(Page 1 of 2) Tales of the Western Woods #1 by Michael MortonSUMMARY: This is my first TotWW short story, it's not final however. It's simply a draft I wish to share and have evaluated.Serdira, a Dwarf from the Eastern Mountains, and her companion Larii, an Elf from a city somewhere to the south west, walked down a road which connected the lands of the Elves to the farms and citadels of Man to the north. The road was quiet at this time of year due to the harvest in the coming weeks and it left the merchants with nothing to sell for, they hoped, no more than a few weeks. The ever-cooling summer sun shone upon the backs of the two adventurers as it set, sending their shadows out in a comically long fashion in front of them whilst filling the sky with a powerful orange glow.
"My shadow looks too thin... Almost Elven, wouldn't you say?" Serdira grunted, her arms crossed across her chest in mock displeasure.
"It looks too fat to me" Retorded Larii, followed by a quiet chuckle.
"Says she who ate that inn outside of Reimach out of business"
"Good point." Larii said, admitting defeat. "That was a fine day for me, All-You-Can-Eat for ten copper."
"I doubt they meant Eat-All-We-Have, though." Replied Serdira, her wide eyes fixed on Larii, who was almost twice her height.
"Maybe so, maybe not. And I still had to carry your drunken arse out afterwards, didn't I?" Larii looked down at the grinning Dwarf who was now blushing from ear to ear with embarassment.
Nodding, Serdira looked away and ran a hand through her thick, ragged brown hair. A second hand ruffled her hair, but it wasn't her own. She looked back up at the Elf who was beaming down at her.
"You're so cute when you're embarrassed, Serdira, remind me to embarrass you more often"
"I'd rather you didn't" Serdira snorted and folded her arms across her chest once more.
Chuckling, Larii pulled Serdira off the road and sat down in the long grass with the Dwarf in her lap.
"I think we'll make camp here tonight, what do you say?" She asked whilst giving the surroundings a quick scan to verify their safety. "We're a few days from Stonekeep still and it'll be dark soon. Now is as good a time as any other".
Serdira nodded and dropped her pack onto the soft ground along with her two weapons – A longsword and a Dwarven two-handed sword, which was no bigger than the hand-and-a-half sword favoured by the city guardsmen of the humans. After embracing Larii with relief for a moment, she stood up and began to pitch their tent before night fell. Her feet ached from the hours of walking and she needed nothing more than to sit down in front of a warm fire and eat something that had been freshly cooked. Whilst Serdira was preparing the camp, Larii went out to find their meal – Usually it was a rabbit or a selection of vegetables bought from a nearby farmer and his family.
Within an hour Serdira had erected the tent and laid the bedrolls out within it, as well as hiding their travelling gear and most weapons inside it. She left her Dwarven blade outside the tent, whilst Larii had her shortbow. After a short while Larii returned with their meal – a small rabbit that would provide enough meat for a meal or two. Serdira watched silently as her companion cooked the meat, but not after giving the remains of the creature a ritual of gratitude (it was Elven custom to do so if the animal had been hunted), which involved a short prayed and burial of the waste.
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