Zodiac

Gwenn looked at the bottle and then at the girl, "I will sleep when I need to. I am not fatigued, I assure you. If i were we would be in a safe place and I would be in...asleep." Mentally scolding herself for her near slip of the tongue, "You can barely keep your eyes open," she observed, "Do not worry over me. I do not require much sleep. Only a few hours a week usually..." Hopefully she would not make assumptions from that information. "If you do not rest we will not be able to continue on tomorrow. I do not want to spend another night in the forest. You sleep and tomorrow we will arrive at the temple and I will sleep."
 
Jay nodded and quickly fell asleep. Her wings wrapped around her protectively. During the night she started to shiver...
 
Gwenn kept watch and did not notice the shivering. Her eyes were darting here and there as she listened closely for any other whatever might be hunting for her. She had no idea how this girl had survived all this time, being hunted. She seemed a bit feeble to her. She couldn't imagine a reason to chase after her, but then, she didn't actually know the girl either. Time would tell, of course, whether or not she was investing her time wisely or not.

Not long before dawn a family of rabbits entered the small clearing beneath the tree. She silently pulled arrows from her quiver and drew back the bow. She killed half of them and let the others run free. She didn't more, no need to take them.

She hopped down and retrieved her kills, skinning them and preparing them to be roasted. She cleared a spot for a fire and then dig a shallow pit and built up a little fire. Once she had it going she held the rabbits over it on long fresh skewers to roast. Soon the aroma of the cooking meat was filling the small area. She didn't like to cook openly, because it attracted too much attention, but, she was hungry and sometimes the delight was worth the risk, and she was particularly fond of rabbit.
 
Jay continued to shiver. Her lips were slightly blue... Her wings tucked in and her arm dropped from the branch. A Scorpio tattoo was on her left wrist. It was glowing a light purple. She had scars all over her arm and it seemed to be going all the way up to her shoulder...
 
Once the food was ready Gwenn stood and used her bow to gently poke at the woven bed, "breakfast..." She called noticing the glowing marking on the girl's arm. She lifted a brow and pulled up the sleeve of her own left arm and saw that the marking on her wrist was glowing as well. The call of the meeting...so the little one was called as well...
 
Jay shifted a bit. "Breakfast?" Jay sat up and rubbed her eyes. She dropped from the branch. She took the smallest rabbit and started to eat it. "Thanks Gwenn."
 
Gwenn nodded, "You are welcome." She ate in silence trying to think of a way to broach the subject of the markings on her arm. Being who she was, she opted as she often did, for blunt honesty.

She pulled up her sleeve, "Why did you not say you are called as well?" she asked, "The gathering is in progress. You are one of the twelve." Her own image was glowing still. "I am Gemini."
 
"I am scorpio. I didn't know about this gathering... I actually was never told what my tattoo was meant to mean... Can you tell meh?"
 
Gwenn shook her head, "I am not sure myself," she answered honestly, "Mine appeared a year ago, it has not always been there. I found a library and searched for the image and it led me to the ancient texts of the gathering of the twelve. So I am going there, and hope to find the answers at that time."
 
"So I guess I'm your sidekick or something?" Jay smiled.
 
Gwenn frowned, "I need a sidekick?" she asked, "There should be twelve...we need to find them" She began to dash the fire out and heap dirt onto the coals stirring them until it was completely dead. "How are you feeling today? Stronger?"
 
Jay nodded. She actually seemed stronger. She wasn't as skinny as she used to be. She finally had muscles...
 
Gwenn nodded, "Good, then we continue on." She gathered up her things and placed them carefully and in a very organized manner into her pack and then led the way out into the narrow street of the town. It was very early so there was no activity yet, as they passed through which was the ONLY reason they were doing so.

"We can follow this road for most of the day, but we will eventually have to take to the forest again to cross through to where the temple is. It is two days journey from here...maybe three depending how fast you can move, and if we encounter any more problems."
 
"Mkay. I'll try to move fast for us..." Jay follows
 
She nodded and they moved along at a pace that was not quite what Gwenn would normally travel but one that she was happy with regardless. They had already been into the forest for about an hour before the sun began to set marking the end of the day. It was her favorite time of day, if anyone were ever to ask, which they didn't. She loved the way the late day sun shimmered through the leaves above and created a dazzling display of color and light. She looked up and smiled at the glory of itm thinking it more beautiful that any painting she'd ever seen.

She turned and looked to the girl, "We need to make a camp soon, but I need to hunt for something for us to eat first. She had stopped next to a bush. "This bush has berries good for eating. If you can collect these, I will find the meat for us. Just do not move from here, please. I have no desire to go searching for you in the darkness that will soon be upon us."
 
"Okie Gwenn!" Jay began to pick berries off the bush happily.
 
Gwenn disappeared and returned a short time later with meat dangling from her left hand. She'd skinned it elsewhere, and was holding onto what appeared to be leg bones. She nodded to the girl, "That looks like plenty," she said, "We need to find an open area for a fire to cook our dinner, and then we will move elsewhere to camp. The firepit would give away our resting place too easily., and there is not enough clear area here. Follow me." She led her back the way she'd come, having found such a place while she was hunting.

She hung the meat by a rope from an overhead branch and began clearing a place for the fire. She pulled a small bowl from her pack, "You can put the berries here." she said and then looked at her, "Can you gather dry wood and leaves for the fire?"
 
Jay nodded as she placed the berries into the bowl. She quickly took out her scythe and went into the forest. She came back without her shirt on. Every part of her body were covered in scars.
She held a large amount of wood and dry leaves. She quickly piled it together. "There you go."
 
Gwenn looked over at her as she returned. "Thank you." The scars seemed not to phase her, if she cared to show them, her body was covered in similar markings. Life was not generally kind to those who were different. Her differences were easier to hide most of the time, but when they were unearthed she was made to feel it.

"Leaves first on the bottom, and then the twigs. The meat is almost ready."

She began cutting pieces off the hanging meat. Not huge, but enough to fill them and cook with relative speed. She was not one to leave a fire going any longer than necessary. Once winter came, she would have to dwell inside shelters sot hat a fire could provide warmth and protection from the bitter cold, but until then she could and would deal with the slight chill of night.

She skewered the pieces of meat and sprinkled a bit of salt and spices onto it that she carried in her pack. She handed a stick to her and then knelt, "Let me light this and soon we will be able to cook our dinner."
 
Jay had separated the piles and made sure leavers were on the bottom. She stepped back to let Gwenn light the fire.
 
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