NightHare

Year 0 & Beginnings (1.3)

"Are you ready?"

"Ah, give me a moment." Lexi scrambled around the room trying to grab her books, almost tripping in the process. She eventually finished and stood in front of Saxa. Her shoulder-length hair in messy curls and cloak wrinkled. 

"Now I'm ready."

Saxa took a look at Lexi, glancing at the books in her hand. "You should take less. We're just going to the woods for a little while. If you take too much, you'll have a harder time later."

"Really? What should I take?"

"Take this." Saxa handed over a dagger. "Sister Alena says that we should carry weapons when we go to the woods. And you don't need books. They'll just slow you down."

Lexi took the dagger and regarded the books. After a moment of pondering, she put down her journal and the medical recipes. "Then, I'll just take the field guide."

"I guess you could use that to identify herbs." Saxa stood in the doorway with her arms crossed. Two daggers and a cloth bag were tied to her belt. "Let's get going."

As the pair exited the church, they passed Priestess Gwyneth and Nun Frida. They were carrying stacks of books and papers towards the library, probably Nun Lena's.

"Hey, you two! Are you heading out?" exclaimed Gwyneth. She was a large half-orc with magical circles tattooed on her left arm..

Saxa nodded. "We're going to the woods. Lexi wanted to find some herbs."

Lexi tugged on her cloak, pulling her hood slightly over her head.

"Then have fun, you guys. Make sure to stay safe," Gwyneth replied, and both of them left the hall.

Saxa clutched Lexi's arm and dragged her towards the outside door. "Come on! We have to be back before nightfall, so we need to hurry."

The two ran outside and towards the woods. As they approached, they could see the forest in the distance. The trees were full of deep green leaves, and footprints littered the ground. They were left behind by travelers and the many children who came to play.

Saxa dashed through the forest, jumping from place to place. She ran a hand across the tree trunks and marked their path. Branches and leaves brushed against her scales as Saxa scanned the area. When she glanced back, she didn't see Lexi. It took Saxa a bit before she realized that Lexi was left behind.

When Saxa sprinted ahead, Lexi kept on tripping and getting distracted by the greenery. When she caught up, some new scratches marred her arms and legs. A couple of leaves were tangled in her hair, and she was panting heavily.

Saxa turned back, following her marks. She eventually found Lexi sitting by a patch of grass. Lexi was smiling brightly with some bunches of herbs in her arms. "Look! I found some yarrow and plantain leaves. I also heard running water in that direction. Maybe there are cattails."

Saxa stopped and stared at her. She placed a hand on her head before slightly shaking it. "Got it."

As Lexi placed the herbs into a bag, Saxa observed the area, trying to find signs of wild animals, After searching for a while, "Follow me. It should be safe if we go this way."

This time, the two held hands as they traversed through the forest and toward the water. Whenever Lexi tried to pick some herbs, Saxa would pull her back. "We'll get lost if we get distracted."

After walking for a bit, they reach a small pond. A deer and its fawn sprinted away as they approached. Saxa sat down by the edge of the pond and stretched out on the grass. She dipped a hand into the water, splashing it towards Lexi.