It all seems to be going smoothly so far he told himself sarcastically. He almost chuckled as they left the gates, remembering what one of his old companions would say back after Markus' first big battle. 'Yeah, I was doing great before the fighting started.' That did bring a smile to his face. He missed traveling with Kenneth. But, he was fortunate to travel with Valerie, he knew. He trusted her, the Swordmage realized. Markus' own purchase from Edgar had been a torch, some rations, and a few throwing knives that caught his eye. He was okay with them, but he'd practice whenever they would stop, he told himself.
"
Ready for this?" she asked him with a sideways glance. They had just set off on the road, which would soon be a road no longer. He knew she needed encouragement, and he needed a bit himself. But by the end of his response, he found he believed his own courage. He gave a boyish grin. "Hell yeah." His sword at his hip, his shield at his back, and his pack opposite the hip of his sword, he rested his hands on his hilt and his belt as they began.
From up at Hillglen, they had a great view of the frontier before them. A forest of sparse birch and elm trees were laid before them in a flowing blanket of leaves near as far as the eye could see. It very much looked like a sea, for the lowlands seemed to intermingle with the highlands, causing it to look akin to vast waves roiling up and down. Rocky crags were seen ubiquitously placed near the eastern edge of the huge valley, before they flowed into the foothills of a mountain range that blocked any view past them. To the north, a mountain range even further away loomed like the teeth of an ancient dragon. Between them, a (relatively) small pass led further east past the first mountains before them. North past that, before the mountains, the forest seemed to grow ominously thicker.
Now however, they had to make it down hill. The two adventurers went upon the road for an hour or two, simply enjoying the sounds of nature as the sun began to truly warm the day. Markus hummed an elvish tune, still content they were close enough to Hillglen's walls for him to feel content and safe enough to be a tad merry. Once, small birds fluttered past the two, and Markus allowed his hum to form into the flowing words of that particular part, to cause the birds to circle back around. One even fluttered and landed on Valerie's shoulder, which caused Markus' elvish song to falter as he chuckled, and just as suddenly the bird fluttered off in a furious flap of wings, no longer soothed by the melody.
It was just then, a few hours before noon, they had made it to the fork in the road. Left to the wilderness, right to Highmast. They started off, the gnarled trees with a few familiar birds, but other than that nothing seemed to stir. Then again, this was near the stop the Orcs had attacked them a day ago. Perhaps the violence still permeated the air. Thankfully no Orcs had lingered and there was no a danger yet, for soon they reached the slope that led downward into the wilderness proper. They'd need to help one another and grab ahold of a few trees that had clung to the slope. It was full of fallen leaves and upturned earth, when not bare with hard ground and rock.
@Luminosity