Dreams of Imahken

Land atop ruins is where Ciun lies.

A pale, hazy sky greeted the travelers' morning. The far off sun had yet to peek above the trees, but it brought good tidings with its brilliant golden glow creeping higher and scattering off the clouds. Sator was the first to wake, with him Tyza. They shared a devious grin before exiting their tent to wake up the other two.

Anilee was already nearing tears the moment she opened her eyes. Sniffling and whining at the crack of dawn, sullying the optimistic air of the day.

"Eugh!" She yanked off her dress, then a petticoat, and another petticoat. Finally, she took off another petticoat and left her last petticoat on. Anilee pulled her dress back on and threw the petticoats into the tent, directly onto Illus. While he certainly had no objections to her stripping and tossing her clothes onto him, part of him hoped it could be with a lot less misery. Anilee pouted at the lack of bulk to her skirt, pulled it up and watched it sadly drape as fabric is so inclined to do. Then she felt her hair, puffed out and staticky from the friction of such quick undressing.

Tyza snickered. "You really have that wild adventurous look about you now."

Anilee glared at her wickedly. "I am unmade, unkempt, filthy, and a disaster!"

"What's new?"

Anilee paid no mind to Tyza.

Illus emerged from the tent as drenched as the previous mornings, folding up Anilee's clothes and turning off the lantern.

Sator looked at him quizzically.

"She still can't sleep in the d-" Illus began, but Anilee covered his mouth with her hand, lowering her eyes and scrunching up in embarrassment.

Tyza decided it was the perfect time to instigate an argument, "it's a miracle your dress avoided catching fire."

Anilee ignored Tyza's comment and turned to Illus. She pulled her hat over her face, fighting back tears. "Can we find a place to bathe? Last night was far too hot."

"I wonder why," he said beneath his breath. Then Illus raised her hat and gently brushed her hair with his hands. "We will. But what have you to worry for? It's only sweat." He held the hat next to her face, obscuring Tyza and Sator. "You know, you're quite adorable when you're like this."

Her cheeks grew red and her hands raced to cover her face. "I don't want you to see me like this, it's not becoming of me!"

Illus leaned lower and calmly whispered to her. "I haven't stayed with you simply because of your appearance."

Anilee yanked the hat from his hands and pulled it over her face again. "You don't understand!" She stumbled back into the tent.

Illus silently went wide eyed, shrugging at Tyza and Sator. Tyza shook her head smugly and Sator returned the shrug.

Eventually, Anilee left the tent so Illus could pack it up and carry all of their things. And finally, the three of them set off with renewed optimism and Anilee.

The vibrant orange vines ended where a valley began. The gradual decline and soft soil made for a comfortable walk down, but that didn't make navigating the dense forest easier. With no clear landmarks or sky in sight, they just had to go down and trust they had the correct heading.

Or so Illus and Anilee thought. On their escapade, Tyza and Sator scouted every which way down the valley and deliberated which one would be best for the quarreling lovers to pass. Too steep and Anilee would certainly fall to a serious injury. Too gradual and nothing would become of it. A very easy path lay further downstream, but they wanted to put Anilee and Illus through a little stress test.