31 Chapter 31 Mapping Their Route (1/2)

”So, the humans are fighting?” asked Llewel, helping Vonn pack up the tent the next morning.

Gia was cooking more meat from the deer, that hadn't finished getting cooked the night before, so they could take it with them.

”I suppose,” answered Vonn. ”We lived in the capital city, in the poor section of town. I cut wood in the forest just north of the city to make ends meet, when I overheard some men talking about the army and what they were planning.”

”An army was marching on the capital city?” Llewel shook his head in disbelief.

”The men said they planned to burn the city to the ground and siege the castle in it's middle. I managed to get everyone here out of the city before the army arrived.”

”That's amazing. I'm surprised you weren't caught by scouts,” said Kilyn, who was sitting and watching them work next to Mikey, who was shoving slivers of the cooked deer meat in the pouch his new pet slept in.

”Some of the scouts did follow us in to the forest,” said Tom with a sigh. ”That's how we ended up here, instead of dead. It's amazing how we've traveled so far, just trying to get back to the human lands after all of that.”

”Well, based on what I know of the mountains, you probably still have a really long way to go,” said Llewel, sitting back on his heels while Vonn finished putting the tent away.

”We were hoping you had a map we could see,” said Vonn, tying the tent to his backpack securely.

”There is a map in the main city, but I don't think it would be a good idea for you to go there,” said Kilyn, shaking her head.

”Why? Do you think they won't like us showing up?” asked Carla, folding blankets and putting them away in bags.

”No, nothing like that. I imagine the royal family would be thrilled to host you in their palace,” said Kilyn with a chuckle. ”They love any excuse to throw a party. No, I don't think it's a good idea for you to go there because it's so far out of your way.”

”We really don't want to add to our journey, if that's alright,” said Gia, checking the meat she was cooking by cutting it open. It was still a little bloody, so she turned it and poked the fire to get it to flare up.

”I can draw you a rough guess to how the terrain is?” offered Llewel, raising an eyebrow questioningly to Vonn.

”That would be good,” Vonn agreed, nodding his head.

The elf found a stick and started drawing in the dirt, explaining as he went.

”These are the mountains that separate out forest from the human lands, that the dwarves claim as their home, and the magical forest covers. They get really steep and dangerous from here to about here, which is well past our forest. The next possible place you could cross would be here, but it's filled to the brim with giant spiders, that I would really recommend you avoid.”

”We will!” exclaimed Carla without any hesitation, shuddering and pulling her cloak closer.

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”I would rather not take everyone into the path of danger,” said Vonn.

”Well, the next opening that would be somewhat safe, would be here. You will need to travel alongside the sea for a while, until you get to this valley. The last thing I heard from scouts that traveled that way, said there was a clan of creatures living in the waters. So, if you avoid them by clinging to the edges of the mountains, you should be fine.”

”What kind of creatures?” asked Tom.

”Eh, well, they were described to me like lizards. Our scouts didn't get very close to them, as that's pretty far south for us to travel.”

”We'll just have to be careful, I suppose,” said Vonn. ”What's on the other side of the mountains there?”

”Grasslands. The weather should be getting to spring by the time you reach them, so the worst you would have to worry about would be storms. I don't think our scouts have ever seen anyone living there. If you can get across them, you should find the human lands again.”