The water crashed down, loudly colliding with the pool below it. A spray reached my already cold face.

“Fuck, we have to go in there?” I asked. I shifted on the horse we had picked up in Bath. I fully turned when Gawain didn’t respond and he just gave me a curt nod. Classic.

Alex coughed and spit on the ground. “That’s what I think of that.” He said.

My smile fought through on my tense face.

Gawain dismounted, Alex and I followed suit. Gawain whispered to Shea and she bounded off ahead of us. He stroked the nose of his horse. Next he reached into one of his saddle bags and pulled out wool jackets for all of us. They smelled like wet sheep and were coated in a grease of sorts. I made a face.

“These will keep us dry.” Gawain said.

I pulled it slowly over my furs, trying to stuff each arm into the jacket was difficult.

Alex turned to me arms out like a little kid on a snow day. “I can’t put my arms all the way down.” He tried but the jacket was too taught around his shoulders.

I laughed and my stomach hurt. I was looking forward to dinner and the fire we would start once we made camp.

Gawain led his horse towards the waterfall and we followed. The horse balked a bit at going under, but Gawain very quietly and calmly spoke to it and it hesitantly crossed through. I looked at my horse and said, “Hey bud, uhh we gotta do this ok?” My horse looked nonplussed.

The noise of the water began to drown out everything else as I approached. Looking up, the top of the falls was eons away, a speck unleashing this scene on the world. I wrapped my jacket tightly around me and pulled the hood up. At the last second I held my breath.

Stepping under the cascade was like being punched in the back. I stumbled from the impact but maintained my grip on the reins. I could feel the cold from inside my layers of clothing though no water reached my skin. After a second I was through, pulling my reluctant horse behind me. I stepped away from it for a second and shook my body, sending droplets flying.

Alex and his mount showed up quickly after.

We were standing at the beginning of a large tunnel that lead through the mountain. Gawain had already started walking into the dark. He didn’t even pause when he took his Marsh out of his pocket, shook it, and let it float up into the air. It cast a faint pale glow around him. Just enough to see about 10 feet in front and behind.

I started walking and Alex did too. There wasn’t enough room for us to walk side by side plus our horses so we stayed in a line.

The paws sounded in the corridor as Shea returned to Gawain. He nodded at her. No threats ahead it seemed.

We traveled in silence for awhile except for the drip of our jackets on the floor.