Regina Spektor- The Call , includes coffee section which I found won't benefit travelers. How to rest well when heart beats very fast?
Revised from suggestions lol
*Ilkar wearing meridian coat with a belt because he had lost weight, Drizzt in blue armor.
As we moved on the road, I cultivated an unusual hobby out of a need to have thrill.
I liked to tweak my friend's pointed eartips before bedtime. I would wait till Ilkar's breathing deepened then creep up to him and twitch them. Somehow he found out! One day he exposed me, just as I crawled back to my bedroll.
"What was that? Sensation of tickling on my left ear." He didn't sound sleepy at all.
I answered with a readiness, "A mosquito. I swat it. Now we can sleep with ease."
"Not a bug, Fel. Every other day, you touched my ears. I know what a mosquito feels like," Ilkar pointed out.
It was in my instincts to deny it, yet my friend had already made it clear there was no evasion. I sighed. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to disturb… angry with me? I make sure no one is around when I do that." Thankfully the darkness covered my reddening face and I looked down at my feet. Oh no, he was going to hate me now.
The insects chirped around us. I could just make out Drizzt's pale hair where he stood watch. Now the fire was out, I couldn't see Ilkar's expression which ought to be scowling handsomely. Normally we would sleep close by for shared warmth. However now his mood became negative, I shifted further. He remarked after a while, "That is a strange past-time to have."
"Er- I wanted to know if it's very sharp. I find that it's soft, and special. Mine are round tipped and boring." I hesitated trying to gauge if Ilkar intended to nag me or blow up.
I counted to ten and the mage did neither, instead he laughed. I smiled. "Of course it's soft! My fingers will be cut if I touch them myself or people won't come near me! Imagine the damage." He gasped in mirth.
"Oh ok. Why not sleep more soundly?" During the day Drizzt had not discovered my hobby at all. He never budged. His ears were longer tipped and looked sharper than the mage's.
"I don't. I've never slept deeply unless I'm in a bed at home. Come here, it's colder tonight." He beckoned. I picked up my bedroll, Serif snorting in protest. Ilkar extended his cloak for all of us and then lay down. His dark hair gleamed and I admired his handsome profile, with lashes outlining his unique eyes, one arm to embrace me.
Serif tucked himself into a ball between us.
Absolutely perfect. I whispered, "No hard feelings elfie?"
His finger brushed my lips. "Shhh. That isn't my name. It's difficult to stay angry with a naughty child." I drifted off, dreamt of all of us on some quest together. Drizzt was there too, welcoming and not menacing as people made him out to be.
"Drizzt is keeping watch? Do you know where?" he whispered.
I pointed in the general direction. The pale hair and glowing eyes were beacons, but Drizzt was so deadly that we did not have to worry. I slept the most soundly, even if I was outdoors. "Go to sleep now, snore snore," I imitated a piggish sound haha.
Ilkar tickled me. "Stop that. I'm disturbed I may be attacked by a mad pig. Or a horde of pigs!" We chuckled. The Julatsan let me fondle his ears.
Following night as we prepared to rest.
"I'm trying not to laugh. Promise me, don't creep around like that or I might punch you." He looked perfectly serious and composed.
"I'm a good creeper." I imagined the plant.
"Yea I give you that. Heavier breathing when you move, does Drizzt know?"
'I doubt it. he doesn't wake up."
"Ah. Promise not to frighten me, Fel. I'm not that young." He sighed. I said I would.
Drizzt said, "What happened? Lost something? I'll help you." He startled me as he had approached without a single sound, only the whisper of his pale hair. He knelt beside me, lavenders gleaming and reached out his hand.
Drizzt waited. Ilkar grunted and turned to face him. Sleepily he said, "She has just decided to touch my ears find out how hard or soft they are."
I moaned. Oh shit! The drow blinked and he made himself comfortable. "Ahhh, what about mine? I have longer tips."
I smiled. "Eh you don't mind right. Both are soft too. Sorry."
They laughed hard. Serif licked Drizzt's hand and pricked his ears. "It was supposed to be our secret, Ilks!" I sulked. A consolation was that Drizzt didn't know of me doing it to him until tonight. Right?
Ilks beamed and pretended to snore.
We definitely preferred to drink water and tea. Coffee made people sleepless, from what I eavesdropped. I didn't like the taste anyway when the mage brewed from the little amount of coffee beans he had bought. I still drank it because he would look at me in such a hurt way. Couldn't afford to be choosy when we rode around and no towns were in sight for miles. I tried to wake early and make tea and boil water when my companions needed more sleep.
While sipping the water, the elves marvelled at my skill. Yay! Then I sang and attracted some cute rodents to sit in a row before us.