It was hard to walk in a straight line. Sleep deprivation assailed Maren with grievances such as a shorter temper and decreased patience, but right now she tried to focus on the least frustrating result of her many nights’ lack of sleep. 

“What a beautiful day!” Mav beamed, practically skipping along the road. “Couldn’t ask for a better one.” 

A few small clouds specked the sky, but none covered the sun that refused to work. Sure, its light spread over the rolling hills coated with wildflowers and the large path that weaved among them, but it failed its most important mission: keeping Maren warm. 

At least her blanket could cover the sun’s slack. 

“Flames Above, there are even bunnies and butterflies frolicking over there!” Mav exclaimed. 

At the next hill’s crest, there were in fact several rabbits sniffing flowers while dozens of multicolored butterflies fluttered around them. Now, where was the fox that would inevitably ruin the moment? 

Mav dropped his gym bag, face beaming. “I’m gonna join them.” 

Fox, thy name is Mav. 

The excitable ex-Peace Keeper ploughed through the flowers, laughing like a giddy child, and expeditiously chased the wildlife away. His laugh died at the hill’s peak. Then, he rushed down the other side without a word. 

“You’ve gotta be...” Maren grumbled.

She hoisted his bag over her shoulder, its strap digging into her skin. She traipsed up the hill, grumbling. 

Oh, no.  

At the bottom of the hill, a small family of four were at a loaded cart. A woman and two little girls stood, but the man sat upon the cart near the supplies, his leg elevated with the pantleg pulled up. The man and woman were talking with Mav. 

No, no no no no no! 

Maren nearly stumbled hurrying down the hill, with her lethargic legs struggling to keep herself aloft under the weight of both the heavy gym bag and oppressive gravity. No one paid her any mind as she joined them. The little girls played together while the parents were invested in their conversation with Mav, whose expression was serious. 

“I’ll help you guys there,” Mav said. “Where is it?” 

“Help with what and go where, now?” Maren asked. 

The married couple flinched, then lowered their heads upon noticing her Wave Leaper Mark. Maren wasn’t sure what was more annoying, their reverent reaction or Mav’s excited smile. 

“There you are!” Mav said. “This family was traveling to a nearby mine to get some work, but Kellen twisted his ankle coming down this hill.” He patted the injured man’s shoulder. “He can’t pull the cart with his leg, so they’re stuck.” 

“So you’re offering to do it for them?” 

“Wow, you’re good!” 

Maren held in a frown. “Did you tell them that we’re in a guild?” 

“Whoops! Forgot about that part.” 

“Oooh!” the taller of the little girls shouted. “Which guild?” 

Mav puffed out his chest. “We’re Talam’s... actually, Maren, do you want to do the honors?” 

Now he lets me speak. “It’s new. We’re Talam’s first traveling guild.” 

The smaller child looked impressed, while the taller one had the opposite reaction – maybe she wanted to meet someone from one of the larger, more famous guilds. One of the wife’s eyebrows rose and the husband’s head was still down in reverence. 

Mav, on the other hand, looked confused. 

Wait, she hadn’t done her usual bombastic intro! Ah, whatever. She didn’t have the energy to feign all that joy and enthusiasm, anyway. 

“So we can help,” Maren began, “but we have to open up a request and agree to compensation before we do.” 

Maren side-eyed Mav. Twice already he’d broken that rule, twice spending hours working for no payment. They still had some funds from their first mission together, but Mav had spent all of his savings – and most of Koda’s – to get supplies for the road. Sure, they had nearly two thousand credits saved up now, but that would dry up in a month, max, if they never got paid.

“I beg you most humbly, Graceful Wave Leaper,” the wife said. “But we have practically nothing.” 

“That’s why we’re out here,” Kellen said. “The mining jobs at Mount Ergil are the best things the two of us can do right now. All this here,” he patted the luggage on the cart, “is the last of what we have.” 

Maren bit her lip. For every bustling city like Linick, there were dozens if not hundreds of small towns and hamlets in Neirea, and Talam proper. Some were prosperous enough, others scraped by with whatever means necessary. If this family couldn’t even afford the train and bus ride to these mines, then they must truly be hurting. 

“Then don’t worry about it!” Mav grabbed the cart and positioned it on the road. 

“Mav,” Maren said as the husband yelped in surprise. 

“It’s on the way, so it’s not like it’s a detour.” Mav beamed at the wife. “Besides, it’ll be a great exercise!” 

“Oh, bless you, Merciful Flame Dancer,” the wife said, voice cracking and eyes watering. 

Oh, shut it. Maren kept step behind the family as they followed Mav and the cart, her fury steadily replacing her exhaustion.