Cal

" Are we close!"

Just ignore it.

" My feet hurt!"

Almost over the hill. Just a little further.

" Cal!"

" Fine... we can set up a camp," I said as I tried to catch my breath. We had been moving quite fast so maybe it was my fault. " Uh, just put your pack over by that tree, it'll give some shade and the area is pretty flat."

Tanen took this opportunity to not only drop his pack but himself as well. Laying on the ground face squinted as his chest rose and fell with heavy breaths. I on the other hand slowly gathered sticks, bark and anything else readily available, too tired to chop down a large tree either when we didn't need that much wood.

" Cal! Can you use your fancy earth thing to catch some food?" Tanen asked as he slowly sat up to set up the soon-to-be fire.

" I haven't used magic in a long while, not sure if I'd succeed," I replied as I searched through my pack for dried jerky. Crumbs. " Guess I have to."

"I'll get this fire lit, so when you come back it's straight to grilling!" He replied with his usual massive grin.

Walking into a deeper, denser wooded area I crouched down looking for any form of tracks. I wasn't the best but I had a general idea of what I was looking for when it came to hunting. Seeing some small prints in the damp dirt I focused on the ground. Feeling the energy and power that pulsated from under my feet. Deep breaths Cal, remember what your mom taught you. Everything on the ground was fair game. There! I could feel the light thumping of a rabbit grazing the forest floor. Bringing my hands in front of me I had to imagine the rabbit in the center, my fingers representing the moving earth, slowly closing my hands as the land rightfully fought back against the unnatural force. One slip up and the rabbit would be paste. Slowly I brought the earth up and around the rabbit successfully trapping it in place. I rose from my place and walked towards where I had trapped the rabbit. it really just looked like a small cocoon of earth to keep it still. Taking my hatchet from my side I raised my arms and...

" You like rabbit Tanen?" I said coming back out of the bushes blooded rabbit in hand. Skinned on my way here. Tanen's face paled at the blood and he gave a small nod as a response as we made a quick and rickety rotisserie stand for the rabbit. It was midday so we weren't planning to sleep, the small fire allowing for a slow roast and also plenty of time for rest. the plan was to head north over the neutral zone and into the northern sector. Which was generally a place for adventurous and scholars of all sorts. If you survived the trip across the harsh deserts and cliffsides. While the continent was pretty evenly split between the 4 covenants the north was the largest and always trying to expand via war. The west was known for being pacifist while the east was said to be full of treason and violence. The south has always been the smallest and poorest but to Tanen and me, it had the best people. As biased as we are in saying that.

" Hey, imagine this..." Tanen started, " What if we managed to settle down in the north, I find myself a nice big buff man I can be a househusband for, and you a nice sweet girl to settle with."

A girl... No, he wouldn't know it's only fair he assumed.

" Yeah sounds nice, maybe he'll have...what did you call them... Massive honkers and a cute waist." I replied back giving him a lightish shove.

Tanen's face flushed red like the apples he loves to eat so much. Stuttering and fidgeting with the cooked rabbit leg, that was bland as all could be but it was filling and for the next little while we sat in our own little bubble.