Footprints at the Camp-site and a Night in the Open

Our route through the mountains followed a little-used trail that seemed to wind its way gently down from the heights behind us to the foothills ahead of us.  It seemed to pick its course to make the journey easy, rather than take the shortest route or try to keep out of sight of any of the (clearly lower) peaks around here.  The sunshine this morning soon washed the frost away, and by the time we stopped for food at noon, it was quite warm and bright.  The sun stayed low to the south, Mullory explained the changing seasons to me - of course I understood the difference between winter and summer, but the practical effects of this on travellers is something I need to understand to help survive out here.  It's currently mid-autumn, and down in the plains where there are trees, the leaves are turning golden brown and falling from the branches.  Up here in the mountains, though, it's a little colder, and there are far fewer trees.  It's also slightly colder this side of the mountains - to the west and north there is more shelter, and wind that passes eastward along the plain and up into the hills and mountains.

I nodded as though I was following this.  I understand quite a bit about the 'what it is' side of seasons, I've just never experienced things first hand.  I know that while I'm with the Hznaman I'll be reasonably safe - they know all the precautions to take against elements - but if I become separated it could help save me.  I think I just need to pay attention to what they're doing in response to changing weather and land, and learn all I can.

As we passed further down the road we spotted more Oggar tracks.  I still find these quite unnerving.  It was worse at the end of the day too.  There is a clear camp site here, prepared by traders.  It has a low wall around it on three sides, and it nestles under some low trees.  It is clearly not a winter camping place, but for us it wasn't the lack of protection from the weather that was the problem.  It was the Oggar tracks that criss-crossed this area.  There are lots of them, and they seem to have been here for only a few days.  It's like this place attracts Oggars.

We looked around for somewhere else to camp - the problem here was that this place was selected for a reason - it's the best camp site within an hour's march from here.  We had to march on well into dusk to find somewhere to stop.  And then it wasn't perfect - we're huddled up under a low cliff with a brambles and other mis-shaped bushes around us.  It's very cold, and we are not having any fire again.  As the day drew on, cloud bubbled up along the eastern horizon ahead of us, but not enough to bring some warmth tonight.  I'm expecting a sharp frost again.