It was day number four on the road. The small group of men cleaned up their camp after they all finished up their breakfast. The young woman they were escorting already tucked away and waiting inside the modestly adorned carriage. The wind started to pick up causing more than a few of the hardened men to curse, as the winter chill set in far earlier than in years past.
"We could'a already been there if we'd stuck ta the main road." The youngest looking male squirrel complained as he mounted his chicobo steed and took his place behind the carriage as it now started to move. The barely kept trail now coming up on thick woods causing the party to move far slower than the days before.
"We could'a been stuck knee deep in snow on the pass if we'd stayed on the main road." A far older graying black furred squirrel scolded the younger man as he took his place riding besides him. "Benny made the right call with us taking the devil's elbow. Three more days on the road beats freezing ta death up in those hills."
"Ain't no way there is snow on that pass dis time of year." The young man mumbled after a light scoff. He looked off into the ever-darkening woods that was seemingly closing in on them.
"And there ain't no way we're already freezing our balls off down here dis low laying forest neither. But here we are very aware that if our fella's shrink anymore, we might as well put on a dress, and change our name ta Sally. Something ain't right dis year... This may well be the last job I take on the road until spring hits. The Electro's can find some other old grunt ta fight this ungodly cold." The old man pulled his coat tighter before pushing down the brim of his cowboy hat to fight off the picking up wind.
"Sounds like I should just start calling ya Sally now, you pussy." The young man grinned tauntingly at the old male getting an irritated glare in return. The two both fell silent and continued their trek as the chill kept becoming more aggressive despite the fact that the sun was finally finding a higher spot in the sky in front of them.
"Ma'am!" The older black furred squirrel knocked on the carriage door once the small convoy had stopped near a small stream. "We're stopping for a short while, so if ya'd like to get out and freshen up." The man, likely her father's age, coughed seemingly a bit nervous at basically telling her now was her time to urinate. "We'll make sure ta set out some provisions for ya once ya return." The old man bowed as the young female opened the carriage door and stepped out showing she was born or a far higher bloodline than the men that were ushering her off to her new life.
"Thank ya, Charles." The youthful brown, and tan, furred woman graciously stated while she took his hand as he helped her step out into the frigid weather. Her boots sinking nearly halfway deep in the mud despite her small statue.
"It's cold, miss!" The youngest man called as he took off his thick outer coat and placed it around her getting a thankful smile and nod for the noble woman. The youth smiled back and cocked his head slightly as he watched her walk off behind a large grouping of old growth trees not so far away from the nearly flooded path.
Once the female was out of sight the older man slapped the younger in the face. "Don't ya go looking at our charge like dat! We are delivering her to one of da most powerful families in the region. Keep yer eyes on yer boots when she is around us!" The black furred squirrel spit out some chew before tucking more under his bottom lip all while continuing to glare as his unseasoned coworker.
"Looking don't hurt nothing!" The young man called back as he held a hand up to nurse the cheek his elder had just hit. "Besides, she ain't nothing like dem girls at da brothels back home." The youth smiled playfully before a shot rang out. The youths face went blank before a slowly bleeding red dot appeared in his forehead as his body went limp and collapsed with a thud on the swampy trail.
"Bandits!" The older squirrel shouted out before falling in the muck after taking a bullet in the shoulder. "Run!" he tried to yell as his mouth was filled with mud, as more shots rang out.