The day came early for the expedition troops, they set off before 6 AM, and made their way to the main path reaching there shortly after.
The formation was now compact, with one horse unfortunately gone, someone had to step out.
That person was Leo.
The formation switched to Heimer and Gustev at the front, Ren and Heimlich to the left flank behind, Ricia and Lana to the right and Rud at the centre back.
The sky was filled with dark clouds and still rumbling, this time it came with a drizzle.
The horse riders had to put on the rain coats they had packed for the journey, while the ones in the wagons had no worries.
The horses' leather armour that covered even their head proved to be enough for them.
–
The ride inside the wagon wasn't as comfortable as it seemed.
The wagon to the left hit a bump on the road, waking up Leo who was sleeping.
"Ouch!" Leo cried out.
"Ha!" The voice of Karius mocked him.
Paul who was controlling the wagon giggled as well, until he bit his tongue.
The wagon had five people in it; Caesar, Leo, Karius, Dan and Clarence.
Leo sat where Cera was seated the previous day; beside Caesar.
[Scribbling noises could be heard]
Leo's pain had subsided so he turned his head to Caesar.
"WHat aRe you DrAwing" Leo asked with a deep hoarse voice.
"Deal with your voice first…can barely understand you" Caesar said.
His throat was dried up due to mucus build up.
[Cough!] Leo coughed to clear it up.
"I said, what are you drawing?
Better now?" Leo asked his voice was still hoarse but better than previously.
Caesar nodded.
"I'm drawing that beast from last night with the help of Dan's description.
Almost done as well." Caesar replied.
Leo looked at the drawing, it was pretty accurate.
He looked up at Caesar.
"You sure you drew this?" Leo looked down at the book again.
He looked at Caesar, then at the book.
"Nah, I doubt it, there is any way." Leo teased.
Caesar was ticked off, but he exhaled, calmed himself then continued drawing.
"Let me see as well" Dan said.
"I don't believe you drew this.
Someone had to have helped you." He said after taking a look.
"That is exactly what I said as well." Leo added.
Caesar tried his hardest to remain calm.
"You were literally here throughout the-
Actually nevermind." said Caesar as he added the finishing touches.
"Won't mind if I have a look would you?" Clarence asked as she checked the book.
"I didn't know you could draw so well.
Even the lines are near, and hardly any bleed." She complimented his work.
Leo looked at her as she spoke with a little discomfort in his chest, but he looked away.
Caesar smiled.
"It's less of talent and more of dedicati-." Caesar looked proud.
Karius forced his head in to take a look as Caesar was speaking.
"Looks like garbage" He said bluntly.
Caesar froze mid sentence, as his eyes spread wide open in annoyance, with the left one twitching.
Dan and Leo snickered in amusement.
Caesar released his halo.
–
Minutes later, Caesar had finished drawing.
"Looks like a scaled up chameleon doesn't it Leo?" He asked.
Leo looked at the drawing intensely.
"It kinda does, though some features are off." Leo replied.
"Yeah,Ike the lateral line not being present.
Or the nostrils being higher up, and so much more." Caesar said.
Leo had a suspicious look.
"Since when were you so knowledgeable on these type of stuff." Leo asked with squinted eyes.
"I- I always have been…" he avoided eye contact with Leo.
[Tap tap tap] The drops of water from the became heavier, the sound encapsulated the wagon.
The wind blew against them and the rain flew past Paul into the wagon.
"Cover up the supplies, come on!" Paul requested, his rain coat struggled to stay on due to the intensity of the wind.
Clarence and Caesar that were closer to the front acted on the request.
The journey from there on out was smooth sailing, the rain wasn't going to slow them down.
[Splat!] Wheels rolled on the surface of the wet soil, and hooves treaded through it.
They got through the second to the last town on the main path Stallgate.
Now well into the town, Leo popped his head out of the wagon amidst the waning drizzle.
He scanned for something, eyes rolling about like a mad man, at some point he extended his chest out as well.
"What's up with you Leo?" Caesar asked whilst tapping him.
Leo brought one of his palm back into the wagon for an instant, gesturing Caesar to wait.
The water running through his face did anything but stop him as he kept scanning.
Frustration was about to cloud his mind, and then his face cleared up.
"Haha…It was truly there." Leo said with laughter from amusement.
He put his head back into the wagon, and behind the wagons horses behind was the lower half of what seemed to be a statue.
Whiles later and they exited Stallgate, it was easily the smoothest of the towns they had gone through.
There were hardly any circumventing blocked parts.
–
"Why didn't we just follow the military path?
I'd bet a huge sum that it would be better than whatever this is." Karius asked Dan.
Dan chuckled condescendingly.
"Well that's easy…it's because.
Hmmm…
Actually,...that's a really good question." Dan answered.
It was almost noon, the rain had fully subsided.
Shadows casted over the wagons and everyone else, they made their way through the forest that enclosed Mjiormire.
It was a new sight to see trees that massive for the troops who had never been there, except of course; Leo, Gustev and Heimer.
–
"Leo?
If my memory serves me right, you said there was a forest before your hometown?" Paul asked.
[Thump! Thump!] Leo's heart raced for a bit at the mention of his hometown.
"Yes please tell me." Leo scrambled to the front, popping his head through the front.
There it was.
Caesar's head popped out from the other side.
"So that is…" Caesar thought with a smile on his face.
"Mjiormire…" Leo said with a heavy tone, he looked sad.