They had made some headway in finding at least some of the larger band of brigands. Dru had been hoping to get one to talk, preferably with a bribe. But she would not shy from harder methods, either.
Furley and Davamir seemed to get along for the most part, but it felt to her like she was once again traveling with two children. It seemed to her that Furley truly did not know quite what was going on.
"Of course, I know very little of what is going on, myself. I cannot expect more from others."
Four nights had passed since they spoke beside that fire and decided to stick with him for a bit. She didn't know why, but it felt like the correct course of action.
This night, she was the one on watch. She preferred it that way, but she knew she would be a fool to try to power through with no sleep, so they often traded by the hour.
The unmistakable feeling of being watched settled over her. She glanced back toward the low embers of the fire and saw both men sleeping soundly. She narrowed her eyes and surveyed the nearby area. It would be hard to see anyone in this cluster of trees.
She moved cautiously, only barely catching the silhouette of a cloaked person nearby. She tackled it and it let out a small squeak. When Dru yanked back the hood, she could barely make out the face of a young woman.
"Why are you spying on us?" She hissed quietly.
"Please...please...I just have...a note for..for Mister Furley?" She shakily held up a folded square of parchment. Dru yanked it from her hands and stood.
The girl lay on the ground, staring up in fear at the Dru. It was worrisome that she had found them so easily, but Dru felt she held no ill-will. Which was odd, since Dru suspected everyone.
She sighed and flicked her hand away. "Run along. Tell no one where we are or I WILL hunt you down." The girl did not wait to be told twice.
Dru returned to the fire, glancing down at Furley and weighing whether or not she should wake him. Instead, she opened the letter and read it near the embers.
"Furley, Im ulive livin. I didt leve. Im sorry. Daph."
Dru winced and shook her head. This was the woman. Her suspicions were correct. But now, she could not give him this letter. She knew how reckless he was, and she was certain he would put them all in danger, including, if not especially, Daphne Jewelweed.
She slipped the parchment into a pocket and looked up at the sky. It was time to swap watch and she was thankful Davamir, and not Furley, was next in line.
As she nudged the bratty nobleman with her toe and told him it was his watch, she decided she'd need to be careful or both of the men would sense she was hiding something. By now, she felt she was good at keeping to herself anyway.
