Abandoned Valley

The time was guessed at late morning or, at least, late for someone who usually rose with the birds. The rest was probably overdue but still came as a surprise.

Islana checked her young companion once more and then went to investigate the area a little. There didn't seem to be any immediate threats here. A decision was made to allow them all a break, and to give time for additional preparations to be made. They would continue on tomorrow.

The call was telling her to keep going but it wasn't as strong as most days. Maybe, it was giving them a slight reprieve as well.

Looking above she spotted Kaithak soaring through the air. She watched the falcon for a moment and how graceful he moved. Circling, then swooping down. Without thinking about it the witch put out her arm and the bird landed on it. When that had become second nature, Islana couldn't say, but it was more instinct now than anything.

"Good morning." She smiled at her winged friend before he took to the sky once again.

The quiet here was still unnerving, even in the daylight, it just seemed unnatural. The abandoned village only added to the disquiet the young woman felt. What had happened to the people that once resided here?

Carefully, the exploration of the area went but Islana was vigilant to stay within sight of their camping area and Madaya.

With Kaithak's help and her magic, some animals were gathered, it still bothered the redhead to use her magic that way but survival trumped her feelings.

When enough had been butchered she started a low fire. The meat could cook over it for several hours making jerky for their trip.

The setup for that was easy and didn't take long. After cleaning her hands, Islana picked some berries that Madaya had shown her in the desert. That would be breakfast.

Madaya did awaken after a time. Islana managed to explain they were staying one more day. She couldn't be sure how the girl felt about that but it was necessary.

After breakfast, with the pair rested and the temperature more pleasant, the two began to investigate the area a little more, staying together as they did.