Time flew by.
Over the next few days, Gauss and the others first saw Andeni off.
As they watched her disappear down the road, the realization that they had no idea when they would meet again brought a faint pang of parting sadness to Gauss's heart.
On the fourth day, Gauss finally received word from the dwarf Thorin that they were ready to set out.
The two groups joined up and left Canopy Town, officially heading toward the ruins along their planned route.
The mounts of Thorin and his two companions were quite common: sturdy Northland ponies, no more than four feet tall at the shoulder, with thick legs and broad hooves. They were especially suited to carrying loads through woods and over rugged terrain.
What stood out was that several small wineskins hung beside Thorin's saddle. They bumped together gently with each step, making dull clunks along the way.
The red-skinned dwarf took a swig every now and then.
He tried to "sell" some to Gauss, but the sharp smell hit Gauss right in the face, and he politely declined.
At most, Gauss drank some very low-alcohol fruit wine, which, strictly speaking, was more like a soft drink than wine.
And even that he never touched when leaving town to go adventuring. He did his best to keep a clear head.
The ruins were some distance from Canopy Town. The makeshift party would have to follow the border of the Emerald Forest for about two or three days, then enter the Emerald Forest through one of its entrances.
So the group wasn't in any particular hurry.
Around noon.
A hot wind swept along a wilderness path, flattening wild grass and shrubs as waves of late-spring green rolled across the landscape.
A shaggy wild boar emerged from the bushes with