It was around mid-afternoon and after almost half a day of riding that the girls came upon a section of a forest they'd been riding on the edge of that had a large tepui-like rock formation looming over the trees and, most peculiar of all, a farmhouse with the walls completely gone and a big gaping hole in the roof. Ferns, bushes and flowers grew through cracks in the floorboards and all around the ruined house, with four trees growing round the fireplace and providing shade. There was also a well near the house with the bucket still tied to the rope. Gillian was observing all this (as she'd gotten there first) while the girls caught up to her and came to a stop.

"Alright girls, dismount! We'll camp here for the night!" Traude ordered "Frieda! Kamilla! Look after the ponies!"

Gillian continued her observation of the house, coming to the conclusion that a farmer and his family used to live here. And judging from the condition of the house, it looked like they were either forced out of their home or something had attacked them and broken down the house, because most of the stuff seemed to have evidence of being broken in a hurry. As she pondered this, Traude came up to see what Gillian was doing.

"So, we're all set up." she said "What about you?"

"I think it would be wiser to move on." Gillian replied.

"But we've been riding almost all day, ever since first light." Traude protested "Where do you suggest we go?"

"Well, we could make for the Hidden Valley." Gillian said "There cou-"

"No." Trade barked cutting Gillian off as she walked towards the fireplace "I will not go near that place."

"Traude, we still have a long ways to go before we even get to the Wilderland." Gillian explained "We could get rest, food and advice."

"I don't need the advice of an elf." Traude replied without bothering to turn around with irritation in her voice.

Gillian rolled her eyes and clenched her staff. "We have a map with we cannot read and Lady Edyta could help us."

Something then snapped inside of Traude that had long been buried and she clenched her fists as she turned to Gillian with a very cross look on her face.

"Help?!" she said angrily "A dragon attacks Erebor and drives us away. The Elves never came to our aid. Orcs plunder and pillage Moira. No help came from the elves." she paused briefly as her anger subsided and she relaxed before continuing "You want me to seek the aid of the people who broke their promise to come to our aid whenever we had need of it? The people who...betrayed my family."

"Traude, please try to understand." Gillian said showing remarkable patience "Your father did not give me that key so could hold onto the past."

Traude sighed a somewhat exhausted sigh as she put her hands in her pockets. Her anger had dissipated once she'd calmed herself down. Gillian could see Traude was a rather stubborn woman, a trait many a dwarf unfortunately shared, and that trying to pry at the issue further would only make things worse. Gillian looked back to the girls as they set up camp, blissfully unaware of their conversation. She then turned back to Traude and gave a brief nose sigh, before adjusting her hat ever so slightly.

"I can see you need some time to yourself." she said "So I'll just get out of your hair for a bit."

"I think that would be very wise." Traude replied.

Gillian turned around and started walking back to her horse. Brianna (who was with Bertha, Beate and Barbara unpacking some stuff) took notice of Gillian mounting her horse and starting to make her leave along with some of the others.

"G-Gillian?" Brianna asked "Everything alright? Where are you going?"

"There is something I must attend to." Gillian replied as the horse began to quicken it's pace as it weaved around the girls ponies "I'll be back as soon as I can."

As she rode off, Brianna looked on with concern as did Beate whilst Barbara seemed to know what Gillian meant. Brianna on the other hand didn't. She hadn't expected Gillian to go running off suddenly without any explanation, especially since from how the girls made the mission out to be, they were going to need her help.

"Barbara, Daniela!" Traude called from the house "Help Gerlinde find a suitable clearing near the trees to pitch the tents!"

"Alright!" Barbara called back.

As she walked off, Brianna then looked to Bertha and Beate, with the former checking the ponies hooves for any rocks and such stuck in the horseshoe, whilst Beate looked around with her hands in her pockets and a smile on her face.

"Is she going to come back?" Brianna asked.

"She's a wizard." Bertha responded as she stood up "Let her do as she pleases."

Beate meanwhile was still taking in the scenery and was enjoying herself as she began walking away from the pony. Bertha glanced to her and was happy to see her cousin relaxing and not trying to separate herself from everyone, something which had become a cause of concern to her and Bridget. Brianna took notice of it too.

"She looks happy." she said.

"Yes she does." Bertha replied "It's been a long time since I've seen her smile. Even so long after…"

Bertha then unexpectedly stopped and then loosened the bags tied onto her pony, much to Brianna's surprise.

"After what?" Brianna asked.

"Never mind." Bertha replied dismissively as she grasped her bags and began walking away "Better go help set up camp. Beate, Bridget, come on!"

Across the field, as Brianna was pondering what Bertha had said, Ottilie was busy writing. Throughout the journey, she'd begun documenting their trek, down to even the minimal detail. Currently, she was sitting under the shade of a terebinth tree and writing about the day's ride:

We started riding at first light, which we've been doing since we started our journey. I feel it's been easier on most of us than others. Bridget always requires at least three more minutes of sleep before being allowed to be woken. I sometimes wonder if Bridget isn't eating, she's always looking for a new place to sleep. Wouldn't put it passed her myself, as while she professes she doesn't have an eating problem, she can never explain how she's able to consume an entire breakfast worth of food and still have room for lunch a few minutes later, or as Brianna our burglar calls it, second breakfast.

To tell the truth, I'm still unsure about Brianna as our burglar. On the first morning after she'd joined our quest a few days ago, she complained about leaves getting in her hair, only for Nadja to dump an entire handful of leaves into her hair just to show how fussy she was coming across as, only for her to flip out even more. She's kind of prissy like that. She also once expressed distaste over having to cross a river in her dress about two days ago and we argued for about five minutes before finally Gillian allowed her to ride on her horse. Of course the river only went up to our ponies chests so I kind of understand why she was in such distress.

She's noticeably eased up more after hearing Barbara and Traude's story of Moria, which is good and she seems to be getting along with Bertha, Bridget and Beate just fine. If I may be allowed to go on the tangent, I prefer to hear the stories of Erebor long ago, to know where we're going and what it used to be like before that cursed, winged serpent stole it away. If I ever see that dragon, I'll show him what happens when you mess with us dwarves.

I feel now I must close this entry for the cliff that overlooks us is just begging for me to sketch it. End log.

*AUTHOR'S NOTE: I must inform the reader that from now on some members of the company might have slight changes done to their appearance from now on to better differentiate them should the need arise, like Beate now having reddish-brown hair, Dorothea having hazel eyes and hopefully better descriptions of what's going on and making sure everyone stays in character. I would have done this sooner but apparently I can't go back and fix it so my sincerest apologies and sorry this new chapter took so long to pump out. That being said, hoped you enjoyed the chapter. Next one involves mutton.