They trudged through a swamp. It had been days since they last saw any civilisation but Rysos still insisted that they kept moving further and further away in case they were being searched for.
The day was hot, the sky was clear and the swamp flies were everywhere.
The trail of the swamp people was all they had to follow, and to stray was to mean death.
"I'm bored" Ymdras moaned "When can we go and do something fun?"
"When the dead start walking and the moon rises purple" Rysos replied.
All Ymdras did was moan. Moan about the heat, moan about the cold, moan about the sun, moan about the clouds.
"But I want to do something fun now!" Ymdras whined.
"Or you could shut up before I shut you up" Myrun grumbled. The heat was making him short tempered, more than usual. Rysos had already had to stop Myrun drowning Ymdras from talking back after trying to take more food than what was his fair share.
Ymdras shut up at Myrun's interjection, worried that Rysos won't save him from another drowning.
Along they walked through the swamp. Their progress slowed by the sucking mud at their feet. It was getting to mid afternoon when Rysos spied a raised and dry patch of ground.
"I think we should set up camp there. We don't want to get caught out in the open when it gets dark without a place to camp."
"Finally. Somewhere dry!" Ymdras cheered.
"Right, let's go. When we get there, Ymdras you go hunting for food. Don't go too far, we don't know how deep this swamp is off the path, and Myrun, you are to find wood for a fire. I don't fancy having a Crocolisk sneak up on us at night without a fire at hand." Rysos looked up and sniffed "and keep an eye out for humans. This place may seem deserted, but the Swamp people most likely know we are here. I don't want them taking us by surprise, no more than I want the Crocolisks."
"Why are we coming through here if the swamp people still live here?" Myrun asked
"Because swamp people don't take any part in the outside world. They are our best allies in a time like this, and I'm hoping they don't see us as a threat. Three of us verses all of them, they aren't a naturally violent people, but they don't shy away from a fight if provoked."
They reached the hill and were surprised to find evidence of a fire pit.
"Well this is handy. You two go and do as I said, I will start setting up things here."
As night fell, the fire was blazing and the brothers were feasting. Ymdras had managed to find a sleeping water pig so they were eating that with a few of their rations they had managed to find along the way.
after they had eaten their fill, Rysos took the first watch, trying to figure out if they were still on the right path to get to the right side of the swamp closest to their destination. The problem with the swamp was it all looked the same on the map. Swamp to the north, south east and west. There path they were supposed to be on should lead them out of the swamp, but the map was a few centuries old and roads in the swamp tended to shift. The time went by with nothing of note. Rysos kept the fire fed and when his time was up, he woke up Myrun and the new watch began.
She charged through the swamp at full speed, like she always did. It was her way. She vaulted over rocks and fallen logs on her way to the chieftains hut. She wasn't the only one. Three other swamp-stalker kindred had spotted the fire, and three other lightning-lizards were on their way to report in and earn favour. Lightning-lizard was the term given to the fastest member of the swamp-stalker kindred. They were the ones who passed on messages between kindred, went for back up and reported their findings.
