Closed [Bronze Woods](Morgan) A Familiar Animal

[Garland]

He looked at his bow and then he realized that he must look threatening. "Oh, I'm sorry. I'm out patrolling, maybe hunt on the side... Actually, I met a hunter before, he was a great tracker, I could really use that skill when I'm out in the woods if I need to." He said and dropped his bow.

He felt a bit embarrassed because of his imposing structure, he wasn't that tall, but he was muscular, though his armor blocked most of it, but then again people in armor usually looked more intimidating. "Right... Right! Morgan! The Kevic girl from the orphanage! The one that kept sneaking out! I can't believe its you though, I mean, I would have thought you had left Syliras."

Or be sold somewhere, which was sadly the fate of most Kelvic... He shook the thought out of his head.

"How have you been anyway? Has life been treating you good?" He asked, trying strike up a conversation before an idea popped into his head. "Do you know how to hunt? Or track? Or maybe some survival skills that can help oveenight stays in the woods?" He asked, a short bow is not the best weapon for hunting, but it'll do for now. The longbow would be too unwieldy and would be hard to hide, then again he wasn't exactly dressed to hunt, luckily he was prepared with his warm jacket and he was wearing some warm pants under his armor. He could leave his armor where its safe and take it back when they're done.

[Morgan]

When Garland spoke, she calmed down a little, but still she stood next to a tree, just in case. Morgan always solved situations where she was in danger with flight. It had worked so far. Someone had told her that it’s not wise running around without at least a small weapon to protect her, but she dismissed the idea. At his words about the orphanage, Morgan grimaced. “I see that I have a reputation there.” Then she shook her head. She thought that she met Garland at the orphanage, but she couldn't be sure. Most of the time, she spent locked in her room. “I think I saw you there once or twice. But maybe I'm wrong…” She trailed off, not wanting to touch a possible sensitive subject. It certainly was sensitive for her and she didn’t usually discuss it with strangers, but if Garland shared the same experience, she thought she could be more open about her times spent in the orphanage. Morgan listened to his question and thought for a moment. “I could show you how to light a fire. I mean, I’m not very skilled at that myself, I got it right maybe once, but we could try and maybe we succeed if we work together.” She suggested and smiled at him.

[Garland]

The time he had spent in the orphanage was pretty much... Boring, he only spent the time there for sleeping at night, doing chores and eating. He spent most his time outside, exploring the city, helping around the town... Or making trouble. He noticed that she seemed to avoid the subject, so he respected her secrecy.

"Well I would love to learn how to make fire, it would be helpful at times outside. Hmm maybe a can teach you how to fight in return. I'm pretty good with my legs and fists if it interest you." He looked at her and decided that she could learn even with her smaller frame.

[Morgan]

At Garland’s proposition, Morgan nodded. She liked this little exchange. He was probably a Squire, so he knew a lot about fighting. ‘Not that I need it that badly,’ she thought dismissively. ’I can manage to avoid conflict and I don’t have to hurt anyone.’ Although she knew she would have to learn to defend herself and soon, she was avoiding it. Then she looked around, and then motioned Garland to come closer. “We have to find some dry wood first, but it’s going to be difficult today, I think. The wood on the trees is wet. I nearly slipped several times today when I was climbing through the trees.” She explained. “But maybe we can find some fallen branches that are dry. Or leaves. Do you think that leaves could be good for the fire?” She asked uncertainly and then she started walking round the place where they had met, looking down on the ground and started searching for some twigs. “After we get some wood, we need to find a good place for the fire.” She said loudly for Garland to hear. She was currently bent down and looking at a twig on the ground while holding a few twigs in her right hand. She picked the twig up, inspected it for a few moments, turning it in her hand, then threw it away. She gathered some more twigs and also some dry leaves to try to burn them and set the items on a straight section of the ground. "This could be good, what do you think?" She cleared the area of unnecessary leaves that had fallen there and then she turned to Garland. “Now we need flint and steel. Do you have some?” She asked and look expectantly at him.

[Garland]

The coat he gave her didn't exactly cover everything. His blush had come back in full force as Morgan bent over to pick up a few sticks and leaves. "O-oh, yeah. Its fine. Let's make sure nothing can spread through the forest." He looked through his pack. He pulled out his flint and steel.

He gave the two items to Morgan. He was starting to regret not bringing at least some pants in his pack. "We might also need some more kindling. I should have brought a knife, something short would be better for survival."

He bent down to help gather up a small pile of leaves and twigs. "So, what do we do first?" He rubbed the blush off his face and returned his focus on the task at hand.

[Morgan]

Morgan crouched down to the ground, next to the small pile of gathered wood and leaves and pulled the borrowed coat tighter around herself, not only because of Garland's obvious discomfort, which still amused her, but also because it was quite cold today. The Kelvic momentarily wished it was Summer again. "I think the leaves will be enough for starting the fire. Maybe." She grinned excitedly. It proved to be more difficult than she thought. She placed some dry leaves on the ground and tried to strike the steel with the flint so that a spark would fall on the leaves, which would start a fire, but no matter how many times she tried, no spark came out. Panting from the effort, she passed the items to Garland, feeling a bit angry because of her incompetence. "You try now." She began rubbing her hands together. They hurt from holding the flint and steel and trying to produce a spark.

[Garland]

Garland took the two items and looked at it closely, he thought about how straw houses burn so easily. He knew it was because of the straw but why? Then he figured it out. The straw was small but clumped together, making the fire spread fast.

He took a stick and then used his sword to cut it, making it sharp and making a lot of wooden shavings into the fire pit. "Let me try. He struck the flint and steel quickly, making sparks fly out. A small flame started out but it then quickly burned out.

"Didn't work... Any other ideas? Morgan." He asked the Kelvic, a fire would be nice, it was getting a bit cold. "Are you sure you don't want to borrow my jacket?"

[Morgan]

Morgan watched anxiously as Garland grasped the flint and steel. Lighting a fire was difficult. She had done it before. Once. And she had help. But it seemed so easy that she was quite confident that she could do it. Well, apparently not, she thought disappointingly. When Garland produced a few sparks, she jumped to her feet. "Yes!" She cried delightfully, but then her face fell, when she saw that the sparks flickered out. She dropped back to the ground and groaned. "Why is this so difficult?" She spat, frustrated. She seemed not to notice Garland's question and once again took the items from him into her hand and began to strike the flint and steel with her face scrunched up in determination and concentration. Her teeth were clenched and she was frowning. "Come on!" She shouted, as if it could help. She nearly dropped the flint and steel, when several sparks flew down on the leaves. They seemed strong. She watched with bated breath as the leaves began to smoke, thinking they would soon catch on fire, but to her horror a white, thick smoke began to rise from the pile of leaves, filling the area around her and Garland. Morgan began to cough while searching for something to smother the smoke.

[Garland]

He coughed and waved his arms around to try to dissipate the smoke. "Oh, I hate smoke..." He coughed a bit more, and looked at Morgan's coughing face. "Haha, you look funny when you cough." He waved the rest of the last of the smoke.

Garland took the flint and steel. "Try blowing on it gently. I've made fire before but that was in a hearth." He struck the flint and steel quickly and the sparks flew down into the pile of kindling. A small flame started up. He covered his hands around the fire and then blew on it gently, the fire was spreading at a decent rate, but it could die out. "Alright... Uhhh... I'll put some wood on it, woods takes longer to burn and doesn't burn out too quickly, make sure it doesn't thin out."

He got up and pulled down a few branches and picked up the ones that were already on the ground. He picked the dry ones but a few wet ones, it would dry out later. He just needed them in case they needed a few extra branches if the fire was starting to thin out.

He carried the bundle to their little campsite. Actually he wanted to ask Morgan something. He dropped the bundle next to the fire. "Hey, I wanted to ask if you wanted to have a campout. I mean if you want."

[Morgan]

Morgan’s eyes were still watering and she was coughing terribly when the smoke disappeared. The Kelvic half coughed half chuckled when she heard Garland’s words about her being funny. She barely had time to recover, when she saw that Garland was crouched on the ground near a small fire. She rubbed her eyes and then she smiled at him and crouched beside the Squire. “You did it!” She patted him on the shoulder as if lighting the fire was a great achievement. Well, it was for them. She extended her hands toward the fire. Although it was small yet, it gave away some warmth. She sighed contentedly and kept her hands there for a while. She turned to look at Garland after his question. “That would be great!” She nodded. She liked this Squire. He was really nice to her. “But, do we have necessary equipment?” She asked. She thought for a while. “And food. I haven’t been very successful in finding food today. I only had breakfast in the city and then some berries and bugs. I could do with some meat. And I have to go and catch my backpack. I have clothes there. And other things.” She laughed, remembering the moment when she had shifted and how it had startled Garland so much. OOCShouldn't we wrap this up and start a new thread about their overnight camping? Or do we continue?