The morning sun climbed lazily through the mist, casting golden rays across the uneven dirt path winding through a forest thick with dew-damp branches and the chirp of hidden birds. The group, Leo, Matthew, El, and their new companion Norman walked side by side, their packs light but their spirits lighter.
"Four days," Matthew grumbled, kicking a loose stone. "Four days to Rothelney. I'm calling it now. By the second day, I'll be nothing but bones and blisters."
"You're dramatic," El said without looking up. "And soft."
Matthew narrowed his eyes. "I'll have you know I once walked for five days straight in the academy's survival training."
"Wasn't that the week you got carried back by a mule?" Leo asked casually.
"That mule liked me," Matthew said, flustered.
