Amorthon Blackwood

Of Plans and Worries

He was being tracked. He’d thought it might happen, given the events of just a few weeks prior, but he’d seen enough and heard enough for his suspicion to be confirmed. It couldn’t have been in the form of a letter, or another sign or threat…no. They’d had him followed. Even if he hadn’t already been hypervigilant, Savage’s constant ear twitching and nervousness would have hinted that something was amiss.

The ranger sighed, tossing another small piece of wood onto the fire. “Savage, over here. Settle for a minute.” Amorthon waited for the tiger to approach before gently scratching behind the animal’s ear and then turning his attention back to the inside of his bag. Inside was a small bag, which the ranger was currently trying to get anything he considered important into. ‘Letters, all of them - that one included…the hearthstone…pic-wait how did that get in here…into the bag it goes too. I think that’s it.’ He closed up the smaller container, making a show of stretching his neck - utilizing the time to glance around the area surrounding the pair’s small encampment. They, whoever had been sent to watch him, were still out there, the tension radiating off of Savage indicated as much - but, they didn’t seem to be anywhere within the tiger (or the ranger’s) visual range.

Discreetly, Amorthon pulled the small container from his pack, hooking it onto the makeshift collar Savage was wearing. (‘To help carry supplies’, he told anyone who asked.) He turned pressing his forehead to the tiger’s and keeping his voice low. “Tomorrow morning we go about business as usual…but when you go off to take care of your stuff, you use that stone and you get back to Silvermoon. You know how to get to the estate from there.” Savage huffed, pressing his forehead against the ranger’s with a bit more force. Amorthon reached up, gently - fingertips gently running through the fur on both sides of the tiger’s face. “…I know. I don’t like it either, but I need you safe, Cibor to be safe, and I need the two of you to protect her - you’ll do that for me, right? Keep her safe?” He met the tiger’s gaze with his own until Savage gave the smallest of nods.

“Good…good.” He ran his hands through Savage’s fur again before turning back towards the fire. His hope - far fetched as it seemed, was that whoever was following him might be drawn out if he were isolated. That way maybe he could finally get some answers. He reached back into the bag pulling out a piece of jerky. He took a bit before offering the rest to Savage, speaking in a normal tone once again. “Rest buddy, tomorrow is going to be a busy day.”