Some beautiful paths can't be discovered without getting lost
Taala opened her eyes slowly and blinked a number of times, was it really dawn already? She was still entwined in Foxwin's arms, the efforts from their enjoyment of each other from the night before still evident on their skin. She lay watching him sleeping for a time, squinting from the light that streamed through the window. A smile lingered about her lips as she brushed them against his a number of times. It was not oft she lingered after she had lain with a man, but Foxwin was different, although she was seldom there when he awoke the next morning. Today could be no different as Taala had much to do... and may never see him again.
She had goodbye's to say and bags to pack. The Bloody Dawn had a dangerous contract to fulfil that would take them deep into the Misty Mountains. She had agreed to go, and some of her closest friends in the Dawn would be there also. Fiontann was leading them and Dataak, Brammy, Leorthir, Ralyn, Deorgast and Ostergo were going also. She had also heard that two non-members of the Dawn were going The Grey Warden and a man named Rogue, whom she had spent some time with recently. Rogue was quite the bowman, and had bested her in a competition, or so she led him to believe, it is always best not to play one's full hand.
She disentangled herself from Foxwin's embrace, slipped out of bed and dressed quietly. Glancing at him one more time, she crept over to him and kissed his lips. She had known for some time she was growing to love him and fought it with everything within her. Foxwin was a good man and deserved better than a wayward girl such as her, his brother Brammy sensed that and did not hide his disdain for her. But it was not in her nature to give herself to any man regardless of where her heart lay. Take away her freedom and she would simply be a hollow shell.
She sneaked past Brammy sleeping in the chair in the other room on her way out, she smirked quite wickedly at him. He'd came home drunk the night before and Foxwin and her had played a few tricks on him, he would get quite a shock when he awoke. She had tied his laces together and decorated his body with unflattering marks with ink, and Foxwin had poured whisky onto his groin to make him think he had, had a drunken accident.
Back home she began checking her bags and provisions. She was used to traveling light, but this was a different journey to any that she had ever undertaken before, the terrain was harsh and unforgiving, league upon league of frozen and snowy terrain.
She checked her supplies. She had hard rations, medical equipment, water, brandy, a tinder box, rope, her bedroll and blanket, climbing equipment, arrows and poison for their tips, wood dipped in pitch amongst other things. And of course she would dress warmly and take her weapons. She was prepared physically, practically and mentally. Next she headed outside to ensure her horse was in pristine condition. She had yet to name her horse, she had stolen him from a wicked man, who was amongst a company of men from Ost Guruth that she had spent some time hunting Orcs with. This man had tried to force himself on her, so she had bitten off his thumb, bashed his skull with a rock and took his horse so that he could not follow her even if able to.
The Eorlingas and their mearas share a special bond, and that man was not worthy of such a splendid animal, a horse of Rohan no less. The Gods had willed that he would be hers, and she would name him well...yes, that was it, she would name him Misty...
Misty
Yours are the only shoes made to walk your journey
