A Good Walk Spoiled (Of Mice and Maps)
Riverdale emerges from his tent, eyes small with sleep and blinking rapidly in the misty light of pre-dawn. He yawns deeply, then sits for a moment on the night-cooled earth, his vacant expression betraying no sign of his thoughts. He yawns again, then clambers upright with great effort, cane held out slightly for balance.
Ekho has slept outside Riverdale's tent all night long. she has a small pack she's using for a pillow and as always, Wallie is hugged close to herself while she sleeps.
Aikuen laughs quietly, " Well, good morning". He is sitting against the wall, eyes closed, still feining sleep. He has also slept outside.
Riverdale stoops to retrieve his traveling coat from within the tent. Pulling it on, one arm then the other, his eyes fall upon the sleeping dibbun curled up against the morning's cold. A smile of mingled affection and sorrow teases his face as he looks at her, but he elects not to wake the little Ekho. The old squirrel shakes himself off with a gentle motion and pulls from his pocket the little spectacles that, once placed on his nose, lend him his (probably false) air of scholarship. "Ahh..." he says after a bout of coughing. "Good, ah, good morrow to you, Aikuen. I, ah..." he pauses, brow furrowed against the confusion of morning. "I, ah, didn't expect that you'd sleep right here."
Aikuen stands up slowly, scratching the life back into his limbs. "Well after i went to the kitchens, i decided to check up on Ekho. She was still asleep and i didnt want to wake her. So i slept right here." He arches his back, and there is a loud crack. He contiues, "Besides, those abbey beds are way to soft for me. Much perfer to sleep outside anyday, even if its a little cold."
Ekho slowly starts to wake up with a big shiver. "mhmm..." she mutters as she slowly opens one eye lazily and peers out under the eyelid
"Well," begins Riverdale with a yawn, "I'm glad for the company." He begins to dismantle the tent. "Morning, Ekho." He waves, noticing that she's begun to stir. "Ah, I hope you and Wallie slept well."
Aikuen goes over toward the squirrel, and begins to help dimantle the tent.
Ekho yawns some and nods a bit. "Yeah...I did...thanks..." she nods and yawns again, sitting up.
Riverdale nods his thanks to the otter as they finish taking apart the little tent. He stoops to fold the square of canvas into a more portable form, then binds it together with the rope that previously held one of its support stakes upright. "Ahh..." he groans, standing up again. "Well, ah... A spot of breakfast, then?" He moves stiffly towards the rucksack, which lies near where Ekho sits.
Aikuen plops down onto the snow, "Aye, what a good idea!" From his sack, he pulls out a single apple, then he pulls out the simple dagger, and begins to slice the apple into wedges.
Ekho hms and nods. "Sounds good! whats for breakfast?" she asks, sitting up fully now.
Riverdale forages inside his rucksack and comes up with a chunk of bread and some roast acorns. Taking these items in paw, he rests his bottom lightly upon the bag and, in Ekho's direction, holds a piece torn from the chunk of bread out. "Well, ah, it en't much, young 'un, but we must be sparing with our supplies." His brow creases amiably.
Aikuen hands each beast an equal slice of the apple, "Aye, he's right young'un." He takes a bite from his wedge, "But im sure we'll manage"
Ekho takes it and smiles. "Thankie Riv-dale!" she smiles before slowly starting to eat.
Riverdale leans forwards to accept the slice of apple. He offers the otter a sizable portion of the remaining bread in exchange.
Aikuen glaidly accepts the bread, and places the rest of his wedge on top. "Thank Ye' " He take a bite worthy of a badger. " Ahhh, thats the stuff!"
Riverdale stacks some roasted acorn nuts and the apple slice and puts a bit of bread on each side of the stack. He then goes about the business of eating his creation in silence. Bits of it occasionally escape and go dribbling across the ground, but this eludes his notice; his eyes rove the surroundings: the dirt road, the woods of Mossflower, the wall, the brightening sky...
Ekho continues eating before smiling at Riverdale. "When do we go, Riv-dale?"
Ekho nods. "Thankie" she nods.
Riverdale claps his paws upon his legs and, with the aid of his cane, stands up. A few bread crumbs trickle off his lap; a quick downward swipe of the paw takes care of the rest of them.
Aikuen, Having already finished his breakfast, cleans off his dagger and sheathes it. He takes a sip from his canteen clearing his mouth of anything leftover. "Well" he quietly exclaims, "Daylights a burning, we best be on our way." He leans toward to Riverdale and whipears "Sure you got everthing? Perhaps... you want to say goodbye to somebeast before we go? Or... yah know...anything...?"
Riverdale claps his paw upon Aikuen's back. "No, no, lad. I, ah... I never meant to stay as long as I did." He bends to tie the tent to the outside of his bag. "And I don't reckon anyone will be missing me." The old squirrel then takes hold of the rucksack and, demonstrating rather remarkable strength, heaves it onto his back. He expels a little grunt, but seems fit to carry the burden nevertheless.
Riverdale's weight presses more heavily down upon his cane now, as he plods through the soil towards Ekho. He brushes her hair with his right paw. "This one here's the only creature who might've missed me."
Riverdale trudges back towards Aikuen and, after a final, glancing survey of the area, delivers a sharp nod. "Ahh... any road, must be on our way, as you said."
Aikuen picks himslef off, dusting the snow of his lower area. He double checks his equipment by pointing at them, and naming them off. He then shifts the the pack on his back. "Aye, im ready". He then notices the squrrel under the burden of his sack. "Do yah need help with that? I can still carry a lot more if yah need me to."
Ekho just continues to watch Riverdale for a little bit.
Riverdale bats Aikuen away in as friendly a way as he can. "Ahh... lad, please, no, no. I can manage. I've come too far on my own to need assistance now." He pivots a bit to look back at Ekho. "Well, Ekho. This... this is your last chance to choose the nice, warm, and, ah, safe abbey over the cold winter." His words are weighted with the sense that he himself is reconsidering the journey.
Ekho Hms and shakes her head lots of times. "Let me get a big heavy jacket...will be back in one second!" she places wallie on the ground and runs off to the abbey.
Aikuen looks at the retreating Ekho, he crosses his arms in front of him "Well looks like she coming with us mate. weither you like it or not."
Riverdale sighs deeply and nods silently, eyes on the gate of the abbey as he waits for his little friend's return.
Ekho comes back with a Big warm jacket over her shoulders.
Aikuen glances from Ekho, toward Riverdale, "Well i guess were all ready now. Lets get to pounding the road!"
Riverdale's cane wobbles a bit as he brings his paws together, rubbing slightly to warm them. He nods and, with great control, eases his rucksack up on his back slightly. "All right, then. Ekho, Wallie... You should be in the middle. I don't want to lose you."
Ekho picks up wallie and nods. "okie" she smiles and nods.
Aikuen falls in behind Ekho and Wallie. Giving a small salute, "Aye, sir!"
Riverdale rolls his shoulders forward again, and the backpack lifts and falls with the motion. He shivers and moves off in the direction of the dirt road.
Riverdale has left.
Dirt Road
Mossflower - Dirt Road ---------------------------
You stand upon the dirt road, the great barrier between the neverending oceans of golden grass and the green boughs and iron trunks of Mossflower Woods. To the east stands the crimson stone of the walls of Redwall Abbey, pocked and marred by the labors of time, and laced by the beginning shoots of climbing vines and wild roses. The dirt under your paws is hard packed, though in places the rains have carved out little potholes and rivulets.
Riverdale has arrived.
Ekho has arrived.
Aikuen has arrived.
The sun climbs as the the travelers trek southward through the thin snow coating the trail.
Ekho walks along behind Riverdale. "We...can sing a song maybe? I know lots...."
Riverdale breathes heavily, his words coming in gasps, "I... ah... I can't..." He turns enough to wave a paw at the dibbun. "You..." he pants, "go ahead... Sing."
Aikuen looks around, to make sure it was safe. It seems quiet enough, "Aye go ahead, seems safe. Im sure you have a beutiful voice...Heck, "He pulls out his Ottelenia, and strums a few notes, "Ill even acompany yah!"
Ekho frowns as Riverdale says for her to. "Um...I dont know....M'change my mind..."
Aikuen shrugs and puts up his insturment, he notices the gasping Squirrel, he yells toward him, "Yah sure you dont need any help?"
Riverdale continues apace, listening with a stoic calm to the other two as he walks. His cane swings in rhythm with his gait. Its tip brushes the snow from time to time. "N-no," he says between breaths. He doesn't seem too eager to elaborate; speaking seems to be rather a strain for the old fellow.
Aikuen smiles at the stubborness of the gasping squirrel. He shakes his head, and pulls out the insturment, "Do yah mind if i sing? I used to sing to the troops to keep 'em in step, back in the day. But im sure could sing something a bit less strenious!"
Ekho hrms and shrugs. "Go on...Sing if ye want" she just wanders up to Riverdale. "Are you okie Riv-dale?"
Aikuen begins to sing 'leaf upon a tree'. his gruff baritone voice is acompanied by a slow chord on the insturment.
Riverdale meets Ekho's question with a smile and a slow nod, "Ay, young 'un. I am well." His breathing seems to have evened out a bit, and he has settled into a suitable pace. His gaze returns to the dirt road before him while he listens to the otter's tune. The old squirrel looks like his mind is many leagues away.
Ekho nods some. "So...where are we goin?" she asks.
"I, ah... I need to find something," Riverdale replies cryptically. His stride slackens for a moment, and he looks as if he's going to continue. "I... ah... Ask me later, Ekho. When, ah, when we stop for a break." He says kindly, "How are your legs? Feeling tired yet, little 'un?"
Ekho shakes her head. "When...my ma an' da died, I traveled m live...no, me legs aren't tired..." she says.
Aikuen finishes the song with a flourish! "All through the seasons part of meeeeeeeeee!" he puts up his ottelenia, then notices he had fallen behind, runs to catch up.
Riverdale, silent, looks sadly but fondly down at Ekho. He presses on down the trail, his paws crunching in the snow.
That evening...
Evening's long golden fingers reach through the canopy of leaves that has closed in above the travelers, illuminating the path before them in a pleasant light. Riverdale, at the front of the line, turns off to the side and heaves his rucksack off his back and onto the ground. He turns to regard his companions with a smile and a great, relieved breath of air, which forms a little cloud in the crisp winter air. The leaves overhead whisper amongst themselves as a light breeze trickles through them. The old squirrel shivers and takes a seat upon his bag, inviting the others to join him for a respite.
Aikuen goes over to where the squirrel had indicated, and takes a look around. Satisfied, He collapses onto the ground with a grunt and removes the shortsword from its sheath and places it next to him, within paws reach. A sigh then escapes his mouth.
Ekho is just walking in between the two quietly, yawning every now and then, remembering how much travel made her tired.
Riverdale removes a piece of bread from his pack and nibbles on a corner of it, watching in silence as Ekho and Aikuen join him. His eyes reflect some inner turmoil or anxiety that his mannerisms do not otherwise betray, though his mouth does work rather quickly upon the bread--more so, at any rate, than when the group was still near the abbey--and his whiskers tremble with the motion.
Aikuen glances around toward the north of the path. He then hmms and asks, "What do you think? A good place to spend the night, or would you rather continue south?"
Ekho yawns. "can..we at least have a break?" she asks with another yawn.
Having finished the morsel of bread, Riverdale looks strangely at Aikuen, then casts his gaze over the trees "Ahh..." he says, resting his walking stick across his lap and rocking it back and forth slowly. "Yes, ah, I suppose we might stay here for the night." He looks at Ekho, and his mouth pulls back in what is apparently meant to be a comforting smile.
Aikuen rummages through his sack, and pulls out some asortment of food. He places a few pasties, a hunk of cheese, what appears to be a rock and a flask of hotroot sauce. He licks his lips, "Mmmmmm, warm food would be so good right now." He looks through his sack again for another item. Not finding it, he grunts with annoyence, "Huff, I pack the whole darn kitchen, and i forget the most imprtant thing!"
Riverdale snickers softly and watches the otter unpack, but he shifts nervously and casts periodic glances at the darkening woods around them. He continues to rock the cane upon his lap.
Aikuen Scratches his chin then asks, "Did you... pack...a...umm.... Flint or tender?"
Ekho Ums and pulls out a flint. "Here!" she hands it over
Aikuen takes the flint, "You are a smart little'un arent yah" He pulls out a Candied chestnut, from his vest and hands it to Ekho. "Could you do me a favor? Can you go and get some little wood for kindleing?" He begans to move snow and dirt over, to make a small pit in the middle of them.
Ekho takes it and smiles before munching on it. "okie!" She smiles before setting her teddy-badger on the ground and goes off to look for Kindling.
Riverdale, seeming preoccupied, stands up slowly. His cane strikes a mushroom, and the old squirrel squints down at the ground for a moment to observe it before straightening up. He begins to walk, tracing in paw-prints a circle around the perimeter of their camp. He knocks his cane lightly into the base of each tree he encounters as he compasses the area. To the other two, he speaks not a word, though his eyes now and again dart in their direction.
Aikuen has a nice sizeable pit, he cleans off his paws on his pants, and gets up, to go look for some big logs. He notices the squrrell whacking his cane against nature, He laughs a little bit, "What did that tree ever do to you?"
Riverdale responds gruffly, "Ahh, just looking for someplace to, ah..." He stops mid-word before a particularly grand fir, whose branches begin well above head height. His face turns upward, assessing its towering form. He grunts approval and treads the distance back to his pack, from which, having reached it, he unbinds the little square of canvas that will serve as shelter. He goes back to the tree, tent in hand, and begins to set it up; again, that strange, antisocial silence descends over him.
Aikuen Scratches his head for a moment, before reliazing he needs to get some wood, "Ill be back in a minute, i need to get some wood for the fire..." He goes over toward riverdale, and stands in front of him. He holds out the handle end of the dagger, "Hopefully you wont have to use this,....but...you never know."
Riverdale mutters under his breath as he erects the tent, binding one side of it to the trunk of the tree with rope. The tent forms a structure, a bit larger in volume than its standalone shape, that slopes upward towards the trunk of the tree that forms its back wall.
There's a scream from the direction Ekho went...then something moves towards the camp site.
Riverdale ties the other end of the rope to a stick and anchors the canvas with some stones that he finds close to paw. His face, grim and set, suggest that he has not heard the scream.
Aikuen upon hearing the scream, drops all the logs he was carrying except for one, and heads over toward the camp. He is constantly muttering, "By hellgates, not now, not now!"
A big Wildcat steps out of the treeline, holding Ekho by the neck, and a sword in his paw. "This un' yours?" he asks quietly.
Riverdale has finished setting up the tent, and he whirls round, hackles raised, to regard the wildcat. A slow-evolving horror comes across his face, and his jaw works impotently for several extended moments before he is able to utter the barest of syllables. "Wh... wh... wha..." Then, as if struck by some inner power, his form goes utterly rigid and his eyes flash open so far that the whites are completely visible. "You!" he cries out with a voice that rings with mad clarity, then laughs the laugh of bedlam.
Aikuen is about the hurl the log at the wildcat, when riverdale laughs. He looks toward Riverdale, a very confused look is spread across his face. He doenst lower the log, just in case...
Ekho just squirms in the arms of the Wildcat. "Drop the log Otter, or the mouse Dies..." the blade is raised to her neck. "I want anything Valuable" The cat growls.
Riverdale kicks his cane acrobatically into his paw from its resting place by the tent, and he limps heavily upon it as he carves a beeline towards the wildcat, his psychotic gaze fixed upon the visage of his foe. Fear, at least, seems not to be an issue for the old squirrel.
Riverdale does not even seem to notice that his little friend is in the wildcat's grasp. Some other force drives him forward.
The Cat growls. "Stay where you are! Or the mouse will die!" he growls, the blade starting to make a small nick on her neck, a trickle of blood going down her neck.
Aikuen drops the log into the ground and yells, "Riverdale! Stop!, He has us beat...."
Riverdale cannot be swayed. His vision has contracted, and he takes in nothing--no detail, no sounds--but the cat's face. "You--" he says, continuing as if he had never stopped and moving forward, will unbent from its purpose "--have no power over me." Step. "Not anymore. Not here. I have seen that there is good--" Step. "--and decency--" Step. "And... and," he falters for a moment, then shakes his head. "Begone," he says simply, his voice still frighteningly clear in the impending dark of sunset.
The Cat growls and raises the dibbun up. "Shut up squirrel...i will kill her!" he growls.
Aikuen acts quickly while the cat is distracted by Riverdale. He takes his insturment, and flings it at the wildcat stomach. Its a good thing he's holding up Ekho...
The Cat oofs and falls back a few meters but then stabs the young mouse in the back before throwing her aside. It cant be told weather or not she's dead but...there's a good chance she either is, or close to it.
Aikuen goes into shock, but then regains compusure quickly. "No...No...." His eyes are red now "Now...You are in for it." He picks up the shortsword and charges the wildcat.
Riverdale stumbles to a stop as the wildcat is flung backwards by the force of Aikuen's blow, but then the old squirrel moves forward with a sudden swiftness and sets madly upon the beast, cane flying. Riverdale's actions are remorseless and automatic, and his ramblings continue all the while through clenched teeth. "Be-Gone, demon! You are finished!"
Aikuen stops his charge, at the wildcat, which if he continued might have hurt Riverdale. Instead he hurries over to the form of Ekho lying on the ground, to see if she was still alive...
Ekho groans and starts to cry. She's alright for the moment. The cat just gives a slash at Riverdale with his sword.
The wildcat's blade instantly etches a line of red in Riverdale's side, and the sudden, sharp pain of the injury seems to pull him immediately from his mad trance. Riverdale's cane falls instantly from his paw, and he looks wildly around, taking in piece by piece the scene around him: the wildcat on the ground, Ekho's groaning from nearby... The squirrel looks utterly bewildered.
Aikuen looks at the wound on Ekho, a sigh of relief come out of his mouth, "Ahh good... good its just a minor slash." He tears a strip off of his vest, and places it on the ground. He then takes the flask at his belt and pours a little bit of the foul smelling liquid on top o fit. He notices that the sound of battle has ceased. He turns around sword at the ready for anything....
The stab wound may simple but where it landed wasn't. In fact, if the bleeding isn't stopped then she'll bleed out. The big Wildcat aims to attack Riverdale again with the blade.
Riverdale, unarmed and disoriented, has no choice. He moves with what speed he can muster to dart out of the wildcat's reach.
Aikuen sees that the wildcat is once again attacking riverdale... and there is still Ekho, on the ground bleeding out...he makes a decision, he more yells then tells Ekho, "Get that stip of cloth.... see if you can tie it around your self,... around the wound...." He runs after the wildcat... sword poised....
The Wildcat darts off, not interested in getting hurt. He's gone now...Ekho was crying in pain too much to hear Aikuen's instructions, and in too much pain to do anything, so she just grips at the bleeding wound and continues to cry.
Riverdale flops over, breathless and bleeding on the ground. He winces, but the injury seems to be neither very deep nor very threatening; indeed, the flow of blood from the wound has already slowed noticeably. After a few moments' rest, he begins to crawl towards Ekho.
Aikuen runs back toward ekho, after losing the wildcats trail. He hurries over and see that the strip has not been applied. He tells Ekho, "This is gonna hurt like hellgates itself..." He pick up the cloth and presses it against her back. He notices riverdale crawling over... he yells, "No dont move, ill get to you in a second."
Riverdale defies the otter's instructions, continuing his loping approach. He stops only once, to retrieve his walking stick from where he flung it earlier.
Riverdale pants, "N-no, lad. I-I'm fine. Just a bit, ah... Shaken."
Ekho screams loudly in pain and cries even more. "M...Mister...Ri-Riv-dale..." she cries and cries even more. "m...am...I...gonna die?" she asks, still sobbing away.
Aikuen eyes begin to water up, he cant stand to have dubbuns crying in pain. He glances toward Riverdale, and mouthes "She'll live..."
You room-page, "Well, this field trip didn't go as expected! :P"
Riverdale reaches Ekho's side and lies down on the ground beside her. He reaches out a consoling paw. "N-no, Ekho. We'll take care of you." He rolls over and gives her a gentle hug, careful not to disturb the wounded area. "The bad cat's gone." He rolls onto his back again and stares at the canopy of leaves far above, his breath coming in slow, deep draws.
Ekho continues to cry and sniffles. "A....are...y-you..s-s-sure?" she asks. "Where...where's wallie?" She continues to cry.
Aikuen removes the cloth on Ekho's wound. and inspects it... .the bleeding has slowed but the otter only knows warfare healing and cant seal the wound....
Aikuen puts the cloth on the ground and reapplys the 'medicine' . He squints then asks, "im going to do it again... are you ready....?"
Ekho nods and continues crying. "M...Mkay..." she continues to cry even more.
Riverdale rolls over and plants his cane in the dirt. It sinks a bit as he leans heavily upon it to hoist himself up. "Auugh!" His face screws up in pain, but he manages to stand. After catching his breath, he says with a gasp, "I'll get Wallie, young 'un. Y-you just, ah, sit still and let Aik-kuen take care of you." He moves very slowly towards the center of the camp, where Wallie sits oblivious to the drama. His robe clings, bloody, to his side at the site of his injury.
Aikuen press the cloth gently against her back, this should stop the bleeding... hopefully.....
Ekho screams loudly and cries even more. The bleeding is stopped but she needs stitches badly or she'll keep bleeding every few hours.
Aikuen removes the cloth,and smiles at the progression of the healing, and places it on the ground. He goes over toward his sack and pulls out a traveling cloak. He goes over toward Ekho, and carefully wraps her in it. Until he can get a fire going at least....
Riverdale stoops to pick up the teddy badger from the ground. His eyes snap shut at the sound of Ekho's scream, and his right paw touches his bloodied side. He begins to trudge back towards the fallen dibbun.
Aikuen goes over toward the pit, and picks up the logs, and anything that comes to paw, that would help light the fire. He sets up a crude fire triangle, and reaches for his sword so he can start the fire. Its not there... its by Ekho....
Ekho is just laying there, still crying. "W-Wallie..." she mutters, waiting for Wallie to be given to her. "Th...thank you..b-both..."
Riverdale looks utterly crestfallen as he sits heavily down beside the little injured mouse, but he does his best to conceal his feelings when he turns to give her the stuffed badger. "Here," he says, nestling it into the crook of her arm. "L-look who's come to see you, Ekho."
Aikuen goes over and picks up the sword, he goes back to the fire and uses the flint with the sword to try to get it started. After a few failed attempts, his anger can no longer be held, he stands up and chunks the sword into the fire. It goes in about three inches into the wood. "Stupid Fire! Why ... Cant .... Light...." HE tears off another piece of cloth and places it into the fire.He mumbles"...I left the millitia for this reason....Why...why..." His anger seems to spout from another source... He plops down onto the ground and places his head into his paws.
Ekho gives Wallie a hug and pulls it close to her. "M...M'sorry...about...g-g-getting hurt..." The mouse says to Aiku before closing her eyes and letting wallie comfort her. "R-Riv-dale...M'sorry..."
Riverdale cannot muster any words. His face contorts strangely in an effort to maintain outward calm. He breathes with difficulty, as though a heavy cloud has taken up residence in his chest.
Aikuen pulls he head from his paws upon hearing the little mouse's words. he whispears toward her, but still keeping his gave at the pit. "Nay, it was not your fault... Im sorry for losing my temper..." He goes and pulls the sword from the log, and tries to light the fire again. With the addition of the cloth, a spark lights it. He blows on it too get it going. After a bit, there is a small fire glowing in the darkness.
Ekho sighs and opens her eyes again. "M...M...real...s-s-sorry" she sighs, tears still streaming down her face...
Riverdale says merely, "Sshh." He raises a paw to Ekho's mouth. He still cannot bring himself to words, lest the utterance release the floodgates of emotion.
Aikuen goes over toward the pair, and asks riverdale, "How are you doing.... anything... " He goes and carfully picks up the cloak, with Ekho in it.
Ekho is picked up. She squirms a bit but nothing much. The Teddy Badger gets hugged closer as she moves. "M...sorry..."
Aikuen carefully places Ekho near the fire, and with the part of the cloak, props her head. He goes back over toward the Squirrel and hand him a helpful paw.
Riverdale gratefully accepts. He wobbles woozily as rises to his paws. "Ah... thank you, lad..."
Aikuen smiles weakly, and heads over toward the fire, and helps Riverdale down near it. He sits next to the Squirrel, and ask quietly noticing the blood stained clothes, "Are you sure your alright... "
Ekho shifts a bit and groans before getting comfy and drifting off into a dark, resting sleep.
Riverdale staggers towards the fire and falls to the ground. His cane rolls away, but he seems not to notice, for he is quickly slipping into sleep despite himself.
Aikuen shrugs and begins talking to himself, "Well, it looks like your cuts will heal... But..." He glances toward the sleeping mouse "Im not so sure about her....". He wipes a tear from his eye, and begins to poke the fire with his sword. He then notices the food lying next to the pit. despite himself, he cant help chuckling "Heh, and all we wanted was a hot meal..."
"Ay, lad. Don't be worrying about me. Look to the little one." Riverdale yawns and stretches beside the fire and falls into a shallow nap.
Aikuen mutters only one word, "...aye..", he contines to stare into the fire. Sleep being the last thing on his mind.
