Trapped in the Gigglegrove Marsh

The tundra and forests gave way to a marshy bog as the orc skirted between human settlements. She had apparently decided to put much more distance between herself and the pillaging orcs. She trudged through the muck until it was quite clear she wasn't making any progress with her meager supplies. Though as she turned around and went back the way she had come from, Khelgrath only found more swamp ahead of her. It should have been possible to see a clearing from where she was. Sunlight broke through the tangle of trees and vines in small ribbons, making it difficult to tell which direction she was walking.

"Tch. It has to end sometime, right?" Khel sneered, as the rhythmic sound of her boots squelching against the muddy ground filled the marshland. There weren't any particularly noteworthy landmarks or large bodies of water, which only made this bizarre place seem larger than it was. Her muscles tensed as she picked up an ever-so-distant sound. It was almost like a scream, or a yelp made in surprise. They happened just often enough, and just far enough away that Khelgrath would flinch every time.

The further she went the more laborious her steps would be, the mud giving way to a proper bog with calf-high water. Shuffling through became more efficient than raising her legs each time. Khelgrath grimaced as she felt water creeping into her footwear, unable to stop her socks from getting soaked through. A draft wound its way through, giving a welcome reprieve to the humidity sweltering around her, as well as the scent of a distant fire. She would follow this to the only clearing in the marsh thus far. An old wooden sign denoted the area as the 'Gigglegrove Marsh' and there was indeed a camp within the clearing. More than that, actually, an entire cottage stood before her. Though it was definitely worse for wear and quite possibly abandoned, it offered a tempting reprieve from the oppressive swamp.