With this new perspective, Zane found it easier to focus on the positive things that could come from this new life. As he ran down the river, there was a renewed springing to his step. The first thing that he was concentrating on was the fact that he was running over the top of a river. He couldn't really say that he was running on the water, because he was actually a foot above the water. However, that didn't take away from the fact that he was running down the middle of the river in order to save time. He thought about learning back in school about the explorers who had mapped out the Americas. Rivers were one of the ways that they quickly traversed across the nation. He had to laugh at the silly image in his mind of Lewis and Clark and all their men running down the river.
Zane ran for the rest of the day, only stopping when he needed to refill his water bottle. Gwen stayed asleep the entire time. Even though he knew he couldn't really talk to her while he was running, it would have been nice to have some conversation when he stopped to refill his water. Of course, not having her awake at this time meant that he concentrated refilling his bottle and getting back to running.
As the sun started to set, he started looking for a good place to camp. He was a little worried about how the night would go. He had seen many different creatures and monsters on his journey. All the beasts just looked at him as he passed. He had seen a few humanoid type monsters, but he wasn't sure what they were called. The only one he recognized was the goblin group that he had passed. They had shouted at him in some strange language. They had seemed quite excited to see him, and a few even ran after him for a few seconds before he was long past their position. That was hours ago, and he was sure that he had left them far behind, but they probably weren't the only goblins around. If he camped where any of these creatures were, he worried about them coming up while he was sleeping. He'd have to work out some kind of watch schedule with Gwen.
Up ahead he could see an area that looked promising. The trees weren't too close to the water, which would give him a chance to not be right at the edge when he camped. He liked the idea of having the river behind him, which would hopefully give him less to worry about when he was watching for enemies. He angled and began to slow down, stepping onto the beach. He took a quick sip of water to replenish his mana and stamina.
As he set down his back, Gwen finally stretched and looked up at him. Her form began to grow bigger as she shifted into her larger form. "It's about time you woke up. Why did you sleep the whole day?"
"What else was I supposed to do?" She asked him. "It was either sleep or watch the scenery pass by. I decided that things would be better if I slept and then kept watch tonight so you could get a full night's sleep."
Zane was shocked. "I'm sorry. I just thought you were being lazy."
Gwen gave a friendly growl. "I can't say that I wasn't being lazy, but there was a purpose this time. You do realize that felines are nocturnal most of the time. I operate better at night. I realize that may cause some problems in the future with us, but at this point it is an advantage. Now, you set up your camp and get your food. I'm going hunting. As much as I like your food, there's nothing like a raw meal that I just killed. Especially since there is actual good game around here. Humanoid beasts like ratmen and goblins do not taste good. There are actual deer in this forest, and I intend to enjoy one. I'll be gone for a little while, but I think you can handle yourself. I don't sense anything too dangerous around here. Don't let your guard down." With that, she ran into the forest.
Zane groaned. "Problems in the future, eh? I think our relationship will be quite the roller coaster. I think I look forward to it." He laughed. "I really hope I don't regret this."
He found a nice place to set up his camp, quickly digging out a small fire pit. He set up his tent and then went and found some firewood. He got his fire going and then pulled out one of the meal packs from the dungeon. As he sat letting it cook, he pulled up the map. He was surprised when he saw how far he had come today.
From what he could see on the map, he had traveled about half the distance from the dungeon to where the town sat on the river. If he kept at the same speed tomorrow, he would already be to his destination.
Now he was wondering how fast he had been moving. He was probably going about half as fast as he did when he ran from the dungeon to the river. Of course, he had been running as fast as he could at that point. He had covered that distance in a couple minutes. As he thought back on Earth and traveling in cars, he realized that he had been moving quite fast. Gwen had said that the route around the mountains would take 50 days. The distance that was cut going on the river was enormous and, add to that the speed he was going, he shouldn't be surprised that the trip was going to be much shorter than he anticipated.
This was a pleasant surprise. The sooner he was around people, the better. This new life that he was trying to focus on wouldn't start till he was around other people. There's no way he could be a hermit living in the mountains, with only himself and animals and other creatures. It would literally drive him insane. Of course, from what he had seen in stories, most hermits were insane. Of course, many of those hermits seem to want to be insane. That was not him.
The sun was almost fully set, and Zane was treated to a glorious sky with a tapestry of orange, reds, and purples. He'd never quite seen that many colors during a sunset back on Earth. There were strands of red streaking through purple, with an orange border around the entire thing, undercut by the last remnants of light from the Sun. He smiled, appreciating the beauty before him.
As it got darker, he started to hear more noises from the forest around him. After he finished his meal, he sat so the fire was behind him as he looked at the wooded area. He didn't want the light in his eyes so that he didn't see anything until it got right on top of him. As he watched, he activated the blades in his bracers. The sound of the blades going out and then going back in filled the air. In between the moments, you could hear different noises from his surroundings, including growls and other odd sounds that he wasn't sure about.
After some time, he saw a shape exit the woods and walk towards him. He stood up, settling into a fighting stance. However, this was unneeded, as the figure turned out to be Gwen, who was covered in blood. "You seem to enjoy your meal."
"Of course," Gwen said. "There's nothing quite like ripping into a carcass that you've just taken down. The reward for a good hunt. Maybe you should try it sometime."
"While I can appreciate the sentiment, I think I'll cook my meat first," Zane said with a grimace. "I will admit that cutting into a well-prepared steak is quite satisfying. I imagine it would be more satisfying if I had hunted and killed the beast myself. As you said, a reward for a job well done."
Gwen nodded. " You should go to bed now. From what I've estimated, we will arrive at the human settlement tomorrow. You'll need your rest, as they will not welcome you with open arms. Of course, you did receive money in that dungeon. That is a great motivator for many humans. Anyway, we'll deal with that tomorrow. You have a good night."
Zane chuckled a little, feeling a little like a kid being set to bed. "All right, mother. I'll see you in the morning. Good night."
Gwen gave him a look of satisfaction. His intention to irk her by calling her mother had not worked. She simply turned around to face the forest and began her night watch.