Fresh Beginnings

-Border Forest, near Jocelynn's Brothel. 0 DSTR, Noon-

It was an inexplicable talent that Simon had developed on campaign, but if he went to sleep with a certain time frame in mind, his body would rouse itself from a slumber when the period was complete. Opening his eyes seconds before his killing blow would have landed on Kline's rent helmet, he looked at the inside canvas of the tent with bleary eyes. Shutting them back and taking a deep breath, he rubbed his knuckles against his eyes and rolled over onto his back. Staring up at the crease that was the pitched portion of the tent, he glanced towards his feet and growled softly when he saw a pitch in his trousers blocking his view. Reaching his left hand down, he flicked the tip viciously. Biting his lip to deny any sound of discomfort from being able to escape, he continued flicking until the tent had dropped back down and his arousal had disappeared. Satisfied that he could see his feet again, he rolled over to his knees and climbed out of the tent with his ax near ready position.

Looking around to see that his horses were still hobbled off to one side, his eyes then settled on Katya's frame where she sat beside the fire he had built. Walking over, he knelt down beside the fire and held his hands up in front of it. Toasting them to a slightly elevated temperature, he turned to Katya and made a sound similar to that of someone shivering from the cold. Cracking a slight smile as he attempted to ease the mood, he retracted his hands and looked up to watch Maddox and Striker graze. Sighing softly, He turned his gaze from the stallions and moved it to Katya. His smile wavered slightly as he saw the stoic annoyance on her face, but he refused to let his mood drop back to the rage he had felt upon entering the tent.

Standing, he strode over to said tent and began rolling the canvas into a tight bundle. With his back now to her and his eyes scanning the woods around them, he spoke in a soft voice, "So, what's the plan? Are we leaving Dalen or continuing on our mission?"