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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Lazybones" data-source="post: 7464137" data-attributes="member: 143">Chapter 180The next morning they got an early start into the Reserve.  The outer precincts seemed much like any other forest, Glori thought.  The sense of foreboding that she’d felt the previous evening had faded somewhat, although a hint of it lingered, a vague impression that something was just slightly off.The place was full of life.  Birds flapped through the canopy high above, while on their level the sounds of animals skittering away frequently disturbed the relative quiet of the march.  More ubiquitous were the clouds of bugs that seemed to be following them, a more or less constant annoyance as the day matured.They made their way single-file through the forest, following the expert guidance of Tender Brightbriar.  As promised, there did not seem to be any kind of permanent trail, but the old elf seemed to know where he was going, and he set a pace that belied his years.  But nothing more threatening than the swarming gnats emerged to threaten them, and by the time that they paused for lunch Glori could almost forget where they were.Any thought about letting her guard down was countered by the attitude of the Rangers.  The elves behaved as if every fallen tree or cluster of bushes might conceal a hidden foe.  They showed they were veterans in the way they moved together, coordinating their actions so that every angle of approach had a set of eyes on it.  For the most part they were friendly enough with their charges, save maybe Shreskra, but it didn’t take long for Glori to notice that she, Kosk, and Embrae were the focus of the formation that the elves had created, a protective ring centered on them.  It rankled a bit, being treated as though they were helpless, but she understood that it had to be that way, as they were an unknown quantity until they had an opportunity to prove otherwise.By the time that night began to fall, Glori guessed that they’d covered maybe ten to twelve miles.  Not an especially grueling pace, but enough that her feet were sore as Brightbriar led them into a rocky hollow that had clearly served as a campsite in the past.  Her hands were covered in scratches from the patches of brush they’d had to push through along the route, and her skin itched from sweat and bug bites.  The Tender showed them a tiny spring that Glori might have walked right past if it hadn’t been pointed out to her, and began collecting deadwood for their fire.  With a gesture Shreskra assigned Darethan to watch duty.  The Ranger darted away and vanished into the trees, invisible by the time he’d covered ten steps.Glori shrugged out of her pack and joined in the work of preparing their camp.  Majerion walked past her to the spring, looking annoyingly fresh despite the long day’s hike.  He began to whistle a soft melody as he washed off his boots and then soaked a rag that he slapped across his neck.It did not take them long to get settled in.  The fire filled the hollow with light and warmth as the night descended around them.  Loriellan prepared a meal, a hearty stew of root vegetables and barley from their stores.  Brightbriar produced a sack of greens that he’d gathered and a dozen golden mushrooms the size of a man’s palm that he added to the stew.The Rangers let their charges sit closest to the fire.  They seated themselves on a fallen tree at the edge of the hollow, separating themselves from the rest of the group even in rest.  They spoke quietly amongst themselves as they ate.  Glori could not make out what they were saying, but she noted the easy camaraderie between them.  Shreskra stood behind them at the edge of the firelight, keeping watch on the entire scene.“This forest doesn’t seem so bad, so far,” Kosk said.“From what I have heard, it will only get harder as we go deeper into the Reserve,” Majerion said.  “The forest does not suffer intrusion lightly.”The Rangers shared a few looks of light amusement at that, but Tender Brightbriar’s expression sharpened as he pivoted to face the bard.  “Any why should it not?” he asked.  “This place is pure, pristine, safe from the ravages wrought by your ‘civilization’.  That is one thing that all races have in common, elf or dwarf or human, it does not matter.  Wherever we choose to live, we sow the seeds of destruction.”The Tender rose and left the camp, leaving a moment of awkward quiet in his wake.  “His name seems well-earned, the latter part at least,” Kosk said.“A good thing he ended up in this job, I suppose,” Glori said.“Tenders always take on a new name when they are appointed,” Embrae explained.  “Though I will admit that the sentiment he shared is fairly common among within the organization.”“Do you share his view?” Glori asked.  “You wanted to be one of them, at one point.”“I believe in the importance of the Reserve,” Embrae said.  “But otherwise… no, I don’t think that all civilization is bad.”“I have traveled far and wide,” Majerion said.  “And I can say that all civilizations, all peoples, have their bad and their good.  It is a part of life.  No doubt the same applies to the Reserve.”Brightbriar returned, his arms full of another load of dead wood for the fire.  He quickly put it down and turned again to leave, but Glori interrupted him.  “Tender, what can we expect as we move deeper into the Reserve?”The old elf shook his head.  “I cannot predict.  Every time I entered the Reserve was a different experience.”“Surely you can at least offer some general guidance,” Glori persisted.“The Reserve is not full of monsters,” Brightbriar said.  “It is wild.  There are wild creatures in it, some of which are hazardous.  There are plants that can make you sick if you eat them, and others that can harm you if you go near them.  I will do my best to help you avoid such dangers, and the Rangers can no doubt deal with any other threats.  But you will be best served by the following advice.  Remember that you are strangers here.  Show the Reserve the respect it is due, and it will in turn respect you.  Then we can complete this errand of yours and everything can return to the way it should be.”He started to turn away again but Kosk asked, “How long will it take to reach the Green Tower?”“Again, it depends,” the Tender said.“On what?” Glori asked.“The mood of the forest,” the old elf replied.“We should be able to make it in three more days, give or take,” Shreskra said from the other side of the camp.The Tender acknowledged this with a bow, then crossed the hollow to the site he’d chosen for his rest.  It was well away from the fire, a niche that abutted the exposed roots of an ancient tree.  The old elf adjusted his cloak and then vanished into the narrow opening.  Glori could almost feel his eyes watching them.“Oh, yeah, this is going to be a fun journey,” Kosk muttered.</blockquote>

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