062: Burning

[Carnelia]

We've been on the road for a week and at this rate, I'm going to kill this blasted bard before we make it to the mountain.

Leon promised this "break" would add no more than a week to our trip. But it has already been more than that, and we are so far afield that even if we were to head to the coast from here, we'd have added a full two weeks to our overall journey.

The temperature is getting colder. Soon winter will settle in and we'll have no choice but to stay where we are.

"The town of Ridgecrest is just up ahead," Leon mentions as we come to a crossroads. "We could try the old minstrel trick, get some free food and a place to sleep that isn't under the stars," he suggests, "or we can take the trail to the right and get back to Ana's sooner."

I almost reply "Let's head back," when a brief look at the dark woods in that direction makes me hesitate. It has been over a week since I last slept in a real bed or been warm and dry. We just came out of marshland, and my boot