Kenavi twirled around, laughing as the other caught up to him. "Slow poke." he jabbed, turning back to face the direction he was heading once again.
The two walked for quite some time. The road ahead was paved along a vast expanse of lush, green grasses and rolling hills, an occasional breeze dove through the flower beds topping many of the hills. And in the distance, high plateaus towered over thick forests and smaller, random gatherings of trees. Large, ram-like beats with snowy fur and massive, spiraling horns were herded together far off to the northeast. Kenavi wasn't sure if they were hostile, but their path would keep clear of them anyway. A massive, feathery bird's shadow overcast them for a split second along the aerial beauty's flight. It's screech was terrifying, but its long, flowing tail was hypnotic. "You don't get to see stuff like that in the forest." he started, shading his eyes with his right hand as he looked up into the sky. "Too many treetops."
Kenavi and Jarrah would soon be approaching a point where their path branched off into three other directions. One heading straight ahead, the other to the left and the last stretched out northeast their positions towards the ram creatures. And standing just off the path was a short little man with a balding head and stubble on his chin, wearing nothing but browns and tan. A large potbelly overhung his leather belt. His ears were pointed and his bulbous nose glowed cherry red. He had a grin that put Kenavi's smile to shame. His welcoming wave beckoned them over.
"Hiya there, fellas. You two need anything? It's a long trip down either of these trails." he pointed out. Behind him he had himself quite the setup. There was roast over a campfire, tree-stump stools to sit on and a large wooden stand with various goods that travelers would find quite refreshing. Jugs of water were stocked together on one side of his stand. Twisty walking sticks of varying sizes were jutting out of a barrel that had definitely seen better days. He even had salt and spices laid out on the counter top along with pipes and some kind of leafy herb. And last but not least, three baskets full of fruits and a barrel full of nuts were presented before him. "Nuts are a good snack for hiking, y'know?" Not only was he right, but his words were just so convincing. Kenavi drew nearer and reached into the coin purse hanging from his hip. He had exactly 21 gold pieces. "Can I have some nuts and a jug of water, please?" he asked with a raised brow. "I'll give you 10 of these gold pieces." The short fellow crossed his arms and twisted his mouth while he considered the offer. "Make it 12 and you've got yourself a deal." But just as he said that, Kenavi couldn't get over how neat those staffs were. "Throw in a walking staff and I'll give you 15." he bartered. "Deal." Kenavi plucked a stick from the barrel about six feet in height with a crook three-quarters of the way up that spiraled off crookedly at the top while the road merchant bagged up his nuts and lifted his jug onto the counter. The young elf paid him and put away his nuts and jug of water. Then he lifted his staff into the air and admired its neat little intricacies. "Are you going to get anything, Jarrah?"
