When I arrived at Don's place, the rain had stopped. The biting wind carried with it the cold of dawn, making the moment even more melancholic.
The three horses were already separated, their heavy breathing mingling with a faint mist rising from the ground. I approached the first one, a black stallion with a scar on the side of his muzzle, and ran my fingers through the damp mane on his neck.
The animal tilted its head at my touch, gently pressing its muzzle against my palm.
"We're going to have a long journey together, huh..."
The thick strands of mane tangled between my fingers. It had been a while since I had ridden, but my connection with animals was one of the few things that never got completely fucked up.
"Oh my..."
A soft, slightly sarcastic voice broke the silence.
I turned around to find Lurya standing next to the stall, her arms crossed, looking at me from afar with a curious expression on her face, as if she had just seen a leprechaun dancing on top of a gold pot.
"You really know how to treat a living thing with kindness."
I huffed, walking to the stable door and ignoring her completely.
I crossed the stalls to the small building next door, where a faint light escaped through the foggy glass window. I wiped the glass with my hand, and could see Lut'hner and Don leaning over a map, discussing something with concentrated expressions.
As soon as I opened the door, Don's voice could be heard.
"...so, as soon as you reach that fork, there will be a sign pointing the way to Conde Iris and Uthergrat. Head for Uthergrat and— Ah, Duncan, good evening.
The stableman looked up and smiled.
Don was a small coyote, but his presence was undeniable. His grayish fur, always disheveled, went well with the thick-lensed glasses that barely stayed on his face.
He hastily adjusted them before approaching and shaking my hand with an absurd strength for someone his size. They say that a wolf loses its teeth but not its sense of smell. Well, Don had lost neither.
"Good evening, Don," I replied in a friendly tone.
Don had always been a good friend.
Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Lut'hner raise an eyebrow.
"Has my companion paid you yet?"
Don returned to the table and smoothed the map with his hands.
"Yes, and he left extra for some information."
He pointed to a spot on the yellowed paper where small notes were scribbled in dark ink.
"You need to get to the Durandiil Mountains. It's not a long trip, especially if you go through the Uthergrat Gorge. It should take less than two weeks."
I approached the table, analyzing the details. Lurya did the same, standing beside me.
Great. Scout meeting.
I crossed my arms, analyzing the map, even though I knew the entire area like the back of my hand. Years and years of walking up and down must be good for something.
"Right... but the pass is blocked by the western passage. How do we plan to cross?"
Don licked his lips, adjusting his glasses once more before pointing to another path, slightly further north.
"Yes, I'm aware. A few months ago, one of Munchadise's caravans almost had to turn back because of it. But before that, he contacted me to find a solution."
My eyes narrowed.
"And the solution would be...?"
The coyote smiled crookedly, a smile that never brought good news.
"The Forest of Night."
I let out a short, dry laugh.
"Oh, sure. What a brilliant idea. Let's take a little stroll through one of the most bandit- and monster-infested forests in the region. Do you want me to ask them to escort us to the exit too?"
"It's not the ideal option, I admit." Don shrugged. "But that's how Munchadise managed to get through. He lost almost half the men in the convoy, but he made it to Conde Íris."
He pointed to a specific spot on the map where there were two huge trees and said.
"Besides, you don't have to go all the way to the end of it. There's a small trail that takes you to the foot of the gorge."
Lurya, who had remained silent until now, her eyes scanning the markings on the map, said.
"We have no choice. We need to get there."
I sighed, rubbing my face.
"I'm already starting to regret this."
Lut'hner looked at me with a certain air of superiority.
"If you want to give up, you can stay."
I slowly raised my eyes to him. The silence that followed was heavy. Lut'hner did not look away.
I need to teach that little fairy a lasting lesson.
"Aham... you guys better get some sleep." Don interrupted before I decided to test how many teeth Lut'hner could lose in a single punch. "If you're going to take this route, you'll need all the rest you can get."
I looked down at the map one last time. The path was set. Now... all that was left was to face it.
We talked a little more about strategic stops and some paths to avoid.
Don offered us some rooms and went to saddle the horses.
I walked away from the office and headed for a covered corner near the barn, pulling a cigarette from the newly purchased pack.