Ostus wasn't sure whether or not he liked Berinike. The people were surprisingly pleasant, once he had grabbed a hat to cover the pointed tips of his ears. In Astora, Ostus always felt huge, even compared to humans. Here, if the men were not made of muscle, they were sly and quick on their feet. For the first time in his life, Ostus felt normal here -- at least with first glance. And the women... though many were stocky like some of the men, Ostus had caught himself more than once turning his head to get a better look at a few with accentuated... assets.

It was the fluctuating weather that bothered Ostus. It almost seemed like one moment it would rain and in the next moment, the sun would be shining and the smothering humidity would hang in the air in full force. How could people live like this? He felt more sorry for Kiara, who would have to put up with this weather.

Kiara. He glanced at her, noting her sad expression, and assumed she was scared to face her future husband tomorrow. On that same day, he would leave her. He was not looking forward to the trip back. It would be long and dull, full of regrets about what he should have done while he still had time to spend with Kiara, how different things could have been between them if only...

"So," he murmured quietly, "what do you want to do on your last night of camping? I could find someone that sells booze or we can cook up the last of our rations for a feast. I haven't the slightest clue how to play an instrument, but I can bang on something and sing, make your ears bleed." He smiled softly at the joke, determined to make light of the situation. "Tomorrow, we will enjoy a hot meal prepared by someone else, sleep in soft beds, and take hot baths. Looking forward to that."