Snippet #1433915

Ezekiel had remained silent along the way to their camp. It was still dark outside, and he kept his head low on his bay horse as they traveled. He didn't want to hit his head on a branch.
They were walking beside a stream, and Ivory filled a canteen when they stopped to break camp. It was silent, except for the sound of the rushing water.
Then, after a pause, Ivory spoke up. "Well, we'd better set up camp. We should also organize a watch. Two people per shift... We need eyes watching over those who are sleeping."
Ezekiel smirked, knowing he would default to the night watch, mostly because he almost never slept.
So, after the archer declared having the first shift, he too spoke up. "I can take all shifts. Actually, I can for this night and more following. If I keep watch for two or three nights it will not be a detriment to me." He chuckled as he spoke, wistfully remembering the wonderful sleep he had gotten just the night before.
He dismounted from his horse and let it go it's own way while he looked around for a comfortable spot to sit for the night. The problem with insomnia seemed to be the uncomfortable numbness that crept in after only a few hours.
As he walked he observed the others in the group; restless, anxious, nervous, scared... all of those emotions were glowing around them. Unfortunately it did not light the forest any, but it was interesting to see the dynamics of the group.
Bricana, the one he assumed to be a necromancer, had wandered off. He didn't fear for her, though. She was probably performing a ritual of some sort if he had interpreted what she had said earlier correctly. “It’d be best if we found safety soon. I need to converse with lidless eyes before my draining strength prevents such crossings,” he recalled.
Lidless eyes? What else could that be but skeletons? Of course. Those now passed and gone.
Ivory was walking the perimeter, and seemed to have no intention of sleeping whatsoever, as anxious as she was. But she also wanted to be alone, so he let her do what she wished. Her obvious hatred for the witch was so strong there was no way she would betray them without being strongly mesmerized.
Looking up about halfway through his own walk of the clearing perimeter, Ezekiel found a comfortable looking few branches that he would probably perch himself on later that night. There was, unfortunately, no view of the stars. But he could see down and into the forest; closing his eyes, he would be able to see anyone that approached, even if they were charmed to be invisible. Unless, of course, they were one of the witch's fiends.
We are getting closer to our goal... But closer to death as well. I wonder if I even fully grasp what I am getting myself in to.
Regardless, Ezekiel wanted his shot of revenge at the witch. He prayed they would be able to kill her. Whether or not he had the honor to land the final blow did not matter, as long as she plagued the world no more. And if all he could do before some dark beast or magic killed him was destroy some of her creatures, that still was at least a pain in her side that he himself had caused.
Absolution was sometimes an impossibility, and he had learned to accept that one day in his nightly ponderings.
Shaking his head to clear his thoughts, he walked across to the others and asked to nobody in particular if there was anything he could do to help set up camp.