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"I'm fine," I assured him, having given up on trying to explain how the material of my clothing worked. I didn't even understand all the finer details myself.
I watched Kendryx stare up at the sky and move his fingers just as he said he would, and wondered if he was truly measuring where we were, or if he was just putting on a show. Knowing him though, I suspected the former was true. He wasn't a man who needed to put on a show. Which only impressed me further.
We packed a few things from the boat—furs, a few provisions, weapons—and began our march. Which shouldn't be that long, but it still remained to be seen how long we would have before needing to make camp and deciding on any plan of action.
Side by side, we walked through the rather thick underbrush. It was hard to see much in the darkness, besides that we had entered a dark forest that looked dead to me as it was filled with barren trees and bushes. Despite the absence of leaves, the already weak light of the sun barely filtered through.
I was bone tired when Kendryx stopped by a small pond.
"Do you want to call it a night?" he offered.
Yawning, I nodded, dropping the small backpack I carried.
Having been held in a cage for over a week then imprisoned at Brogan's stronghold had taken a toll on my body, which had been in top shape only weeks before. Despite the training Kendryx gave me aboard the longboat, I was still out of shape.
The chill in the air turned our breaths into small puffs of white fog whenever we spoke, or while I was breathing hard, like now.
"I'm not sure we should chance a fire." Kendryx looked at me, offering me a choice.
I shook my head. "Probably not. You'll just have to keep me warm."
He grinned. "Whatever the kallini needs."
He pulled out furs and spread them on the ground while I searched through the pack with the provisions, digging out a few rolls we had baked and fish we cooked on board the ship. Fish sandwiches didn't sound that appetizing, but I had eaten worse, so we both dug in hungrily while I listened for noises that would announce a predator stalking us.
"You want to take turns keeping watch?" I asked.
"I can do it," Kendryx offered predictably.
"We both need sleep, so just pick if you want first or second watch," I said a bit crabbily because I was tired.
"Get some rest. I'll wake you in a few hours," Kendryx said after we finished our meager, yet filling, meal.
Just laying down and covering myself in the furs helped, and my mind began to work on a plan for tomorrow when we would reach the FOB.
"We need to be careful. I'm certain the Terran Forces will have drones out the closer we get to the FOB, perhaps even patrols," I cautioned.
"Do you think they would bother with two people walking through the woods?"
"If one of them wears one of their uniforms, yes," I nodded, thinking I should cover it up a bit better tomorrow. Alahna had insisted I take some of her clothing. I could wear that until we got close enough to the FOB, where I would need it to gain entrance.
A plan began to formulate in my mind, one I was sure Kendryx wouldn't approve of, so I kept it to myself for now.
I was certain the Terran Confederation had already gathered plenty of intel and they would instantly recognize Kendryx as a Thyre. They might even realize that he was a warlord, thanks to his very distinguishable black braid denoting his status. A braid he most definitely wouldn't allow me to cut off.
Which meant I needed to keep him away from our FOB, unless my superiors were willing to negotiate with the Thyres, which I hoped they would be and the reason why I hadn't fought harder to go on this journey on my own, never mind that I would have never been able to navigate the Dark Sea.
I must have fallen asleep at some point because Kendryx, true to his word, woke me later in the night.
"I can continue to keep watch if you need more rest," he offered again.
I drowsily shook my head. "No, I'll be fine. I just need a minute."
If possible, it had gotten even colder, and I snagged a couple of furs before I sat down on a large rock by the pond that gave me a great view of our surroundings and Kendryx as he bedded down on the little nest I had left.
"Hmm, nice and warm." I couldn't see his face, but I heard the smile in his voice.
A few minutes later, it was just me and my mind again as I stared into the pond, which appeared deep, and marveled at it. I had only ever seen ponds in pictures. Earth was overbuilt and polluted. Even the dead forest around me looked healthier than any of the trees I had seen at home. Not that I had seen very many.
