The transmission lasted a total of 25 miles.
I knew I wasn't going to be as skilled as Aiden in terms of driving, and I knew I had a lot to learn, but I wasn't expecting it to be this bad.
We were still around 25 Miles from Haremont as I was pulling the vehicle at a slow pace using the clockwork stead. It was significantly slower than before, but beggars can't be choosers here. Aiden and Jax were both incapacitated, both because Aiden practically pulled his hair out every time I shifted gears, and because the vibrations of driving caused both of their injuries to hurt apparently.
Its for that very reason we decided to take a bit to rest at a lake we found earlier. From where the ground had been trodden, it seemed like a rather popular spot for adventurers and the like to go camping. However as we pulled up, it seems like nobody was camping out today.
I brought the clockwork steed to a halt where it stopped, and I let it revert back to its figurine form. We had needed to spend extra mana for it to pull the vehicle as well which, even having her extra mana bracelet tapped Liora out completely as she seemed spent and tired.
"So what exactly is the plan here?"
Beatrice asked as everyone aside from Aiden and Jax hopped out of the vehicle. The two of them seemed mostly incapacitated, Jax more so from pain, while Thalia says that Aiden was feeling psychic pain every time the gears grinded. That left the 4 girls to have some time to ourselves.
We started by doing some basic stuff, refilling our water jugs, checking supplies, making sure Jax and Aiden were just respectively incapacitated and not dead, the standard stuff. That only lasted us around 20 minutes of work, which left around 2 and a half hours before Liora would be able to power the Clockwork steed again.
It was later in the day, with around 3 or so hours before nightfall which left all of us with the dilemma. Do we want to set up camp, and have to pull two all nighter's on our trip to the tournament? Or should we try to drive through the night to get to Haremont and go from there?
"W-We could make it a campfire dinner kind of thing, maybe two of us go hunting to find some fresh meat while others set up a firepit?"
I suggested as we all sat at the edge of the lake contemplating.
"We could, after all we don't have much of a source of light when it gets dark, especially because we're on mountain roads, and you all saw how small some of those get."
Liora said as she laid back, lacing her fingers behind her head as she stared up at the clouds. We sat like that for probably a good 30 minutes before Thalia stood up, and walked to the edge of the water. She dipped her foot in before she turned back.
"The water isn't a bad temperature if we want to wash while we can? I can set up one of the tarps for privacy."
We glanced between each other as Beatrice walked over to the water and dipped her paw in before shaking it out.
"If you all want to, we're getting towards the back half of summer, so it's still a bit chilly."
"You say that like you don't plan to take one, need I remind you the literal rotting flesh and decaying blood that got splashed on everyone when those undead exploded, not to mention there is still blood from the necromancer girl in parts of your fur."
Liora said walking over and holding Beatrice's snout as she turned her head back and fourth as if inspecting.
"Hey now, come on, there can't be that much in there, plus I don't even smell."
At this I walked over and picked her up by the scruff of her neck with my left arm and raised her to eye level.
"F-for now you don't, but in a few days it may get rancid."
Beatrice with a panicked look on her face held up her paws and said.
"H-hey now, d-do you know how long its going to take for me to dry off, this fur isn't exactly a slow proceeeeeee!"
She was cut off as I tossed her into the water where she splashed in and came up sputtering and screaming curses and obscenities. Thalia walked back towards the cart and grabbed parts for the tarp while I went to grab sticks we could use for a frame. It didn't take long, but as I came out of the woods, I saw Beatrice standing with her legs splayed to the sides like she was about to brace against being pushed, her fur was soaked and her normal coat seemed to stick to her in a rather unflattering way. I carried my small pile over next to Thalia who began to tie them together with her strings. I turned and saw Liora walking through the air with her skill as she seemed to survey the lake before she came back over.
"Good news gang, there seems to be fish too, so we can catch some fresh dinner while we're here, no more beef jerky and mixed nuts for tonight."
Thalia and Beatrice seemed to perk up at this as I mumbled to myself.
"W-what's so bad about the rations?"
The others didn't hear it, and I agree that days on end of the same thing got repetitive and tiring, but at the same time I liked them. They were simple, easy, and I could make a bunch of them for long trips, calories wise they had what we needed, and they kept us over until the next town where we could grab a real meal.
I know I'm not but so good at cooking, but I try to organize them so everyone has more of what they like. I give Jax and Beatrice extra meat because they dig into it, Liora and Thalia seem more into the nuts so I pack them extra, and Aiden and I generally have an even balance.
It only took a minute to set everything up, We all took turns washing ourselves and huddling around the fire and in the sunlight to dry off. Aiden and Jax even made an appearance, but the two seemed to be bickering a bit because of what Jax called the alcohol incident. Thalia ended up fishing up some weird thing she called a Liopleurodon. It was weird, with a smooth body, four fins, and a long toothy snout. Aiden asked something about a candy mountain, but apparently it was Will saying something weird.
As we sat around the campfire, everyone talking, chatting, and taking turns spinning the large Liopleurodon over the fire, I found myself thinking back to before I meet these people.
The first few days on my own where I was riding in a carriage with others, just hoping to find any kind of lead were honestly terrifying. I knew what war was, I knew what monsters were, but desperation. Hungry people are willing to do things they hate because they don't want to starve. People who seem to have nothing but malice being cruel for practically no reason. It was an experience I honestly never want to remember.
Yet even something as simple as sitting around a campfire with them is fun, traveling is fun, working with them is fun. Jax and Aiden's jokes and jabs, Liora and her flamboyance, Thalia and her level headedness, and even Beatrice and her bewilderment of the most random things make every day new, and exciting. Even still though, as I sat and thought, my mind kept flashing back home, mom who always smiled, even with my arm. My brothers who always agreed to spar when nobody else would. Even my dad before that night where he called me his special princess.
It came out unconsciously, as if unintentional, but in a whisper I said.
"I miss home."
The others stopped for a moment before they turned back to me.
"Well then, guess we know our next big destination once we finish the tournament, always wondered what kind of environment made Selene so big and tough."
Liora said with a grin as the others nodded along. Conversations quickly started back up as Jax and Aiden began to fight with their forks after both wanted some of the first portions while Thalia mumbled about wishing we had tarter sauce. All I could do was laugh, as it seemed like even the stars overhead were smiling down at us.