Arona and I departed the boat as it arrived at what was presumably the final destination. I was just happy to be rid of that ship captain.
The people who departed with us seemed to set off for a particular destination, and so we followed. I had no bearing on our location until we came into it, and I was pleasantly surprised to find my hometown standing.
It was a simple farming village; always had been. Simple huts, farm land, an adequate market. I advised Arona not to draw attention and we went in, purchased some food, and made our way out with little incident. Nothing of note, other than seeing how John and Madeline from the boat entered a house in the area. I tried not to think of it.
We set out west, to the city of Mache, where I planned on getting proper supplies before I could escort Arona back to the woods she dearly wished to return to. I probed her as best i could, but she seemed to take my comments on us needing a bath more negatively than i had hoped.
We were approaching the river dividing us from the rest of the route to the city when she pulled me down and shushed me; kobolds, drinking water. Only two, it seemed, but I had plenty of experience fighting these creatures during my years of service. They were pack creatures, and they plagued the farmlands of my home. I wasn’t going to let them live.
I made my way forward, and engaged them in combat. With a prayer to Kelemvor, my blade struck true, and with a divine smite i cleaved one of the kobolds in two. Arona followed suit with her quarterstaff; while i would have viewed that as a pacifist’s weapon, she sufficiently ended its life. More kobolds arrived, and we dealt with them as best we could; Arona displayed the ability to transform into a brown bear, and her savagry was most impressive. I was, dare say, proud of her ability in combat, although anxious about her new form.
The bear and I quickly bathed off the blood and looted the corpses. As I tried to ascertain if the bear form was permanent or not, she resumed her normal form, and we continued to the city.
There, we ran into an issue.
My old commander, Sasha, was stationed at the gate, alongside her whipping boy, Haskin. I had no chance to conceal myself, nor did i attempt to flee; Sasha came up to me.
She hugged me. As I went to hug her back, she hit me so hard in the gut i nearly fell over. An awkward conversation evolved from there, where she detailed to me about how my status as a deserter would come up if anyone found out i was still alive, but she was just happy to see me alive and let me into the city. I was grateful, if not thrown off by the whole ordeal, and I’m sure Arona has more questions for me than before. I haven’t been open with her.
We made our way to a tavern i was familiar with; Heartbreak Headlines. It was... dingier than I recalled, but we secured a room for the night after talking to an old friend and the barkeep, John.
We took a brief moment to rest before getting ready to resupply in the city.
