The Prince and the Serpent

The Estredan Mountains

Boruto and Sarada studied the map for days and argued back and forth at length over which path they should take to the Estredan Mountains. Eventually, with Mitsuki's help, they agreed that following the Herkimer River would be best. It meandered lazily across the plains until it met the peaks where it originated. Even on the map, its path through the mountains looked rough and impassable in places but it passed dangerously close to the location of the next key so following it seemed to be the best idea. They also all agreed that even though they would be going upstream, traveling by boat would be much faster.

On foot, the journey to the foothills alone looked to be about two weeks. With a boat, they could make it in as little as five days. Boruto's curse had not spread again but they all still felt the pressure to not waste time. They sat on their blankets, huddled around the map, which was unrolled over the box separating Sarada's blankets from Boruto and Mitsuki's. The crystal sat on the map beside their destination deep in the Estredan Mountains.

"Where are we going to get this boat?" Boruto wondered aloud.

"I think we can get one from Sai." Sarada mused as she studied the map for the hundredth time, her finger tracing the wondering path of the river until it joined the foothills.

"You think he will part with one?" Boruto asked. It didn't look like the Yamanakas were in possession of many boats and the ones they did have were highly specialized for the haunted swamp. Sarada thought for a bit before responding.

"He may not..." She said at last. The boat wasn't their only problem. Even if they did get their one of their own, how to get past the ghouls and other monsters that haunted the darkness outside presented another obstacle. Boruto couldn't help but shutter when he thought about them. Sarada had assured him that the Yamanakas could be trusted but that didn't stop the feeling at times that they were prisoners in this hut.

"And even if he did, how would we get out of here? I doubt he'd give us anything that could get through those monsters." Sarada took her time answering him again.

"He might take us to the river. We could take a small boat from there." That seemed like the most logical course of action but that came with its own problems.

"Even if he agrees, I doubt he will have what we need. We will have to pay him for a boat and supplies." Boruto voiced his thoughts. A frown crossed Sarada's lips at that. Paying for all that could prove to be a problem. Boruto was starting to run low on gold. Sarada had her own and since she was in touch with his father, they would be able to secure more funds but that, like everything, would take time.

"I will talk to him about it." She said, "Hopefully there will be no problem."

They left the negotiations to Sarada, since she and Sai evidently knew each other. Boruto and Mitsuki stayed out of their way and listened from their room. Boruto laid on his back with his head in Mitsuki's lap while the Serpent Prince contentedly ran his long fingers through Boruto's hair. It never failed to amaze Boruto when Mitsuki got like this, as if he was perfectly satisfied to just sit in his presence. He tried not to get so distracted by Mitsuki that he couldn't listen to the conversation in the main room.

From what he could hear, Sai seemed amicable enough to their requests, even if he barley spoke. He agreed to have Inojin take them to the mouth of the Herkimer river but, as Boruto had suspected, he did not have an extra boat. He told Sarada that he would need to go to Dorchas to secure one and that it would take a day. Sarada wanted to go with him but he insisted that it would be faster for one person and recommended that she remain and enjoy her last day of rest instead.

Sarada had expected that and gave him a list of the supplies they needed and some of their remaining gold. Sai took them graciously and told her he would leave in the morning. That surprised Boruto. His sense of time was still off so he had not been aware that it was evening. He figured he should have known, though. Sai was back regularly in the evening.