As they left, Bob was stopped several times. The villagers all had heard that he was leaving quickly in order to finish the tribute task for the elder, so they brought along with them all kinds of provisions.

There was some tea, some bread, some extra clothing and a heavy cloak, as well as several trinkets for good luck.

“I don’t think I’ve ever met a more welcoming people in my life.” Bob smiled wide as he lugged around everything, keeping everything in his pack. He kept a single trinket, a small wooden horse, brushing his finger along it as he held it in one hand. He felt… calm with it.

“We are headed to kill a dragon. Should you really be so lax?” Rowa asked. She had followed him for a moment, before she then stepped ahead and started to lead him.

Of course, that didn’t matter to Bob. He was unfamiliar with this land, having only arrived not even a moon ago. Bob followed her as he hummed a tune to himself.

The road ahead of them was made from dirt being beaten down by hundreds of years of travel. The land around them was still fairly dense forest, however, and the forest path wound around as if they travelling along a large snake.

He could see that Rowa threw a glance back to him now and again, and he blinked at her each time. Her eyes were narrowed, quickly glancing up and down him, before she continued on for a short while, and then repeated the action. It was like she was making sure he was still following her, as if checking on a small child.

“Are you tired?” Bob asked. “I heard that you don’t like to wake up before the sun is in high noon.” He mused to himself for a moment, recalling an old soldier friend that preferred to wake up around then too. Bob usually let them sleep for a while and then when they were in the thick of it, they usually came in like a canon ball.

“ You don’t have to worry about me. I can handle myself.” Rowa snapped back at him.

Bob nodded. “I heard you were strong. They saw your a shaman, I don’t know many shamans. I knew a few mages back in the army, but we didn’t really see eye-to-eye.” Bob said. “Couldn’t trust them.” Then he quickly added. “I’m not saying I don’t trust you, miss, it’s just those mages liked to stand back and take lives from afar with their fireballs and all… I suppose I shouldn’t talk about such things.”

“It’s fine, I’m not as squeamish as you think I am.” Rowa threw another glare at him.

Bob almost laughed. “Oh! I don’t mean to say so, miss. Not at all. Your elders spoke with me and told me how you are very powerful. They say the most powerful within the entire history, big praise.” He nodded and grinned stupidly.

Rowa grew red and then quickly snapped her head back to the road ahead of them and then she marched off so swiftly that even Bob had to speed up.

“Are you alright miss? We can take a short rest.” He said.

“I’m fine!” Rowa growled out and then continued to strut along the main road. Even now she seemed like a panther.

Bob held onto the horse trinket and then brushed it against his cheek, the wood so rough and yet so tender. He thought back to his childhood for a moment when he held a similar trinket from his mother.

He hoped that he would be able to find himself a family here.