Part Two: Into the Ruined Lands

[Metroknight]

Tuk follows his friend Caesar out of the woods while holding Sen's cooling hand. Once back at the camp, Tuk gestures at the bedding. "Place her there, please" he says in a voice soft with grief.

Tuk kneels down next to the body and just holds her hand in a daze.

[-1warrior]

Caesar gently laid Sen on the bedding. Howell and Caesar both stood silently as Tuk kneeled over Sen.

(What do you want to do now?)

[Metroknight]

In a shaky voice Tuk croaks "We can't burn her body to let it ride on the Goddess's breath so we need to place her deep in the embrace of the Goddess."

[Metroknight]

Tuk leans over and kisses Sen on the cheek then whispers in her ear"My Sen. I place you in the embrace of the Goddess who will protect and guide you on your travels. May you have safe journey." then rocks back onto his feet before moving over to the opposite side of the camp to start digging with his bare hands if he can't find anything to use.

Once he digs a large enough hole deeper than he is tall, Tuk climbs out to put Sen in it then fills the hole with dirt and does his best to roll a log on the spot. Tracks of tears are seen cutting through the dirt on his face as he gathers Sen's remaining gear. Most of it Tuk lets Ceasar and Howell carry but the one piece that Tuk flatout insisted on staying with Sen in the embrace of the Goddess was her father's sword. She took pride in it and Tuk refused to strip her of that pride.

After the burying, Tuk was ready to take to the road. He might have a heavy heart but in time it will shed the grief to leave only the joy of knowing Sen.

[Nightwulf]

"We should start moving."Caesar says gently

[Metroknight]

Tuk nods as he rubs his filthy hands across his dirt covered face in an attempt to clear his eyes of the tears running down his cheeks. The normally chipper halfling trudges beside his friend Ceasar without talking. Seeing a rabbit sitting off the trail, Tuk started to chuff at it but stops short as the group continues to move on.

[-1warrior]

The woods feel alive around the companions, and Tuk almost feels like the wildlife is trying to console him.

[Metroknight]

Tuk feels the life abounding around him but the pain in him numbs him to it. Only slightly aware of the animal life, Tuk trudges along side of his companions. He knows and understands that the cycle of life will always happen as the Goddess decried but it was Sen. Tuk slowly, as the monotony of the walking, thinks over the last few days and realize that there was something about Sen that made Tuk happy.

[Metroknight]

With the grief of losing a pack mate blinding him of the choice a head, Tuk steps along in a dazed manner. Without being aware of the road splitting, he follows the one that leads off on the right side.

[-1warrior]

The companions headed slowly along the trail, grief clinging to their hearts as they walked. The woods still felt peaceful.