“Exactly how big is this Freya-forsaken forest?” Chess asked a few days later with her head lolled back onto the backrest of the bench as she stared at the massive boughs passing by overhead.

“You said it would take Rufus a couple weeks to reach Portheel at this pace, but how far in were you before we met?” Chess griped. She’d reformed the seat so she could recline and doze, or play her guitar when she wasn’t learning to drive the ox under Ashley’s patient instructions.

She’d been playing with her wood manipulation ability as much as possible but the cooldown had hit and the long stretches of boredom were starting to bore her. That said, she had to admit that without her abilities and music she’d have started pulling her hair out already from the tedium.

Her fingers and throat ached from singing and playing music to fill the silence, and she’d produced a small collection of increasingly better sculptures.

Ashley remained a quiet companion, driving with her attention focused steadily on the trail ahead, oblivious to any potential dangers and lost in her own world. She’d said barely ten words in the last few days outside her instructions on driving and Chess was having trouble bringing her out of her dark torpor.

I don’t exactly blame her. I’m not sure how I’d handle losing both parents at once like that, poor kid, Chess observed as she failed yet again to get a response with her inquiry.

Chess sighed and concentrated on the never-ending forest of huge trees around her. This place is so empty. I’m starting to think it was only luck that I ran into anyone, and where are the predators, or prey for that matter? At least it's sunny. Look at me trying to find the bright side. She snorted at the thought, drawing a brief glance from Ashley.

She busied herself trying to find analogs for the passing trees and brush as she waited for her cooldown to finish, punctuating her efforts with the occasional sigh before dozing halfheartedly, trusting in Ashley and the ox to keep to the path.

A pressure starting to build in her bladder woke her from one such nap, and she sat up straighter.

“Hold up. I gotta pee,” she said to her quiet companion.

Ashley slowed the ox to a stop, not giving her so much as a nod of acknowledgment, her gaze remaining as intractable as ever.

Chess let out an exasperated sigh and slid from the bench, quick-stepping into a nearby bush to do her business. She ended up doing number two also, as the need hit her. Hmm, damp moss makes hella good ass-wipe.

Her belly rumbled as she stood readjusting her dress. Why am I always hungry right after taking a shit? There is nothing even remotely appetizing about poop.

Chess heard the sound of gravel and sticks crunching under heavy footfalls as she climbed out of the bush and back onto the road. A glance at the path ahead showed nothing before she looked the way they’d come.

A large dark-haired man strode confidently towards them, shoulders back and a distinct swagger to his stride. He wore a thick padded jacket and leather pants, that’d seen serious wear but were otherwise well kept. Like the sword strapped to his left hip and a large dagger on the other, both of which were sheathed in leather and wood that lacked the grime she was learning was typical of travel here.

Chess stepped up to the wagon and put a hand on her staff as they watched the man pass.

“Ladies,” he said with a rakish half-smile as he drew abreast of them. He gave his gambeson a sharp tug to straighten it with the word but didn't look back once after passing the wagon.

Ashley moved closer to Chess once he passed. Her eyes never leaving his back as he disappeared around a bend in the distance.

That’s strange, he barely glanced at us.

“That was strange,” she said aloud. Sometimes things make more sense once spoken.

“What?” Ashley asked her first word that morning.

“He happened to pass while I was taking a piss, plus something else is bugging me, I just can’t put my finger on what,” she said frowning.

Ashley tilted her head and looked to where the man had disappeared again. Her expression matched Chess’s for a moment before shrugging.

“Is that normal? Not saying much to travelers passed randomly in the middle of nowhere?” Chess asked, her hands fiddling with her staff.

“Sometimes. Sometimes they talk forever and travel with us for a bit.” Ashley said, brushing the idea off.

The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

They stood there for a moment before it hit her.

“He had no pack!” she hissed.

“Could have an Inventory skill,” Ashley pointed out, still looking at the road ahead. Killing Chess’s certainty.

“Right, right. Still... something seemed off. He barely looked at us,” she said before snapping her fingers. “He was too Freya-cursed clean, for a traveler in the middle of nowhere,” Chess finally put words to her unease.

Ashley gave her an uncertain look before studying the forest around them wearily for a moment.

They got back onto the bench and started off again.

“I don’t like it, something is wrong,” she said minutes later, hoping Ashley would say something that would help her dismiss her worries but the girl remained mum.

Her unease building Chess turned around to dig in her pack. Pulling out the small hygiene kit, she tentatively pulled out the small polished metal hand mirror. Covering it with a palm, she hesitated. Come on Chester, you know it won’t be your old face, just get it over with, you’ve put this off long enough.

With a sigh, she looked down into the murky glass and sucked in a breath.

The woman that looked back at her was captivating, and it took Chess long minutes to come to grips with the image.

Large warm golden-brown eyes set in a flawless but gentle and kind face. A pert upturned nose and high cheekbones over a wide and inviting mouth under a perfect cupid's bow. She smiled at her reflection finding she had a perfect set of pearly whites to match, though the canines were a little longer than she was expecting.

Her mind stutter-stepped as her brain tried to adjust to the unfamiliar face matching her movements. Her head swam for a full minute before the incongruity settled. Fuck I’m hot. I’d totally kiss me. She giggled at herself before repacking the kit in the rucksack.

Shit that means men... She let the thought die and let out a ragged breath, rubbing her face with a palm before giving her head a shake. No, Later.

Ashley watched her antics out of the corner of her eye.

“Alright let's stop and grab our packs and anything else you think we can carry comfortably,” Chess said.

Fuck it, I’m following my gut. Something isn’t right with that guy, she reasoned.

“What about Rufus and the wagon?” Ashley asked, looking at the ox as she reluctantly pulled over.

“Rufus will be fine on his own, and if someone finds him he’s a useful trained beast. Just untie him, there is plenty for him to eat on this path and we’ve seen plenty of streams. As for the wagon, I have an idea,” Chess explained.

Ashley looked at her for a spell then back at the path ahead before shrugging and doing as Chess asked. Freeing Rufus and grabbing her pack, Ashley stuffed more food into it then helped Chess pack a few extra things into hers.

Packed, they dumped the rucks at the edge of the brush and studied the wagon.

“Give it a few minutes and I should be able to use my wood skill again,” Chess said and sat on her pack.

She studied Ashley for a minute. The girl had dressed in a heavy woolen dress much like Chess’ and wore tall sturdy boots and leggings under it. A heavy fur cloak they’d cut from a larger one that had been her father's covered it all. She’d even cut holes for her mismatched ears to poke through the hood when it was up.

Ashley looked distressed, her tail wrapped tightly about one skinny leg, her ears alert. Her black spotted tawny hair was a greasy mess matted to her head.

“Hey, pack up that cloak. I have an idea,” Chess said and stood.

First, she regrew her own cloak from the basket of brambles that she’d left it in the back of the wagon. She covered herself fully this time, with a deep hood that flowed over her head and encompassed her entire body. She let a couple of feet drag on the ground behind her like a wedding dress’ train, making sure the drag was sparse with plenty of thorns pointing down. Hopefully, it will help disguise my footprints. Hmm, I can sing to grow random plants to help hide our path too.

She turned to Ashley and smiled. “What do you think?” She asked.

Ashley swallowed hard then nodded. “It’s scary,” she said.

Chess scowled at her. “That’s not what I meant. We call something like this a ghillie suit back home. I’ll show you what it's used for. Close your eyes and count to 60, then try to spot me from where you stand,” Chess said with a smirk.

“Alright?” Ashley said, holding her hands over her eyes she started counting.

Chess took off at a quick run, ducking into the brush at the edge of the road and crouching down about 15 feet into a thicket. She pulled the cloak about her and kept still where she could still see the girl.

Ashley finished counting down and looked about. Chess watched as she spun on the spot for a minute before giving up on spotting her.

Nose twitching, Ashley started to scent Chess out and a few seconds later stood in front of Chess’ bush studying it.

“Okay, I totally didn’t consider your nose. We will have to come up with a counter to that if possible,” Chess said as she stood and shook out her legs. Flowers? Only when it’s in-season though...hmm. I wish I had some mint, that stuff loves to spread. It would be perfect for my cloak and to cover smells.

She smelled her armpit and wrinkled her nose. Fuck I’m ripe. Four days without a proper shower or bath blows goats. A rag and a stream just doesn’t cut it.

“So, want a cloak of your own?” Chess asked focusing on Ashley with a smile as she regained the road. “We'll need to find a plant with a strong smell that’s common around here to mask our scent that will allow us to hide.”

Ashley nodded emphatically.

“Cool, hold still a moment.” Chess said and started to sing. She created a cloak much like hers for Ashley though she left off the train, intending to have the girl go first so she could work on covering their tracks.

Finished, Chess turned her attention to the wagon and crouched down beside it to study its axle. Yep, perfect. She reached out and touched the large axle and willed it to weaken near the wheel opposite her. Until finally with a cracking crunch it splintered, the wheel fell, and the wagon sagged to the side and back.

She turned to Ashley and asked, “what do you think? Believable?”

“Yeah,” the girl shrugged and nodded.

“Alright, let's find something with a strong natural scent, then find a hiding spot where we can still see the road so we can test my gut,” Chess said.

Hopefully, I’m being paranoid. I’ll give it until dark, she thought, studying the sun's rays dappling the forest and road accompanied by the chirping of birds.