no_thief

Still in the town of Seval, still in the abandoned building they've made their hideout. Kaya hasn't yet begun to get nervous about staying too long in one place, but it won't be long now.

It's been raining all day. Luckily, the only leak in the roof is all the way at one end of the room; they've set up a barrel to catch the dripping water and retired to the other end. If it isn't too cold, later, maybe she'll use some of the water to wash with.

Right now she's curled in her nest of blankets and straw, half-dozing, with her back to the wall.

Follow the river of iron, Itral's prophecy said all those months ago. Once they found the older maps, with the label Iron Road River underneath the one saying Arrow River, their course was clear.

There still is a road alongside the river, most of the way; some of the older books suggest that it was originally a trade road, perhaps for trade in iron, hence the name. It's not very well-traveled these days, leading as it does to nowhere in particular, but it's still mostly broad enough and flat enough for the horses and cart.

Just here the terrain isn't so smooth, though. The river cuts through a range of hills, running at the base of a deep ravine, and the road's become too narrow for the cart. Gorse shows them how to break the cart down to boards and wheels, and turn them into packs for the horses to carry; its contents, Gorse's pharmacopia and everybody's own belongings, get bundled into packs for each of them to carry.

It's slow going, and wearying, and will probably take them at least two days. At least the walls of the ravine provide some shade.

She's looking around as they step out through the door, half wary, half fascinated.