No. We're making camp.

"Mienna, we won't make it there for an hour yet. Longer if you wind up collapsing. Come on, now; the hills we just passed had a small cave we can use for the night."

"But Mama!"

"No buts. You need to sleep."

She grumbles but obediently takes your hand and lets herself be led back to the shelter you had passed. It looked very small from the outside, but as you duck into the opening you find it opens up into a spacious cavern. The temperature is noticeably warmer; the small doorway must do a good job of keeping the heat in. There is even a corner near the back where some moss grew that would make a comfortable bed.

"Wow," Mienna can't help but exclaim. "It's like it was created just to be a shelter. I don't remember hearing about anyone using it as a campsite, though."

"Maybe all the heroes who come out this way are as impatient as you," you suggest with a laugh. "Come on; to bed with you." So saying, you let Mienna lay down on the mossy bed, then lay Doffson down beside her.

"Aren't you gonna sleep, Mama?" Mienna asks curiously.

"Not yet. I'm going to stay with you until you're sleeping comfortably, then see if I can find something for us for breakfast."

The young girl pouts. "Not fair! Why does only Mama get to stay up late?"

"Because I have a thousand endurance. When you get that strong, then I'll think about letting you stay up late."

You sit over your two children as they drift off to sleep. Lying together like this, they look like a pair of little angels (the nice kind that only sing beautiful songs, not the crazy boss kind that swing flaming swords around). The truth is you aren't tired; back at the house, your record for "longest self-pleasuring session" was four days, some hours. Just walking, you suspect you might be good for a week. Then again, you aren't exactly sure how long you slept after those four days, just that you passed out at sun-up and you woke up in the dark. Whether that was a half-day or a day and a half, you had no way to tell. Pushing yourself too far wouldn't do. Not after everything you've said to Mienna so far.

As you debate whether you should lie down and sleep or accomplish what errands you can right away, a low growl from the cave entrance solves the question decidedly. Eyes going wide in panic, you turn to see a pack of wolves prowling into the cave--into their den, you realize in a flash. Their blue fur barely stands out against the darkness, but the glowing of their golden eyes is impossible to miss.

The first that came in, and also the largest, barks at you. "[Filthy intruder! Don't think you'll survive after invading our den!]"

"Sssshhhhh!" you hush him quickly. You glance back at the two sleeping children, but they don't seem to have been bothered by the noise at all. With a small sigh of relief you turn back to the wolf. "If I speak the common tongue, can you understand?"

"[I can, human. Now leave!]" he growls. Quietly.

"I am sorry to intrude, but my children needed somewhere safe we could sleep for the night. Please, if you'll just let us stay the night, we'll make it up to you somehow."

"[I doubt you have anything to offer us, human.]"