An Unlikely Duo (DareToDream & RetroWitchcraft)

Her reaction to the snake’s existence had been almost hilarious but he was careful not to let his thoughts show on his face. He knew what it was like to fear something so badly that you quaked inside and no one liked to be reminded of that. Tucking the knife away in his belt, he turned to her and gave a solemn nod. “Definitely supercharged and he had you dead in his sights. I only heard him approach at the last second. I’d offer to skin it and pluck out the poison sacks so we could dine on his meat but something tells me you wouldn’t keep it down.” A sly little grin sneaked out then, to let her know that he found mirth in her reaction, but not so much that he was rag her about it…at least not anymore.

Reaching down, he picked up her bag and sealed it, then slung it over his shoulder. “I’ll grab the bag this time to give you a rest from it but you’ll have to cover our back. If you throw your knife, be sure to have good aim.” He couldn’t help getting in one last little tease after all but then he ceased, simply taking the lead. Pushing his way out of the glen, he came back onto the trail and turned in the direction they’d been heading. Since it only went one way, he took the lead and headed off, keeping his eyes moving and his steps sure, knowing she would catch up. “How far do you reckon the next town is anyway?” he called back over his shoulder as he ducked under a branch, almost tripping over a root at the same time, drawing a muted curse.

The nearest town? It was hard to say. Marle didn't do much travelling outside of her city and, if she did, it was to lay low for a few days while things cooled off. Every time she left due to a particularly high profile heist, she had hired someone beforehand to take her out of town in a cart (normally she would be covered in heavy blankets). This made her think. How long would the nearest small town be walking distance? It took a little over half the morning to get to it in a pulled cart. On foot was likely much slower.

"Maybe a day," she replied finally. Though her tones were a little unsure. "Perhaps a little shorter because of the smuggler's road. We'll likely have to camp out somewhere. I wish this forest wasn't so damned dangerous. My gods, I am exhausted!"

As tired as she was, she could not help but laugh as he tripped up. That was what he got for giving her a hard time about the snake. After a second her chortling died away but a playful gleam still shone in her eyes.

"Do I have to watch after you like I would a little brother? Watch where you're going, hmmm?"

Moving slower now, he kept his gaze to the ground more than around them, not wanting to repeat the embarrassment a second time. He enjoyed the sound of her laugh and chuckled at her words, dipping his head a moment before glancing back at her. “You can watch me like a little brother if you want” he murmured, his voice low “but I promise you my thoughts when I see you aren’t brotherly in the least.” He gave her a wink after that and turned back to the trail. Let her stew on that one for a moment, he thought with a laugh on the inside.

They were both tired, that much was obvious with one look at their bodies and the way they moved, but he knew they needed to put a little more distance between themselves and the farmhouse. He doubted his pursuers would come far, not in the dangers of the forest, but one could never be sure. Putting one foot in front of the other, getting into the rhythm of their pace, he pushed them along.

Soon, rocks began to appear in the vegetation, at first just a few but then it grew to more, peeking out here and there. On a hunch, he raised his hand and signaled her to stop, then stepped off the trail, soon disappearing in the undergrowth. Nosing his way along, he found what he’d been hoping for and called back to her. “There’s a decent rock overhang back here” he hollered. “It’ll provide good cover for the night if you want to stop.”

The rocky overhang was a true blessing for the pair. There they rested up and Marle managed at least four sound hours of the time spent in that protective cloistering of rocks. Animals had not bothered them either, which was a blessing. If she hadn't been so damned exhausted she probably would have woken up once or twice in fear a particularly nasty cat or another snake coming into the little encampment.

Every inch of her hurt as she awoke from her sound rest. Using all of that magic and pressing her body to physical exhaustion had taken its toll on her limbs. That was alright; she knew that the stiffness and soreness were going to fade away as they moved more. Seeing that Kaevon was still sleeping, she stood up very slowly and stretched as quietly as she could. Some grunts managed to escape her tightly screwed together lips but she was sure that would not wake him.

I wonder where this adventure will take us? she thought as she continued on with limbering herself up. We've already been through so much in a very short amount of time... hopefully we'll be able to survive this.

It wasn't a thought born of dread but, rather, curiosity. What other dangerous would be waiting for them? There was certainly many things that were in the realm of possibility. Maybe it was an evil sort of magic user or a wicked king mad with power? A grin crept across her face just thinking about it all.

After a few minutes of stretching she was tired of being quiet. She stomped over to him and prodded him with a rough foot. "Hey, Sleeping Beauty, get yer arse up!"

They’d crashed as soon as she’d agreed to stop and Kaevon had been fast asleep within moments, a skill he had learned from his many days on the open trails. One learned to grab sleep where they could, resting for mere minutes sometimes and hours the next. He had no idea how long they’d been out but the minute she rose he was wide awake, his senses getting their bearings. That was another survival trait he’d learned – you never knew what you were going to wake up to so you had to wake quick and be fully alert as soon as possible.

Of course, he didn’t let her know that he was wake, not when playing asleep could tell him a little more about her. So he lay there with his eyes closed and his breathing even, pretending to be out, and listened while she moved around quietly. From the sounds of it, she was trying to limber up, loosen stiff muscles and get more awake, but doing nothing else. He’d hoped to hear her talking to herself or go through some routine that was a bit more mysterious but she just acted normal for the most part.

When she kicked him, his lips quirked into a tiny grin and he fake grumbled at her before finally open his eyes and stretching his arms wide. “Gah! Have a care, woman” he grumped at her, fists brushing sleep from his eyes. Finally standing, he stretched some more then glanced at the brightly lit sky. “Looks like we’ll get a nice day. Maybe we can put some miles behind us. Let’s eat on the trail.” Grabbing their bag, he made it back to the trail, knowing she’d catch up. The less time they spent in the forest, the better off they’d be, so he set a brisk pace. Early morning soon changed to mid morning and then the grumble in their belly’s indicated the midway point of waking hours but they didn’t still didn’t stop. They’d been stalked once but some sort of animal, its footsteps breaking branches on the forest floor with ease, but whatever it was chose not to attack, much to their relief. Two snakes crossed their path, one a non-poisonous one he killed with a knife and kept for its meat, and there was plenty of small game they could try to trap if they’d been staying in one place. Finally they emerged from the trees into a huge clearing that contained a mini lake in it. There were signs of previously travelers here – places for campsites and old fire pits – so he drew them to a stop. “Looks like a great place to take a break and maybe get washed up” he said, looking at her over his shoulder.

Marle laughed at his response to her prodding. At least he was good humored when he was awakened roughly. The same was not the same for the petite little thief. If anyone had decided to wake her up in the fashion she had with Kaevon, things would have turned out much differently.

"That sounds good," she replied with a nod. "Any distance away from that city makes me feel more safe anyway."

Perhaps that wasn't the full truth. That place had been her home since she was born. Before her family all got caught or died, the cubby hole he had stumbled in to had been their sanctuary. A soft sigh escaped her lips. What was in the past could not change and she forced herself to think of the day before them.

It did not take her long to get fully ready but, before she was finished, he had already started moving. "Hey! I wasn't ready yet!"

She ran out to catch up with him, heart thudding while she did so. The young woman rode it off as sudden activity so early in the morning. Travelling with him wasn't so bad. They had to be mostly quietly because the threat of an animal leaping out at them was still high but every so often she cracked a joke and at those times he was amused. When the pair came upon the snakes, she reeled back and squealed like a frightened child. The mention of eating the meat from one made her cross her arms in front of her chest and state boldly she would rather starve.

"I could use the bath," she replied as they reached the clearing. "Being in this muddy hood has made me feel particularly filthy."

She set down her bad and stretched out before removing her outer layer. Beneath the hood and duster she was wearing a small pair of shorts and a top of treated doeskin. It wasn't much but, really, she never intended to show that much of herself off in public. What should it matter what she wore beneath her leathers?

"You don't mind if I go in first, do you?"

Her enthusiasm at the sight of the lake brought a smile to his face but he hadn’t expected her to move quite so fast. Dropping the bag on the spot, she quickly shucked her filthy hood and duster, revealing a pair of shorts and a revealing top underneath. His eyes widened at the sight and he couldn’t help staring at first, his gaze starting at her legs and sweeping upward. Though she was short, his little thieving friend was even cuter under the muck, her trim legs leading to a tight little waist which flowed to a taut stomach and a set of shapely breasts. He felt the smile come over his face as he took her in, not bothering to hide his perusal from her own gaze. He was a man, after all, presented with the sight of a sexy woman, so how could he not look.

Bringing his gaze upward finally, he glanced out at the water and then back at her, giving a nod. “Sure, jump right in. I’ll get settled and keep watch then get in once you’re out.” He almost told her to watch out for the water moccasins but figured that would only make her change her mind about the bath and that wouldn’t be a good thing. They both needed to wipe a day’s worth of grime and sweat from their skin and…well….he had to admit, he was curious to see if the water would make her look any sexier. Bending down, he grabbed their bag and slung it over his shoulder then retreated back up the bank a little, where he plopped down. Drawing out her knife, he found a rock and began to sharpen the blade while he waited. Soon enough he heard the splash of water as she entered the lake but he refused to be distracted, his gaze scanning the shoreline and the forest edge as he honed the metal in his hand.

Marle could feel his gaze upon her and a blush spread across her face; all the way down to her neck. His eyes traveled the course of her body openly and she could feel him take in every curve. All men were like this, which is why she wore such a covering garments when she was out. There was no need drawing more attention to her.

"I bet you have never seen a girl this undressed before," she brashly said. "Well have your fill because, as soon as we hit another town, I am making sure wherever we stay has separate baths."

The thief was not accustomed to being seen as a woman either. Gender wasn't important to the guards that chased after her, all they saw was a street urchin. The guys at the bar saw her as another buddy to tell stories to. Most had known her since she was a child and did not see her as a young lady but, rather, a messy haired youth.

When he turned away she began to undress, revealing her round breasts to the warm air. She sighed in contentment and she slipped off the small pairs of shorts. For a few seconds she stood out in the breeze, completely nude. There were few things more relaxing to her than being able to be without the confines of clothes. Finally she put herself in the water, taking in a sharp air.

"The water is cold!" she exclaimed. Goosebumps rose on her flesh but she did not get out. Instead she began to scrub furiously at her body with a hand. "I wish I remembered to buy soap but as long as I get the muck off..."

The image of his lovely friend’s half-nude body stayed in his mind even as Kaevon was vigilant on watch. Try as he might, he simply couldn’t shake it and that bothered him a bit. Was he slowly becoming attracted to her as more than just a travel companion? It was clear his perusal had embarrassed her and her retort about separate baths had driven that point home. It had also hurt when she’d made that other comment because, sadly, it was too close to the actual truth, which was that Kaevon had never been with a woman, at least not one he didn’t have to buy.

When he heard more clothes drop to the ground, he swallowed hard but kept his gaze averted, fully aware that she was now completely nude. The splash of water followed next, complete with her shocked exclamation, one he couldn’t help but laugh at. “Well, what did you expect? It’s a lake out in the wilderness not a hot tub!” he shouted to her, mirth in his voice.

The urge to turn around and watch her as she bathed, to maybe get a glimpse of that womanly body that had been under those clothes, was a strong one but Kaevon managed to resist it. He knew his turn would come next and he wondered if she’d look at him the same way he’d look at her or if she’d simply laugh. He wasn’t the brawniest man alive, that was sure, but Kaevon thought he looked ok. Years on the road had made him a lean, wiry man after all. “Do you want to put some more miles under our feet once we’re done bathing or do you want to camp for the evening?”

Even after a few minutes in the cold water Marle was unable to become acclimated to the temperature. With every handful of liquid she scrubbed against her body to rise the dirt off, a shudder went through her body. A truly nasty look was shot towards her travelling partner.

"Of course it isn't going to be a hot spring," she told him in, snippy tone in all. "I just hoped the lake was a little warmer. The weather isn't too bad..."

Screwing up her face as if she was preparing for a unpleasantness, she dunked her head beneath the surface. Seconds later she popped back up and took in a deep breath. By the gods known and unknown it was a frigid dip! That was enough for her. The tips of her fingers and toes were numb long ago but, for some reason, when he hair was wet and cold the rest of her felt all the more chilly. Without haste she swam towards the shore and stepped out on to land.

"Can you toss me the bag? I forgot to get out dry clothes!" she exclaimed through chattering teeth. She scuttled behind a bush to drip dry, waiting for him to do as she asked.

The snippiness in her voice when she hollered back to him caused him to chuckle and shake his head. She was definitely a city dweller, he thought to himself, so not able to handle life in the wilderness, at least not when it made her body shiver and her voice squeak.

“Oh, suck it up, my little thief” he said in return, his laugh becoming a little louder. “At least you’ll be clean when you come out.” He continued to sharpen his knife as she flailed about some more, an image of how the woman would look when she emerged from the water, her body taut in all the right places and water cascading down her skin.

When he heard her emerge and ask for the bag, he stood and turned, hoping to catch another glimpse. Instead, she cowered behind a bush as if to hide from him, which drew another shake of his head. “Sure, here you go” he said, sending the bag through the air in a high arc. “My turn now.”

With that, Kaevon stripped his shirt off and tossed it to the ground as he walked. His shoes went next as his hands fiddled with his pants and soon those were falling with each step, his legs kicking them off once they were down. He wasn’t the least bit bothered by the fact that she might look – though the idea of her not looking didn’t sit quite so well – nor did he complain when he entered the water. Living on the road most of his adult life had toughened him up and bathing out in the open like this was normal to him.

“It’s not so bad in here. We need to toughen you up a bit” he said as he dunked under, soaking his hair and rinse tons of grime from his skin. When he resurfaced he turned to see if she’d come out from hiding yet, hoping for another glimpse before she was fully clothed.

When he tossed the bag at her she missed it, the pack having landed a foot or two ahead of its actual mark. With an annoyed grunt, she extended her leg and attempted to hook the strap of the sack on her big toe. She muttered to herself. Why did she align herself with him? Even though it had only been a day, and the reason was still fresh in her mind, he was proving to be very grating.

I'm just tired, I reckon. I normally don't get this upset so easily. He's likely just-

In that moment her mind went blank and the strap slipped off from her foot, landing with a rustle as it slid against the bush. Her companion did not have the same reservations about nudity that she did. With each step he lost another article of clothing until he stood before the shore of the lake, bare as the day he was born and twice as brash. Lavender eyes could not be torn away from his backside. When one spent their entire life running from men they didn't see too many naked. At least not to this extent of nudity. Her mouth went dry and, before she could see anything more, she hid her eyes behind her hands.

"Dammit!" she growled as she clumsily made it back to camp, stopping for a moment to scoop up the bag before hurrying off to the clearing to get dress. Seeing someone with nothing but a shit-eating grin on.

The thief dressed quickly and hoped he had been too busy with the water to cast a look back in her direction.

Despite his boasting about being tough, he had to admit – internally at least– that she had been right. The water was beyond freezing, no doubt about it, and he could already feel his muscles contracting, never a good thing for a man. Taking his time though, he made sure he was thoroughly clean before he slowly emerged from the water, scooping up his scattered clothes.

Glancing up to the clearing, a small smile came over him as he saw his companion, now fully dressed. She was an interesting character but he found that the more time he spent with her, the more he liked it. There was just something about her that was so innocent yet so wily that he knew he wanted to spend more time with her. This trip was perfect for that, if he didn’t irritate her too badly and make her want to leave of course.

Shaking his head to clear it, he slipped his dirty pants back on and headed up the hill still bare-chested. Water was running down his skin, sliding among the curves of his muscles, but he didn’t even notice it, his eyes on their bag. Stopping just short of her, he reached out and grabbed the bag, fishing his spare clothes out. Moving away a little, but not going behind cover, he turned his back and dropped his pants again, slowly getting dressed, starting with the shirt. “I was only kidding back there. You’re plenty tough in my book. I think you’ve handled my arrival in your life, and being rooted from your own house, rather well.” Turning back, he reached for the bag and hefted it to his shoulders, sending a glance towards the sky before looking back at her. “I’m glad to have you as my travel companion…” he paused, collecting his thoughts and then continuing “..it’s nice to have…a friend.” A little embarrassed by that confession, Kaevon headed back towards the trail, putting space between them. “We should get going. We can put another few hours under our feet before we have to stop for the night.”

Had this man no shame whatsoever?! The thief gaped openly at him as he peeled off his dirty pants, his arse hanging freely to be brushed by a wayward wind. She placed her hands over her face in attempts to hide the vision from her eyes. Fingers somehow kept slipping on her cheeks and, not even for a second, did he ever leave her line of sight. Her heart was skipping beats and the entirety of her face was cherry red. Having seen a naked man was far more harrowing than the streets had ever been for the pretty little fingersmith.

"I didn't have much of a choice in none of those things," she remarked through a sigh of relief. Finally he had slipped his pants back on! Still her heart was racing rapidly and she wondered a why, a questioning hand laying on her chest. "Had to adjust or, you know, suffer for it."

Sacrifices were inevitable in life. Being in her line of work, that lesson was learned early on. All in all, Marle had been a little on the spoiled side with her home. It had been hers for years and years and years. The place had been safe from detection for such a long time; it was only natural that the law was going to find it one way or another.

The law always did.

"I guess you're right," she admitted. "I never could afford to have a friend before. This may be interesting yet."

When he mentioned getting a few more miles in before sunset, she agreed with him. There was nothing she wanted to do more than rest but this was an open, cool lake full of fresh water. Animals of all sorts made their way to such places and, thus, it was not a safe place to camp.

"Is everything situated in the bag? You can carry it for the next leg of our journey." A smug sort of smirk crossed her lips.

He considered her words as they left the clearing, their footsteps setting a rapid pace down the trail. There definitely hadn’t been any choice for her when he brought the law knocking on her door but she didn’t have to stick with him after that. She could have gone her own way, broke her own trail, but she hadn’t. He wondered if there was more to it than just wanting to see adventure now that she couldn’t go back. The look on her face when he came back out of the lake had been priceless and he could only imagine what it had looked like when he’d stripped; probably much like his when she had done the same.

“I have no idea if the bag is situated” he said, laughing, his chuckles quiet. “I just assumed you kept it all together. “ Stopping suddenly, he knelt down and riffled through the bag, check its contents. Yep, it was all there. Giving her a nod, he stood back up and moved at a slower pace now, dropping back to walk by her side when the trail allowed it.

“You know” he finally said after a few moments of silence “friends aren’t such a bad thing. I mean, we can…entertain….each other” he let his voice get sort of deep and husky when he said that, just to see what she’d do “and chatter on about senseless things while we journey. Hell, we can even give each other massages at night when we’re really sore. I’m told I have some awesome hands for that sort of thing.” He waggled his fingers dramatically.

Focusing back on the trail then, he grew silent, his thoughts moving into the future and what they would find once they reached Silverport. He worried about her too and that was an odd feeling for him, to worry about another. Somewhere along the journey, she had come to mean something to him, something more than just a companion. He didn’t voice that though.

A strange sensation prickled at her skin. The way he alluded to a certain act was more exciting than she wanted to ever admit. When others had been suggestive towards her, the offer had always made her feel a little ill. There were plenty of men who had tried to illicit a feeling of delight or a primal sensation with her belly. This was the first time it actually happened. What had been so different about him than the others? Why, it had only been two days since they had started their little adventure and already she was starting to have a strange affection for him.

"Well, bloody hell, its good that you're good at something," she replied in an exasperated tone. "You know, other than getting moldering old junk to spring to life."

Though she was rather interested in learning about being a techno mage. She was sure it wasn't anything like the healing and small amount of elemental magic that flowed from her fingertips. Walking in quiet finally got to her and she decided to ask him about it.

"How is it, by the way? I mean how is it to control such an odd form of magic."

He glanced over his shoulder at her first comment, his eyes widening for a moment before he doubled over laughing. “Ok, so I was expecting just about any kind of comment coming from your lips but that wasn’t one of them!” he said when he could finally speak again. Oh god, he did love how she could surprise him with her wit and sarcasm. He hadn’t had a lot of friends in his wanderings; most people just wanted to use him instead of get to know him, so he found her rather…refreshing in a way.

Turning so he could walk backwards, he flashed her a smile. “It might just be smoldering old junk to you, but to many others it represents a past that was…I don’t know…more majestic and easy than our times now. I mean, you can’t imagine how good a warm shower feels or a flushing toilet..or the sound of a car engine purring if you can find one in good enough condition to work. They represent a bright past..and perhaps our future again.”

It was the most he’d babbled on about in a while so he suddenly clamped his mouth shut while he studied her. She looked as tired as he felt, her steps plodding one after the other, her gaze curious. “It feels…I don’t know…exciting to wield it but also utterly useless” he sighed when the last words came out. “I mean, sure, I can power ancient things…but I can attack someone like you can and my shields are week. About the only usefulness I’ve found for it is the ability to strengthen someone else’s magic, like you saw earlier.”

Just then, his foot caught an exposed root and sent him tumbling, his body slamming hard into the ground in a most ungraceful way. Luck was with him though, because the fall most certainly saved his life as a viper snake slashed down from an overhanging branch, snapping it’s dripping fangs into the space where his head had once been.

Marle listened carefully, unsure of half the terms he used. What was an engine and what had been its purpose? He mentioned that it purred, and immediately she thought of a metal cat. Perhaps an engine was a mechanical pet. The idea was humorous and completely ridiculous to her. Shower was also something she was not used to hearing but, at least, that was something which was mentioned once or twice by the nobility and richer peoples.

Certainly there was more use of that particular type of magic than that. The things he could learn from the past had to be unlimited! Whenever she stole an artifact she always wondered the purpose but, likely, he never had to. That sort of knowledge was what made the techno mages desirable. At least that is what she figured. After all, with that information imagine the things that could be created or reinvented.

"I don't think you know your true potential, boyo," she told him. A second later she was laughing at his misfortune, however. His foot had caught a root and he had fallen face first into the narrow dirt path.

Out of the corner of her eyes she caught the vision of the snake, making her gasp. A small spark of electricity formed in her hands and she shot it in the serpent's direction. The thing hit the ground and slithered away as fast as it could. "Fucking things! Why does it have to be snakes!"

She felt cold and clammy and in a foul mood from just seeing the disgusting thing. "You're lucky! That thing could have killed you in ten seconds flat."

He’d rolled over onto his back, spitting dirt out of his mouth, when he saw it. A gasp left his lips and he scrambled to the side, getting out of its path as it fell from the branch, still sizzling from the blast of energy that Marle had thrown at it. Good aim, that woman, he thought as he slowly came to his knees, dusting himself off.

“You’d have preferred it be one of the more dangerous beasts out here?” he asked, swearing softly at the soreness he felt from the spill to the ground. It had been embarrassing to say the least but she was right, it had saved his life so he couldn’t complain too much. Walking towards her, he tried to banish the visions of the animals they’d come across on their journey if their luck was bad and not succeeding as well as he’d like.

Stopping in front of her, his hand reached out, brushing fingertips across her cheek. “Thank you” he said, his voice low and maybe just a little hoarse. “You probably saved my life with that shot. I had no idea he was there and they usually strike twice, once to poison and twice because they just like it. If you hadn’t shot….”

His voice trailed off and he shook his head, giving her a smile. “Just…yea….thanks. We should probably get going again. You want the lead this time?” For the first time in a while, his confidence on the trail had slipped a little.

Marle didn't say that she preferred the other animals to the snakes but her expression did not hide her feelings. Snakes were disgusting and vile. Not only could they move silently through any terrain but they had fangs with dripping venom. They were scale covered, covert assassins. Gladly she would face ten of the large cat that first attacked them in exchange for not even crossing the path of another snake.

"Don't worry about it," she told him. "You're not dead so don't think about being killed."

The young woman thought a moment on this. The attack had taken him off guard and left him feeling uncertain. Although he hadn't said as much, she sensed it in his manner, and she knew that he needed just a little bit of time to collect himself.

"I was waiting for you to say that. Women are naturally better leaders then men," the thief boasted. Whether this was true or not, she could not say, but she didn't want to let on about his lack of confidence.

Walking with her as leader was swift but precise and she was good at covering up tracks they both had made. It also did not take her long to find them a nice, safe niche to place themselves for the evening when the time came around.

"The forest is a little thinner in this area," she told him when they both had come to a rest. "I do not think many animals leave the protection of the thicker brush. Here should be safe."

Kaevon’s scanned the spot Marle had chosen for the night, his gaze sweeping the vegetation all around them. When he found nothing threatening nearby, he smiled and nodded. “It’s as good as place as any other, I suppose” he murmured, plopping onto the ground for a quick rest.

Closing his eyes for a moment, he slowed his breathing and used the time to clear his mind a bit. Her comments back on the path, about women being better leaders, had irritated him a bit but he hadn’t argued it, not when he’d felt as shaky as he had. He should have known that viper was there, should have seen it well before it struck. The realization that only dumb luck had saved him hadn’t sat quite well at the time.

He’d survived on his own for years, overcoming all obstacles, but now that he’d been with her for a few days it was like he was forgetting everything he’d learned. Marle was good, he understood that and even admired it, but she couldn’t do it alone, not out here in the wilderness.

Standing back up, he faced her. “We should probably get a fire going and bunk down for the night. Gonna be a long, hard walk tomorrow and probably another after that.”

By the time everything had been properly situated and the area as secured as she could get it- which didn’t require much- Marle was completely exhausted. Who wouldn’t have been tired after the two days they had? It was a miracle that they hadn’t been killed or even injured. Thinking about their situation that way put it in perspective.

The pair of them were luckier than what she had initially thought. How else could they have made it past all of what they had unscathed unless fortune was on their side.

“Serendipity is a fickle mistress,” she thought as she mulled over the different gods of their culture’s pantheon. What a strange name to give a goddess of good luck. At least it was to her. Marle was illiterate though so what did she know? “We’ll have to try and be more careful. We’re blundering along.”

Her eyes followed the movement of his body as he stood and she stayed on the log she had placed herself when they had entered the clearing. It was true. They needed to start a fire but she did not want to move and, really, she’d be the one making the fire anyway. Granted she wasn’t sure if she had it in her to do that simple task.

“If you gather the wood, I’ll start the flames.”

He turned when she spoke, acknowledging her words with a nod. “Yes, we will….or at least I will” he said. Moving away then, leaving his words with her, he began to gather what they would need for the fire. Their campsite had plenty of twigs and sticks scattered around its edges but he could tell they were damp or, in some cases, a bit green. He would need something for the flame to catch on first.

Finding quite a bit of dried moss just inside the wood line, he gathered it up also and headed back to their campsite. Seeing her sitting on the log still, he smiled. “Why don’t you rest up a bit? I have a nifty little tool in my pack that will start this fire for us.” Moving back over the clearing, he gathered up enough rocks to make a fire ring and dug the pit, placing everything together. Standing, he stretched and then retrieved a small, shiny metal object from his pack.

“Behold the usefulness of technomagic, my pretty little friend” he said, turning and smiling at her for a moment before concentrating on the shiny object. He’d found the ancient lighter among some ruins in his many wanderings and discovered early on that his magic could power it even though its natural fuel was long gone. Concentrating for a second, he sent a lick of magic cascading down his arm and into his fingertips, which glowed blue. When it hit the item in his hand, a small gout of flame spit from its top. The minute he saw it, he applied it to the moss and watched with satisfaction as it took hold, slowly building into a roaring fire within the pit. Sitting back, he let the flame in the lighter die and stood, returning it to his pack. “There we go. If we keep fuel on it, it should burn through the night.”