For those of you just stepping in, here's the beginning [not too far away from here!]: http://unsolvedmysteries.com/usm508867.html
It was prime deer season in Kell's lowlands, and Ezra had hunted there since his youth, but this was deep in the mountains, and he had never ventured far enough up to learn what creatures were plentiful there, what plants were edible and what to avoid. Since they had begun their trek through this range, he had seen little of deer, and his knowledge of the mountains' inhabitants had increased tenfold. There were fat mountain grouse in abundance, dark and light foxes, huge wolves, mountain lions and the elk they hunted, and many, many big-boned rabbits. Though the rabbits were easy to kill with a good slingshot, Ezra had found them unusually tough and rangy compared to their lowland cousins, so he preferred to fell a few grouse or, if one was to be spotted, an elk. But they were wary prey.
His hunt turned up two grouse, and he was beginning to give up on the berries when he spotted an old bramble hidden in a group of firs, still laden with a goodly amount of fruit. He was surprised animals had not stripped them yet, and labored among their prickered boughs to fill his pouch. He popped a few in his mouth and found them wrinkled but wonderfully sweet.
Perhaps she might actually let them sleep side by side tonight, with her probably chilled to the bone, he mused, on his way back up the slope towards their camp.
The woman was sipping tea and nibbling on a piece of bread. She seemed calm, but he was not deceived. That meant nothing. In fact, it could mean things had worsened.
“Ezra,” she said, without looking up from the dancing flames, “How far 'til Broug's Landing?”
“We're not stopping at the Landing, remember? We can't afford any more delays. We discussed that when leaving the Den. Besides, it's out of the way. Stopping there adds a week to the trip.”
“It was you who wanted to traverse the mountains,” she shot back, lifting an eyebrow. “Where do you propose we replenish supplies, then? There's nothing in between here and a straight shot to Elswain. We might as well.”
He looked up from dressing a grouse. “There is an outpost, albeit a small one, in between here and there. The way you wanted to go was the long way round. We would have reached Elswain a few weeks later – ” She snorted. “And does that make much difference now? With seasonal torrential rains? We've avoided a flood once; it's only a matter of time and then another comes, when we're asleep, only to wake up with half our gear floating away.”
“We began this journey at the tail end of his area's rainy season,” he patiently explained once again. “Though you're right in thinking that we did not take into account how very rainy it was going to be.”
“I am sick and tired of being wet!”
“Well, then don't go out without the umbrella.”
She had nothing to say to that.
“Have some berries. They're good,” He said. He handed her the pouch and spitted the meat.
- Mmmm, little more of the story revealed.. Hope you're enjoying this extended stay with Ezra and his wife.. :)
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