Page 57
Still, they were in no hurry.
“Let’s find a good place to rest. We’ll have a fire and we can have a warm meal together.” This was another first for them, sleeping together in the woods.
“Yeah, we can do that.” Brayden probably had a lot more experience at this, in fact, than Harden did. He had heard stories of how Brayden and his brothers had lived rough in the woods on occasion when they had nowhere else to go. They had not been tied down to a homestead like so many of the other dragons who had crossed the veil. “You know any place that’s likely? Is there a stream we could maybe find?”
Harden brightened. “Yes, that would be very nice. I think I do know a place.”
“How are you holding up, baby? I know traveling is hard when you’re pregnant.”
“Not as difficult as shearing sheep.”
“True.” Brayden helped him up into the cart so he could ride again for a little while.
They headed toward the stream, and the bocapal hurried down to drink, bouncing and jostling the wagon, making him laugh. He didn’t jostle out of the wagon, but Brayden had a rough time keeping up. He half expected his mate to fly after them, but he arrived not too long after they did.
“Someone was thirsty.”
“They were. Silly beasts. They’re something else.” Harden adored them.
“Well now I am too. Is it safe to drink here or do we need to boil the water first?”
“It’s safe for dragons. It’s unlikely that we’re going to get anything from the waters here. Sometimes in the city something will corrupt the water, but it’s usually magic.”
“That’s not the way in the human world. The water can be disgusting.”
“That’s sad.” Harden had to wonder how the animals there coped with that.
Brayden’s expression went very serious. “The animals often have a stronger constitution than humans, so most of the time they adapt. Sometimes it kills them.”
That idea made him feel sick to his stomach. That something as life-giving as water could kill animals and people… It wasn’t right.
“I didn’t mean to upset you.” Brayden helped him down out of the cart, holding his hands, then pulled him in for a kiss.
“You did not. The idea of bad water did.” He hugged Brayden tight.
“Mmmm. You feel good.”
“I bet I don’t smell so great.” He laughed when Brayden sniffed his neck very deeply.
“I probably smell worse. I did a lot of walking today in the hot sun.”
“I assumed at some point you were just going to give up and fly.”
“I was having way too much fun with you today, love. Why would I want to leave you behind?”
“I’m glad for you to say that.”
“I meant it.” Brayden leaned in for another kiss. They both laughed when the bocapol tried to wade into the water along with the cart and they had to pull them back and unhook the cart from them.
“We should be making camp anyway,” Brayden said. “I’m sorry if we didn’t make enough headway today.”
“Nonsense. My parents will be expecting us when they expect us.”
“Then we’ll enjoy our time here on the banks of this wonderful stream. It’s gorgeous. Do we need to worry about predators? I think I’ve asked you that before, but I am always trying to be aware.” Brayden took his hand and kissed it.
“I think that we should be safe enough. The bocapols will help us with the guard duties. Honestly, they’re big enough to keep most of the large animals away.”
“Then we don’t have to set up the bed in the wagon.”
