Runaway in Hyrule Chapter Ten - Grey Clouds Ahead

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°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*Chapter 10 - Grey Clouds Ahead°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･ "So how long does it take to get to the Riverside Stable?" I asked. "It can take a day and a half — it depends," Kael replies. From somewhere in the small group walking with us, the woman named Heather calls out warmly, "You two make such a cute team! The way you walk together is so in sync." I feel my face warm. "Oh, uh, we’re not—" I start to say as we all continue down the hill we had just power-walked up. A few people ahead of us chuckle softly, clearly amused by Heather’s comment. A traveler on a horse approaches from the trail ahead. The man looks to be in his mid-thirties, wearing a dusty blue tunic and a travel-worn cloak. His horse is a chestnut mare with a silver-streaked mane, trotting with an easy confidence. “Good day to you all!” he calls out. The group lifts their hands or voices in return — a mix of “Good day!” “Safe travels!” and polite nods. I glance ahead, noticing a line of grey clouds gathering in the distance. “There are some grey clouds out there… do you think it’ll rain?” I ask Kael as the wind shifts a little cooler. “Not sure,” he says, looking at the sky. “Might pass by us.” A few minutes go by, and I spot a small campfire glowing beside a crooked tree. Two people sit there chatting quietly — one is sharpening a small knife on a stone while the other stirs something in a tin cup hanging over the fire. Their bags and a rolled-up tarp are propped against the roots, and the grass around them is flattened from earlier travelers resting there. The air smells faintly of smoke and warm earth. “There’s a resting point up ahead,” someone in our group says. “Good, because I’m ready for a snack,” another replies. We reach the spot, and everyone drifts to different places around the tree line and open patch of grass. Some sit on flat stones, others on their packs. A few people take long drinks from their waterskins, wiping sweat from their brows as they pass them to traveling partners. I glance up at the sun — it’s dipped just below the highest point in the sky, telling me that half the day has already passed. The grey clouds in the distance have crept a little closer, but they’re still too far away to tell if they’ll drift right over us or slide along another path. As everyone settles, small conversations start up again — light, tired, and comfortable. Someone passes around a wrapped bundle of dried fruit, offering pieces to anyone nearby. I take one and quietly nibble on it, watching the two travelers by the campfire laugh at something the one with the knife says. Kael sits down beside me, stretching his legs out with a low sigh. “Not a bad start to the day,” he murmurs, brushing a leaf off his boot. “Yeah,” I say, glancing at the path ahead. “It’s kind of nice traveling with a small group.” A faint breeze picks up, cooler than before, and a few people look toward the clouds again. They seem just a bit darker now, but still slow-moving. “We should probably get moving soon,” someone says, standing and dusting off their hands. There are a few mumbled agreements as people start gathering their things, tightening straps, and slinging their bags over their shoulders. The break wasn’t long, but it was enough. Kael stands and offers me his hand to help me up. “Ready to keep going?” he asks. “Yeah,” I say, taking his hand and rising to my feet. “Let’s go.”