Making Camp in the Forest – 3C-HH

Chapter 3 – Getting Underway (continued)

“We don’t know how much further we have to go to reach the village.” Kaylen decided. “So let’s continue on, but stop at the first sign of a good camp site.”

They all agreed, as they returned to the horses, “Was anyone besides Vesili hurt?” He asked, before most of them could mount up.

“Gryla tackled me to the ground, but my armor took the impact.” Lyria explained, raising the visor of her helm.

“Once we make camp, let Alanthea take a look at the both of you, just to be sure.” He suggested, then vaulted into the saddle once more.

With the sun set, and the sky shrouded by the tree canopy, the light was fading quickly. But Alayni still spotted a clearing next to a leaning boulder about 30 yards off the road before full dark. They quickly moved into that partial shelter and set up some canvas tents as makeshift awnings in case of rain.

Armor started coming off as Kaylen and Ursa gathered some firewood, and Kaylen lit a fire with a muttered incantation while Alanthea watched with large avid eyes. They did what they could to ensure the light of their fire wouldn’t travel far, keeping it behind some of the canvas, with the smoke able to escape around the top of the boulder.

The girls were all choosing their spots, with Lyria’s bedroll near one end of their shelter as she motioned for Alanthea to approach. Then she sat facing away from the group as the priestess examined her for potential injuries she may not have felt earlier. Kaylen averted his gaze when the pale-haired healer had to lift Lyria’s tunic to expose her back.

“You want some privacy?” Alayni asked, having noticed him turning away.

“There’s not much privacy to be found in a camp like this.” Kaylen replied.

“There’s a little nook over there, where the boulder is cracked.” She pointed to a spot just past where the earth had mounded up, and sure enough there was a space where if he laid down, he’d be fairly well protected from direct line of sight. Alayni had already removed her armor, and Kaylen couldn’t help but appreciate the curvy – almost plump – figure that had been revealed. She’d let her hair down as well, with her dark curls framing her dimpled face. “It might get a bit cold though. So I guess some of us might want to double up?”

Kaylen glanced around the campsite, and noticed Dinnae and Vesili watching them. There wasn’t much space to hold an entirely private conversation, but they didn’t seem to be bothered by it.

“If you need a cuddle buddy, I’m certainly available.” Alayni continued after a moment. “Or, if you’d prefer someone closer to your size, I’m certain Dinnae might be interested.”

The blue-eyed **** girl in question blushed and looked away.

“I’d rather not impose on Dinnae so early into our relationship, considering how that relationship began. I would be happy to share with you, Alayni.” Kaylen replied.

“Then I’ll get my things set up.” She flashed her dimples at him and started off towards her pony to unpack her bedroll.

Kaylen made the rounds, first heading to where Dinnae sat a little ways from Vesili. “You heard what we were discussing?” He asked.

The brown-haired girl nodded. “I’m grateful. I do think you’re handsome, and perhaps someday we will share a bed, but I don’t know if I’m quite ready for that. Even if all we are doing is sleeping.”

“That’s what I thought. I’m not going to coerce you into such a position.” She offered a smile, and he turned to Vesili.

“You going to be alright?”

The violet-eyed half-elf nodded, “I’ll keep Danny warm in your stead, if that’s what you’re concerned about.” She offered, eliciting yet another blush from Kaylen’s indentured servant.

“Just make sure you have Alanthea look at you before you sleep.” He urged.

“She looks a bit busy with Lyria at the moment.” She said, getting to her feet. “But I’ll go talk to her.”

“I’m heading there next.” He said, and the two of them moved closer to where Alanthea was still knelt over his sister, who was laying face down on her bedroll, most of her torso obscured by the priestess’s body.

“Shit, Kaylen!” Lyria said when she saw him standing there.

Alanthea turned, shifting to the side to look up at Kaylen, revealing what had bothered his sister so, as she lay completely topless, her arms pulled in to her sides to cover anything he might have been able to see aside from the expanse of her bare back.

Kaylen dutifully averted his gaze, but couldn’t resist teasing her a little, “Nothing I haven’t seen before, unless you’re worried about me judging you for your impressive physique. Or are you and Alanthea getting up to something you shouldn’t?”

“I was massaging her sore muscles.” Alanthea said, not seeming to pick up on Kaylen’s teasing tone. “Which are quite impressive, I agree.”

Vesili hid her smirk behind her hand as she sat down a short distance away from the two girls, meeting Kaylen’s gaze when he glanced her way.

“I’m not injured, but Alanthea thought I could use some relaxing to ensure I stayed limber after getting tumbled in that fight.” His sister explained, her voice thick with embarrassment.

“Hey, Sis.” Kaylen said, turning back towards her. “We’re going to be traveling and working closely together for a while now. If we can’t handle a little skin, it’s going to make things pretty tricky.” He met her gaze, and deliberately sat down in her line of sight, while making a point not to look over her body. “It’s not like I don’t have plenty else to look at.” He added, glancing once again at Vesili, who blushed.

Lyria sighed, and her body relaxed somewhat. “You’re right. You surprised me, is all. Look your fill, I guess. I trust that you don’t mean anything unbrotherly by it.”

He reached down and pat her softly on the head, as Alanthea returned to her previous position, her agile hands working at the knots in his sister’s surprisingly toned back. He could see a light bruise along her ribs, but it didn’t look very fresh, so he guessed it must have been from sparring before they’d met up that morning.

“Alayni suggested that we would mostly feel more comfortable with the available space if we shared bedrolls. So Alayni will be sleeping next to me, Vesili offered to share with Dinnae, and I figure you can keep Alanthea company if she desires. I haven’t spoken to Ursa yet, but she seems to run a little hot, so maybe she won’t need the companionship.”

“I assume Alayni volunteered to share with you?” His sister asked, quirking an eyebrow.

“She did.” Kaylen confirmed, “Though she did also suggest Dinnae might wish to, but I don’t want to impose on her.”

“I appreciate that. And I’m sure she appreciates that.” She said, letting her breath out in a groan as Alanthea bore down on a particularly tense section of her back.

“Indeed. Well, if you need anything, you know where to find me.” He added, getting back to his feet, and leaving the two and a half human women to their healing and their rest.

He found Ursa a little outside the camp, sitting on the hill that led up to the top of the boulder. “I volunteered for first watch.” The half-giant explained when he took a seat next to her.

“You didn’t think I should be told that?” He asked.

“I didn’t wish to interrupt you and the halfling.” She replied.

“Who is taking second watch?”

“The halfling.” She said simply.

“And third?”

The half-giant shrugged, “Ask Alayni.”

“I’ll do that. Do you need anything before I turn in?”

“I’m good.”

“If you get cold, you can set up your bedroll next to one of the others. Mine, perhaps once you wake Alayni for her watch.”

“I should be fine, but I’ll keep that in mind, if there’s room.”

“Very well. Good luck, and sleep well.” He got to his feet and dusted off his trousers before ducking back under the tarp canopy, and making his way to the nook formed by the crack in the boulder.

There he found Alayni with her knife belt and attached sling bullet bag laid next to her bedroll. The woman herself was sitting crosslegged atop her blanket, running a comb through her unruly brown curls. She appeared to be wearing nothing but a long sleeveless shift that covered her down past her knees, but left her freckled arms bare. She flashed her dimples up at him when he approached with his bedroll, laying it adjacent to hers before setting his staff beside it, with his knife belt and the sack with his armor next to that. Finally, he sat to remove his boots as the halfling watched him with large brown eyes.

“You ever slept with a halfling before?” She asked when he was down to his tunic.

“I have not.” He admitted. “Have you slept with a human?” He returned with a teasing smile.

She blushed, and there was a moment of hesitation in her eyes. “No?” He asked, genuinely surprised.

She shrugged, but crawled next to him as he laid on his side on his bedroll. “I like to flirt, and you’re fun to flirt with, but I may not be quite as experienced as I make out.” She explained.

Kaylen opened his arms so she could lay against him, her hands folded on his chest and her chin propped up on her hands. “You seem a little embarrassed, but you’re certainly not uncomfortable.”

“I feel I’ve seen enough of you to know I can trust you at least this far. If we were more isolated, far away from anyone who could come to my aid, I might be a little more nervous, but somehow I doubt we’ll get up to anything too intimate with the others resting just a few yards away.”

Kaylen nodded, “I would not object to a little more than simply cuddling. But I’ll leave it to you to determine how much you’re willing to share.”

That seemed to be the right answer, as she grinned, and climbed directly on top of him, laying down on his torso with her face just in front of his and her feet down by his knees. “I would enjoy letting you kiss me, and getting your hands on me, but we’ll leave our sleeping clothes on. How does that sound?”

“Where would you like me to get my hands, precisely?” He asked, his voice lowering to a whisper.

“I’ll leave that up to you.” She whispered back, her breath hot on his face.

She brought her lips to his in the same moment he filled his palms with her ample backside, and she moaned softly into the kiss. He kneaded her cheeks gently through her clothes while kissing her heatedly, then finally pulled back to look into her eyes, which were sparkling with mirth, and a hint of arousal. “You have strong hands for a mage.” She murmured.

“I’m glad you approve.” He said simply, as she tucked her head under his chin and shifted to make herself comfortable.

“I think I could sleep just like this.” She added.

“Alright.” He grabbed her blanket, and draped it over her then did the same with his larger blanket, covering them both but leaving her head and his head and shoulders exposed. “Sleep well.”

Under different circumstances, Kaylen may have tried to explore some more, but with the others so close, he allowed himself to drift off to a peaceful slumber.