When she got up, Rutus packed her stuff quickly and practically. She made sure she had all her important stuff close to her person, and the not vital, but still needed stuff, she packed in such a way that it would be easy to use or discard if needed.
As she traveled down the mountain path, she hummed to herself tunelessly. If she regretted leaving her family, she didn't show it. Not that there was anyone to show it to. She got to a clearing and decided it was a good time for target practice.
She spent the next several hours until the sun was making its path to the horizon. Needing to bathe and eat (in no particular order) she picked up her weapons and secured them to herself. She heard the skittering of small feet and released a knife with deadly accuracy. It wasn't much, but it would abate the hunger that was growing.
Since it was not yet nightfall after grilling the critter over an open flame, she went in search of a river. Hell, a pond would suffice. It took a bit, but she finally found a mountain stream. She made certain she wouldn't be observed, and disrobed for a quick bath.
Feeling better, she dried off, dressed, and set up camp for the night. It was uneventful but needed. In the morning she set out for the town that lay at the base of the mountains.
She traveled by herself until about mid-day, when a carriage was approaching. Hoping to not get ignored, and get to town faster, she adopted a false limp in which to gain sympathy even more than her short stature. The driver fell for it and they were off. She was friendly and engaging and the time flew by.
Near the edge of town, the horse stumbled and she could tell it was having problems with its shoe. She hopped out of the carriage and with permission, used some of her armor to make a makeshift horseshoe. She said it wouldn't last long, but if he got to a blacksmith right away, he could prevent any damage to the horse's foot and leg. After getting her belongings from the carriage and watching it speed away towards a blacksmiths shop, she went to the nearest building to get directions to an inn. She needed to rest before continuing her journey towards being a master blacksmith.
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She tried following their directions, but she either got lost, or they were playing a joke on her, because she ended up at this tavern that seemed to have a shady reputation, based on the whispers and rumors she heard on her way there.
At one point she wasn't paying attention to where she was going and fell from tripping over a loose stone from the street. Being of shorter stature, she didn't have far to fall. But she messed up her armor anyway. Hoping she hadn't messed up her little jar, she reached into the secret pocket she had hidden it in and was relieved to find it whole.
She spent the next several moments polishing, removing completely broken pieces, and repositioning the bits of her armor in order to make it look better than it did when she fell. Once it was to her satisfaction, she put the jar and her tools back, and continued on her quest.
She had been going for only a short while when she heard the rowdy voices of drunk people. She looked at the nondescript building and saw there were two floors, and therefore possibly a room for the night. She could put up with loud for the sake of sleeping at the end of it.
But knowing no one would take her seriously, she remembered how one of her brothers would take a deep breath and make himself louder. That usually meant he was either in or trying to stay out of trouble.
No matter, she stood straight up as tall as could be allowed, and with a loud voice pushed the door open and strode to the bar. She thought it was pretty cool, considering everyone was looking for someone large and mean to come rumbling in. Because of their momentary shock and confusion, she had a straight path to the bar before anyone could think to get in the way.