lithely standing up as if she hadn’t just been begging for some love. With one last look at the pair, she bounded off into the trees, off to find Dane. At least, that's what Mara assumed. It could be anyone's guess with that cat sometimes.
“So how is everything? It’s been so long and I’ve been meaning to write but, well...you know how that is.” Even with tutoring, her penmanship was juvenile at best, and her spelling even worse. “Oh, this is perfect! You and I can check out Redcliffe together and sort out what’s going on - you should know something of the Wardens, right? We’ve haven’t heard from them in awhile.”
Mara leaned over to look behind Vandi. Seeing nothing and only hearing the sound of Kitten’s less-than-elegant bounding among the trees, she asked, “And what of Dane? It sounds like Kitten hasn’t found him yet.”
Two weeks of travel felt like a much-needed vacation for Mara. At least, it would’ve been if it wasn’t clouded by worries and worse dreams than usual. She could no longer count the number of months that had passed since the last time she’d been through Redcliffe, but she could still remember the face of every Warden that served there. The thought of them made her heart ache, and even though every step brought her closer to where they were, there was no telling what she would find there.
The wind bit cold and crisp at her nose and ruffled the fur on Kitten’s back. After yesterday’s hunt, she had plenty of energy to burn as she bounded back and forth ahead of Mara. These lands were growing more and more familiar to the big cat as they neared Redcliffe. Kitten had spent much of the early morning on her own, probably exploring her old territory as Mara pushed on towards their destination. Having grown bored of finding everything much the same, she’d returned to Mara not too long ago for a quick snack before taking on her zig-zagging pattern in the front.
It worked well enough for Mara. Left to her thoughts, she tried with each step to recall better days in an effort to keep the worrisome what-ifs at bay. All those monotonous patrols with quiet Adam, Kitten’s first hunt with Vandi and Dane at her side - even that time she’d sprained her ankle and had to let Theo and Leo carry her home. The twins were still competing over who was the Pun King at the time, and both were determined to win while she was a captive audience.
Now she could only wish for those days back as the sun rose higher and higher and shadows grew shorter. Recliffe wasn’t far, and she was certain she’d reach it before the day was out. After that, there was no telling what she would find, if anything at all.
Mara kept her gaze on the ground, loosely following Kitten’s enormous pawprints in the muddy soil. Mara’s own bootprints bridged across each zig and zag until suddenly they stopped zigging and turned into one big zag. Whatever Kitten had found, it’d sent her darting off to the right, and quickly.
“Kitten!” Mara dashed after the pawprints, nearly slipping in a puddle before steadying herself against a tree and hurrying on. Between the trees she could make out Kitten laying on the ground, a tall human standing beside her. The Warden’s heart skipped a beat as she drew her bow and picked up her pace.
“Step aside, n- Vandi?” Mara skidded to a stop a few meters from the other woman. Her bow dropped to the ground beside her. Eyes wide, she took in the sight of Kitten flopped on her side, her own eyes round and ears pointed expectantly at Vandi. Mara rushed to the other woman, stealing a quick embrace before she could protest.
“Maker, I’m glad to see you!” She stepped back, chin tilted up to look the taller woman in the face and make sure this was really, really her old friend. Kitten flopped over to her other side before lithely standing up as if she hadn’t just been begging for some love. With one last look at the pair, she bounded off into the trees, off to find Dane. At least, that's what Mara assumed. It could be anyone's guess with that cat sometimes.
“So how is everything? It’s been so long and I’ve been meaning to write but, well...you know how that is.” Even with tutoring, her penmanship was juvenile at best, and her spelling even worse. “Oh, this is perfect! You and I can check out Redcliffe together and sort out what’s going on - you should know something of the Wardens, right? We’ve haven’t heard from them in awhile.”
Mara leaned over to look behind Vandi. Seeing nothing and only hearing the sound of Kitten’s less-than-elegant bounding among the trees, she asked, “And what of Dane? It sounds like Kitten hasn’t found him yet.”
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