Mountain [18+] ✔️ Complete

Three • Fireside

We set out a little over an hour later, packs full to bursting. Marius had outfitted us with some hunting gear as well, as he said it didn't make sense to bring meat when we could just kill our own.

Archer, Damien and I each carried a long knife in belt holsters. Marius had a bow, and let Lyla carry his second bow, as she was the only one out of all of us that had experience with one.

"I guess you'll have to learn, to live up to that name." She teased Archer as we started to walk through the trees, and he waved her off.

"As if you can hit a moving animal with that thing," he accused, and she punched his arm. "Ugh, so violent!"

"You love it," she smirked, and I rolled my eyes. I thought about catching up with Marius and attempting to make conversation, but my mouth went dry with nervousness at the thought. I was going to have to get over this if we were going to be camping with him for two weeks.

The walk was a very gradual elevation for the first few hours, and I didn't even notice it until my ears popped.

"My GPS isn't working," Damien smacked the small device, apparently having the same thoughts as me and wanting to check on our location.

"Isn't it supposed to work everywhere?" I asked, remember him practically frothing at the mouth when he bought it.

"Piece of shit." He muttered, and slid it back into the leg pocket of his shorts.

We were quiet for most of the walk, taking in the wondrous sounds of the forest. With every rustle of wind through the leaves, every tweettweettweet and flapping of insectile wings, I felt my spirits lift. There was something to be said for leaving the hustle and bustle of city life to reconnect with Mother Earth.

When the sun began to dip over the horizon, Marius halted.

"Just through those trees," he said, motioning ahead. "I've got to piss." He ambled off to the left and I stifled a giggle.

We broke into a clearing of lush grass, the trees almost in a perfect circle around. I gaped at the beauty of it, a green carpet and log walls, topped with fluffy leaves. It almost looked man made.

"It's said that this place was cleared by witches," Marius said as he entered the clearing. "They performed rituals to give offerings to the earth and keep the mountain alive."

"It does look like this place was made by magic," Archer took off his backpack and set it down, taking a seat on top. "Are we going to have a fire? I almost don't want to wreck the grass."

"We can build one in the center," Marius walked to the very middle of the clearing. "I'll come back later and repair it."

"You really take care of this mountain," Lyla smiled.

"It feels like my own," he replied, setting down his pack and pulling out a spade. He gently started to break the earth, lifting patches of the thick grass.

Archer and I wandered off to collect some wood, and I had a skip in my step without the weight of my pack bogging me down.

"You're peppy," he commented, looking amused, as I bounced past him to some fallen branches.

"Nice to run around unencumbered." I poked him with a stick and he grabbed it, yanking me forward. I fell against him and he ran a hand down my hip to cup my behind. "Oh, you're still interested in my ass?" I teased, pecking him on the cheek. "We were taking bets on how long it would be until your wedding to Marius." When the name left my lips I felt a thrill run up my spine, as if the very word were forbidden to say.

"Nah, wouldn't want you guys to be jealous of him," he replied with a smirk, and kissed me gently. I fell into him, branches forgotten, snaking my arms around his waist. Our kiss deepened, his tongue slipping into my mouth, and the hand that was on my ass hiked my thigh up around him.