***Cassius***
We rode until the sun began to sink toward the horizon, painting the sky in shades of orange and gold.
The road had taken us deeper inland, away from the coast and into forested terrain. The trees grew thick on either side, their canopy filtering the fading light into patterns across the path ahead.
"We should stop soon," Aldrik said, breaking the silence we'd maintained for the past hour. "Find a place to make camp before it gets dark."
I nodded, scanning the woods around us. "There. That clearing looks suitable."
We guided our horses off the road and into a small open space surrounded by trees. It was sheltered, with enough room for a fire and our bedrolls, and a stream visible just beyond the tree line.
We dismounted and began unpacking in practiced silence. I'd done this before during the war, had made camp in far worse conditions than this. But there was something different about doing it now, with Aldrik moving quietly on the other side of the clearing.
