Alexi didn't want to complain. Katherine had done so much to help already, and was guiding them through the trails far better than he ever could. It would be the height of indecency to return all she had done -and indeed, continued to do- with anything other than gratitude. 

Yet all this travelling was getting... painful.

He had never realized how [i]uncomfortable[/i] riding a horse could be. The rhythmic, once-soothing and jostle of each step became painful, to the point where he dreaded each coming clop and stomp. The sight of a hole, hill or anything other than clear ground brought a cringe to his features. And perhaps it was the adrenaline from before draining away, but he seemed far more tired than he had any right to be. 

Though, he [i]was[/i] a scribe, used to sitting crouched over a table. A job where endurance was measured by how late one could keep writing, not how far one could travel through the wilderness. Perhaps it was understandable that he was feeling the pain of travel...

That didn't really help what remained of his pride, however.

"It... might be best to have some light when we make camp." He offered something of a pained smile as she looked back. His gaze drifted skywards, staring out at the glimmering lights that made it through the forest canopy. The motion brought a sharp spike of soreness up his back, driving home just how out of his element he truly was. "We'll need to press harder tomorrow no matter what, correct? An early rest might help more than it would hurt."

Selfishness stood over reason in that decision, but wasn't absent entirely. No matter what, he'd likely be sore tomorrow. But sore was different from crippled, and they wouldn't get very far at all if he couldn't ride. There was a chance he could finish his translation entirely this evening, as well, which would be one worry scratched off the ever-growing list.

"Though if we need to go a little further to find a proper place to spend the night... you are the authority there." Alexi took stock of the area, what he saw doing little to help. Trees and brush, land sloping upwards or downwards, it was all just... forest. A clear area was needed, right? Someplace they could make a fire, maybe? The more shelter -the more comfort- the better to his sheltered sensibilities, but such a spot might not exist here.

"Find a good spot and stop there, would that work?" Alexi twisted on his saddle as he spoke, eyes suddenly going wide as a series of sharp cracks sounded off down his spine. "Oh... oh I think I needed that..."