Ashes to Ashes

Scene 9

The sun rose steadily, and with it the people rose as well, the wounded and the children and the elders and the rest of the men and women. Everything that would be needed was gathered together, and for the wounded stretchers were made, so as to carry them through the wilderness. Boats were taken apart, repurposed, and Farin gladly offered their own boat. If he was lucky, he would never step foot in a boat again, least of all the very one that caused him to suddenly hate boats. He hated that boat with a passion, and smiled as it was taken apart, especially when one board was accidentally broken.

Soon enough all the stretchers were made, and the wounded were all lying in those same stretchers. Men were readying to carry stretchers, women were gathering up the last supplies, and wrangling the children, and Farin was growing antsy. Aiela was at his side, Tira on her hip. They seemed just as ready to leave as he, obviously avoiding looking toward the ruins of Laketown.

In fact, it looked as if everyone was past ready to depart. It took a few more minutes for everything to ACTUALLY be ready, but not long enough for Farin to go crazy. Or at least completely crazy. He had a feeling this was not something you went through while managing or stay sane.

As groups of people started to head into the wilderness, toward the city of Dale (Bard and others who knew the way in the lead), Farin began to move as well. His muscles still despised him, and pain gnawed away at his arms and legs, but he pushed through it as the people of Laketown left their ruined town behind.

The rest of the journey was a blur. They stopped only twice a day, and maintained a slow but steady pace as they moved. As they moved, Aiela and Farin talked to pass the time, doing their best to joke with each other, and be as they had been before the dragon had come. But, try though they might, their spirits would stay dampened for a longer amount of time than they had hoped. You could not forget such a huge event overnight.

Tira was awake most of the day, only taking a short nap when the sun reached its peak, awaking to more than an hour later. Aiela and Farin did their best to occupy Tira, telling her tall tales and stories where everything works out in the end. They played little games with her, ones they could do while walking, and would pick her up whenever she was tired, letting her either sit on their shoulders, ride on their backs, or rest on their hips. When they did need to pick her up, the one who did not have her would carry their pack. Not all of it was stuff they themselves needed, but it was all stuff that someone in the large group would need.

In fact, all those who could bear it were carrying something, even if it was simply a small child, or a small purse with herbs, or a bundle of clothing. Everyone needed to help and trust each other if they were all to survive this. They needed to survive.