Cal whined as he woke, the bright rays of the morning sun felt like torture to his still sleepy eyes. Regretting the decision to leave first thing in the morning he slowly rose from his bed aggressively whipping his eyes to hopefully feel more awake. The old floorboards of the cabin creak and wail.
'Someone's here," he thought, too tired to open his eyes to look. He could hear the woodstove roaring with flames. Something rattling. Must be the coffee pot, the stove wasn't very flat so pots and pans always rattled especially if water was boiling. The coffee pot was an old metal percolator that was left in the cabin for who knows how many centuries. It worked and in the end that's all that matters. Cal could hear the door to his room open, boots lightly tapping on the floor before a warm mug was placed in his hands.
"Thanks," Cal grumbled as he took a large sip of the scalding liquid.
"Yeah you reptilian hybrids are pretty useless unless it's a warm morning," Tanen said as he sat down beside Cal," sorry man I thought it would be warm, it is the beginning of the hot season after all."
"Yet you always forget the mornings're cold," Cal grumbled again, his voice rough and his face practically inside his mug, nose nearly touching the coffee. Tanen just laughed standing up from the bed. As he left the room taking his own cup with him telling Cal to pack for their adventure.
Cal eventually finished his drink and stretched as he stood to his full height of a little over 6"3. His long hair was knotted from rough sleeping and he put a little more effort to fix it than normal using his fingers as he didn't own a comb when he knows he should. He quickly changed into his usual thick dark brown pants and an off-white long-sleeved v-neck shirt. Turning to the door to his room he grabbed a dark leather satchel and packed a few extra shirts, his journal, pencil and a small lockbox full of flat stones with magical runes carved into them just in case he had to perform so light magic. I was something he kept hidden. Yes, he's a hybrid that could use magic which was normal but he specifically was not one who should be able to, from what he knew he was just some sort of lizard as his parents are identical to him. Though he looked closer to his mother. Either way, he never saw any of them use magic. Must be a far off ancestor. Staring at his axe it nearly crossed his mind to leave it behind but it would prove much more useful with him then on the floor of a dingy old cabin. So he slid it into its leather holder that was attached to his leather belt. Feeling all packed he and Tanen washed any dishes they used while packing the coffee pot, a pan and two mugs, as well as a set of cutlery for the two of them. Packing light was key if they needed anything else the could just buy it or stay in an inn for a night or two if that particular village had one that is.
The sun was now set high in the sky giving the forest an ethereal look, the golden light bouncing off the green leaves on the forest ground. the pairs heavy leather boots made it so they were quite loud as they walked across the fallen leaves and twigs. Snapping and crunches mingling with bird cries and the whistle of the wind through the trees. Cal was carrying most of the gear while Tanen held onto a map, that sadly only showed the first few towns and was also older than the two combined making it possibly quite incorrect now. It was frail and falling apart whenever it was touched, therefore Tanen was the obvious choice to carry it. Plus he had the best sense of direction when it came to being outside of the forest.
"You know this trip kinda sucks for you," Cal said as he walked beside his friend at an awkward pace. Damn his long legs!
" Why do you say that?" Tanen asked back.
"Weren't you flirting with the fisherman's son? I swear I saw you both one night."
"Yeah that went nowhere, he just wanted to piss off his dad," Tanen replied with a shrug and a look of indifference.
"What?! I'm used to being used but how dare that monster do that to you!" Cal hissed through his teeth. Tanen placed his hand on the larger man's arm, a sad look graced his features. His grey eyes slightly clouded from holding in tears and with a shaky voice he spoke.
"Cal it's fine, he really wasn't all that great. Besides, we gotta find you a girl." At that statement of his own love life, Cal's ears burned a bright shade of red.
"Me, no...I'm good where I am," Cal replied back," and we are changing the subject now,"
Tanen accepted that response with a huff, per usual Cal clammed up. If it was his sex life it was fine but the second it was about a fluffy and pure romance he stuttered and blushed. It was quite the sight watching a large "scary" man become a blushing mess. They continued to walk for hours in the forest. The sun was getting low and Cal could see the beginning of one beautifully coloured sundown.
"Wanna set up camp?" Cal asked as he slowed his pace as he was slightly ahead looking for an area to set up.
"Yeah here's good," Tanen replied as he took the two-person bedroll and set it on the ground and quickly formed a cone with sticks for a decent fire.
"Cal where's your flint and steel?" He asked going through Cals bag.
"Uh, the bottom of the bag I think!" Replied Cal from somewhere afar in the forest. As he searched through the bag something caught his attention. A small box, locked and covered in odd symbols.
"Hey, did you find it?" Cal asked now standing behind his smaller friend. Tanen quickly scrambled, pulling the flint and steel from the bag and quickly turning and standing face to face with Cal. His face must have shown some sort of shock as the larger man slowly brought his hands up in mock surrender."Hey man, didn't mean to spook you badly. I, uh.... caught a wild turkey." He said as he slowly motioned to the dead bird tied to his hip.
"Alright just let me light the fire."
The turkey was OK. Was very bland as they forgot to pack simple spices with them, which now they deeply regretted.
"Well, that sucked but filling at least. So who's taking the side closest to the fire?" Tanen asked tossing a bone into the woods.
"I'll take the far side, I know you get cold Tanny," Cal replied as he shifted onto the farther side of the bedroll and laying down. Tanen didn't bother arguing and laid down beside Cal, his back facing the dwindling fire.
" Well, night," Tanen said closing his eyes only hearing snoring from his friend who was fast and hard asleep at that point.