Storm Island Expedition

Plainest Plains on the Plane

Five days of trekking though the forest, first to the areas we had already seen ourselves, then through the few mapped portions of the center we could safely navigate, and then finally passed the slowly thinning northern edges, and we managed to break out.
I wasn't sure if the forest would have some hidden adventure for us, but it just turned into a glorified nature walk.  Common trees, shrubs, bushes, and a few easily forded or jumped streams.  No wildlife during the day or night other than some harmless insects.  Not even some ivy, ferns, or flowers to take samples or pictures of.  Our route wouldn't even seem to be a good trekking route to bypass the center of the island.
In the end we Sienna sighed in relief to be out into the open air again.
'The sun, well whatever is poking through the clouds, nice to have it shining over our heads again.'
'If you say so Sienna.'
'No.  You are not going to start moping on me again just because we didn't have something 'adventurous' or find something 'interesting'.  Honestly, for once I want something plain and simple and nonthreatening.'
'Fair enough, and looks like we may have found it too.'
For some distance around us, we saw the trees give way to smooth fields of grass and plains.  At first glance, I might have mistaken it for parts of Misthalin.  Large tracts of grass and heather, mixed in with a few acres of common orchids and other flowers.
'Looks pretty, seen it before, but still pretty' as Sienna picked a white orchid to study.
'You see that in the far distance?' I pointed to a few areas barely on the horizon. 'It looks like plowed fields.'

'Oh?' Sienna pulled out a short telescope, and confirmed what I had seen.  'Looks like someone has a sort of civilization out here after all.'
'That remains to be seen.  But finding another friendly village on the island would be helpful.'
'I'd say.  Hope they might even have a tavern or inn.'
'Yes' I stared at her sarcastically 'the true signs of a modern civilized culture.  But I'm not in a rush to get over there just yet.  Mind if we search around here a little?'
'Do we really have to go 'exploring' here? It's not like there is much.'
'Sienna, c'mon. Is another day or two going to kill you?'  I actually had to catch myself after that.  'Let me rephrase, it is part of why we came out here ... I would like to just make sure we don't miss anything worthwhile.  We might at least find something we can catch for lunch.'
'Fine.  At least you're finally able to talk some sense.'

For the rest of the day, and into the following night, we searched about.  Alas, everything was just as we had seen and expected from the description so long ago.  A basic wide belt of grassy plains.  What no one described was just that it was so mundane.  There were hardly any rodents or small animals like kebbits or rabbits about, beyond the occasional mouse.
Sienna had managed to push far enough east to spy the eastern shore.  It was not hard to guess where the northern most shore would intersect as well.
Off in the distance of the north, Sienna started to notice a plume of smoke.
'Well, I guess we finally get to have that bit of adventure you were looking for out here after all.'