I get up early to study something in a book Asra gave me while Muriel stays sleeping in bed. After some trouble write a quick letter to Asra, wherever he is, and pack up my quill and inkwell. Outside I can hear the sound of the forest waking up and it draws me there. I quietly open the door and step out. It's cold and fresh in the air and little dew drops sit on the blades if grass and leaves of the plants. I pull on a warm cape and start walking, taking in all of it. Birds are waking up and singing a morning tune while frog by pools of water croak at each other. "I wonder if there are any chicken of the woods around here... we could have mushroom for breakfast!" I look around and inspect all the plants that I pass. Some footfalls interrupt me, "Good morning." Muriel's voice is croaky and tired.
"Hello. I'm just looking around."
"Don't get lost."
"I won't."
"I'll come along and make sure." He yawns and plods along behind me.
"Is there a stream around here?"
"Yeah its where I get my water." He walks down a thin path and I follow after. Inanna hears us walking and hurries out to join us. I hold out my hand and it brushes through her fur as she slides beside me. "It's more of a river than a stream but I collect from the waterfall." There's a beautiful fall that flows into a deep part of the flowing river. "Woah!!" I gasp at the sight of it and dunk my legs in, "This is amazing!"
"It's a nice spot." He cups his hands and takes a drink from the water, staring down into the water as Inanna laps at the ripples. Across the river we see a little deer drinking on its own. "Hey look!" I whisper to Muriel and he looks up happily. It sees us and stares, unmoving. "Do you think it has a mama?" I tilt my head at it and look around. Muriel squints and stares at it, "Yeah... her mother is around here..." Inanna's head shoots up and she begins sniffing around. We follow her to the a shuffling bundle of grass and look over to see the mother, injured and shaking. I drop to my knees and bring a healing spell gently to my hands. She wants to run but the cut runs deep into her leg. Slowly I bring my hands over the wound and it starts closing up. Muriel's eyes stare widely and light from the spell reflects in them. "She understands now." He says quietly as the deer relaxes and allows the healing to work. The cut and blood is finally gone and she stands and stares at us for a moment before prancing over to her baby. "I hope she'll be okay." I sigh and brush off my knees.
"You're amazing." Muriel says quietly, watching the deer.
"Not as amazing as you." I hug his back and sigh.
"Do you want to go back to sleep?" He says to me as I snuggle under his cloak and nod. Immediately I'm picked up and carried back. His big chest is cozier than ever and I have no trouble drifting off to sleep on him.
