Three Days Gone, Three Days Left
The Never Ending Quest - Episode 4273
|
Fred kept a careful eye on Astra, but to his relief she seemed much
happier today.
Maybe her spirits had been lifted by the shrine, maybe she was relieved at
having at last
told Fred her secret, or maybe last night had represented some sort of
inner crisis
which she had been able to overcome. She even told Fred a rather good but
decidedly
risqué joke. Fred hoped that she was not just putting on an act for his
benefit.
They were now within three days' ride of Minestus' lair. The snowcapped peaks of the main Goth range could be seen low on the horizon ahead and to their right, as they headed roughly northeast. Their way continued very gradually uphill, and the soil slowly became rockier and the grassy plain gave way to thorn-bearing shrubs. They had to zigzag around the bushes now, and their progress slowed somewhat. In another day, or maybe two, they would reach a large gully, several miles across, where the soil was better again and supported trees. This gully held Fox's Forest, where Fred and Astra had met so disastrously several weeks ago. Fred and Astra would have preferred to avoid the place, but since that would involve climbs too steep for the horses to negotiate it was not an option. Once they left the far side of the forest, they would know that the lair was not much further. A cold wind sprang up from the northeast, blowing in their faces. It had been quite warm when Fred and Astra had been in this area before, but autumn had barely begun then and now it was well advanced. They had plenty of warm clothing, and would have no problem so long as it remained dry. Rain would be unpleasant, though, and snow would be worse. That was not an immediate worry, however, as the sky remained clear. In any case, serious snow at this altitude was unlikely - though not impossible - for another month or so.
|
JH
9/14/1999 2:14:25 PM
Linking Enabled
21473709 episodes viewed since 9/30/2002 1:22:06 PM.