(YBA) Cait Sith through the Valley of Death (Pt. 3)

[Wicht]

"It sounds very convincing."

Cait Sith looks off towards the east.

"What lies that way?"

 

[tleilaxu]

Ain't you been listenin? Down that way is where they taken the rock man. Mog seen it all. The men in yeller robes done taken him off. Mark my words. Mog never seen anything like it before and the rest of us didn't believe him at first. Figured he'd been, you know... The man extends his thumb and little finger and raises his thumb to his head, jerking his head and the hand up in a pantomime of drinking Somethin in his eyes convinced me of what he said though. Mog never had much imagination and he gone into a lot of detail about how the yeller men forced the rock man into some kind of circle. When I got here, sure enough! I seen the remains of the circle and more important, I ain't seen no Rock Man! The little man nods his head and pats his pockets, quickly drawing out a small pipe and some tobacco. He skillfully starts lighting the pipe and when finished leans back. Yep, they done taken him down by Meng Huo's way as far as I can tell, and good riddance! The man exhales with satisfaction. Smoke? the man asks, raising his pouch of tobacco...

 

[Wicht]

"No thank you," says Cait Sith politely, refusing the tobacco.

"If what you say is true then I must journey east. A good day to you and thank you for the news."

Cait bows a farewell and then barring calamity turns to head east.

 

[tleilaxu]

See-ya! says the little man.

Cait makes his way back down the stone steps and finds himself back where he was attacked by the bandits...

 

[Wicht]

Scanning the ground for any trail that he might follow, Cait Sith starts to make his way east to.

 

[tleilaxu]

There isn't any path... ahead of Cait is the waste where he fought against the Fire Elemental. In the distance towards the Cait can see a lonely collection of hills.

Cait continues until sundown and estimates he has made it about a third of the way across the wastes...

 

[Wicht]

Cait Sith makes camp and settles down for the night, getting his rest.

If nothing disturbs him he heads east once more just before dawn.

 

[tleilaxu]

Cait travels another day east. About noonish he began to see a strange green smoke rising out of the hills, but a few hours later it stops. The wastes are starting to peter out. Cait manages to find a small oasis around nightfall. The hills are much closer and appear to be very tightly packed with one narrow trail up the front side. Cait figures he will be able to make the hills in another six hours.

 

[Wicht]

Making sure to refill his water, Cait again breaks camp shortly before dawn while it is still cool and sets off towards the hills, hoping to make the trail by noon.

 

[tleilaxu]

The wastes gradually turn into scrubland and Cait can see small rodents and other creatures scurrying about. A little after noon the terrain starts to rise and Cait is in the hills. A small path with wagon treads carved into the rock sneaks its way up through the hills and around behind an overpass...