Year of the Boar, Twelfth Month, Day 14.

We are another day closer to the House; we have stopped to rest briefly but we have decided that we will continue our habit of not stopping unless it is absolutely necessary. Haru is in much better spirits today; she has even cracked a few jokes as we have made our way across the open fields which are typical of this region. 

Even though it has been but a day or two since we left the shelter of the woodland, it seems like a lifetime ago and the wall of trees is barely even visible in the distance behind us. I am glad we have not found ourselves here in the middle of the summer months for we should surely have perished long before we had made it this far. We have enough water to last until we arrive at the House if we are careful and we have plenty of food thanks to the small-holders.  Since there is little shelter along this route, neither of us is keen to spend a night out here without even a tree or two behind which we could hide. If I am honest, neither of us is keen to spend another night outside with or without a tree or two; I believe we have both simply had enough now...

I ache in places I did not know I had, my hair and skin feel horrible; both are dry and my skin in particular has the strangest texture, almost like an aged parchment. I do not like it at all. How I long for the warm embrace of a hot, scented bath. It has not been a terribly long time since I left Dying Crane but somehow, now, it seems a short lifetime ago. This journey has not transpired as I imagined it would and I am beginning to doubt that I could truly enjoy the life of an adventurer... Regardless, I must press on and return Haru to her home. We must eat and then be back on our way...