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Feyrahl, FurAffinity Edition

Strengthening Bonds, Ch 3.2

Kenzie slowed her Heglis down, even as Silas did the same; Cecil was astride his own and approaching them from an adjoining road, that intersected their own only two dozen yards ahead. The Ferret was moving at a steady pace-- what Kenzie would have presumed to be a canter-equivalent for the strange lizard mounts. She noticed that her bodyguard's usually passive features were marred by a decidedly dour scowl, and the tone of his voice was far from his usual neutral tone, as he addressed the Ranger. "You neglected to tell me that you were leaving today, Sir Longfield."

The Fox shrugged, gesturing with his muzzle in what almost seemed to be a polite 'join us' motion as he responded "And yet you had little difficulty in following us anyway. You should have more faith in yourself, Sir Cecil."

The Ferret didn't engage further, instead choosing to move into formation beside Kenzie. As Cecil drew closer, he spoke in a much more mellow tone than he had used with the Fox. "I apologize for my tardiness, Lady Fuller."

Silas chuckled softly on the other side of Kenzie. "Oh, do spare us the formality, my dear fellow. We are far beyond the scope of the castle, and there is nobody out here to object to you treating her like a person, rather than a fine piece of art to admire from afar."

Kenzie continued to focus her attention on Cecil, rather than shoot a look at the Fox, and, since she did, she was able to see the redness appear within the Ferret's cheeks, and he responded with a flustered tightness to his voice. "I have no idea what you mean to imply, Sir Silas, but I--"

The Ranger doubled-down. "I have ears, and your heart quickens every time she so much as looks at you. You may not wish to admit it, but you're smitten with her. There is no sense in denying it."

At that comment, Kenzie finally did look towards the Ranger; the Fox offered her a wink when their eyes met. But before she could tell him off for picking on Cecil, however, the Ferret shot back with surprising verve. "Perhaps you're trying to hide something by pushing so much attention my way, Sir Longfield... I cannot remember the last time where the Lord Ranger bothered taking a single guest out into the wilderness, without the direct and ardent command from the Emperor for the express purpose of training... tell me, Lord Ranger... has the Emperor directed you to teach Lady Fuller how to be a Woodswoman?"

Silas laughed in response. "I find it most intriguing that you should choose to question my motives, rather than deny the evidence of your--"

Kenzie silenced them both. "ENOUGH!"

The objection was enough to get them both to shut up. After a very short pause both murmured in unison "My Lady."

There was an even longer pause until Silas spoke up. "I am glad you were able to join us, Sir Cecil. You are a fine addition to our traveling party."

The Ferret flicked an ear. "Considering your standard route to the King's forest, encountering you along this road seemed like the obvious choice."

Silas maintained his gaze on the road ahead. "I had full faith in your capacity to do your duty of protecting your ward. Thank you for distracting the courtiers while I helped her avoid being waylaid."

It felt like a cordial discussion as far as Kenzie was concerned, at least compared to their earlier bickering and cajoling. Cecil's next words indicated that his discussion with the fox was at an end since he addressed her. "Are you well, Lady Fu--" Silas cleared his throat and surprisingly, the Ferret changed his form of address. "... Kenzie?"

She was taken aback that Cecil would actually use not only her first name, but the shortened version; the Human woman felt her cheeks tingle faintly in response but she powered through. "Yes, thank you, Cecil. I wouldn't imagine, that there'd be much cause for worry this far out in the countryside."

Silas chuckled beside her. "Considering I avoid the roads where bandits are most likely to waylay travelers? Yes... you are entirely safe."

Before Kenzie could register any concern for the comment, Cecil interjected. "He's speaking in jest... there are no bandits this close to the capital-- these roads are far too well patrolled."

The discussion among the group remained relatively light and mostly disjointed after that; Silas spoke up to point out features of the geography, including landmarks and occasional interesting trees, while Cecil checked in every now-and-again to see how Kenzie was doing. Between the Fox's guidance and the Ferret's care she found their company surprisingly affable, and pleasant compared to how they had reacted when Cecil first joined up. Things became a little clearer as they stopped for a mid-day break.

Dismounting from his Heglis, Silas glanced over his shoulder. "Got the drinks, Cee?"

"Just like always, Sie." A water skin sailed past Kenzie's head to the dexterous Fox, who snatched it out of the air with barely a half-glance

Kenzie glanced between the two men who, only a scant few hours previously seemed to be at each other's throats. Was she missing something? She couldn't not call attention to their oddly relaxed natures. "Cee? Sie?"

Silas unwrapped what looked like a collection of hand-pies; there were three in total. As he handed them out, he explained. "Back when Sir Cecil was first sworn to the Imperial family, the Emperor saw some natural talent in him for wilderness survival... since Emperor Baldwin had a shortage of bodyguards capable of holding their own on a hunt, he requested that Sir Cecil spend some time with me to learn his way around the woodlands."

Cecil accepted the pie from Silas, taking a bite and chewing it as the Fox spoke. He swallowed before clarifying, once the Ranger took a bite of his own pie. "Sir Longfield is a very knowledgeable man, but he has not always been good at instruction, yet the Emperor insists he is the best choice for new woodsmen."

Silas smirked, tossing the water skin back to the Ferret. "Only because he wouldn't let either of us return to the castle, until you'd learned enough to hold your own during a hunt."

Cecil cracked one of his rare smiles before taking a drink. "I think you learned more about teaching, than I learned about the woods that month."

Kenzie, nibbling at her pie, interjected. "Month?"

The Fox offered a demure smile. "I had a LOT to learn about teaching."

The three shared a long laugh at that, and the Ranger didn't seem to mind that it was at his expense-- perhaps he even seemed to welcome it.

* * * * *

By the time the mid-afternoon sun started to approach the horizon, Kenzie had come to the conclusion that the Fox and Ferret were, in some respect of the word, friends. The strange 'coincidences' like Cecil knowing where to meet them, the fact that he'd brought water skins when Silas hadn't, or the fact that all of the Fox's rations appeared to be counted out in multiples of three, should have been enough of a hint, but their nicknames had all but solidified that impression. She even got the story behind it.

The specifics were argued by either party, but, considering their names both began with the same sound, they'd bonded at some point during their third week together-- a single syllable was far easier to say than two, and so they became Sie and Cee... but only when they were out in the wilderness together. She also began to understand that their constant cajoling, verbal jousts, and snide remarks were just a sign of the comraderie that they shared. The fact that she hadn't expected it from either of them, was why she'd had such trouble realizing what it was during the first part of their journey.

By the time the sky had passed from a powerful golden glow to the rosy hints of sunset, their travel for the day was finally coming to an end, and she was pleased when Silas announced that it was time to make camp. "We made good time today... although I suppose we could still travel for another hour, there is a good spot to layover for the night coming up."

The campsite, just as the Fox had indicated, was within view and, as they approached, Silas came to a stop and walked his Heglis the rest of the way, tying its reins loosely around a thin tree trunk. Cecil did the same, then held the reins of Kenzie's as she dismounted. She brushed at her traveling leggings, wincing; it didn't go unnoticed by the ferret. "Are you in discomfort?"

Silas didn't waste the opportunity. "Perhaps you should consider offering to massage her backside if you think it would help?"

Cecil took a moment to compose himself; Kenzie was all but certain that the Ferret had almost swallowed his tongue. When he did recover (after coughing), her bodyguard objected "Even in jest, that is going too far, Sie..."

Rather than respond to the objection, the Ranger began unpacking several bundles from the back of his Heglis. "We have a camp to set up... I trust you haven't forgotten how to work and talk at the same time, Cee?"

The Ferret began working on some of his own supplies instead of responding, leaving Kenzie to stand there. She didn't like feeling useless. "What can I do to help?"

Silas was the first to speak up. "I've always been quick at setting up tents. I'll easily have both of ours pitched by the time he gets his done... perhaps you could help him so that he can get started on the fire afterwards."

Cecil paused. "I didn't pack a tent."

The Fox turned to regard him. "Truly? What part of 'being prepared' have you forgotten since we were last out?"

The Ferret scowled. "In case you hadn't recalled, I was dealing with the courtiers, and I had to get the water skins."

Silas shrugged. "Well, so long as you have a bedroll it won't be raining, so you can sleep under the stars."

Kenzie wasn't particularly pleased with the Ranger's dismissive comment. "The two of you can surely share a tent."

The Fox grinned. "I don't believe it is my tent he would like t--" his comment was interrupted by a thrown water skin hitting him in the muzzle. He smiled through it.

Humor aside, Kenzie began to think that she would probably have to be the voice of reason in the planning of the camp.