At the Edge of the Bog

As they started to trudge out on the bog, Elin quickly lost interest in doing that. While she couldn't think of another way of getting across the bog, she wished that she didn't have to trudge through it.

However, she didn't care to say anything about it, as she didn't want to be a burden to anyone, though, part of her did wonder why Patricia couldn't create an ice bridge for them at this point like she had with their journey to the hydra's lair from the island they'd spent the night on the two nights before then. She didn't want to say anything since she wasn't sure if there was something about it that she was supposed to know but didn't.

Though, she at least felt a little satisfaction that Patrick wasn't carrying her anymore. Bart was getting a ride, but that was more because of how much more he'd have slowed them down, like before, with how short he was due to his age. Which Elin didn't mind, since that was just a fact of things and couldn't be helped.

Conversation was kept to a minimum, though Elin suspected that everyone else, like her, just didn't have the energy to spare. None of them knew how long they still had to go, so none of them wanted to spend energy on something so frivolous as talking, when they might need that energy to keep moving later on.

It was around noon when the clouds fully moved out of the way of the sun for them and the air started to warm up. Which also helped warm them more than just hiking through the bog did.

Although, with the extra moisture from the rain, it soon became sweltering for them and Elin started toying with the idea of hiking through the bog naked, just so she'd be a little cooler.

Naturally, she didn't think that Kim would approve, but she couldn't help but wonder if that would make her feel a little better. Even as sweat soaked through her dress, which in turn started to make her feel cold again. Regardless of the heat around them.

Kim didn't seem to have any troubles this time about walking around bog pools that they came across, though on more than a few occasions, it did require delays that Elin felt were costing them more time than they might have been worth if they just tried to ford the pools.

Although, she knew that it was likely her impatience to get out of the bog that she was even considering anything like that. As she couldn't say if there might be a creature lurking inside one of those pools, much like whatever creature had caught Kim the night before, even though Kim had tried assuring her that it wasn't a creature but rather some roots.

Elin respected Kim's attempts to keep her from worrying, but she was confident at what really happened. She didn't know if there was anything else she could have done herself about it, but she was still a little worried about creatures inside this swamp.

After all, that hydra had to have lived on something to survive for so long.

They paused briefly when the sun was overhead for a quick small meal of dried meat, but other than that, they continued on.

Elin wondered as the afternoon started to grow late if they were try to press on again until it was too dark to see, but they were spared that when, moments after she started to wonder about that, they could see the edge of the bog. Not that it looked any different to Elin, but she was willing to take Kim's word for it. She suspected that she was just too tired to really pick up on the details that would show her how it wasn't the bog that they were stuck in.

"I just hope we're not leaving a bog to enter a marsh," Kim heard Heather grumble.

Elin wasn't sure what a marsh was, but it certainly didn't sound pleasant to travel through based on Heather's tone in general.

"Don't talk like that or you'll jinx us," Sonya scolded Heather softly. If Sonya hadn't been facing Heather and so close to Elin, Elin doubted that she'd have heard her statement.

Nothing else was said that Elin could hear, but she hoped that it'd be regular dry land so it wouldn't be so difficult to travel through. Especially with how her legs were aching from the workout they were getting from where the mud was creating suction to try and keep her in place. Almost like it was soil that was trying to trap a moving plant that didn't want to take root.

"Tell me that you're sure it's the end of the bog," Elin pleaded Kim, not wanting to find out afterwards that it was a lie. A lie that the terrain was in on to make them think that they were almost out of the bog, just to throw them into something as bad if not worse.

"Don't worry, my gem," Kim replied soothingly. "I'm sure it's the end of the bog."

"Thanks," Elin mumbled, hoping that Kim knew what she was talking about.

After what felt like another hour, and Elin wasn't sure if that was just her mind or if it really did take nearly that long, they reached where Kim said the edge was. Though, rather than what Elin had expected, it didn't suddenly turn into another kind of terrain, as if someone had drawn a line on it, but rather they stopped sinking so far into the much until it was clear that they were walking on dry ground.

Elin knew she should get the rope untied from around her waist, but sank to the ground anyway, relieved that the ordeal of trudging through the bog was over.

She wasn't sure what lay ahead for them after this, but at the moment she didn't want to think that far ahead. She just wanted to lay where she was and rest.

"I guess we'll camp here tonight," Kim said, sounding like she might have hoped to continue on a little farther.

"Uh, there's some smoke in that direction," Elwin remarked. "It wasn't there a moment ago, so I think maybe Jonas and Elmo might be over there."

"What if it's bandits or orcs or something?" Patricia asked, sounding like she was more mocking Elwin than serious.

Elwin rolled his eyes at her. "That's not funny you know," he said dryly. "I've never heard of orcs living by swamps and bandits tend not to like being so close to bogs since it makes it easier to get trapped."

"If you say so," Patricia said, making it clear that she wasn't planning on taking him at his word.

"Whatever it is, we should take a look," Kim said interrupting the argument, making Elin wonder if she should collect firewood at that time or rest her tired, aching legs.

If she went to get some firewood, not only would she be able to warm up but also avoid any simmering hostility that the others wouldn't be able to vent. Plus, she also would be able to avoid getting volunteered to help see who created the smoke.

Yet, she couldn't bring herself to stand up at that time. Instead she just sat there, feeling uneasy about what might occur.

"How about I go and take a look, then?" Elwin asked, his tone almost a challenge.

Which confused Elin. Why would him going to take a look need to be a challenge?

"If you're going, then take Patricia with you," Kim said. "You two can work out your differences on while you're gone."

Patricia looked apoplectic at the direction. "Who put you in charge!?" she demanded.

"Would you like put to a vote?" she asked sweetly, as if she didn't have anything up her sleeve. "I'm sure the others would love to be at ground zero for the next confrontation with you and Elwin."

"Hey, I'm not the only one who has problems with him," Patricia protested.

"But you are the one who's having a problem with him now," Sonya remarked. "Which means you should get to work it out with him sooner rather than later." Sonya paused for a moment before she suddenly smiled rather wickedly. "Oh, and just think of it as you being the first in the group that gets to work it out with him while you're gone."

"As long as she stays quiet while we're out there, I'll be fine," Elwin commented rather flippantly.

"Well, just to let you know, I'm sure everyone will be just as happy to send you with her for whatever errand until both of you can learn to work together," Kim replied just as sweetly before.

While she liked hearing Kim's voice, Elin could honestly say that her talking like that was already starting to get her uneasy. Like she could tell that Kim's intention wasn't as sweet as her voice was sounding right then.

Which made Elin wish her legs would just stop aching so she could leave and start gathering firewood. That way this would have already gotten resolved by the time she got back!