Kira picks up a coffee and sweet roll for Mei, bringing the items to Mei once she gets her order.  "We can catch a coach to get pretty close to where the start of the trail is up into the mountains."  She tilts her head towards Malvyn. "Smart idea to grab something now while we're still on our way."  

The woman encourages everyone to keep moving while trying to complete their quick breakfast.  Once the coach arrives and picks you up, you find you have plenty of time to enjoy your coffee and pastry as you travel.  It's a bit more than a half hour before you get towards the other side of the city and Kira indicates it is time to get off.  From this point there is just a small road that leads out of town.  You follow it for a bit until you get to where Kira indicates the path veering up towards the mountains.  "Alright, we're on our way!" 

"So this is it, heading into the wilds." The purple-skinned tiefling says with a hint of anxiousness there, feeling the unfamiliar weight of the backpack. He had only read about what he could expect and had no experience of the wilds, but he still felt fairly confident since he was among his resourceful friends. "You better lead the way Kira." He adds, ready to follow along, trying to walk in an efficient and strength preserving way.

"Of course, I am the one that knows the way after all," Kira says. "Just holler if I get too far ahead of you."  She starts off at a relatively moderate pace along what seems to be a rather well-marked path.  At first the path is rather flat and follows a broad gently sloping path into the hills.  Most of the landscape is covered in tall grass, which is waving in the gentle breezes of the day.  It isn't until mid-day that the grassland starts to give way to more rugged ground and small stands of trees.  

Kira has little to say but keeps up a good pace. You've come to a spot in a bit of forest, though the still remains easy to follow even here.  There's a small stream, covered with a simple flat wooden bridge. "Here's probably a good spot to get some lunch and take a rest," she says. The foliage blocks most of the sun's rays here, and there is a broad open area and even a few stumps and fallen logs that could be sat on.  "And the water here should be fresh and cold."   

Kira simply finds a spot on the ground to sit and starts to pull some of the rations out of her bag. 

Malvyn had followed along in silence, trying to get the feel of wandering and so far it was not bad, watching the scenery around him. As Kira stops he is almost surprised for how long they had already walked, nodding and trying to find a reasonably comfortable place to sit. He then starts to unpack the rationed food, curious about what that is exactly as he unwraps it.

Guardok has been as happy as the others can remember as they trek towards the hills. Being a bit of a nomad, and an earth genasi as well, travelling across the land with his own two feet feels amazingly freeing to him.

Along the journey, he can often be found slinking ahead along the path, only to be found lying down waiting for the others to catch up. Or having to scurry after them if he has the direction wrong. Either way, his unique ability to almost glide across the landscape means there really are no barriers to where he can go.

When they make camp, he uses the water from the stream to splash his face, before collapsing backwards on the ground.

"Doesn't it make you feel free?", he asks of Mal and Mei. "Not constrained by walls, or living high up off the actual ground".

His belly begins to rumble and he reaches for his own rations.

"I admit I thought I would feel more lost out here than I feel now that I do." The purple-skinned tiefling says, looking around him with a relaxed smile as he has unpacked his ration. "It feels so vast though, I will still feel safer within the walls of the Biblioplex, but I consider this one of my challenges since I got that card from Mei." He adds with a grin.

The rations consist mostly of some jerky, dried fruits, and nuts. It's not a fabulous meal but somewhat flavorful. A few hardtack biscuits are included in the daily packs as well.  Everyone spends a bit of time resting and eating. You also drink up your water with plenty of fresh water from the stream to refill them as much as you like. Just as Kira had said, the water here is deliciously cold. 

Soon though, Kira says, "We should get at it again if we hope to make camp before nightfall.  Still have a few more miles to go."  

Your timing couldn't have been better with the cover of the forest staying with you the next few hours.  As the afternoon gets a bit later though you climb up out of the trees and find yourself in a much more sparse and rocky landscape.  There are still spots of short grasses here and there.  And you can spot little clumps of trees here and there.  But the landscape is a bit more open now. 

The sun continues to get lower in the sky, and you encounter more shadows along the way now.  It's still another couple of hours before it will be dark now.  

Malvyn is fairly impressed with the taste of the ration and he does enjoy the cold fresh water from the stream. As Kira urges them on he is quick to pack up and follow in her heels. Not really having ever been in a forest before he looks suspiciously around him as he walks, his mind playing him tricks about things moving in the shadows, and he is somewhat relieved to come out in the rocky landscape beyond. "Any chance we can stop for a quick breather?" He asks, being quite a weakling and not at all used to this much exercise.

Kira glances back at Malvyn, quiet a moment. "We really should press on. Though I guess a short rest now won't hurt.  Normally we camp close to the cave so that we can enter early in the morning."  She unslings her pack from her back and grabs her waterskin to take a small drink. As you stop, you think it must be a bit cooler here than it was down in the city.  But not excessively so.  Though it was still morning then and now it is late afternoon. 

From here there is also a little bit of a view.  You can see a short distance away a broad valley with low hills beyond to the east. It is a very pretty and peaceful looking place. 

Malvyn nods and finds a small rock to sit, briefly at least, placing his backpack beside him and drinking some more of the water while admiring the view. He had been to the harbour back in Baldur's Gate and watched the sea but this was something very different, quite beautiful, but also a bit dizzying to him, to see so much and so far. He could probably get used to it though. He glances over at Guardok and Mei, checking to see that they were both alright. "Do you think there will be any dangers that we should be prepared for?" He asks Kira after some moments of silence.

Guardok is coping extremely well with the journey, being quite a hardy earth genasi, and the ease with which he travels across the ground making it less arduous for him.

"Good question. Any wild animals out here? Can we see our destination now?", he adds, looking up the path they were on.

Kira nods. "Yes, of course there are wild animals about. We don't normally see much. Usually some deer or rabbits or things like that.  One time we did see a bear. We didn't bother it and it kept its distance from us. It's not a terribly wild place though." 

She starts to stand and again lifts up her pack. "Shall we continue? We have a bit of time before it starts to get dark."  

Being to the east side of the mountains here, it does seem like the sun will slip behind the high ridges a little earlier than you are used to.  But it's not dark yet.  Once everyone is ready, Kira moves on along the rocky trail.  

"A bear", Guardok says with a mixture of excitement and a little nervousness. "I have never seen a bear up close. I hear they can be trained for the circus, although I expect that would have to be from a very young age".

He hops up and is ready to move on.

Malvyn too stands and readies himself to follow Kira in the ascent. He recalled reading about nature and animals, even read up a bit last night before going to bed, not by any means his prime subject but he was aware that bears were large and also ferocious at times, particularly when defending their cubs. He glances over att Mei, hoping she felt okay about all this.

Kira waits for Mei to collect her things and the group continues on their way.  You travel for about another two hours before Kira speaks up. "We should stop here." 

The light has faded, though you have all been able to adjust to the gradually increasing darkness as the sun slipped below the height of the peaks to the west.  But as Kira speaks, you realize it has gotten a bit harder to see.  (Relatively speaking, as those with darkvision are not affected as much. But Mei is struggling to make out things that are not near at hand.)  

The area here is relatively flat, and there is a nice stretch of grassy space just off the stone path you've been following. "Not much cover, but we should be out of any wind here.  It'll be about an hour's walk in the morning to reach the cave."  

She starts to walk about the grassy area, picking a spot near the edge nearest the road to start setting up her tent. 

"Righty ho", Guardok says, actually excited to stop and make camp. He is experienced with tents, although mostly ones a fair bit bigger than they have.

He will help set up the camp, assisting Mei and Mal however they need.

"I don't suppose you are any good at catching those rabbits and deer you mentioned? Or is it just rations again?", he asks Kira.

He had packed light, and so no lyre or lute, but he did bring his maracas and his flute. He intends to play the flute a bit once they have eaten.

Malvyn is relieved as Kira decides it is time to stop and make camp, quite exhausted and not at all used to this much exercise in a day. He sits down for a while to catch his breath before having enough strenght to help out with setting up the camp, trying to recall what he had read about that and comparing it to what he watches Kira and Guardok do, hoping to learn something from his own experience for a change. He tries to be of some use with his magic though, creating a magical light for the camp, lighting the camp fire, clean clothes that might have been dirtied during their trek. "Will there be rabbits and deer at this altitude?" 

(Just popping in to say Maeleve is still around! Just taking it easy back at school :) )

(OOC - Hi Maeleve. I haven't forgotten her. I'll send something here shortly.)  

Guardok finds that he clearly has the others, even Kira, beat in experience putting up a tent.  Kira is still just finishing off getting hers up when the genasi is done. The others are still struggling.  Malvyn does make himself useful later on with getting the fire lit and offering his magic to any who needed it.  

Kira responds to Malvyn's question as she works. "Both rabbits and deer can live at quite high altitudes. They tend to move to lower elevation in the coldest parts of the year.  But it's starting to get warmer, and we certainly could find both animals around here."  She pauses. "I am not that familiar with hunting. But if you guys want to give it a try, go ahead." She then glances over to Mei. "I was hoping before the twilight is completely gone, we might say some prayers to Disyn and honor her."  

"I'm afraid won't be of much use with hunting." Malvyn says with an aplogetic look to Guardok. "I suppose I can join in with the praying if you think that might be of any use but I know nearly nothing about your Disyn so I wouldn't have thought any prayers of mine would be seen as sincere by your deity." He then turns and says to Kira.