Backtracking had been spent chatting about the jungle and how their horses had become increasingly more comfortable with each other as time went on. Eventually the sun began to set and Navia was reminded of how quickly darkness fell in the jungle. The dense foliage limited the dying rays of dusk and it was then they decided it would be time to stop for the day. She had been hoping they’d at least reach the fork in the road, but knew that road would likely have other travelers go by in the night. This one probably wouldn’t, making it not only safer, but they could also space out a bit more without the likelihood of being in someone’s way. The horses seemed tired out as well, so while Théadan went to scrounge up wood and start a fire, Navia worked to relieve the horses of their burdens. Bags came down first, which she leaned against the rise from the mossy green floor of the rarely-traveled road to the growth of tree roots and bushes where the jungle began.<br/><br/>Varinata’s saddle was removed first, simply because the mare appeared more tired than Wyndagar, who had be bred and raised to withstand long days. Her head hung just a bit lower than usual and she was not paying as much attention to her equine companion as before, causing Navia’s heart to tug for their silvery new addition. “We’ll try not to have anymore long days like this, okay?” Navia spoke softly to the horse while she loosened the buckles of the saddle, then lifted it down. She rubbed her hands over where the saddle and straps had likely caused the most pressure, hoping to soothe any aches the horse might have. “And when we reach Mandira, you’ll be so spoiled, you’ll never remember this hard day,” she chuckled, moving to face Vari and remove her bridle. She wanted to give the horse a break, but wasn’t sure they could trust her to leave during the night, so Navia was frowning lightly to herself in thought when Wyndagar bumped his nose against her shoulder expectantly, wanting his saddle removed as well.<br/><br/>“I know, I know,” Navia turned to give the black horse an affectionate pat before moving to begin working at Wyndagar’s saddle as well. “I think what I’ll do is give the two of you a break with the bridle, then put them back on before we go to bed,”  she explained, more to herself than to the horses who likely did not understand, “That way we’ll know Vari won’t wander off during the night.” So she loosened and removed Wyn’s bridle as well, and laid it atop the saddle. With Théadan working by the fire, Navia went to set up an area for them to rest. She pushed the saddles side by side near their bags, then laid the bedrolls Baiza had given them out in front of the saddles, so they could sit on the bedrolls and use the saddles as backrests. She was admiring how thick they were and how much comfier they would probably be than what they’d had before when Théadan approached, catching her attention with his complaint of the jungle insects.<br/><br/>She was smiling at how petulant he sounded when he held up a flask and insisted she drink. Blinking, having forgotten Osa had tasked him with making sure she drank herbal tea every day, Navia took the flask and brought it up to sniff. It smelled flowery and inviting, a surprise when she had thought Osa would have developed something awful tasting after the concoctions she’d been given in the past. “Thank you. You won’t have to make it for me every day, okay?” she insisted, taking a sip from the flask and smiling at him, “I can make my own tea, you just might have to remind me. But thank you. The bugs probably know how sweet you are and that’s why they’re attracted to you.” Proud to have twisted his words into a compliment for a change, Navia stepped closer to press a kiss to Théadan’s cheek before turning to sit on one of the bedrolls. She leaned back against the saddle with a low, tired groan, her feet kicking off her khussas while she sipped her tea and gazed at the fire Théadan had created.<br/><br/>“Are you hungry?” She asked suddenly, realizing there was more she could be doing to helping to end their day. He’d prepared the fire and made her a drink after all; it was the least she could do. After taking another sip of the tea, Navia turned and pulled over one of the bags Baiza had packed for them, “Come sit and we’ll see what she packed for us…and I also want to ask you something.” While she waited for Théadan to join her, Navia removed a couple wrapped food items Baiza had sent with them. After opening the wrappings, she found a mixture of raw vegetables that had been cut up for munching as well as sliced chicken and beef that had been cooked on skewers. “I’d like for us to put the baby in the journal,” Navia explained while plucking a carrot from the vegetable mix and taking a bite. She chewed and swallowed, then smiled over at Théadan, “Since I’ve already written in it once and I think we should be writing in it equally, would you like to do it? You also write so well and this would be an important entry for us.”